Life. It is one thing after another, after another, after another. Events, situations, days, weeks, months, years appear to speed up, moving in accordance with the lively energy and fast paced environment we find ourselves in. It can become all a bit overwhelming at times. The pressures of life get on top of us and compound our thoughts, quickly spiral us downwards.

Yet, there is a way to slow everything down and find stillness within the chaos. It is possible to return to a personal sanctuary of peace which exists within the moments of everyday. It is a place where one can feel calm, centered and restored. This place can only be found within.

When our daily lives become so demanding, our attention shifts away from ourselves and it’s easy to get lost in the thicket of unproductive thoughts which also direct our course of actions. Every single person on this planet is struggling with something in their lives. The more unaware we are of our patterns and behaviors the more the repercussions of this impact on those around us.

The vast majority of people wish to be free from these burdens. The key to doing so is understanding. When we create the space and time for ourselves and ‘close down’ from the outside world, then we are able to gain a wider perspective. By zooming out of our current situation, we can see how it is contributing either positively or negatively to the flow of our life.

When we are able to focus our attention on a single point and become completely absorbed, we experience a merging. Subject and object become one. These focused moment of being completely present may lead to a greater sense of awareness as we witness ourselves having this experience. This grants us the ability to view the situation from an outsiders (3rd person) perspective, assisting us to shift our focus so as to be able to see in a different way.

Meditation can be as simple as witnessing the breath:

Take a moment.

Sit comfortably.

Close your eyes.

Drop into your body and let your attention relax.

Take a deep breath in through your nose.

Exhale through your nose, allowing your body to soften.

Witness the breath coming in and notice how it feels.

Witness the breath flowing out and notice how if feels.

With every breath you are becoming more easeful.

More calm

More at peace.

Notice how this short practice has altered your body and mind.

This process of stopping and reflecting on the movement of the breath and how it feels, assist in being able to reshape the present moment. It helps us to refocus our thoughts and quiet the chatter of the mind. When space has been created, the intensity of the moment decreases.

When we become self-aware we begin to realize that unconsciously we are projecting our insecurities, our wants and our desires outwards for the world to fulfill them. When we do this, we draw certain situations, events and individuals in that force us to do it for ourselves. They will mirror back to us the energy that we are putting out, reflecting our own pain and suffering that isn’t healed and offering us the opportunity to save ourselves.

As we are not given what we want, we are given the very thing that will guide us back to what lays waiting for us within. When the flow of our energy is redirected and focused upon ourselves then we begin to see through a different set of eyes, as the love that we have been searching for is our own. We are the only ones who can offer us the kindness, compassion, support, gentleness and understanding we seek. This process of turning inward teaches us compassion, forgiveness and acceptance of ourselves and when integrated, is then offered back out to the those around us.

Meditation is the tool which reconnects us back to the bigger part of ourselves that is not seen but sometimes, during these quiet moments, felt. These moments of withdrawing from the senses to find poise, may reveal flashes of insight, spontaneous solutions to problems, inspiration and guidance coming from a source deep within. When we meditate we smooth the fluctuation of the mind enabling us to look deeper into the still water of our being and see the true nature of ourselves reflected.

Throughout the day, our minds cause the waves to increase and kick up the sediment from the bottom, distorting the view of ourselves. Fear, negativity, scarcity and uncertainty arises drawing us further away from ourselves and increasing our feelings of unworthiness. By taking a few minutes throughout the day to tune back into what already is inside reminds us the love that lives within and strengthens our connection to it.

As one steps through the doorway of starting to become more aware of realizing the Self, a new landscape opens us and one can become fascinated with the infinite potential that exists. The more we search to find those areas within that have not been touched by our awareness, the more aware we become. Our internal exploration, the eye with which we view ourselves, is cast out into the world and our experience of it comes from a more humbled and sympathetic perspective. We begin to see as we hadn’t seen before, looking out through the lens of love.

Over time this subtle practice can impact greatly on the quality of our life as our thoughts, habits and entire trajectory changes because we have become more conscious of the choices we make. No longer do we make a choice out of fear, our choices come from love as that is what we have discovered within. We may even catch a glimpse of our progress and be awed. From tuning back into ourselves we begin to trust more and see that life is supporting us to become the very best version of ourselves. Each new encounters shares with us some new information we can learn from, drawing us up even higher towards our best selves.

Meditation is the bridge that links who we are on the outside with the changeless aspect of who we are inside. It connects us to what lays underneath the thoughts and constant waves of the mind. It unites us with that which is all knowing, all compassionate, all loving and whole, drawing it up to the surface.

There are no fixed rules for meditation. Simply start by focusing on the present moment and begin! When we tap into this greater part of ourselves and continue to return to it over and over again, the pathway solidifies, helping us to bring the best selves forward and tenderly encourages them to do the same.