Simplify Your Life &
Align with Your True North
Listen to Morning Meditation Blessed Day
Soothing words to listen as you wake up. Fill yourself with gratitude. Fill your mind with uplifting thoughts so you may summon in a beautiful, blissful, blessed day.
This audio track is a beautiful way to start your day. Bookmark this page and come back each morning.
Waiting room meditation
Living in a community means using services with fellow human beings. In our fast-paced life, this becomes a source of impatience and annoyance because this means waiting in line to be served. Whether it is at the doctor's office, at the Post Office, or at the grocery store! This may be standing in a queue at a ticket booth or at a bookshop or at your favorite store.
One other place where a lot of waiting happens is at convergence points, such as train stations, on the road, bus stops and at airports. Airport waiting can often be frustrating especially when there is no clear information available about the departure or arrival of a plane.
All of these occasions are great opportunities for meditating. Sitting at the Airport Terminal, just close your eyes and take a few minutes of space, extracting yourself from the "waiting" and transplanting yourself to "being" status. If you prefer, you can keep your eyes half closed or even open, looking at a general area in the distance. When standing in a line, you can maintain your alert mode and bring focus to your breath. This practice also helps you to be in the moment and shift from an impatient waiting mode, to merely being, observing, enjoying being alive.
Remember that meditating in a public place means you find a spot where you can be secure and safe. Then while meditating, you allow yourself to become acutely aware of your environment. Sounds and vibrations become more apparent to you in this state.
So give it a try. And next time you have to wait anywhere, think of it as a divine gift to be present, a chance to tap into the vast ocean of consciousness.
3 Lessons from Thich Nhat Hanh's You are Here
Here are some thoughts from the reading of You are Here written by the Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.
3 Lessons from Thich Nhat Hanh's Buddha Mind, Buddha Body
Enjoy this video book review of Buddha Mind, Buddha Body written by the Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.
3 Lessons from Eckhart Tolle's Practicing the Power of Now
Here is my Book Review of Eckhart's Book. Share your thoughts!
Open your Heart: River Meditation with Sacred Cello Vibrations
My husband Cristof is the creator of these most sacred Cello vibrations. Watch this video and soothe your soul.
Creating and collaborating with him together has been such a delicious and exciting experience. I love you, Cristof!
Peace and Love. New Meditation E-Course!
Hi Everyone,
I am so excited to share that I am launching a new program on Meditation that will be entirely online. Check out this video and then look at this link for more!
Meet my Meditation Inspiration: Sunflower
Inspiration comes in many forms. For my meditation practice, Sunflower is my inspiration. Sunflower has a meditative quality about her. The way she emerges into a room and her presence says it all. She is undeterred by any sounds and noises that happen naturally around her. Her focus is that of extreme concentration. When she is sitting in her meditation pose, she will remain still for hours. Her attention is drawn inwards where she resides in a place of ease, comfort and joyful peace.
When she looks at me, it feels like she is looking at something deep within me. Her glance is profound and kind.
Living with Sunflower is a daily, moment-by-moment meditation class. She inspires me to become still, focussed and at ease. To her gentleness and teaching-by-example, I am eternally grateful.
Visual Journey Inspires Visual Artist.
One Saturday morning, Rachael Shores, a regular meditator dropped by the Center for Meditation and Healing, also my home. Accompanying her was this lovely painting:
She calls it Attributes.
Among the many talents Rachael embodies, visual art is her passion. She brings life and drama with her brush strokes whether it is painting on canvas or designing murals for a wall. She dances with color flowing through the tips of her brushes moving in rythmically akin to the flow of Tai Chi. Her visual mastery is only complemented with her technical expertise in the manner her vision is executed into reality. Her love for creative expression exudes in the way she is present with her art.
When Rachael presented Attributes to me, she said, "This is what I experienced in our Visual Journey Meditation." I was flabbergasted. The journey that we had visualized is now translated onto canvas with Rachael's unique interpretation. I was holding in my hands the meditation that had flowed through me. Her artistic interpretation made the meditation tangible in an astounding manner. My husband, Cristof and I sat there gazing into the painting, re-living the fantasy-landscape that we had all experienced. The deep blue ocean with schools of fish floating by surrounded by dolphins who seemed to emerge from the flowing flame of wisdom. This is the flame around which three mentors were seated, each a manifestation of an inner attribute within us, holding a message as unique as each individual.
I immeditately had the strong urge to share this painting with you, the Pond community. Take a look at this painting, gaze at it for a moment. Look at the details and immerse yourself within it. Let this lovely painting aide you in your own visual journey.
If you would like this painting to serve you with its high vibration at all times, Rachael is happy to share a print for your home or office space. Get all the details here. Thank you Rachael for your passion and creativity.
