‘We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world…’

A Brief For The Defence / Jack Gilbert

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Our Delight Lies Not Outside Ourselves

There really is nothing like meditation.

In the beginning – it is super uncomfortable.

Rather annoying.

And insanely persistent.

Persistent because

• some part in us, tells us this is good for us. We don’t know why, what, who or when. We just sense.
• and for some reason beyond our logic, we do it again and again and again.

To practice meditation, to make it a part of our daily existence like eating – will eventually bring us to our innate delight.

 

Not so Woo-Woo

The more you gift yourself with moments to meditate, the more you sense this:

• That you are more than your body.
• And, that the body is you
• You are also all around your body.
• And, inside your body.

You are, in fact, everything – but let’s just start with you are your breath.

And your breath is energy.

Unseen, unfathomable and the same as the Energy responsible for creating universes. You are a sparkle of God.

This heightened state of awareness can be attained through certain ancient breathing techniques. In the yoga tradition, it is referred to as Pranayama.

‘Pranayama is the conscious awareness of breath: the life force that both energizes and relaxes the body. The term is derived from the Sanskrit, prana, meaning “life force,” and ayama, meaning “extension.”

Pranayama is an integral part of yoga. The controlled breathing enables both the rhythm of performing yoga poses and relaxing the mind for meditation.’

 

So What Really Happens?

In mediation, we become still.

We become silent.

We cease our incessant busy-ness and doing.

It is a new feeling – one that can actually bring up fears and shortness of breath. Because all of a sudden, the mind does not know what is happening.

It wants to control, make sense, bring in logic and reason – surely it makes no sense to sit and be still. And silent.

And the body is protesting too.

When this happens, don’t despair. Bring the focus back to the breath.

Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. You are not going to die (yes, one day, but not right now).

However, this is exactly when and where we must persist, push through. Not from our will power or stubbornness to not be defeated. But from a sense of trusting. Of letting go. And knowing that the Universe, the force that created All Life, has got your back.

And then – there comes a moment of peace. A brief respite from the madness. And we somehow recognise that this feels good.

 

When More is Definitely More

For just a very brief moment, we experienced delight.

Delight in not dying, not being eaten by monsters, not being fired by a boss – not being hungry or angry or frustrated.

We were, in fact calm.

And it felt good.

And so we return. Even for the briefest of moments of calm.

Because upon our every return, our delight becomes more.

Our delight will be that we are safe. It will shift to we are enough. It will shift again to we are connected to All Life. It will shift again and again and again… an adventure, an exploration, a journey too unbelievable to miss out on.

 

And so,

‘We must risk delight…we must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness’ – becoming our new way of showing up, of interacting and of being.

Every change happening in us, affects the entire world.

We can cease the grabbing, demanding and competitiveness.

Our bodies can heal. Our minds can rest. And we can Be the calm, the peace, we wish to see in the world.

Creating a better inner world, creates a better world out there.

That, is a Universal Law.