this is where I am

This is where you will find me in the wee hours of the morning.

I started meditating in the morning about 3 yrs ago.  It was with Deepak Chopra thru his guided meditation.  It has been a blessing and proven to be a great way, for me, to start my day.  Quieting my mind and setting my intentions each morning have been the cornerstones for my spiritual growth.

The first weekend in June John finally convinced me to let him move a Miss Kim lilac bush to open up what he labeled the "cramped flower bed".  OMGoodness!   I do not have the words to express how much this space means to me now.  It is fondly called my outside studio.  You will often see me drawing there, under the magnolia tree, except in the wee hours (6:30 am) of the morning and early evening of each day you will see me there meditating.  I have switched my meditating practice from the guided version to being in silence and I have incorporated evening meditation, too.  I have been doing this practice for 30 days and I feel it is part of who I am now.  I say the mantra So Hum which means I Am.  It's a technique that uses the breath and the repetition to quiet the mind and relax the body.  It, also, serves as a way to stop the chatter that goes on within your mind.  And boy, oh, boy does my mind like to chatter!!!  The key is once you realize the chatter is going on simply let it go without judgement and continue repeating the mantra.

Anyway... John sneakily took this photo of me one morning while I was meditating.  99% of the time I am out there by 6:30am, in my nightgown and slippers with a T-shirt over me, and if it's chilly I grab a jacket.  There I sit in silence with the birds chirping for 30-45 minuted each morning.  

This is my perfect way to start my day.