Mountain Love,
Sophia
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Goodmorning to You!
As you begin the day, just breathe in and breathe out. Know that in each moment, that is all you need to do. Bring your awareness to your breath, to your breathing. All else follows from there.
Lift the burdens from your shoulders, lighten up the heaviness in your heart. Do it all through the breath. The breathe is your ally, your friend, your mentor, your guide. Take advantage of this most splendid of life's gifts.
Love you all!
Sophia
Cool way to calm your mind. New Program!
7 Week Visual Journey Meditation Program
Learn to meditate without getting all tangled up. This is a cool, fresh way of calming the mental chatter and getting more focused. Hosted by a young, Indian-American who found her true calling through meditation, you enter the anciant meditative practice with the help of someone who has been through the challenges of calming one's mind. Sophia makes meditation fun, helping you to just relax and design your own world of love and joy. You can lay down or sit on a chair or get cozy on cushions. You light tea lights to set the tone, sip chai or warm apple cider and ease into the meditation with cool, uplifting group of people.
In the seven weeks, you will have your own unique practice that you can go to anytime of the day and night. After the first session, you will be showerd in loving light that will help you get in touch with your deeper self. By week 3, you will already feel a profound difference oozing into every part of your life.Your left and right hemispheres of your brain become more and more harmonized. You feel your body becoming healthier and stronger. Your sense of clarity and focus deepen even more. These are just the beginning of the possibilities for you.
Come and try a free mediation with Sophia before you purchase the program and see if this is for you. Connect with her via reflectionpond.com.
The 7 week program is intuitively designed for you. You will be equipped with a regular meditation practice which you can carry with you for the rest of your life. You will have practical tools to access your creative juices whenever you need it. And you will let go of blockages and hurdles in your personal and creative life.
Still your mind and relax your body. Come through places of peace and places of nature. Fly high in the sky like a hawk. Run through a pond like a jaguar. Sit underwater or swim like a dolphin through a flame or dissolve into a cloud. Bring yourself into a world of imagination where anything is possible. Strengthen intuition, sharpen focus and flow with your creativity into an inspired 2012.
Live Cello accompaniment will be offered by Cristof Ensslin. As Cristof plays his Cello, you will find yourself floating in worlds of your imagination, with his delicate string-plucks as well as long and graceful bow moves.
If all of this resonates with you, sign up and open up to to receive and allow for more creativity, love and abundance to fill their lives. The Program begins on November 22nd and goes on every Tuesday until January 3rd. Register now! Special Early Bird of $77 ends on October 31st. Then regular $98 will apply.
You can sign up HERE.
Finding the Stillpoint with Tolle's Stillness Speaks
Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle.
The book, Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle points clearly, ways to freedom: awareness, acceptance, just being.
I learnt that simply becoming aware is a liberating experience. Becoming aware of the thoughts. Becoming aware of the space in which the moment happens. And becoming aware of the now. Right now is all there is. The past happens in the now. The future happens in the now. So this moment is simply to be experienced. And bringing acceptance adn awareness to that experience is what deepens the space in which all this happens.
Written with crystal clarity, this book brings deep insight, helping us to free our minds from the habitual ego-mind and to bring compassion towards ourselves and towards others for being in the graps of the ego. It also sheds light on the beauty of surrender: surrendering to the present moment.
The messages in this book are presented in short nuggets of wisdom, written in short paragraphs. I loved this style as it allowed me to reflect on the points presented here after each paragraph. The questions that Eckhart asks throughout the text is a wonderful launching pad of my own introspection. For instance, on page 28, he asks:
Can you see that this "I" is fleeting, a temporary function, like a wave pattern on the surface of the water?
The "I" he is referring to is the identity of the self derived from the ego: name, occupation, gender, our life stories. All of the external ways of identifying ourselves refer to the form, the body, not the formless that is within each of us. And this formless I Am is eternal, Echkart states. This is the I AM that you are. Beyond all the classifications, titles, labels and names of all sorts, you are limitless, unbounded, and infinite.
This kind of reflective question reveals something within me that is beyond words and concepts. It seems paradoxical that in thinking about these insights brings me to a space within that is beyond thoughts. In this way, the thoughts serve beautifully in enabling the experience of peace and stillness that rises from beyond the thinking and the thoughts.
This book was introduced to me by Oprah in one of her conversations with Eckhart. It is a book that he wrote before, A New Earth which for me laid a wonderful foundation for reading Stillness Speaks and made the material easily graspable for me in my mind as well as in my heart.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel at peace and find ways to connect with oneself and with the space within us in a deep, full way. It is a truly life-enhancing book.
