Flood Tides of Gratitude
The other day one of my friends asked me to host a “mindful gathering” for lack of better words for some people she works with. She works in recruiting which can be very stressful and it seems like there are a lot of feelings of highs and lows. You get a high when you place someone in a job and you feel low when a placement falls through. It can be a rollercoaster of emotions if we let our emotions “drive the bus”. But when we disidentify from our emotions and realize that we (our highest selves) are in control, our emotions cannot drive. They are still on the bus; we allow for all emotions to move through us, but they are not in control of where we are going.
So I led a mindful gathering this morning focussing on releasing negativity, giving gratitude and opening the heart for goodness to flow continuously in.
Picture a cup full of dirty water. If we try and one by one pick out every piece of dirt one at a time, we will never get fresh water, but if we pour fresh water in continuously, eventually all of the dirty water will flow out of the cup. In the same sense, if we pour in floods tides of love and gratitude, we will have a more uplifted spirit. Instead of focussing on the dirt or negativity, we focus on filling our cups with clean water and goodness.
Back to the mindful gathering… We sat on the grass in a circle overlooking Dana Point Harbor on this nice overcast morning. I started the group off with gentle movements and heart opening yoga poses followed by a sun salutation flow in honor of the summer solstice which just passed. We finished the movement portion in savasana (corpse pose) and I led them in a guided meditation called “The Blossoming of the Rose” which I will include below. To end the morning session, we journaled about what came up for us during the meditation along with what we wanted to release and let go of.
If you have time now, I encourage you to write one thing that you want to let go of . It could be a limiting belief or mindset, a job or relationship that you want to let go of or see differently. Just write down one thing and then burn or bury it. I like releasing my limitations to one of the elements of mother nature (earth, wind, water or fire)
As you release the idea, you can say: Thank you, I hear you, and I release you. You no longer need to burden me or limit me from being my fullest expression. I honor the changes that have been made to my body, mind, and soul. I honor the changes of the season for I have grown. I ask Mother Moon, my highest self, and my guides to lead me to my highest path so I may rise. I rise up now to all that I have become. I rise up now as strong as the Sun, bright as the moon. I ask for guidance, I ask for peace, I ask for this next chapter to bring me release. I ask for love, I ask for abundance, I ask for purpose, and the courage to follow my heart; to always be guided even when in the dark. I ask for health, I ask for joy, I ask for all to be well.
I didn’t forget… here is the guided visualization I mentioned earlier.
Exercise of the Blossoming of the Rose by Roberto Assagioli, M.D.
From earliest times, certain flowers have been regarded as symbols of the Self in both the East and West. In China one finds the "Golden Flower," in India and Tibet the lotus, in Europe and Persia the rose. Examples are to be found in the Roman de la Rose of the French troubadours, the "Rose Eternal" so exquisitely evoked by Dante, and the rose at the center of the cross that is the symbol of a number of spiritual traditions.
Generally, the Self has been symbolized by the already opened flower, and although this is a static representation, its visualization can be quite stimulating and evocative. But even more effective in stimulating our superconscious processes is the dynamic visualization of a flower—that is, its development from a closed bud to the fully opened bloom.
Such a dynamic symbol of development corresponds to a profound reality that underlies human unfoldment and all of nature's processes. That is the intrinsic vitality or "livingness," working with irresistible pressure from within to produce ongoing growth and evolution. This inner life force is the agency that ultimately liberates our consciousness from its entanglements and leads to the revelation of our spiritual center—the Self.
Guided visualization:
1. Sit quietly and comfortably. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and relax your body.
2. Imagine a rosebush, with many flowers and buds. Now turn your attention to one of the buds. The bud is still enclosed in its green leaves, or sepals, but at the very top a rose- colored point can be seen. Focus on this image, holding it in the center of your awareness.
3. Now, in a slow movement, the sepals start to separate, turning their points outward and revealing the rose-colored petals, which are still closed... The sepals continue to open until you can see the whole bud.
4. Next, the petals also begin to unfold, slowly separating... until a fragrant, fully opened rose is seen... At this stage try to smell the perfume of the rose with its characteristic and unmistakable scent.
5. Now imagine that a ray of sunlight shines on the rose, giving it light and warmth... Take a few moments to experience the sunlit rose.
6. Look at the very center of the rose. You will see appearing there the face of a wise being, full of understanding and love for you.
7. Talk to him or her about whatever is important in your life now. Feel free to ask questions about what is meaningful to you: life issues, direction, or choices you may need to make. Take the time you need to communicate in this way. We will pause here for a few minutes so you can have a conversation with the wise being. If you feel your mind drifting bring the being back into your minds eye and continue the conversation.
8. Now picture the wise being with something in his or her hand. They have a gift for you to help with guidance with what you are working through right now. It is a symbol and reminder of your direction. Try not to overthink it; whatever comes to mind that the wise being gives to you, receive it with gratitude. When you see this symbol in real life it can be a reminder of this moment with the wise being helping you with life or nudging you in a specific direction.
9. Now identify yourself with the rose: imagine that you become the rose, or that you take the whole flower inside yourself... Be aware that the rose—and the wise being—are always within you and that you can get in touch with them and draw on their qualities whenever you choose... Symbolically, you are this flower, this rose. The same life that animates the universe and has created the rose is enabling you to awaken and develop your innermost being and all that radiates from it.
10. Now imagine that you become the whole rosebush...Be aware that you are firmly planted in the earth, drawing nourishment from it ... Your leaves and flowers are growing upward, nourished by the energy and warmth of the sun's light.
11. Become aware of other rosebushes, other plants and trees—all animated by the same life energy, all part of the same planet, of the greater whole. Take some time to experience this... Then, whenever you like, open your eyes.
12. Take about 5 minutes to journal about this experience. You can write about what it felt like to do a guided visualization. What did you see? Who was the wise being? What color was the rose? What did the being give to you? What was your conversation with the sage? Any insights it brought to you? Did you like the visualization? If yes or no, then why?
