Dragonfly, Spider, Snake: The Fear will Leave, Bliss will Come.

Beginning Meditation Instruction

I close my eyes, listening to the sound of chanting and ocean waves. I’m sitting in a comfortable, cross-legged position on my mat, sitting bones and back propped. I make a circle with my hands at the navel, thumbs touching and index fingers touching. I release all tension and breathe naturally. All senses are directed inward.

I see water in a round pool of blue flowing. The water is coming down a large rocky mountain waterfall. As the water pours into the pool, white, foaming oxygenated water bubbles over itself. I feel my chin tuck into my chest as I look down into this large pool, so calm and inviting. Then I feel my head rise to look up into the sky in this sacred place. There is light from sunshine, but the sun itself is behind this wall of rocks. I seem to be floating in the expansive vastness. My head moves to center. I can now slowly, consciously notice the oneness. I am part of this scheme of water, sky, mountains, and air. The lush greenery on top of the cliffs and all around the pool of water, healthy, vibrant. I have no expectations. I am safe, warm, comfortable, with giving my soul up to the sky. Gods’ presence surrounds me.

1. The Dragonfly

I notice for the first time a creature flying around the thick bush of orange flowers and ripe wild blackberries. It dances like no other, its iridescent black and turquoise blue wings twitching along its long, elegant body. From flower to flower it lands, happily meeting the white moth on a dirt path. The moth is graceful as she alights on a tall, lavender milk thistle. I inhale the scent of the wild, the untamed. Prickly, unripe berries mix with the sunlight beaming through the trees as I look up at the sky and say, “thank you God.”

2. The Spider

What type of spider was so skillful as to design such art? The detailed beauty of the webs reveal a weaver with purpose. Cobwebs touch my skin, unseen by the eye. The sticky, fragile, strings in my path brush up against me, becoming a part of me. The spider is nowhere to be found. I hope I have not destroyed his plans. I know how much hard work must have gone into this magical arrangement of strands, dripping with dew. I wonder if he will start right away to rebuild—what, a new barrier? A new glistening net to catch anyone who happens to be passing through?

3. Unwind the Snake

Stagnant energy lays dormant and twines around itself.  It coils up, tenses up, steals up the astral spine. Grounding the root chakra, focusing on the breath, we bring kundalini energy up and evacuate pent up emotions and stress. We must deal with our uncomfortable bodies in such a way that we become comfortable in any position we might found ourselves in. We train the body to integrate with the mind. The soul twists and squirms. One day we will become still and stable. The mind’s racing and rattling slowly turn towards focus and concentration. The breath fills our entire being with harmony. Charming the kundalini snake through the discipline of yoga is the answer to the question one may never think to ask. Yes: the body can recognize the enemy. The enemy is within. Accept self awareness. Learn to recognize the emotions that bubble up. Acknowledge these feelings and learn to surrender. The fear will leave. Bliss will come.

Lori “Skye” Miles started her yoga practice and never looked back. She is a dedicated yogini, and continues to learn how to lead a yogic lifestyle, integrating it into her very being. She feels blessed to have explored various types of yoga and to have learned from many teachers. She has also studied alternative healing methods including nutrition, herbal medicine, and aromatherapy. She owns Flowers of Life essential, organic handmade body products for healing body, mind and spirit. Lori is also passionate about writing, and her book, Nature versus Nurture, is awaiting publication.