Love,
Sophia
You Are Enough.
The Mind Chatter
The voices in the mind rage. Words strung into sentences float in the space of the mind. Words evoking emotions of imperfection, emotions of impatience, emotions of not having arrived. The deluge of these thoughts takes a toll. Waking up in the morning begins the flow. Going to bed at night pauses the flow. Then, you realise that this constant bombardment of notions is not really serving your highest good.
I remember times when the mental chatter was painful to the extent that it led to a consistent feeling of sadness, inner pain and lack of enthusiasm. For the smallest thing that I did or did not do, this strange inner voice would comment, criticise, complain and scold. Although, today the voice is not so loud and not so incessant, I still encounter moments where I am flashed with this bright stadium light of inner critique, harsh, cold and blinding light. Then it dissipates. I have then moments to breathe and live with a sense of relief.
I Am Enough
Today, I listened to a conversation by Hans King as he was being interviewed by Lisa Garr of The Aware Show. The conversation was full of highlights and insights that deeply resonated with me. Hans reminded us this undeniable truth: You are Enough. It resonated with my very core.
It resonated with me because to hear those words, "You are enough", felt like the chains had been dismantled, the pressure had been released and I was floating in a nebulous wave of relief and joy. He said, there is nothing you need to do, nowhere you need to go. When Lisa asked Hans, so how does our goal-setting and strategizing play into it, Hans replied that we can still do it all for the experience of it. Wow!!! We do all our goal setting, aiming for change, creating new things, making a difference, all for the EXPERIENCE of it. That feels really liberating. I don't have to do any of this. But I CHOOSE to do all of it; because I want to have the experience of the creating, transforming and changing. The pressure is off. The cage is open. The dams have been broken. The bird is set free. The river can flow freely.
Setting the Intention
Another insight that I take from the convesation is about setting Intention. Hans said that our intention matters the most, even more than our deeds. Each day, we can set an intention for ourselves, for our life and become clear about why we are doing something and for what purpose. Ultimately, he says our purpose is to be of service to one another. And that was so beautifully and profoundly said. I have often searched and enquired about my life's purpose. Through the introspection, I have become clear about my dream and my vision that I want to manifest in this lifetime. Yes, that is all there. Yet, when it comes down to it, the fundamental purpose of my life is to be of service. So there you have it. The confusion is dissolved. The mystery is demystified.
Ask and You Shall Receive
Many teachers of consciousness have spoken about this. When you need help, you ask for it. It is your responsibility to ask for guidance, to ask for help, says Hans. I know for myself that only recently have I come to understand this concept and I am learning to live it fully each day. To actively ask Life, the Universe, the Spirit Guides for help and guidance is something I have done only as a LAST RESORT! Yet, it is becoming more and more easy for me to ask, to request for help. This process of asking for help, also puts me in a state of gratitude. I become aware of the blessings that are in my life and how I am constantly being shown the path, and assisted along the way. The state of gratitude is what raises my vibration immediately. One of the most powerful ways of feeling good and living fully, for me, is to feel the emotion of gratitude and appreciation.
Thank you Hans King for so eloquently presenting these insights which have spoken straight to my heart. Your wisdom, your openness and your service to humanity is deeply appreciated. I thank you for taking the time and having the conversation with Lisa Garr.
I have been listening to Lisa Garr's show for some years now and I express my deep gratitude to her for her candid, authentic self as she poses the questions and shares her life on the show. She has a soothing, relaxing voice that reminds me of cozy afternoons with pillows and hot tea and loving friends chatting away about life and the Universe. Thank you for bringing to me rich, vibrant conversations with the Gurus and Teachers of our time who have committed their life to serving the expansion of human consciousness. Thank you, Lisa.
You can learn about Lisa's show here: The Aware Show. And you can learn about Hans King by exploring his website here.
Meditation Books I Love: Part 1
As you embark deeper on your journey to meditation, I would like to share with you a couple of books on mediation.
1. "Wherever you go, there you are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn: I recommend this book because it is composed of small chapters that you can read and incorporate the wisdom into your life bit by bit. The chapters are 2-3 pages long only with a practice at the end of the chapter that provokes your thinking. I also love the anecdotes that Kabat-Zinn shares in this book. Take a look and enjoy. Here is also a video review of the book that I did on the book.
2. "Turning the mind into an ally" by Sakyom Mipham: I have a special connection with this book. When I was living in New York, I visited many yoga centers and buddhist centers. One day, a friend of mine, Nancy and I walked into a meditation center in Manhattan. We began talking with one of the volunteers who was helping out the center in the daily running of the place. We chatted a little and I asked him about the book he was holding in this hand. It was this lovely book with a white cover that had an eloquent script for a title. He explained to me how this book was influencing him for being more in tune with his inner world. Then, as we were leaving, he said to me, "Here you go". He was handing me the book. I gave him a surprised, joyful glance. He said that this book belongs to me now. This kind gesture was truly heartwarming and even after so many years, this gift from a "stranger" is a source of warm feelings.
