Jun 08 2007
Beach Meditation
I call this my beach meditation and it’s based off my wonderful memories of running along the shores of South Africa in the soft morning light.
When I need to center myself, when I need to release my fears and feelings of edgy uncertainty, when I feel sad, this is one of the meditations I created for myself.
I created it from the feelings of peace and connectedness I felt in a place half a world away yet is as close as my heart.
I hope you enjoy your time there.
My Beach Meditation
You’re standing at the entrance to a grassy path. The path will lead you to a beach.
You’re dressed in almost weightless clothing and your feet are bare.
You step onto the path and the grass is cool and damp beneath your feet.
The air is soft and a light breeze caresses your skin.
You take a deep breath.
[breath]
You smell the clean ocean air.
As you walk along, you hear the soft sound of the surf, rolling against the shore.
Your body feels loose and easy, the grass soft underfoot.
Your breathing eases and you feel your chest expand.
You take a deep breath [breath]
and let it out slowly.
You hear the song of the shorebirds. You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
You walk along the path and with each step you become more and more relaxed.
You feel more and more at ease.
The sound of the waves becomes louder and the grass beneath your feet is merging into soft white sand.
You’re now at the entrance to the beach and you see before you soft drifts of sand that lead to a shimmering shoreline.
The shoreline goes on forever, and endless unfurling of the sea, blue upon blue.
You step onto the sand and walk towards the ocean.
The wind is dancing around you, cool and soothing. The breeze is whispering in your ear.
You feel almost weightless, as if you and the wind are one.
You walk towards the water and the sand become firm underfoot as you reach the shoreline.
You walk to the water’s edge and curl your toes in the wet sand.
The surf rolls over your feet and splashes against your legs.
As the cool water of the ocean, rolls over and past your legs, you feel incredibly connected to the earth.
You, the ocean, the earth, all are one.
The ocean seems to merge into the sky.
The skies are filled with golden light and the sun is warm on your skin
You feel as if the light is entering you and filling you.
You close your eyes and take a deep breath, drawing in the light. The light is love and it’s filling you, warming you, cradling you.
You are filled with love and you feel yourself expand. You feel your love joining, merging, and expanding within the unconditional love of the Universal Spirit.
You feel love and loved.
You feel at peace.
Would you like to listen to the Beach Meditation?
Just what I needed for a day such as this. Thank you Ms. Q.
Urban Thought: You’re welcome. But I’m sorry that you need it!
I’ve been meditating quite a bit lately…I believe that life is beautiful but sometimes, it hurts.
What would life be if it didn’t have some pain to go along with it?
Pain, hurt and frustration allows me to appreciate pleasure, joy and satisfaction.
Urban Thought: I agree with you.
I have a greater appreciation of all that I have when I remember my more painful experiences. I also know that I must always believe in joy – that joy can be felt again, even after tragedy and we shouldn’t feel guilty about it, we should welcome its return.
Luckily, I am “merely” going through a time of change and introspection – nothing tragic!
Did the podcast come through OK? I have never done one before and didn’t embed a player or whatever, just included a link the the MP3.
Ooh, I love the beach! Thank you for this
Jenny Ryan: You’re welcome! Based on your last post, sounds like you need a vacation.
This is very cool. You could probably make a living doing something like this!
No seriously, I found it to really help me relax and get in touch with nature, life, peace, and an optimistic, hopeful outlook. You’re not the average blogger Ms. Q. 
Jesse: I’m glad you liked it and that hey, it actually helped you to relax!
A friend suggested that I do podcasts, which surprised me. She lives in another state so we only talk on the phone. My voice sounds OK to me as it bounces around my skull but I’ve winced when I hear it on answering machines and voice mail.
Anyway, she said she liked the way I recounted things, my inflections, that I was fun to listen to.
Huh. I wasn’t so sure but I thought it might be fun to do if I didn’t have the horrible realization that IT’S TRUE, I DO SOUND LIKE Miss Piggy!
When I wrote the Beach Meditation I thought that I might try making a podcast – it seemed a good beginner’s type recording – I didn’t have to infuse a lot of liveliness or inflections into it.
I dug out this freebie microphone (it’s ANCIENT – it looks like something out of a cereal box), downloaded Audacity, the audio/recording freeware and Ms. Q goes down in infamy. No Miss Piggy. Phew.
Oddly enough, I’ve found myself listening to the meditation myself which first seemed a bit weird as I’m listening to my own voice!
But now I find it more relaxing because I don’t have to imagine the scene and silently talk to myself – I can just listen and not have to think as much.
Thanks for the comment on how I’m not an average blogger. I’d never thought of it – probably because I think of all blogs as being unique.