Tag Archive for: meditation

The Power of Stillness

Whilst in an important meeting this week, our host used one word in our conversation on two or three occasions – meditation.
It was used in the context of deep consideration about an important decision to be made.
Meditate – “to engage in contemplation and reflection”.
I’ve learned that you don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate, there are indeed lots of ways to engage in the practice.
Meditation is something that just doesn’t happen, it takes some practice, discipline and you need to work at it too.
It’s about finding a time to slow down, gather your thoughts and examine your life in order to find a much healthier sense of perspective.
I love this definition by David O. McKay who described it as “the language of the soul. It is defined as ‘a form of private devotion, or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme.’ Meditation is a form of prayer.”
Amongst all of our preparations for that important meeting, in the last few minutes prior to the appointment, my colleague and I found an out of the way bus stop to sit, reflect and further consider the challenge at hand.

Hopeful Stillness

In our contemplative discussions one meditative moment led us to offer a thoughtful prayer of hope together.
In the book of Psalms (46:10) we learn about the practice of being “still”.
Together, we were still.
That moment of stillness didn’t change the facts on the ground, but it changed us.
We walked into that meeting hopeful, with clearer heads, steadier hearts, and a sense of quiet confidence.
Meditation doesn’t always look like silence in a candlelit room, it can happen on a noisy street, at a weathered bus stop, or in a shared pause before a decision.
What matters is that we make room for it.
Stillness is a strength.
And sometimes, the most powerful move we can make is simply to stop, breathe, and listen, both to ourselves and to something much greater.
In the rush of your day, what are you not hearing?

5am; No Hype, Just Habit

Over the last few days, my social media feeds have been flooded with ads for something called The 5am Club – endorsed by a host of famous celebrities.
Curious, I explored further.
What’s the big deal?
The concept is a simple one: wake up at 5am, then spend 20 minutes exercising, 20 minutes in meditation, reflection or prayer, and 20 minutes learning something new in personal study.
Done and dusted by 6am, and you’re supposedly on the fast track to success, wisdom, and eternal youth (OK, maybe not the last one…).
But here’s the thing – I’ve basically been doing this for years.
In fact, I go for the deluxe version.
Two hours every morning.
No fanfare, no hashtags, no glossy book deal – just a quiet commitment to starting my day with purpose, movement, and meaning.
The benefits?
Increased productivity, improved health and well-being, enhanced self-awareness, and (perhaps best of all) a head start while the rest of the world hits snooze for the second or even third time.
So, to all those influencers and early risers out there just discovering the magic of a morning routine… welcome!
But as for me, I think I’ve been unknowingly running the 5am Club – Advanced Edition.
And guess what?
You don’t need celebrity endorsements when the results are clarity, discipline, and a morning filled with purpose.
See you at sunrise. 🙂

What does it mean to commune with God?

Arising from my knees early this morning, I asked myself had I simply been “saying a prayer or had I 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒆𝒅 with God?”
I paused and reflected upon the question.
I slowed down.
I sunk deeply into my very comfortable chair.
I noticed all of the distractions around me.
The ticking of a clock.
The buzzing of an electric light.
The whistling and howling of the wind.
A car engine roaring into life.
The chirping of an early morning bird.
I noticed my breathing, in an out and the physical sensations of my breath.
I became much more 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕.
I became less concerned with time.
Consciously, I had moved from simply getting my prayer done, into a much deeper immersion and was now ready to “commune with God”
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐞 – “to communicate intimately”
I returned to my knees.
I yielded myself to Him.
I began, slowly “Dear Heavenly Father…”
I expressed thanks and gratitude for a while.
I listened.
I listened some more.
I asked for guidance and help.
I trusted.
I communed with God.
I listened again.
Time was irrelevant.
I closed “in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen”
I waited.
I waited some more.
I listened for a while.
I listened, quietly, paying attention, listening……
Answers came.
Are you simply getting your prayers done?
Or are you communing with God?