Tag Archive | meditation

Sometimes

Apr25

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Sometimes it’s good to have no plans

Sit and let your thoughts play in the playground of your mind

No place to be

No appointments to keep

Nothing to cross off your to-do list

Just sit and stare

Or in my case, write 

With with no agenda or plan

Write as a kind of meditation

With no goal in mind

These times are rare but essential

Our souls need maintenance too

If we fill up every hour of our day

We may burn out 

Or feel really tired

We need time to focus on positive thoughts

To look for beauty in nature or art

Perhaps create something just because

Take a break from the rat-race of life and

Breathe deeply

And after a while, when we are ready

Tackle the things that need to be done

April 25th, 2021

Zen

Apr17

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Cashew lies down on the floor

Very content 

Without a care

As I blow dry my hair

 

I’ve been wondering what goes on

In that head of hers as she lies there

I’ve noticed she spends a lot of time

Sitting and staring into space

What is her thought process during these times?

How does she entertain herself?

 

The times she sleeps, eats, and plays

I understand

But what about when she stares into the distance?

 

I know dogs are different from people

I should not compare

But this question comes up again and again

 

Maybe those times are her zen times

Her meditation times

Maybe that’s why she’s so relaxed

Maybe I should meditate more too

It seems to be working for Cashew!

 

April 17th, 2020

One cup

Feb4

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One cup of meditation

Along with a cup of coffee 

Drunk in a peaceful place

A place where I’m not distracted by daily responsibilities 

A place l return to regularly 

No matter how busy life gets

 

One cup of meditation

As addictive as coffee

Often leads to thoughts being written down

This can be a cure for my weary soul

A balm for my sensitive heart

 

One cup of meditation 

Along with a cup of coffee 

Consumed daily

Gives me the energy and enthusiasm 

To carry on

 

February 2019

My notebooks

Sep24

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Days go by

Seasons change

And I write in my notebooks

Children grow up

Life changes

And I keep writing in my notebooks

Dreams are dreamt

Some become reality

And I keep writing in my notebooks

We move from city to city

From one country to another

And I keep writing in my notebooks

My notebooks have created a beautiful pile

Colourful and different each one

Writing is the constant in my life

My notebooks are the repository of my thoughts

September 23rd, 2018

Super-connected!

Sep3

Our ubiquitous technology
Can enhance the fragmentation of our world

When I see someone outside
Especially young adults
They usually have a headphone in their ears
And a phone in their hands

Their gaze rarely meets mine
Since either they are lost in their music
Or texting someone!

I’ve also been guilty of that!
While waiting in line
I gravitate to my phone
Check my mail
My Facebook
And sometimes I don’t realise
That it’s my turn
Because I’ve been looking down!

Friends who go out for coffee or a meal
Have to consciously decide to ignore their phones,
Their messages, their Facebook updates
And even the tweets from the Twitterverse!

I’m guilty of this too!
Sometimes my kids put my cell-phone away
Far from me
So I don’t get tempted to check things!

What happened?
How did we get here?
We walk cell-phone in hand
Can’t leave the house without it
Because we’d feel naked and out of touch!

God forbid, while traveling abroad
We get out of WiFi range
Then, it’s either a matter of paying roaming fees
(The cell phone companies know their stuff)
Or being cut off!

We’ve gotten used to the constant barrage of information
The constant demands made on us
A text from a colleague demands attention
We feel they can’t wait to get a response

And if someone does not respond to our text quickly
We wonder why, what has gone wrong?

Are we super-connected
Or disconnected from ourselves
And those nearby?

Have our lives sped up too much?
That’s why we have slow-movements now!
And we are told to do yoga, to meditate and just slow down

Today I heard one can mediate for thirty seconds
If pressed for time
Even meditation has to be sped up!

I hope that instead of becoming slaves of technology
We can use it properly
I hope we can learn to monitor the amount of info.
We expose ourselves to, and the amount of info. we share!

Moderation
The middle way
Hopefully we can find that balance one day!

Lida Berghuis
August 31st, 2014

Slowing down

Oct2

Moments of contemplation
So rare in our lives
We run run run
Do, do, do
Try to keep up with
Who knows who or what!

Daydreaming becomes a thing of the past
Concentration and productivity is where it’s at!

But what is the purpose?
What drives us so?
What are we trying to achieve
With our lives?

Even when we meditate
We are not supposed to contemplate
Never understood that
Or the concept of the empty box
That place that most often men go to
So I hear, when they want to get away from it all

It’s good to sometimes just stare out the window
Take in what’s going on
Instead of staring at our phones
Which we even do when we have to stand in line

Serenity has left our lives
It seems to be mostly do or die!

And that’s why I write
To get lost in my thoughts
To take a break from the rat race
And to nourish my soul with moments of stillness
And solitude!

Lida Berghuis
October 2nd, 2013

Stillness

Jan25

Stillness
Like the serene surface of a lake at Dawn

Stillness
Where words come from

Stillness
Where I seek refuge each time

Stillness
Where movement originates

Stillness
Where excitement comes to rest

Stillness
Where great ideas emerge

In my busy days
I seek the stillness of solitude

Daily life with all its demands and
Needs come to a stop

I go deep within myself
I connect to what’s out there.

Stillness feeds the soul
Stillness attracts thoughts
Stillness is essential

Lida Berghuis
January 20th, 2011

The maze of life

Oct6

We start at one corner
Seeking the goal
The way out
We make some false starts
But that’s a must

No perfect way to traverse the maze
Each one chooses a different way

Even though the destination
Seems to be the goal
Each time we make it
Through a maze
We will be invited to start again

No need to rush
Through the maze of life
Better to go slow
Meditate a while
One good move
Better than a few wrong ones

Once we’ve been through
A maze or two
We’ll see the pattern
Discover the groove

We’ll see the value
Of reflection and a slower pace
We’ll realize that there’s no hurry
To get to the end

We’ll focus on the process
Of getting there
Accumulate wisdom
On the way

The maze of life
Passes through desserts dry
Mountains high
Rivers that rush
And forests, lush
The secret is not to give up
When the going gets tough
Not to fear challenges and hard times
They are the most valuable times

The maze of life
Full of twists and turns
The one who designed it
Knew the secret!

Lida Berghuis
September 18th, 2011