07-Mar-2012

Back to Earth

Emerging from Meditation

Your eyes are closed and you breathe slowly with ease as your thoughts float by. You are in the meditative “zone of peace.” Whether you are sitting in a zen retreat, chanting on a mountaintop or meditating in front of your altar at home, emerging with care from a meditative state helps you integrate your transformed state of mind back into the go-go-go of your everyday world.

Just as you prepare for meditation with breathing, yoga and focusing your mind, it is equally important to transition delicately out of deep meditation. As you come to the end of your meditation session, keep your eyes closed, take a few long deep breaths as you allow each breath to bring you more fully back into your body. Move your fingers and toes and gently roll your neck to increase circulation and awareness. Finally, open your eyes slowly, letting them focus before you begin to move or speak. As you rise and prepare to re-enter the stream of worldly affairs, embrace your renewed self with grace and gratitude.

Recommended: A Half-Hour of Peace - A Guided Imagery Meditation for Physical & Spiritual Wellness by Susie Mantell and Commit to Sit: Tools for Cultivating a Meditation Practice by Joan Duncan Oliver