I have read this book with great gratitude and joy. In the reading of this book, I have gained a sense of peace. The author offers an intimate view of meditation and in the way he describes what happens to us when we are meditating, is simply eye-opening. He uses the analogy of a horse to describe our mind, an analogy that clearly brings to me the message that meditation needs to be a practice done daily. Only then can we train our mind to become our ally. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is serious about changing their habits, improving mental health, and refining their concentration and sharpening their sense of focus and clarity.
Meditation Retreat
Today I want to share with you the possibilities that exist to immerse yourself in a meditative lifestyle. The full immersion method is used as an effective teaching tool for example in language learning where the student is exposed to the new language constantly. This helps in faster and deeper adoption of the new language.
Full-time immersion in meditation is also an amazing way to get into the practice. Spending an entire day, a weekend or even 10 days in a meditation retreat can jump-start your practice and bring you its benefits in dramatic ways. This is clearly more demanding than a meditation practice for 30 minutes a day. Nevertheless, the benefits that pour into the rest of your life makes it totally worthwhile. This means both a commitment that shows up in advance planning, and allocating the needed resources to make it happen.
Many meditation centers offer opportunities for extensive deep immersion meditation. Omega Center in Rhinebeck, NY has weekend meditation retreats, so does The Chopra Center which offers unique meditation programs all across the United States, Puerto Rico and in many other places in the world. If you are living outside the US, check out your local yoga studios, meditation centers, community churches or conscious living centers for opportunities. And share them in the comments below so more people can learn about them.
Consider planning a meditation retreat for yourself. It will be an experience you will embrace and the benefits will overflow into your every day living.
Tai chi: Meditation in Motion
Recently, a friend of mine invited me to check out a Tai Chi class here in Asheville. Tai chi has fascinated me for quite a while. It's fluid movements that speak of some hidden knowledge practiced my Masters of ages gone by. It has represented to me a way of being in tune with nature with respect and compassion for all, especially when used as a martial arts form. Today, it is widely hailed as a gentle yet powerful way to heal your mind, body and spirit.
So, this morning I went to my first Tai Chi class! My teacher Liz is very welcoming and warmly welcomed us to the class. The class was held inside a room with windows all around overlooking the park, which was lovely. We began with some warm up exercises with breathing in focus. And the rest of the class we learned the first part of a movement called Commencement. It was really great to follow her as she repeatedly showed us every segment of the movement. Already in the first few minutes, I started feeling a tingling between my palms. This is a pleasant sensation, soothing and healing. Liz used many analogies to help us visualize our movements such as swimming through pudding or moving a ball. What was remarkable is that throughout the whole movement, all joints are kept bent, both in the legs and in the arms. All of these movements are meant to build strength, flexibility and vitality in the entire body.
After I got home, I did some basic research on Tai Chi and learnt that this ancient Chinese art form has a foundation in the philosophies of Tao and Confucius. It's basis is the interplay of the yin and yang energy and the merging of the energy in to one universal life force, chi. In fact, the Taijitu symbol also known as the ying-yang symbol of interlocking curves with dots at the center of each fold, is also the symbol for Tai chi from the famous book I Ching.
As someone who loves meditation, Tai chi is really meditation in motion and I enjoyed every moment of it. At the end of the session, I was filled with lightness, joy and felt energized for the day. I am going back next week and if you are in Asheville area, come to Aston Park on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 for Tai Chi with Liz.
Mindfulness inspired by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Sophia talks about what she learnt from the book, "Wherever you go there you are."
Get Your Personalized Guided Visualizations
You know the power of your mind. And you know the magic of visualizations. How would you like it if you were guided through a visualization meditation that is specifically designed for you and your group? No matter where you are located, I can lead you through a powerful visualization.
Personalized Visualization Meditations are tailor-made to your needs. Want to create more abundance in your life, or you want to build more harmony and creativity or whatever your specific goal may be, I can design a visualization just for you.
Learn more here.
Guided Visualization Free Sample Track for Creativity
As promised, here is the meditation track I wanted to share for you to sample. Please feel free to share with me any feedback you may have on this visualization.
Wishing you a lovely time tapping into your creative fountain. Enjoy. Find a comfortable place and close your eyes. Make sure you have 14 minutes of full attention. Please do not listen to this while doing something else.
Here is the Visualization Meditation for Creativity. Duration: 14 min.