I spent 15 minutes in meditation at a river near my house today.
;)
It was peaceful, only the sound of water and the occasional duck. I'm playing around with different mantras and the one I'm working with right now is this:
"I'm a being of violet fire, I'm the purity god desires."
I read about the violet fire prayers online after my director of education suggested it. While I'm not exactly sure what's happening when I'm saying this but seems to help me to focus, calm my mind and stay "reeled in" from distraction for perhaps 30 seconds longer than I normally could.
I'm trying to meditate because I want to have more positive regular thoughts, I don't want to be as reactive to my surroundings, what happens to me or others. I'm also trying to stop swearing, no "damn it's", no 4 letter words. Not because I want to be this holier-than-though type, just because I don't want to create more negativity in this world. I believe today that the words that I say matter, to me, to those around me and even the environment.
Take "damn it" for example: This is a very harsh phrase when you think about it. To be damned is to be lost, dead, in hell, or worse. To be damned is permanent and irreversible. I'm trying not to "damn" the things I do, touch, or come into contact with so that I can bless them instead.
When I slip and say the d word, I try to catch myself with a "bless it" instead. To be blessed is to be fulfilled, satisfied, have all that you need in abundance, to be at peace and to feel loved. THIS is what I want to have and to help create. So Bless it, Bless it, Bless it!
I'm not sure where all this is going but I was inspired last week at my herb walk and I just had to write about it. I hope you'll try taking 5 minutes to meditate today too. Try to picture in your mind flowing water, a perfect flower, or just a single flame of a candle. Perhaps a sky or a field. Whatever you like! Whatever is able to allow you to focus your attention inward- even just for 5 minutes!
Have a beautiful day!