My meditative life.

This morning I awoke to the alarm.  Rarely does this happen. The past 15 years I have had trouble sleeping.  I wake several times during the night. Normally I am up before the alarm. With my meditations I am finding that several nights a week I sleep through the night.  This was a very unusual occurrence for me  until last October/November.

Prior to that November time period,  I was meditating at night in bed. I know that is not how it is done. I was attempting to put my own spin on things.  I discovered that the path behind our subdivision was a pleasant walk. As I walked longer trails I began meditating and praying during my walks.  I made a point to try to be on the trail first.  I wanted to have the area undisturbed and to myself.  In the beginning, I could only walk a mile. During that time initially, I would focus on asking God for everything. I heard a sermon from Joel Osteen.  He said something like "Stop repeating the same thing over and over, God knows what you want. He just wants to talk to you." I began to just have conversations with God.  Not really asking for things. Just talking as you would talk to a friend. What does this have to do with meditation you ask?  It was in these moments that I was/am able to control my emotions, my thoughts and my breathing. All of these are components of meditation.

I can now walk four miles a day with little effort. I take the time to look up and see all that our heavenly father has created. I listen to hear the birds singing. I sit by the lake and am still. I take the road less traveled. I have learned so much about myself in the stillness. I feel like a new person when I return home. My mind is clear and strengthened. I am ready to face the day.