5 Minutes of Meditation
Rest is an easy-to-overlook component of spiritual life, but it’s an important one. In the umc.org article “Sabbath rest isn’t just for Sundays,” Rev. Dr. Ron Bell is quoted as saying that “God models for us that we start from a position of rest, not from a position of movement.” This week, deepen your Lenten observance through rest – specifically, through a personalized guided meditation.
“Rest” doesn’t have to mean sleep, though naps are truly lovely when you can get them. It can also include things like meditation, which is great way to pause without sleeping. But meditation often comes with the notion that you need to be able to “clear your mind” in order to do it successfully, which can be a frustrating exercise. That’s where guided meditation comes in – it gives you something concrete to focus on as you let the rest go. And guess what, you can create your own!
There is a basic framework outlined on the Eco Friendly Minimalist blog. We invite you to read the full post, but we’d like to distill it for you even further so your family can work together to create your “script.” Think of your guided meditation in terms of a beginning, middle, and end:
Beginning: guide the listeners to relax. Consider simple strategies like focusing on the breath, doing a body scan, or connecting with the senses. Choose a strategy and write out the words the guide will say to get everyone else to focus in and relax.
Middle: insert a message your family needs to hear. Maybe it’s words of gratitude, or encouragement, or intentions, or things you’d like to let go. Again, write out what the guide will say, like “You have so much in your life to be grateful for. You are blessed with a loving family who are there for you no matter what…” and so on.
End: include directions for action. This might be something like a reminder to keep setting aside time for rest, or to remember what a blessing your family members are the next time you get frustrated with each other, or to follow through on the intention you set.
Your meditation doesn’t have to be long – 3 to 5 minutes is PLENTY, especially for busy adults and wiggly kids. Decide who will be the guide (for that day, at least), set up a space to meditate (maybe in the prayer space we encouraged you to create last week!), and set a specific time to do it. If you haven’t got anyone to meditate with, that’s okay too. Just record your script on an electronic device and you can be your own guide. So pause, relax, and find some Sabbath rest wherever and whenever you need it.
