Universal Consciousness is One

Nothing in life is perfect and for sure, no human being that walks this planet could ever be perfect. Those striving for perfection never get anywhere because perfect, to me, doesn't really exist.

The meditation Om Namah Shivaya besides being a chant to Lord Shiva in the Hindu tradition it also means Universal Consciousness is One. Isn't that what Covid 19 is trying to teach us that we are all in this together?

The Japanese have an art form called Kintsugi, the art of renewal. When something is broken they don't just throw it away, they mend it and fill it with gold lacquer to form something new and beautiful.

In Japanese philosophy there exists the idea of “wabi-sabi,” the act of embracing the flawed or the imperfect. When kintsugi is used to mend together broken pottery, the cracks are highlighted, rather than hidden.

"Less Is More - The Spirit of Traditional Japanese Art "

Many ancient Japanese arts, including the pottery technique of kintsugi are centered around a very different philosophy - simplicity and bringing out the beauty that is already present in the world around us.

Haiku, Ikebana, and traditional Japanese culinary practices are all ancient arts based around these principles. Less is more and perfection is achieved through bringing into focus what is already present.

These are based on principles that we are all connected.

(taken from https://blog.pachamama.org/japanese-art-kingsugi-perfection-imperfection

Isn't that what we all need more of right now? Universal Consciousness bringing us together as one?

If we focused less on perfection and more on simplicity we could learn to be happy. It's easy if you allow yourself to just be.

Human beings have a hard time with this but I notice here in Sydney in my local area, people are out walking more, running, sitting in the sunshine. I know it's not the same for all parts of Australia and definitely not for many other parts of the world but in my local surrounds people seem far less stressed, walk around with and an easier pace and are more chilled.

Feel, breathe, walk, come together in Nature

I love to walk and I walk my dog everyday and this is my meditation. I am lucky that I live in an area surrounded by so much natural beauty. It is difficult not to be at peace when you walk around my neighbourhood. Seriously what beats walking and being surrounded by exquisite nature?

My dog is nine years old so our walk is pretty chilled. We don't walk fast and she likes to stop and sniff and just take it all in and I never rush her. It's her walk time and I very rarely take her for a walk when I don't have time to let her stop and do her thing. She's present to her surroundings so why would I want to interrupt that?

With Covid and working from home I have more time in the middle of the day so we do a really leisurely walk. It's nearly spring here in Sydney and while the mornings and the evenings are crisply cold, the middle of the day is filled with sunshine and warmth.

So we walk and we stop and she sniffs trees,bushes, plants, she pees relentlessly (where does all that liquid come from?) and in the middle of our walk we stop and we sit.

I am blessed to live where I live and we usually stop and sit on a bench close to the local Ferry that goes between where I live into Sydney's Central Business District. I shine my face up to the sun and Macy lies under the bench seeking the shade.

If all four benches are occupied we go sit on a rock right on the water's edge. If time permits we sit there for 30-45 minutes in silence and stillness. That is our daily mediation and it doesn't get much better than that.

My dog is meditation because she is unconditional love.

Dancing is Meditation

"Gabrielle Roth was an American dancer and musician in the world music and trance dance genres, with a special interest in shamanism. She created the 5Rhythms approach to movement in the late 1970s; there are now hundreds of 5Rhythms teachers worldwide who use her approach in their work." (Wikipedia).

Until this year I regularly attended 5Rhythms classes indoors and always found it a great way to almost do therapy by moving my body and dancing. Thanks to Covid for the first time ever a regular Sunday morning class from 10.30am until 12.30pm was held in Centennial Park with physical distancing.

Centennial Park is a massive park filled with duck ponds, grasslandS, a circular bike track, off leash dog areas, cafe's etc. It's in the centre of Sydney not too far from Bondi Beach and it has a gorgeous Labyrinth in it's park lands as well.

So Sunday 16th August I went to my first 5Rhythms class outdoors and the only way to describe the experience was sheer bliss. It was a beautiful, warm sunny day in the middle of Sydney's winter and there was plenty of space for the 30 or so dancers to meet Government regulations for social distancing.

5Rhythms comprises of five stages of dancing, flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness so you dance through an entire process. On this Sunday morning we got to dance amongst the trees close to the Labyrinth.

I hugged a tree for ages and put my face up to the sun and allowed it's ray's to dance on my face. It was warm enough to dance in a t-shirt and leggings and I couldn't wait to take my shoes and socks off and feel my feet on the cool, damp earth.

