A sense of relief of all my tensions; feeling calmness come over me.
My son is travelling to Chile today to visit a HS exchange student from when he was in HS. His flight to Houston was cancelled. I wonder if it had to do with the mess in Atlanta. He said he rescheduled everything fine. Please pray that his flights go fine, I see all the different country travel alerts and get nervous.
Rain
used to be my only source of stillness . . .
I remember it
as far back as my memories will carry me . . .
with or without thunder
or birdsong,
cars driving by.
Walks in the rain
have always soothed my soul,
lifted my spirit,
and given me clarity of vision.
Before I ever knew how to identify stress,
before I ever consciously sought respite or relief,
before I tried meditation,
zazen,
rain did it for me
and still does.
There are so many practices,
which have both positive and negative points,
like standing in the bread aisle in the grocery store
and trying to decide which loaf to get
out of fifty or more choices . . .
it can be mind boggling . . .
at least for me.
My eyes glaze over.
I’ve done the singing bowls,
guided meditation,
mantra repetition,
breath work,
visualization
and more,
and have probably incorporated many in one way or another
into my own Practice
which is fluid and soft–
like rain.
A thought enters my head
and I bow to it
and ask it to gently move on.
I don’t try to dismiss interference noise
like trucks going by,
or a cat (or two) that wants to be fed
the phone ringing . . .
they are all a part of what I am present to in the moment
and deserve no judgment.
I sit and everything
is a part of everything,
including me.
But the seed piece,
the key for me,
the trigger
is rain.
It opens my heart
and enables me to see
that I am no more
nor no less
than everything else,
that God’s in his heaven
and all’s right with the world. ♥
When this rarely happens during meditation, a sensation of peaceful stillness might appear for a moment, and even more rare, a sensation of almost breathtaking vastness and numinous beauty, where the next thought throws me out immedeately. A so far rare, deeply peaceful sensation when being gifted with settling into stillness for a rare moment. I once tried also to arrive in stillness while it was loud party music around. It was difficult to focus on the still mini pauses between the notes and to try to let the gap expand which helped me to enter stillness, and for a moment, stillness briefly opened up few times even in such circumstances. It is the heart´s eye alongside.
As my body settles I feel a sleepiness in my eyes, and a tight spot in my lower back from a work injury years ago. As I breathe, I feel how functional my diaphragm and lungs are. Grateful to be wonderfully made and am well, all things considered. Praying for peace. Hoping all here have some down time this weekend 🫶🏽☮️
I feel like the space, the silence, is hugging me. Today’s quote reminds me that wherever I am is Holy Ground. Reminds me of the song recorder by John Michael Talbot so many years ago that reminds me that even my body is Holy ground. I share a link to the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YCXLbQ6ClA&list=RD1YCXLbQ6ClA&start_radio=1
I have a very hard time doing this…I either feel like falling asleep, or my mind just won’t stop. I’ve tried meditation so many times. When I do, I’m hyper aware of the sounds around me, the wrinkles in my clothing touching me, the temperature in the room. I breathe, relax my shoulders and face, breathe. I want so badly for the thoughts to go away, for my mind to empty. I want to. I do better in groups than alone.
One of the meditation teachers I know from the Meditation Center in my city said to me one time that our minds will never be empty. It’s just learning how to quiet them down and notice the thoughts without getting consumed by them. Can you notice and remain still? Can you notice, but perhaps shift your attention to your breath instead? Meditation is like yoga – a practice. So we just keep practicing, and perhaps one day you notice it’s a little bit different… a little bit longer than before or you’re a little less distracted than before 🙂
If I am being intentional and sitting down to meditate, there is a loose checklist that I go through to get myself to gradually winnow down my attention to my breath. It’s a check-in with my body, my mind, and my surroundings, and then a letting go, so I can attempt to focus on my breath.
As I sat down just now, in the darkness of this morning, to contemplate gratefulness, this is what I noticed. It’s no t too different from sitting down to meditate.
The first thing I noticed, is the sound of my pulse in my left ear. I’ve decided to work with my tinnitus. I use it as a metronome of sorts. Also, I notice the other sounds around me.
The other thing I usually notice is the temperature of the air, and how it feels on my skin.
And then my body and the inventory of aches and pains.
