Exploring the Depths

 Meditation and concentration are techniques we use in prayer to help us attain the realization of God expressing as us. There are many types of meditation and concentration methods used in the various spiritual disciplines of the world. In Unity, the purpose of these techniques is primarily to focus the attention on the Source/God of our being. The divine life and light at the center of our being and all around us.

Much of what we call prayer and meditation involves practices of working with our mind.
Grounding in the breath and engaging the fullness of the senses can help steady and regulate our nervous system,  supporting our ability to respond to life from a more centered place, rather than simply reacting.

Just taking a moment to pause—to check in—using the breath as a focal point, and then to notice the variety of physical sensations occurring in the moment.
This alone can feel foreign at first because we are more accustomed to THINKING about experiences; we are not sure how to just BE in the experience of them.

Doing so prompts a barrage of thoughts, feelings and judgements. It is important to remember that the goal of these practices in NOT to suppress the mind, or STOP the flow of thoughts, feelings and judgements. Rather, it is to learn how to befriend and observe the workings of our mind. Befriending requires us to welcome the experience without resisting or judging it.  

Our mind will continue to do what it does, and it is futile to think that we can stop that process. The real gift comes as we observe the plethora of thoughts, feelings, fears, and judgements running through us in any given moment, and also realize the aspect of our awareness that can observe it all. We begin to have an experience that illuminates the fact that we are not our thoughts or feelings.

This offers us access to that inner observer- to that place within our own consciousness that can witness all of this, but can also maintain a sense of autonomy as well.  

With a little practice, we begin to connect with our capacity to witness our thoughts and feelings without identifying with them.  Our mind does what it is meant to do, and in observing that process, we begin to carve out space between who we are and all that we think and feel. 

We may tune into to sensations that help us to identify our current state of physical, mental or emotional wellbeing—perhaps realizing that we are tired, tense, anxious, lonely, or sad. As a result, we can choose to take care of ourselves in a nurturing way. We may become aware of habitual thought patterns that have a negative impact on our experience and choose to work on changing them. 

On a deeper level, we are cultivating a relationship with that part of us that is observing, and not attached to any particular part of the experience.  From this place, we begin to realize more of the unexplored depth within us. That is the access point to a deeper sense of peace, wisdom and understanding.

I like the analogy of the ocean  representing the depth of awareness, with the waves at the surface being our thoughts, feelings and consequent actions, or reactions. Slowing down and centering calms the waves just enough to begin to peer below the waves. Meditation then becomes a pathway through which we can explore that greater depth.

Join us Sunday at 10am as we continue this exploration into your greater depths.