by Angela Wetzel
I think I "get it" more than most that meditation, somatic practices, and emotional work can be decidedly unsexy...
I mean, who truly wants to sit alone in silence and watch their thoughts go by or have to feel things?
Or just sit there wondering if you're doing this thing right and what you're supposed to be receiving or feeling anyway?
Sounds like the stuff nightmares are made of, or some version of the seventh circle of hell to those of us that like to be on the move, doing exciting things.
Most of us would rather do anything but be alone with ourselves...and we're good at finding so, so many creative ways to avoid it.
It's too easy in this world; we can easily get lost in hours of cat videos on YouTube or doom scroll on Instagram.
We can find ourselves engulfing a plate of brownies after we promised ourselves we'd "do better."
We might say "yes" to dinner with a friend just to get out of the house when we know we need to spend some time alone and collect our thoughts.
Or, suddenly, we have a strong and inexplicable urge to clean and reorganize the hall closet the moment we have a chance to become more intimate with our very soul and what's going on on the inside.
We have so many available coping strategies, distractions, and excuses to help us avoid US. And this is what we're good at. This is where we thrive.
Unfortunately, this is why in our relationships and emotional lives, we're in survival mode.
We are not making the time for our most important relationship of all: the one within.
If we truly want to have passionate lives full of love, full expression, and purpose, we know deep down that we need to connect with our soul.
One of the most important parts of a spiritual and healing practice is: consistency.
We all want healthy, beautiful, and passionate relationships, right? And we know those take commitment, quality time, showing up, communication, and earning trust...but how often do we offer ourselves this kind of chance at an inner relationship?
Let's be honest here: we don't.
Taking the time to connect with ourselves and get into alignment is arguably the most important thing we can do for ourselves and others. But in order to do that, we need to create a container, a sacred meeting place for where our soul can meet our body.
One of my favorite spiritual teachers, Lynne Forrest, said we should approach meditation like visiting a “secret lover.”
Imagine that...sounds much more enticing, right? We're so much better at getting excited about meeting another person, so why not imagine that you are the other person you get to explore and discover with?
If we were to meet with such a special person, how would we do that?
Well, we'd want to know what time, where, for how long, and we may consider many other things, like:
1) Have we showered recently? (Hey, this is important, lol.)
2) What we're wearing.
3) How to set the mood.
4) How much time do we have to set aside?
5) What's the most romantic and ideal setting we can create?
6) How will we set the entire stage to create a feast for our senses?
With that in mind, we should make our meditation space plush, special, and enticing. It’s so important that we fill it with things that make ourselves come alive, whether it be beautiful lighting, luxurious fabrics and cushions, or some ceremonial pieces that feel transcendent like sparkling crystals, small ceramic fountains, beads, or meaningful keepsakes.
If this space is for you to meet with the Divine, how can you make it ceremonial and approachable? What details do you need to add so that coming to this place feels both special and like coming home to yourself?
Making a commitment to self can feel scary, especially if you've never done this before, but by creating a safe place for yourself and dipping your toes into the shallow end first, you can start to meet yourself in a new way that you never could have imagined.
Ready to take this on?
For more details about how to create a meditation space, check out this article I'm featured in below from Apartment Guide. Editor Amanda Tripp put together a beautiful article with fellow experts combining best tips and practices for making your space special: https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/ultimate-zen-room/
Comments