Guided Meditation

Rachel H Author

04/17/2020 Added

28 Plays

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De-stress with this 15 minute guided mediation to unwind and relax.

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[00:00:00.040](Oriental music)
[00:00:11.377]Hi, everybody,
[00:00:13.320]it's Rachel,
[00:00:14.680]Rachel H.
[00:00:16.320]I may look slightly familiar.
[00:00:18.890]I have been teaching on campus for a few years now.
[00:00:22.370]And right now,
[00:00:24.420]I'm coming to you from my home,
[00:00:27.860]from my yoga studio that I have in my basement.
[00:00:31.340]So very lucky and I'm so glad to have you here.
[00:00:34.850]Hopefully, some day it will be in person.
[00:00:38.200]Over the next
[00:00:39.830]few weeks or however long it is that we are apart,
[00:00:44.350]I would like to do a guided meditation
[00:00:48.690]slash
[00:00:50.330]storytime,
[00:00:51.860]slash get cozy,
[00:00:54.790]unplug,
[00:00:58.101]time for you so that you can
[00:01:01.850]rest your mind, rest your heart, rest your spirits.
[00:01:05.350]So it's a lot of unknowns, we're grieving,
[00:01:07.470]a lot of things that maybe we're missing out on.
[00:01:10.340]But hopefully, we'll also have the time to do something,
[00:01:13.403]say, you've been too busy to do.
[00:01:15.260]So
[00:01:18.120]the book that I have tonight is the myths of the asanas.
[00:01:24.690]The author
[00:01:26.840]or authors,
[00:01:28.900]Alanna Kaivalya and Arjuna Van Der Kooij.
[00:01:32.900]So giving them credit.
[00:01:36.010]I'll read you a story.
[00:01:38.100]All I need from you is
[00:01:41.350]for you to relax, for you to be comfortable.
[00:01:43.310]So maybe you have
[00:01:45.680]a favorite yoga pose that you like to practice.
[00:01:48.190]So maybe something familiar would be Shavasana.
[00:01:52.370]So maybe you lay along on the floor,
[00:01:56.080]on your yoga mat, on your couch, your bed, your recliner,
[00:02:00.810]whatever that place might be, you can lay there.
[00:02:04.370]Maybe you have this favorite soft blankets
[00:02:07.920]or pillows, things like that, things so you can be
[00:02:11.780]really super cozy.
[00:02:13.320]Also if you enjoy
[00:02:15.740]certain, like, relaxing sounds like ocean waves
[00:02:19.670]and thunder storm,
[00:02:21.550]or
[00:02:23.730]anything like that, you are welcome
[00:02:26.610]to pause this transmission and get that situated.
[00:02:31.140]Another option, some people like
[00:02:34.050]is aromatherapy oil.
[00:02:36.510]So If that is something you've got on hand that you enjoy,
[00:02:40.400]you're welcome to add those in as well.
[00:02:43.870]So like I said, you can pause at any point,
[00:02:46.570]get yourself situated, get super-cozy.
[00:02:50.549]You might also, like, I don't know, silence your phone,
[00:02:54.360]turn off your computer unless of course that's how you're
[00:02:57.620]getting this message now.
[00:02:59.360]But, you know, like silence all those notifications
[00:03:01.860]and all those alerts.
[00:03:02.770]You can take this little bit of time here to,
[00:03:07.150]you know, just breathe, just relax, all of that good stuff.
[00:03:11.100]So
[00:03:13.320]we'll go ahead, we'll get centered here.
[00:03:18.500]I'll find my page
[00:03:21.720]and we'll get started.
[00:03:24.620]Again of course, you're welcome to adjust
[00:03:27.260]the temperature in your room, the lighting,
[00:03:29.980]the volume of this presentation, shall we say,
[00:03:35.040]for your comfort.
[00:03:38.900]All right, so this is the story
[00:03:42.200]of the half-lotus seated twist.
[00:03:47.760]So
[00:03:48.900]Bharadvaja was a dedicated student.
[00:03:52.720]In fact no one was more dedicated
[00:03:56.480]than he to the study of the Vedas,
[00:04:00.290]the most ancient of spiritual and philosophical texts.
[00:04:05.060]The Vedas encompass a vast body of knowledge.
[00:04:09.610]No one had ever expected to master them all
[00:04:13.460]except the ambitious
[00:04:16.450]Bharadvaja.
[00:04:17.930]He devoted his whole life to the study of these texts,
[00:04:22.550]reading them, writing them down, committing them to memory.
[00:04:27.240]And then doing it all over again.
[00:04:30.800]So intense was his dedication that he exhausted
[00:04:34.790]one entire lifetime
[00:04:37.010]to the study of the Vedas.
[00:04:40.810]Upon his rebirth,
[00:04:43.260]he knew immediately which path in life he wanted to follow.
[00:04:48.350]Again, the study of the Vedas.
[00:04:52.610]As soon as he was able he began his study
[00:04:56.030]of the sacred texts believing that his intense focus