And then hopefully I come to my breath. And I notice the quality of it. Relaxed, forced, shallow, deep. This is the best case scenario. Other times I am lost in the thoughts of the past, the future, or the tape loops that seemingly play on autopilot.
This just sitting, without a distraction, is new to me. It seems I have spent my life trying to distract myself. Now, I look forward to these moments of stillness and focus.
When I slow down and settle into stillness, one sensation I might have is shedding tension, thoughts which don’t serve me, a dropping of the shoulders, a softening of my body and mind being, an openness.🩷
Mary, I thought you might enjoy reading this:
Translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic by Neil Douglas-Klotz
Abwoon d’bwashmaya
O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos/ you create all that moves in light.
Nethqadash shmakh
Focus your light within us–make it useful: as the rays of a beacon show the way.
Teytey malkuthakh
Create your reign of unity now–through our firey hearts and willing hands.
Nehwey sebyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha.
Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms.
Habwlan lachma d’sunqanan yaomana.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight:
subsistence for the call of growing life.
Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ guilt.
Wela tahlan l’nesyuna
Don’t let us enter forgetfulness
Ela patzan min bisha.
But free us from unripeness
Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’ahlam almin.
From you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,
the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.
Ameyn.
Truly–power to these statements–
may they be the source from which all my actions grow.
update – my son’s connecting flight in Atl got delayed 5x and then cancelled. There was a hail storm – many cancelled flights, over 500 ppl at cust serv.. they had to camp out at the airport, no car rentals available…. they ubered an hr away, ate some breakfast, getting another uber 1.5 hrs further south as no uber is wanting to drive the full 6 hrs to tampa… they are hoping to rent a car when it opens at 9am… a complete nightmare and mess. He got no sleep on the 13 hr first flight. I feel sooo bad for them – they are stressed and exhausted. please pray the rest of their day goes better and then get home safely. Thank God they weren’t trapped on the plane for 8-10 hrs as others were… a truly horrifying experience I’m sure… prayers for all https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2026/03/07/delta-air-faces-multi-million-dollar-fine-after-hundreds-of-passengers-were-left-trapped-on-planes-at-atlanta-hartsfield-on-friday/
Thank you everyone – they finally did. They were happy with their decision to leave the airport, take mult Ubers and finally rent a car to drive the remaining 5 hrs back to Tampa. (ATL airport was a mess). Now they have to adjust and get back on our time schedule and lots of rest.
The sensation of simply being. It’s important to slow down, to rest and be still. Not just in our sleep, but while we are awake so that we can feel that stillness, too. In my previous life (which I call my previous marriage), I was constantly doing… full time job, running a non-profit, volunteering, exercising, surfing… always on the go. While I enjoyed those things, they were also a trauma response as I was not dealing with what was going on in my personal and home life. Learning and allowing myself to slow down has been truly life changing. My nervous system feels better. I have connected to the peace inside of me. That quiet place where I know that all is well and that everything is always working out for me. I’m grateful for my meditation practice and restorative yoga for being tools to help me find stillness.
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A sense of relief of all my tensions; feeling calmness come over me.
My son is travelling to Chile today to visit a HS exchange student from when he was in HS. His flight to Houston was cancelled. I wonder if it had to do with the mess in Atlanta. He said he rescheduled everything fine. Please pray that his flights go fine, I see all the different country travel alerts and get nervous.
Thank you all he made it safe and sound, 3 flights. He txt me to made sure I knew all was well ☺️
Prayers for safe travels for your son. I hope he has a wonderful time visiting Chile and seeing his HS exchange student from years past.
🙏
May his travels be smooth 🙏🏼
I don’t blame you,
dear Robin Ann,
and will keep your son in my heart
as he travels to Chile. ♥
Calm skies for your sons flights.
Rain
used to be my only source of stillness . . .
I remember it
as far back as my memories will carry me . . .
with or without thunder
or birdsong,
cars driving by.
Walks in the rain
have always soothed my soul,
lifted my spirit,
and given me clarity of vision.
Before I ever knew how to identify stress,
before I ever consciously sought respite or relief,
before I tried meditation,
zazen,
rain did it for me
and still does.
