When Meditation Doesn't Flow

I have never liked living where there is only one way in and one way out. And since "the way out is the way in" we might like to have more than one road to travel. I have gone through extended periods when meditating was of no interest, no matter how good I know it is for me. The good news is that there are other ways to go within to suit different times of our lives and different personalities. Perhaps these four will inspire you to find one that works for you.

Dowsing with a pendulum can take us inside to awareness of what we are thinking. I teach this so that people can learn how their thoughts create energy. Being aware of what we think connects us to what we do and gives us new options on how we act. Dowsing is about connecting with our Higher Self or Higher Power vibrationally, bringing us new creative options we might never have considered before. It invites us to flexibility and creativity.

Journaling also connects us inside, as do art, rituals, and creativity. Writing is a way of telling a safe “someone” (yourself) how you feel. All the things that you “know” no one really wants to hear. Especially, now with so much emphasis on positive thinking it can be difficult to express anger, frustration, sadness or loss without someone saying, “look on the bright side.” We may feel judged and bury those feelings which may hold important information about who or what we want in our life, or to name a problem which needs solving. Fingerpainting, coloring, or playing with clay can all help restore our connection with our inner selves.

Walking respectfully in nature connects us to everything, when we treat each tree, flower, rock like a friend with its own consciousness. Asking permission before touching a tree or plant, and waiting for an inner response creates a deeper relationship with ourselves and All That Is. Or we can talk with a loving friend who accepts our fears and anxieties, and who we listen to as well. All help us move to freedom.

SInging opens our hearts and breathing, while giving us a chance to express our inner joy. The music is within us and can flow through us like a river if we will get out of the way. While this takes practice in letting go of expectations and fear of what we will sound like, the benefits are tremendous for our health and spiritual development. No special equipment is needed and anywhere you feel safe is a great location. Start by humming, then open up your mouth and let your voice follow your breath. Love and accept the sounds as they are, as the right ones for you at that time. This is a great practice in unconditional love of self.

At the bottom of it all is learning how to simply “be.” Three key terms are the essence of the language of being and flow—“let go, allow, unfold.” Passive though they may sound in our culture, these are the key words in the quest for flow. As our vibrations rise, as we move from within more often, we have a catalyst-effect on others by being present where we are.

Try sitting down for a few minutes. Forget all the "should's." Don't get up until you want to. Wait until something rises up from within that you want to do. Then do that. Let the action arise from your being. This reunites me, and dissolves fragmentation and disharmony. See if it works for you!