[00:05:00.730]and study would bring him closer to a higher power.
[00:05:06.070]Once again, he studied so much
[00:05:09.490]that he exhausted another lifetime.
[00:05:13.880]The third rebirth brought more of the same.
[00:05:17.950]People began to hear of this incredibly reclusive
[00:05:21.520]but extraordinarily wise sage
[00:05:24.720]named Bharadvaja.
[00:05:26.950]No one had ever seen him because he spent his days
[00:05:31.160]and nights doing nothing but studying the Vedas.
[00:05:36.280]He was by far the most accomplished expert
[00:05:41.050]on the Vedas because he was the only one who had spent
[00:05:45.400]three whole lifetimes in such constant dedication
[00:05:50.320]to the scriptures.
[00:05:53.740]At the end of his third lifetime,
[00:05:56.610]as Bharadvaja lies sick and dying in his bed
[00:06:01.500]reciting vedic mantras over and over,
[00:06:05.420]and waiting for the end, Shiva appeared to him.
[00:06:10.810]Bharadvaja eyes widened in surprise.
[00:06:14.410]He thought he had finally been liberated
[00:06:17.180]from the cycle of death and rebirth
[00:06:20.240]because of all his dedicated study.
[00:06:23.650]Unfortunately, he was in for another shock.
[00:06:28.787]"Bharadvaja." said Shiva with a disappointed tone
[00:06:32.330]in his voice, "What are you doing?"
[00:06:38.097]"I am dying, Shiva, aren't you here to take me with you?"
[00:06:42.880]replied Bharadvaja with so much hope that his eyes sparkled.
[00:06:47.917]"No, Bharadvaja, I won't be taking you with me this time.
[00:06:52.587]"And I hope that you'll finally learn your lesson
[00:06:55.537]"about all these outrageous studying you've been doing."
[00:06:59.030]said Shiva exasperated.
[00:07:02.337]"What are you talking about?
[00:07:04.207]"I've done so much studying only in the hopes of getting
[00:07:07.657]"closer to you (mumbles)."
[00:07:09.820]replied the astonished Bharadvaja.
[00:07:12.817]"Well." Shiva explained, "What you have learned
[00:07:15.457]"is no more than this."
[00:07:17.980]Shiva casually reached out the window and scooped up
[00:07:22.260]a handful of dirt from a nearby mountain
[00:07:24.950]and showed it to Bharadvaja.
[00:07:28.617]"This is what you've learned during
[00:07:30.637]"the first lifetime of study."
[00:07:32.800]He placed the mound of dirt at his bedside.
[00:07:37.530]Then he reached out again and grabbed a second
[00:07:40.910]handful of dirt from another nearby mountain
[00:07:44.470]and showed it to Bharadvaja.
[00:07:48.097]"This is what you've learned during the second
[00:07:51.007]"lifetime of study."
[00:07:52.760]He placed the second mound next to the first.
[00:07:56.650]Finally, he reached out and grabbed another
[00:07:59.380]handful of dirt from the closest mountain
[00:08:01.830]and showed it to the now bleary-eyed Bharadvaja.
[00:08:06.777]"This is what you have learned during the third
[00:08:09.237]"lifetime of study."
[00:08:12.290]He placed the final mound of dirt next to the others.
[00:08:16.500]Shiva looked compassionately at the sage,
[00:08:20.220]placed his hands on his shoulder and said,
[00:08:22.617]"You've spent all these time becoming the expert
[00:08:25.407]"on the Vedas and there is no doubt that no one knows
[00:08:29.177]"more about them than you.
[00:08:31.447]"But what you have actually learned is only a handful
[00:08:35.077]"compared to the mound of information
[00:08:38.067]"that is still left to be learned.
[00:08:40.297]"And what has all these study gotten you?
[00:08:43.137]"Here you are living alone, you have nothing joyful
[00:08:47.517]"to show for your life and you've shared
[00:08:49.937]"your knowledge with no one.
[00:08:51.877]"While you may know the Vedas, you don't understand
[00:08:55.527]"their true meaning because you have never bothered
[00:08:58.957]"to share their grace and joy with others.
[00:09:02.677]"It is through sharing this wisdom that it will truly
[00:09:06.287]"come alive and live inside you.
[00:09:10.197]"So dear Bharadvaja, I'm going to give you another chance.
[00:09:16.857]"You can spend one more lifetime trying to get
[00:09:19.707]"close to my presence and if you use it wisely,
[00:09:23.907]"I promise you that it will be your last."
[00:09:28.330]And with that, Shiva left Bharadvaja,
[00:09:32.130]who died quietly that night.
[00:09:35.792]Bharadvaja's next lifetime was spent
[00:09:39.000]not studying but teaching.
[00:09:42.220]He dedicated himself to sharing the deep wisdom
[00:09:45.900]and joy that comes from the Vedas.
[00:09:49.320]And he educated many aspirants in the ways