There are so many practices,
which have both positive and negative points,
like standing in the bread aisle in the grocery store
and trying to decide which loaf to get
out of fifty or more choices . . .
it can be mind boggling . . .
at least for me.
My eyes glaze over.
I’ve done the singing bowls,
guided meditation,
mantra repetition,
breath work,
visualization
and more,
and have probably incorporated many in one way or another
into my own Practice
which is fluid and soft–
like rain.
A thought enters my head
and I bow to it
and ask it to gently move on.
I don’t try to dismiss interference noise
like trucks going by,
or a cat (or two) that wants to be fed
the phone ringing . . .
they are all a part of what I am present to in the moment
and deserve no judgment.
I sit and everything
is a part of everything,
including me.
But the seed piece,
the key for me,
the trigger
is rain.
It opens my heart
and enables me to see
that I am no more
nor no less
than everything else,
that God’s in his heaven
and all’s right with the world. ♥
Agua es Vida, dear Sparrow. Namaste
Así es,
dear Joseph . . .
I actually thought about it
as I was writing my response. ♥
Relaxation, with a loosening of the bands of muscle across the upper back.
When this rarely happens during meditation, a sensation of peaceful stillness might appear for a moment, and even more rare, a sensation of almost breathtaking vastness and numinous beauty, where the next thought throws me out immedeately. A so far rare, deeply peaceful sensation when being gifted with settling into stillness for a rare moment. I once tried also to arrive in stillness while it was loud party music around. It was difficult to focus on the still mini pauses between the notes and to try to let the gap expand which helped me to enter stillness, and for a moment, stillness briefly opened up few times even in such circumstances. It is the heart´s eye alongside.
As my body settles I feel a sleepiness in my eyes, and a tight spot in my lower back from a work injury years ago. As I breathe, I feel how functional my diaphragm and lungs are. Grateful to be wonderfully made and am well, all things considered. Praying for peace. Hoping all here have some down time this weekend 🫶🏽☮️
I feel like the space, the silence, is hugging me. Today’s quote reminds me that wherever I am is Holy Ground. Reminds me of the song recorder by John Michael Talbot so many years ago that reminds me that even my body is Holy ground. I share a link to the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YCXLbQ6ClA&list=RD1YCXLbQ6ClA&start_radio=1
It would behoove us all,
dear Carol Ann,
to remember this profound truth–
that indeed
we do always stand,
sit or kneel
on holy ground. ♥
Sparrow, Yes, Be still and know….
I have a very hard time doing this…I either feel like falling asleep, or my mind just won’t stop. I’ve tried meditation so many times. When I do, I’m hyper aware of the sounds around me, the wrinkles in my clothing touching me, the temperature in the room. I breathe, relax my shoulders and face, breathe. I want so badly for the thoughts to go away, for my mind to empty. I want to. I do better in groups than alone.
One of the meditation teachers I know from the Meditation Center in my city said to me one time that our minds will never be empty. It’s just learning how to quiet them down and notice the thoughts without getting consumed by them. Can you notice and remain still? Can you notice, but perhaps shift your attention to your breath instead? Meditation is like yoga – a practice. So we just keep practicing, and perhaps one day you notice it’s a little bit different… a little bit longer than before or you’re a little less distracted than before 🙂
When my mind begins to wander, bring it back to the breath. Always the breath.
The breath – our anchor back to Self.
Beautifully described,
dear SunnyPatti.
You make the process very clear
and uncomplicated.
Thank you. ♥
Namaste, Sparrow 🙏🏼
Katrina, there’s a motivation that comes with groups. When alone, it’s easy to stop when we want. With people, we have to go with the group.
If I am being intentional and sitting down to meditate, there is a loose checklist that I go through to get myself to gradually winnow down my attention to my breath. It’s a check-in with my body, my mind, and my surroundings, and then a letting go, so I can attempt to focus on my breath.
As I sat down just now, in the darkness of this morning, to contemplate gratefulness, this is what I noticed. It’s no t too different from sitting down to meditate.
The first thing I noticed, is the sound of my pulse in my left ear. I’ve decided to work with my tinnitus. I use it as a metronome of sorts. Also, I notice the other sounds around me.
The other thing I usually notice is the temperature of the air, and how it feels on my skin.
And then my body and the inventory of aches and pains.
