THE COSTA DEL SOL, MALAGA, SPAIN
I wish I could talk about the relaxing and meditative results from trying to implement the excercise as suggested from the Dacher cd, but finding the time and place to quiet my mind, along with battling an ugly sinus infection made the experience for me a opportunity to get a little more shut eye!
However, I found that the background sound of the waves crashing to shore took me to a magical time in my life when I first traveled to Spain and our student tour group finally got to the coast after 5 days of travel! In Malaga, Spain, I thought ok I'll enjoy the beach with my group although I am more of an "ancient ruins" tourist, I'll put my feet in the sand and sleep and eat.
After another full day of touring we finally ended up exhausted for the evening, so my roomates and I (both who were Puerto Rican, which helped alot with language) were trying to sleep but laughing hysterically because the tour bus driver (middle-aged Spaniard guy), had a crush on one of my roomates, and his room was located right above ours. We listened as he tried to sing love songs to her and tapped on the floor, I guess as a code to try to get her to come meet him, you can't make this stuff up!
What I remember from that nite is that we obviously fell into a deep sleep, and I was awakened by the hard crashing of the waves against the wall a short distance from our hotel. I sat up in bed and thought to myself I have never heard anything so beautiful in my entire life, and it was the most peaceful meditative feeling where for a brief moment I thought how can I make this happen permanently, how wonderful it must be to live right on the ocean.
You see, being from Cleveland, located on the lake, most times it is just a cold body of water when you look at it, as I had never been to the ocean before so to live on the ocean in warm temperatures year round right on the Mediteranean, I thought this is the life for me!
A CITY STREET IN MALAGA, SPAIN
That's what I got out of listening to the cd, unintended for sure, but I do understand the aim of "loving-kindness" and why it should be practiced regulary to achieve integral health, however, I believe this goal can be met for me by taking myself back to a time and place that gave me the peace and comfort I seek today.
I am now in search of a cd with those same sounds and I will treat myself to some great soy candles, and incense for Christmas and listen to my waves, I bet the ability to meditate, will be found in these activities, can't wait!
I am sure that you will be able to meditate to the sounds that take you back to that moment; but, it's the act of sending out love and kindness signals to others to enlighten their day too. The next time someone is in a hurry in the store and cuts right in front of you, or the next time someone behind you is pushy, or even if you are one of these people will you use this meditative moment to calm yourself and the person near you and instantly practice patients. The love and kindness meditation has specific purpose of retraining your brain to send signals to allow us to be more loving and kind all the time not just to ourselves when we think about it but as a mantra.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience. I have a hard time staying away from the ocean. I was born and raised in Massachusetts and one of my favorite stomping grounds was Naragansett Bay and sailing a 28' sailboat out to Newport Beach. Newport is a very beautiful island that is covered with mansions. I have torred many of them and thought back to the time when they sailed the oceans and the tragidies at sea.
ReplyDeleteI now live in the desert and sorely miss the crashing of the waves. Consider yourself lucky to have the senery of a beautiful lake to admire just outside your door.
I can completely understand the time restrainsts and falling asllep to the sounds of the ocean. As was mentioned above, the goal of the visualization or exercise is to send good intentions and positive thoughts around the world. One good thought can transfer amazing results.
I am also in a very challenging time of my life. I hvae lost my house, unable to find employment, working on my B.A. in Health and Wellness. I was going to take a leave of absence this semester due to no internet or place to live for that matter. I guess I am lucky to have a relative that has allowed us to stay with them. Not the best of accomidations but it is better than my car. They are very challenging to live with and our personalities clash. Somewhere in this whole package, I still try to send good intentional thoughts thier way. They are getting married at the end of the month and have also lost thier children to social services. I have to remind myself that this is also a challenging time for them also. I know they are good people that got caught up in drugs, though they are clean now. I pray for them and thier circumstances and try not to judge. This is very challenging today, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, if you know what I mean. Once I vented to my husband, I feel much better and know this will not last forever. Sending positive thoughts to everybody I know and even praying for anybody that is challenged, no matter the reasons. I am a positive person in a challenging time.
Even if you don't have time to relax, don't forget to breathe and try to have patience and understanding for the less fortunate. Send them a blessing or prayer and continue to ask for strength for the patience that you need.
Positive thoughts!
Holly
Ps: Your story was amazing about Spain. I hvae not visited but it is on my list of things to do before I die.
Hi Debra. Even though you didn't achieve what you thought might be the goal of the exercise, it seems as though you reached a desirable destination for the exercise. If my attempt at this exercise had led me to a wonderful memory of Spain and an amazing vacation, I would be very satisfied with that. What an awesome story! I think that taking time to put yourself in a position where you remember positive times in your life is a great way to exercise loving kindness as it helps put you in a positive frame of mind. Good post, and I love all the visuals.
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