The grass was also wet and cool with the morning dew but I felt a surge of energy pulsating through my feet and up my legs as the dance started. We began slowly as we made our way around our outdoor dance floor. Everyone was just doing their own thing and many had their eyes closed as they moved feeling the light breeze whispering through the trees and between our bodies.

I gratefully couldn't shift the feeling of exquisite happiness I was feeling just having my feet connected to Mother Earth, the feeling of dirt between my toes. Given it's winter in Sydney right now, there isn't much opportunity to be barefoot and most mornings it's been cold. It took me three days to wash the grass stains from my feet but it was so worth it.

This morning was as so magical, it's difficult to put into words. Given I hadn't done a class in so long, my body took a little while to get into the rhythm of the movements but once I stopped thinking and just went with the flow of it all I was dancing ecstatically and feeling this wondrous sense of freedom in my body and my soul. The dancing quite literally took over and by the time the music hit chaos everyone was jumping around elatedly, dancing amongst the trees.

It looked like a dance party outdoors but there were no drugs or alcohol. Just natural highs.

Lots of people, not part of the group, were standing on the periphery of the circle we were dancing in, just watching us, big smiles on their faces. Some thought we were strange and were wondering what we were up to, but the greatest joy was watching the small children who wanted to take off their socks and shoes and join us, dancing wild and free barefoot in the grass. They were just too cute.

So this is meditation, this is what makes your soul sing on a Sunday morning. We danced away the fear and uncertainty of Covid and gave thanks to the earth. We danced separately and also energetically came together while maintaining appropriate physical distance.

We held space for each other and space for our individuality also. There is no feeling like feeling free in your body and being able to dance with abandon and no one judging you, oh well a few people judging, but no one really caring about the judging. In this space dance is music, meditation and therapy and it's also about being connected with others, nature and the earth.

At the end of the dancing we sat in a circle and called out our names and just one word to say how we were feeling. My word was bliss. To end the dance we clapped three times and places our hands on the earth to close the circle. We gave thanks to the land and the Aboriginal elders past and present who are the custodians of the land. I do love that about Australia that we acknowledge the traditional First Nations owners of our bountiful land. We call it welcome to country.

So that was my first experience with 5Rhythms outdoors but it won't be my last. They are planning on holding this type of gathering once a month in the park. I can't wait for the next one.

A guided meditation for manifesting

"Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

Bring all your hopes, dreams and wishes to the forefront of your mind;

Imagine the most glorious white light surrounding you, your head, your heart, your torso, your legs, your feet and know that all you desire is within your grasp.

Just come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

What is your heart yearning for?

Greater love? greater peace? abundance, ease, flow, choice or grace?

Maybe you want more of everything – that’s ok;

It is our birthright to feel blessed and to strive less and allow more;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

You are always still a child deep within, young, innocent and free;

There are so many blessings awaiting you, in front of you;

Ahead of you, right beside you, just reach for them and they will be there;

Close your eyes, breathe and allow the stillness to embrace you;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

Imagine you are walking, connected to the divine;

There is divinity within you, there is divinity outside you;

There is divinity all around you. Just slow down and breathe;

Close your eyes, hold your arms around you close and whisper;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

If it is love you seek open your heart wider and then wider still;

Feel the warm glow of love open your heart chakra, open and then open fully again;

If it is peace you seek, then dive inside and feel your senses come alive;

Calling your name in soft, gentle tones – I am here, I am already here waiting;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

If it is hope you seek look to the sky and feel your feet in the cool of the grass;

Open your eyes and look beyond what you know and open your mind to all that you already know;

If it is calm you seek, then be quiet both inside and out and search within with curiosity and wonder;

You have all the answers you seek, just breathe, be still, be quiet and all will be revealed;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

Maybe you dream of a life filled with magic, laughter and fascination;

So travel, go now, what are you waiting for? There are endless lands for us to explore;

You just have to close your eyes and you are already there;

Hopes, dreams, wishes, all life’s good things are our birthright so claim what is in your own hands;

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender.

Come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender;

Look to the heavens the universe has your back;

All is in divine order and scheduled for divine timing, it will happen you just have to believe;

Close your eyes, breathe deep and slow, lie down in the grass and feel Mother Earth;

She is holding you, breathing life into you and granting you your deepest desires and wishes;

So just come to the edge of all you know, let go, surrender and all will be yours.