And then hopefully I come to my breath. And I notice the quality of it. Relaxed, forced, shallow, deep. This is the best case scenario. Other times I am lost in the thoughts of the past, the future, or the tape loops that seemingly play on autopilot.
This just sitting, without a distraction, is new to me. It seems I have spent my life trying to distract myself. Now, I look forward to these moments of stillness and focus.
You are doing just fine,
dear Charlie! ♥
Beautiful, dear Charlie.
Joy, excitement.
For me, its proprioceptive sense arises, balancing during body movement. Sometimes, it is just as simple as that. Happy Saturday to everyone. 🌸
When I slow down and settle into stillness, one sensation I might have is shedding tension, thoughts which don’t serve me, a dropping of the shoulders, a softening of my body and mind being, an openness.🩷
Mary Mantei, In Aramaic, the word “prayer” means “BE OPEN.”
Carol Ann, thank you. You have no idea how meaningful your response is to me this morning. Peace.♥️
Mary, I thought you might enjoy reading this:
Translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic by Neil Douglas-Klotz
Abwoon d’bwashmaya
O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos/ you create all that moves in light.
Nethqadash shmakh
Focus your light within us–make it useful: as the rays of a beacon show the way.
Teytey malkuthakh
Create your reign of unity now–through our firey hearts and willing hands.
Nehwey sebyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha.
Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms.
Habwlan lachma d’sunqanan yaomana.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight:
subsistence for the call of growing life.
Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ guilt.
Wela tahlan l’nesyuna
Don’t let us enter forgetfulness
Ela patzan min bisha.
But free us from unripeness
Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’ahlam almin.
From you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,
the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.
Ameyn.
Truly–power to these statements–
may they be the source from which all my actions grow.
Presence – my breath – calmness – peace
update – my son’s connecting flight in Atl got delayed 5x and then cancelled. There was a hail storm – many cancelled flights, over 500 ppl at cust serv.. they had to camp out at the airport, no car rentals available…. they ubered an hr away, ate some breakfast, getting another uber 1.5 hrs further south as no uber is wanting to drive the full 6 hrs to tampa… they are hoping to rent a car when it opens at 9am… a complete nightmare and mess. He got no sleep on the 13 hr first flight. I feel sooo bad for them – they are stressed and exhausted. please pray the rest of their day goes better and then get home safely. Thank God they weren’t trapped on the plane for 8-10 hrs as others were… a truly horrifying experience I’m sure… prayers for all
https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2026/03/07/delta-air-faces-multi-million-dollar-fine-after-hundreds-of-passengers-were-left-trapped-on-planes-at-atlanta-hartsfield-on-friday/
Thank you everyone – they finally did. They were happy with their decision to leave the airport, take mult Ubers and finally rent a car to drive the remaining 5 hrs back to Tampa. (ATL airport was a mess). Now they have to adjust and get back on our time schedule and lots of rest.
What a stressful situation for all! I hope your son and his girlfriend were able to get home safely.
I just read about this. What a nightmare. Hopefully they are home safe and sound soon.
Michele, thanks for sharing. What an awful experience for your son & his girlfriend. I pray they get home soon & can rest. Bless you all. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This has certainly been
a bump in the road . . .
I hope your son and his girlfriend
arrive home safely,
if a little battle scarred,
dear Michele. ♥
Prayers and thoughts for all their safe return.
Yikes, what a nightmare. Wishing them safe travels and then plenty of good rest.
My heart is with you, your son, and other people. Prayer for their safe flight home. 🏡
Calmness & awareness. A sense of its ok to slow down.
The sensation of simply being. It’s important to slow down, to rest and be still. Not just in our sleep, but while we are awake so that we can feel that stillness, too. In my previous life (which I call my previous marriage), I was constantly doing… full time job, running a non-profit, volunteering, exercising, surfing… always on the go. While I enjoyed those things, they were also a trauma response as I was not dealing with what was going on in my personal and home life. Learning and allowing myself to slow down has been truly life changing. My nervous system feels better. I have connected to the peace inside of me. That quiet place where I know that all is well and that everything is always working out for me. I’m grateful for my meditation practice and restorative yoga for being tools to help me find stillness.
A calming gratitude settles into the silence.