[00:09:53.230]of the spiritual paths.
[00:09:55.490]His knowledge and compassion was known far and wide
[00:10:00.050]and people from different classes were proud
[00:10:02.940]to call him their teacher.
[00:10:05.480]When he was on his deathbed, students came from many
[00:10:08.770]distant lands to pay homage to the great Bharadvaja.
[00:10:13.800]Even Shiva came to pay his respects
[00:10:16.200]to this venerable teacher.
[00:10:19.180]Once again, Shiva put his hand
[00:10:22.000]on Bharadvaja's shoulder and said,
[00:10:28.407]"Dear Bharadvaja, you have finally learned your lesson.
[00:10:33.527]"Do you see now how the wisdom of the Vedas
[00:10:36.337]"is not contained within the knowing but in the living
[00:10:40.747]"and sharing of the wisdom.
[00:10:43.937]"Look how many souls are alight
[00:10:46.037]"because of your grace and generosity.
[00:10:49.707]"You have done what I suggested
[00:10:53.007]"and now as promised,
[00:10:56.167]"if you wish, you may be liberated
[00:10:58.857]"from the cycle of birth and rebirth."
[00:11:04.340]Bharadvaja looked up at Shiva with joyful tears in his eyes
[00:11:08.150]and replied, "Shiva, while there is no one who resides
[00:11:11.847]"more fully within my heart than yourself
[00:11:15.157]"I must respectfully decline your offer.
[00:11:18.667]"You see I now know that I can never be more close to you
[00:11:23.417]"than when I share moments of joy with others
[00:11:26.737]"by connecting with them through these sacred texts.
[00:11:31.877]"Living this great wisdom is more of a heaven
[00:11:35.297]"than I could ever ask for."
[00:11:38.760]And so with pride shining in his eyes,
[00:11:42.500]Shiva left Bharadvaja's bedside.
[00:11:46.080]And with joy in his heart, Bharadvaja left his body
[00:11:51.670]only to be reborn as one of the greatest sages ever known.
[00:11:59.560]It took
[00:12:01.040]Bharadvaja three lifetimes to realize what
[00:12:05.910]hopefully we will learn in less than one.
[00:12:10.190]When we find the source of our joy, it is our duty
[00:12:14.900]to live it and share it with others.
[00:12:19.340]This doesn't mean we need to try to convince others
[00:12:22.710]to be joyful.
[00:12:24.450]Rather if we live the lessons we have been taught,
[00:12:29.010]our example can inspire others to find
[00:12:32.580]that source of joy within themselves.
[00:12:36.670]Many people spend a lot of time doing something
[00:12:40.500]that makes them unhappy or focusing so hard
[00:12:43.840]on achieving a goal that they miss the whole point.
[00:12:48.230]Although it wasn't until Bharadvaja's fourth lifetime
[00:12:52.970]that he figured out how to actually live his life fully.
[00:12:57.620]Maybe we can take the wisdom of this sage to heart in this
[00:13:03.390]intense twisting pose and begin to live our lives
[00:13:08.020]in a way that reflects the most important
[00:13:10.510]lesson of his story.
[00:13:13.200]When we find our true life's passion,
[00:13:16.980]it will be fully expressed when we begin
[00:13:20.490]to share it with others.
[00:13:47.340]That was the story I wanted to share with you.
[00:13:51.600]Since you are home,
[00:13:53.630]you get to decide if you stay where you are,
[00:13:56.590]you can marinate on that idea further.
[00:13:59.910]Or maybe
[00:14:01.640]duty calls and after this recording
[00:14:05.270]you will go back to work or classwork,
[00:14:07.640]or whatever the case may be.
[00:14:10.260]But either way,
[00:14:13.410]I hope that you find a few rounds of deep breathe.
[00:14:19.010]If you must wake up, maybe wake up slowly.
[00:14:22.700]You might gently wiggle the fingers and toes.
[00:14:28.010]If it's an option, you could come to one side of your body.
[00:14:34.750]Maybe you pause there.
[00:14:40.660]Maybe you use this moment
[00:14:44.210]for a moment of gratitude
[00:14:48.534]anytime you check for yourself today.
[00:14:55.345]And for everything you do have.
[00:15:02.510]And maybe you return to a seated position
[00:15:06.110]or you start to wake up just a little bit more.
[00:15:10.630]So generally at the end of a yoga practice,
[00:15:16.150]we say Namaste.
[00:15:17.100]So hey, if that is something that you're comfortable
[00:15:20.330]with doing, you can.
[00:15:21.820]Certainly won't have to, nobody will know either way.
[00:15:25.810]But we'll go ahead, you're just gonna bring
[00:15:27.230]your hands hard center, maybe bow the head.
[00:15:30.450]I thank you for joining me here today and certainly
[00:15:33.890]I hope to see you again in the future.
[00:15:37.210]Namaste.

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