Contemplative Meditation from a Nun to You

I came across this meditation in my reading today. It’s from M. Macha NightMare’s blog Broomstick Chronicles. For background, she is very involved in interfaith programs where she lives and went on a retreat hosted by nuns of two different religions. The Christian nun shared this group meditation:

“Sister Marion showed us a teaching method used in her order wherein a short passage of the Bible is read aloud slowly, and really listened to. After a brief period of silence, they are read a second time. I volunteered and found myself in the odd position of reading just a few verses of the Gospel of Luke.

“We Pagans don't have a sacred text, per se; however, I intend to try this practice with a few lines of poetry, lyrical words about Nature, or maybe part of The Charge of the Goddess. I think it could enhance our understanding. As I get older, I find I enjoy contemplative spiritual practices at least as much as more active practices, if not more.”

You can find the rest of the entry here.

While I like the idea of doing this with the Charge of the Goddess, or selections from Starhawk’s “creation myth” from The Earth Path, I also think that poems would be of particular use here. Especially primary source poems from Ireland and Wales. I can see doing this with a lot of the poems credited to Tailsen. Or evening use this as part of a longer meditation series with the three cauldrons from the Cauldron of Posey. And this would be an excellent use of Graves’ The White Goddess, since his work should be read as a poetic inspiration rather than historical fact.

Walking Meditation

I walk around my office complex almost every day at lunch. I began it as a way to help heal from the repetitive stress injuries that come from working on a computer all day. Quickly I noticed an increase in aerobic capacity and hiking endurance. I believe that it’s because my walks add to the work I already do at the gym, not just because I walk at lunch. The more you exercise (within limits) the quicker you notice improvements. I’ve also noticed that it’s a wonderful way to decrease stress. My body relaxes at the 30 minute mark, and the last ten to fifteen minutes I feel like the stress of the day has evaporated. It’s very refreshing.

I also use this time to let my mind wander or pay attention the trees and wildlife that surround my nature park - maple, willow, live oak, roses, lavender, jasmine, crows, other birds I cannot identify, ants, bees, bumble bees, crickets, etc. Recently, I created a simple prayer bead bracelet that I use to recite a chant for my 13 virtues. I can chant them silently to myself, or ponder what I mean by wisdom, or what integrity really is.

More than walking, I think what is truly valuable is giving my mind 45 minutes most days to do some semi-constructive thinking or just time to let my mind and body relax. Seated meditation can do this, but walking enables me to practice all sorts of observations as well as meditation techniques like breath control or chanting in a totally different context than the seated meditation style.