Winter Solstice Meditation
written by
on Thursday, December 17th, 2009
In the northern hemisphere, winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, the time of stillness, quiet, death. It is also the time of renewal, it marks the shortest day but this leads to December 22 which promises more sunlight and the 23rd promises more again.
The solstice is a great time for us to reflect in a quiet and purposeful way on the rhythms of life and a time to renew the spirit.
Metta meditation is a wonderful spiritual practice for the solstice. Metta (loving kindness) reminds us that life is not only about us; we are connected to and affected by the world around us.
We can alter Metta a little bit during the time of winter solstice.
Winter Solstice Metta Meditation Practice
Come into your comfortable meditation posture. Sit quietly, bring awareness to the breath. Relax the body, calm the mind.
We do the practice for ourselves, for a person close to us, for someone neutral and for someone that we do not like.
Take a moment to choose the person that is close to you, the neutral person like someone that works at your grocery store, and someone that you do not like, that irks you – maybe someone you are in conflict with right now.
With a calm mind and not engaging in thoughts that arise (when thoughts do rise, try first to notice them and then not to engage them, return to the meditation)
Repeat the following phrases to yourself and take a moment or two between each phrase to reflect, sit quietly with the thought.
May I be still – then see yourself still
May I notice the life around me
May I live with ease and purpose
May I my spirit be renewed
Think of a someone you love and respect
May he/she be still – then see that person still
May he/ she notice the world around them
May he/she live with ease and purpose
May his/her spirit be renewed
Think of someone neutral
May he/she be still – then see that person still
May he/ she notice the world around them
May he/she live with ease and purpose
May his/her spirit be renewed
Think of someone you are in conflict with or do not like
May he/she be still – then see that person still
May he/ she notice the world around them
May he/she live with ease and purpose
May his/her spirit be renewed
With Metta,
YeShey
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by Michele Mathiesen on December 21, 2009 at 8:24 pm
I really like a Metta Meditation used during a Yin Yoga practice. Both really are fitting of the Winter Solstice.
by YeShey on December 22, 2009 at 9:42 am
Dear Michelle,
Combining yoga asana (postures) and meditation is a fantastic way to practice.
The meditation works from the inside out and the asana works from the outside in.
Yoga classes focus primarily on the body and the breath – learning how to let the breath guide the body; making the body stronger and balancing the breath . When we add meditation to the mix we are now working with body, breath and mind.
Of the three, mind has the most influence and can affect the most change. Positive emotions and thoughts balance the breath and influence the body.
Thanks for sharing.
YeShey
by Aganeta on December 26, 2009 at 11:26 am
Thank you YeShey for the beautiful Winter Solstice Metta meditation.I am really enjoying the Metta meditation-loving kindness as it fits nicely with my motivation to meditate.Also I have been doing some reading on line on Metta by Sharon Salzberg.
It reinforces what Yeshey is teaching us.