Winter can be challenging if not difficult, on many levels of our being. I am reminded of how our ancestors were completely dependent upon and at the mercy of the weather, and how much easier it is for us now. Yet, still the long nights of snow and ice do eventually slow the wheels of "forward" outward movement- slows us down, or stops all together. Plans, activities, here to, there for... Brought back to a level of basic concerns and survival by power outages, sleet and freezing rain. Slowed by winter aches and pains, illness... All outside and background noise begins to fade... And we come face to face... with the Stillness. It is from this place that we enter the realm of Deep Dreaming. Where all the outer cares of life melt away. And in that place of quiet and rest, the voice of the Inner Self, The Higher Self, the Soul can be heard- some call it the voice of God.
I call it entering the cave when I am in that space. I, like many others, do not generally find myself in a place of quietude and rest. Once or twice a year, though, for many years, I have been "forced" into that space by a strange post traumatic stress condition- simply put, whenever my stress gets too high, one of my joints will lock and swell, all of the muscles surrounding the joint will tense stiff, and the pain radiates from that focal point to all the surrounding areas of the body. This lasts from two to four days. Talk about "cave time"- unable to move, having to lie still in a dark quiet room for days, I have lots of time to process! And this time, on the day that I was feeling just well enough to walk again and raring to go out on a bazillion errands- we had a two day ice and snow storm! :) I had to surrender. But believe me, I needed it! I was exhausted and on autopilot, and it had taken an invisible toll. And after all, It is Deep Winter, and I am a Bear after all - and Bear Medicine is Introspection.
Let us do a simple Meditation this Season
that touches upon this
Time of Deep Dreaming.
These are the inklings of those Dream Seeds we routinely "Plant" in the Spring.
THE Meditation:
Entering The Cave
Find or create a place that is reasonably dark and quiet, where and when you are sure that you can sit undisturbed for a length of time. I know that this can be tricky, but try for just once and see how it goes. This *going within* can be done, of course, however you need to, to suit your lifestyle considerations- space, time, etc. Wear earplugs if that is helpful. Turn off the phone if you can. Take it easy and make sure that the space is warm enough for your comfort, and that you are sitting or lying down in a way that feels natural to you. If you are unaccustomed to visualization, simply do what you can with this to know yourself as part of the whole. With practice all comes.
(Suggestion: If you can sit in the fetal position, with your back supported against the wall and a blanket around you, or can lie own comfortably that way, this may be an enhancement to the meditation for you- really feeling like going into the cave or womb.)
(Suggestion: If you can sit in the fetal position, with your back supported against the wall and a blanket around you, or can lie own comfortably that way, this may be an enhancement to the meditation for you- really feeling like going into the cave or womb.)
* Get into your dark and quiet place.
* Let your body relax and start to feel supported by whatever is holding you. (the chair, cushion, floor..)
* Let this feeling grow with each deep exhale, that you are being fully supported.
* Breathe to the count of four, hold this to the count of four and exhale slowly to the count of eight.
* Repeat this breath pattern once more, exerting no efforts, very naturally. Relax and allow your mind to release any worries or thoughts of the outside world.
* Let your breath return to normal easy breathing, with a focusing of your awareness at the center of your chest, your Heart center.
* Just breathing easily for some moments into and out of this space in the center of your chest and feel/imagine that your Heart area is spacious, open, untroubled, at peace. If certain bodily sensations or feelings arise within you, just let them be. No need to judge them. Just observe and let them fade.
* A silvery gold shimmering light begins to turn on, slowly beginning in your Heart center and extends in a dense and slender column of light down the center of your torso and pelvis.
* This light reaches down through the crust of the earth upon which you sit/lay, through dark crystal caves towards the magnetic center of the Earth, stopping just before your cord of light breaks through to the molten center. You can feel the comforting warmth of the center of the earth rise up on this grounding cord of light and fill your heart with pleasant feeling.
* You feel a force envelop you from behind. It feels as if it is gently tugging you upwards, by the entire area of the shoulder blades. You feel safe and nurtured by the energy of the grounding cord as this force lifts you backwards and up.
* You stay with the gentle breathing into your heart, and observe that you are being lifted rapidly up over your home, your town, your county, state, country and continent- into space. Visualize and Feel as best you can the sensations of this journey. Don't labor too long, but take your time to savor what is happening.
* As you observe the Earth, and the moon on the other side of you, and see the long cord of light that connects Your Heart and physical self to the earth, in the Silence and Stillness of this Space, you begin to experience a feeling a largeness within you, an expansion in your chest. Not a feeling of the size of your physical body, rather an expansion of your awareness. Awareness of the Infinite Nature of your Soul, the Esssence of your self, and all that is below and all around you.This will mean something different to everyone. If you can't feel it in your body/mind, then for now, simply think to yourself, I am an Eternal Being.
*In the Stillness, Be and Know that I Am.*
* In this space of awareness centered on the eternalness of your being, in the quiet and safe space, with the gentle breathing into and out of an open heart, free of judgment, Listen:
Y
What Does Your Higher Self- Your Soul- say to You?
What is the Divine Truth of Your Heart? **
Y
* When you have received your heart's message, take your journey back gently down into your body. Sit a while if you would like to. Write your special message from your Higher Self down, draw it out if you like.***
* When you have intuited that this process of going within the cave is completed for you, draw your cord of light up from the core of the Earth, all the way up your torso to your heart. Here it will dissipate softly.
=
* You are an Eternal Being*
*You are a uniquely fashioned thread in an intricately woven fabric of Life*
*This Fabric extends out in more directions
than anyone can presently comprehend.*
* It is All a Mystery*It is Beautiful *
=
Blessings in this Time of Deep Dreaming.
until next time
I remain,
lRev. Ursula Carrie
until next time
I remain,
lRev. Ursula Carrie
* Great video on Perspective:
jIt's worth the 9 minute trip! Enjoy! :)
NOTES
** You do not need to know how you will "make it happen" or spend any time on how unpractical it is. These are merely judgements based on societal and cultural conditioning, outmoded belief systems about reality that have outlived purpose. Let those go. You only need to hear, in Clarity and Self-Trust, what it is. No need to "Do" anything about it. This is the time to receive the Dream, whatever that may be. Sacred Action will come. Blessed Be.
*** Before retiring at night, you may want to ask your Higher Self to send you a dream, or some signs while you are waking to help you learn more about the message you received and how to manifest this dream into your physical reality.
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