Guided Stillness: The Transient Nature of Guilt

There is so much we can give our energy to in today's world. So many ideas, concepts, studies, arts, works, disciplines, and traditions. All of these seem to push and pull at us as if the pursuit of passion is the thing that makes life worth living. For many, our passions become our purpose. As the band "The Head and the Heart" says in their song "Library Magic", “this self-imposed adventure that selfishness drives”.

Whatever it is we wish to know, experience, or create, we find ourselves governed by our morals of the ideal. Creating symbols out of theory and method, and truths that we hold as examples of how something should or should not be. Comparison is a poison most potent to those who wish to live their life with significance and grace. And yet knowing absence seems to be the starting point of so many of our journeys. 

Knowing the absence of something is the act of the intellect, the dance of the mind, leading you to the object of your itching notice. How is it that you have found yourself without something then when you have always had it now? A wise teacher once said to me, “Everything you need can be found in the immediate moment. For this not to be true would mean the floor would drop out under your feet, the air would not enter your lungs, and the light would not reach your eyes.” 

And yet there are so many in this world who seem to suffer from the absence of [insert basic human right here]. Are we to believe that those starving to death do so out of spite? For some, absence creates a rite of passage, in which by understanding the need, they may find what is required. This seems to be the purpose of recognizing absence, and for those who are fortunate enough to seek what they need, are likely to find it. But for others, absence becomes a deep identity so unfulfillable, that it consumes all of themselves and all of those around them. 

Whether that be through choice of action or misfortune, one quickly becomes lost in the depths of despair. The question is; how did we get here, what or who led us to this place, and why are we still here? Most importantly, how do we leave this place? Some call it life lessons, others call it the illusions of suffering, and many refer to it as God's will. You have to decide. What is it that I have left to gain here, is it worth going another round? What is it that I think I do not already have? 

Unique in its aura, the reflections of despair offer us a unique clarity. You see, the absence you feel is the concept of nothing at all. It's from the idea of nothing that we create everything. “From darkness shines light, from the unfathomable depths of space illuminates the stars", as Alan Watts had put it so elegantly. When you realize that everything comes from nothing at all, then you can begin to understand the nature of the intellect. 

The human brain, your brain, is in your head right now making sense of the symbols and patterns of black and white on this page. Our brain can only make sense of its existence by beginning with nothing at all. In Buddhism, this is referred to as the "transient nature of all things". Meaning, everything exists and does not exist at the same time. Everything has a beginning and an end. Everything has meaning and is without comprehension. All understandings are misunderstandings of an experience still unfolding. 

So how is it that so many have come to know that they are without something they have yet to be given? How is it that so many compare themselves in their misfortune to those who seem to have everything? They seem to have forgotten, completely lost to the illusion, as if caught in a daydream or a role in the local theater play. And yet they live to their fullest discontent with their current experience. Whether they understand it or not. 

Everything starts with you. The steps you take, the thoughts you think, the air you breathe, and the symbols you make. Taking on total recognition of your responsibility to yourself and your experience of things, means leaving the comparison, the absence, and eventually even the intellect behind, in order to live for the eternal moment. Simply just here, cradled in the arms of matter and put to dance by the throws of time. Forever wondering in the present now. 

Svadhisthana Meditation: Symbolic Guilt Reflection

The sacral chakra, or the "Svadhisthana", is located in the lower abdomen just below the belly button. This chakra deals with emotion, justice, joy, and pleasure. This chakra governs the element of water in the body and emits an aura of orange spinning light. When we are deficient in this area, the intestines are affected along with the kidneys and adrenal functions of the urinary system. This may manifest in one’s body as fatigue, indigestion, bloating, gas, or stomach aches to name a few. Svadhisthana is blocked by one's own attachment to guilt. 

1. To begin this meditation, first find a moment of stillness. This is going to look different for each body. If sitting in a meditational posture is uncomfortable, I recommend using a chair, a comfortable stance, or even lying down on the floor. Whatever is most comfortable, none is better than the other for this meditation.
2. Begin by breathing into your nose, feeling the air as it travels down through your throat and into your lungs. Expand your inhale into the fullness of your beautiful belly, creating warmth and comfort with each inhale. 
3. Exhale, collapsing the fullness of your belly inward until the space is completely deflated and your body is left without any grasp of air. You will reach a hard stillness when the exhale has reached this point. Then begin again with an inhale for as long as you feel comfortable. 
4. Bring your attention to your lower back and abdominal area. Begin this reflection by asking yourself, “What do I give my energy to in my life?” Continue breathing deeply, waiting for your inner wisdom to give you this answer. (Sometimes you will not be given an answer. Instead, you may be given a distinct feeling or a specific memory. These are just as valid as any answer put into words.)
5. Once you have your answer, distinct feeling, or specific memory, ask yourself, “Am I ready to let go of this?” If the answer is yes, begin to breathe deeper and fuller. With each inhale, pull back your energy by imagining an orange light being pulled from your answer and flowing back into your sacral chakra. With each exhale, feel yourself release your answer from your mind, bit by bit, out through the mouth (many find it helpful to sigh as they exhale). 
6. If you are not ready to release your reflection, you then need to ask yourself, “What guilt do I have surrounding these reflections?” Often it is best to explore the first answer your inner wisdom gives you to these questions. Guilt is a powerful illusion and self-taught lie that we give ourselves because we do not always feel morally right, or worthy of enjoyment. Ask yourself to let this go. It no longer serves you. Recognize that you are an honored being in the present moment, the here and now. 
7. Count your blessings. From the air you breathe to the Earth that is under your feet, each action and moment is a blessing. Know that your past is over and done. Only you can hold on to the feeling of guilt and only you can let go of this. Every moment is a new opportunity for your enjoyment. Stay in this place for as long as you would like. 
8. Once you are ready to come out, begin to breathe deeper and fuller. Feel this new energy fill your sacral chakra. See if you can feel this energy spinning just below the belly button, and if you can imagine an orange light coming from your navel, surrounding you like an aura. Finally, slowly begin to open your eyes, looking around the room in every direction before you get up. 

You can repeat any of the steps given here for as long as you want. Some will find that they need only a few sessions to work through their guilt, while others may take several months of sessions. There is no set amount of time. Be patient and kind to yourself during this process, and feel free to reach out should you want to schedule a healing session. 

Thank you for tuning into Guided Stillness, a blog on meditation and mindfulness. You can learn more about me and my practice at Bluefoothealing.com or by scheduling a consultation with me through The Herb Shoppe. Thank you again for your support as a reader, and I am honored to have played a part in your journey up the mountain. 

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