Just turn up

[Early morning beach walk.. Lorne]

When you relinquish... then you expand

~ Zen master Dennis Genpo Merzel

Wow it's SPRING! The world around us is changing and growing... there is new life in my garden and the blossom trees are like pink and white flags along the roadside as I drive to work. I really know it is spring because the last few mornings I have become aware of the amazing smell of the jasmine suddenly announcing its arrival all around my home.

In this the season of renewal and rebirth it's time to pay closer attention to what we want to manifest in your life. It's time to throw out the old, outdated and unhelpful habits... and to embrace the wiser, joyful and energizing habits : like meditation.

Why not step into the new season and experience for yourself the stillness, the peace, the joy of sitting with your own meditation practice.

It is in our meditation that we have the opportunity to find our own special pool of quiet, and to develop our understanding of mindfulness... and as our meditation practice grows, we find that we can expand those moments more and more into the fabric of our daily lives.

This morning I woke really early and at first I wasn't sure why. I have had a really hard time over the past few months getting myself (a) awake and (b) motivated to leave the cocoon of my warm doona for my meditation cushion. I have struggled this past winter like never before. But this morning I just HAD to get up! The sun was already shining, I could hear the local birds singing in the tree outside my room, I heard my puppy roll over in his basket... the house was so quiet and still... I wanted to blend into that stillness.

And I had a wonderful meditation session this morning. I didnt realise until later in the morning that this was in fact the first day of spring, although I guess it was this subtle change of season that encourage me to rise earlier and made my path to my cushion a whole lot easier too. I felt an intense ease and gentleness... and I felt fresher and more alive at the end of my sitting than I have for a long time.

SPRING MEDITATION

In order to find your own stillness (and maybe some joy as well) you need to find the time to start your own meditation practice - you must step into your day in the best possible way! How you start your day can often be the blueprint for the rest of your day.

Wake and experience the sounds of this spring morning

all around you

Breathe in the warmer air, step boldly out of your winter cocoon

Embrace the crisp fresh morning

Look ~ there is sunshine around you

Breathe!

Soften

Be still

Let go!