Your Garden's Heart

Millie Gounder shares a special meditation for peace and joy.

Meditation is ancient, simple and beautiful – and for these reasons, embraced in some form by every culture on the Earth. Dedicated practice is the green keeper of this quiet contemplation, of focus, and clear intention. By sitting in meditation, one acknowledges time to nurture the spirit. While meditation is infinitely creative, calming, and immeasurably a self enhancing tool, it demands the sacred silence so resonantly that, ultimately, one’s inner voice begins a journey towards clarity and strength. Meditating regularly is a wonderful vehicle for tapping into inner peace, rewarding you with a tangible connection to your true heartbeat. Meditation is currently enjoying a vibrant rebirth, as ancient wisdom becomes more widely available. And the benefits are a sacred and simple joy.

It is an interesting coincidence that peace has been defined both as a state of serenity and calm, and also as a state of freedom from war. It would seem at this turbulent time, that peace in all its forms is a highly desirable goal. While acting for peace in the physical environment is immensely valuable, the thoughts we foster in our hearts also create a very tangible effect. It makes sense, then, to nurture feelings of peace within our heart. Our heartfelt energy affects the way in which we approach and treat the people around us, and creates a trickle down effect. And as a gentle raindrop can create ripples upon the ocean that can be felt across the Earth, so, too, can a peace-filled conscience create a better self and greater world around us. If, in our hearts, we believe in magic and divine grace, who can know what miraculous effect this could have in the greater scheme of things. In a breath, in a thought we can make a positive difference of great wonder. In every way, you will feel better within your own life, as you connect with yourself and others in a more positive, peaceful and loving way.

This meditation is written with the hope that perhaps a part of you will tingle, and it will strike a chime of truth within your heart. I have chosen a heart’s garden visualization as a simple method to achieve peace and relaxation through meditation, while also allowing yourself to plant positive and nurturing thoughts into your heart. There are many ways to do this – you can read the meditation onto a tape and then get relaxed and play it back, or just focus on the feelings and sit in silence simply visualising a peace-filled heart. Just know that your intuition will always guide you to the right place. Let us begin this beautiful journey.

Sit very comfortably, either outside in nature or inside in a spacious room. You can meditate alone or with friends. Sometimes meditating in a group can be wonderful, as you can discuss experiences together afterwards. Sitting comfortably, close your eyes and begin to breathe very deeply and slowly. Begin to become aware of the methodical beating of your heart. Recognizing the silence, allow your body to slowly become more and more still. Slowly, feel more aware of how serene and gentle you feel, and how totally relaxed every muscle in your entire body has become.

Breathe in deeply and begin to visualize swirling, shimmering, silver and golden speckled, radiant white light filling the entire space surrounding you. This light represents all that is pure, all that is love, all that promises a rare glimpse of a world steeped in positive peaceful respect. The light also represents the highest and most loving energy of the universe, and brings eternal love and protection. Gently, the light gets stronger and stronger, as if it were itself the dawning of a bright and rich new day. Feel around you this sun drenched, luminous energy drawing closer, caressing your entire body. Your skin tingles with dewy freshness, and your energy drinks of the elixir of radiant health and expressive self-love.

And as the shimmering, golden, warm honey light slowly sinks into your physical body, you feel warmed, nurtured, and caressed by that power which you call your God. This beautiful time honours all that you are, a sacred and cherished being. There is no other like you in the entire world and that makes you a miraculous blessing to those around you.

The light slowly fills your entire body and you release any worrying thoughts and allow yourself to be submerged in the loving arms of the universe, visualising that you are whole and alive. In this same breath, there is a recognition that as you are special and cherished, so, too, is each person you meet. As you see this in your mind’s eye, boundaries slowly start to fall away – you are now completely relaxed and full of loving supporting, nurturing, light.

