Meditations

by Virginia Fitton

We all have our ways of casting light, and asking for a blessing. Here is one of mine... Take a penny, a shiny one, hold it in your hand, and go for a walk - outdoors. Notice the air, water, earth and especially the trees. Watch, as you wander, and you will find a certain tree that draws you to itself. Admire it, listen to the wind blowing through its magic leaves. Let it see you. Admire its trunk and roots. Then, move up to its trunk and touch it, enjoy the roughness of its bark. Look up into its branches and see the sky shining through. Hug the tree like you would a close friend. Feel a kinship with this tree, its history, its life energy. Then, when you are ready, ask the tree (vocally or subvocally) for any favor or blessing you may wish. When you are done, thank the tree for hearing your request. Then, kiss the shinny penny, rub it between your fingers and thumb, and place it at the base of the tree, slightly under the dirt. Thank the tree again, and affirm that the outcome will be good. The last step is to look back toward the tree with gratitude, love and appreciation, from afar, as you continue on your way. Take a deep breath and acknowledge the tree again for providing the very oxygen you breathe. Then, just let the tree do its work... it always will !

By John Burch

Be present. Present to what?

One answer to that is to be present to “where I am” and then the answer to “where I am” is forever expansive. Always expanding. So this meditation is going to try to touch on one little aspect about “where I am.”

And so to meditate, one way to do it is to just stop. Put everything on pause. Be still and become present. Visualize yourself in bed, asleep. You awaken, it’s morning. Become present to the beginning of a new day. See the dawn, the sun, bringing its light and energy and warmth. Be present to the air. Breathe the air. It is always there. See blue water, lakes, rivers, oceans. See land, fields, valleys, mountains. See trees, colorful flowers. See many, many creatures living on the earth. See the whole earth. Become present and have a sense of gratitude for all life. This is home. Become present to the journey you have been on that has brought you to this moment in time. You’ve come from stardust and you are here now. For over 13 billion years, you have been travelling this journey. This journey of change, evolution. Be present to the mystery and the wonder of it all. Be present. Go deeper in thought - deeper and deeper inside. You are woven into the very fabric of this magnificent whole system. Sense the connection to what is true, beautiful, and good. And there see your face. You are one. All is one. Be present. Remember where you are. Now that you are present, you are ready to live the day and ready to say, “good morning.” “Good morning.”

By Virginia Fitton