This is taken from our Spring 2015 issue. Subscribe here to receive our summer issue.
A Mini Meditation for Balance – Take a moment to find your equilibrium.
By Sri Annatta
The quintessence of happiness right now, whilst the turmoil of the world keeps passing by, is to realise that all the outside phenomena are not a part of you and never need to be. Sometimes explained as egotistical, the opposite is true. If you’re not touched and upset by outside phenomena it’s much easier to help those around you with loving kindness.
Right now, with all sorts of media hyping things up, wouldn’t it would be nice to be able to remain within your own equilibrium? This is a nice starting exercise to cultivate such a state of mind.
1. Sit quietly and make sure you’re comfortable, to the extent you won’t fall asleep but can remain in this posture as long as you feel necessary. Follow the breath as it naturally occurs, the whole path of the breath.
2. Now concentrate on a specific part of the nostril where you can actually feel the flow of breath. Can you feel your concentration become focused? Try to do this to the extent that it is as if you are the steady point of focus.
3. If thoughts arise watch how they come into existence and fade away. This will eventually extinguish them.
4. Now let the words “letting go” reverberate within you.As you come out of this meditation do a few full yoga breaths and while breathing out, imagine a heavy burden being lifted off your shoulders.