Slowly, you visualise the centre of your body, especially focusing on your spine, from the tailbone up to the crown (top) of your head. Notice that there are seven shining discs of colour spinning vividly through seven centres (chakras) of your body. The chakras are energy centres within the body, and as you recognise the strength and colour pulsating in each, you realign your subtle energetic body. Start to bring your focus to your base or root chakra (in the pelvic area), where there is a vivid and deep red, pulsating rich life energy. It allows your energy to embrace physical life, empowering vitality, health, and energy. We now acknowledge the navel chakra, which pulsates a strong and creative flow of orange, encouraging creativity, and strong and mutually fulfilling relationships. A yellow shimmer now radiates strongly from the solar plexus chakra, offering a centre of knowledge and self-esteem. Now, as we move up to the heart chakra, in the centre of the upper chest, a dazzling and nurturing emerald green light floods the entire space, acknowledging that the energy of unconditional love beats strongly. As we move towards the throat chakra, we see the strengthening colour of sapphire blue, loudly heralding the happiness of speaking your truth in the moment, in peace, and in love. We are now guided towards the third eye centre, found on the forehead between your eyes. Envision the most beautiful indigo amethyst colour, and it opens for us an amazing capacity to seek and find deeper truths and meanings. And now as we move to the crown chakra, right at the top of the head, a soft colour of violet emits a powerful connection to the universe.

Stop and breathe for a while, and allow yourself to integrate the qualities and clarity of the radiant array of colour and depth of beauty that exists within your being. Allow your senses to connect with all the energies of light and love. Submerge yourself in the beauty and the quiet – this is a sacred moment of silence for you and only you.

You feel warm, nurtured, radiant and peaceful. It is now time to move into the heart’s chakra. As you slowly direct the visualization back into the joyful light of the emerald green chakra, you see a door. Open it and walk in. There is a garden inside. Have a good look around. Is it vibrant, or is it overgrown with weeds? This garden is the home of your spirit. Is it a place where you feel nurtured? If not, take some time now to visualize a more vibrant garden, one with beautiful flowers growing in every direction.

See yourself strolling through this magnificent garden, and see each part of it radiating pure perfect love back towards you. Magical crystals slowly emerge out of the ground to form lovely sculptures and seats. Maybe there is a refreshing waterfall in the garden, splashing fun and delicious droplets of cool water everywhere. Or maybe there are trees that lean over and talk with you as they sway in the wind. Are there magical fairies playing in big mushroom castles?

Within this space there can be an area dedicated to peace. Nurture this place and make it fruitful. It is your garden, and anything is possible in this place. It is a space that invites peace and nurture, the drumbeat of love in all its forms within your life. Give it that much energy and it will return it into your daily life tenfold.

Enjoy this magical kingdom, where your dreams are real, and play for a while. Rest and take some time to digest the abundance of your creativity. Find a place in your garden to lie down, with the sun warming your body and just allow yourself to drift wherever you might go. It may be nowhere, or it could be on a grand journey with many insights – whatever happens is appropriate for where you are right now. Stay as long as you like, and when you open your eyes just remember to come back to the present. Remember to thank the universe for your insight, and all the blessings you really do have in your life.

This is a very simple meditation that only begins to touch the surface of the many beautiful aspects of meditation and chakras. There are many wonderful books on both subjects, and also many meditation groups. So investigate all the great opportunities that are available for self-growth if you have enjoyed this very brief version.

As I sit and write this, I observe the great celestial sojourn. Silently, as the moon travels across the face of my window, I am entranced. Quiet, gentle, peaceful, I have found my centre again. The black velvet sky is mesmerizing and all encompassing. The silver light of the moon is a radiant beauty that has inspired many a poet throughout history, as now she inspires me. This shimmering focus in the night sky holds my thoughts, and I slowly unravel from the day. A gentle breeze rustles the tree outside my window, and I am invigorated by the cool sea air. I feel relaxed. I watch as the moon holds to her path, across that eternal night sky, and my thoughts echo that I must also hold onto peaceful thoughts with such ease.

I am reminded daily of all the things that I have to be grateful for, and as I sit here and watch the moon go past my window, I realize I am enjoying a completely conscious and awake meditation. You see meditation simply slows you down enough to smell the roses. So, enjoy the fragrant miracle of your own heart’s garden, and may your life be blessed and filled with peace.