I like this example of a ‘fast’ meditation from my kinsman’s practice. And of course, I rarely pass up a mention of my Mother and Her children.
As well, I have found great benefit in basically forcing myself into a daily meditation practice. I often struggle with daily practice, and worked my way through T. Thorn Coyle’s “Crafting a Daily Practice“, which really really helped. (Her other book, “Kissing the Limitless” was a good addition as well. My only quibble is that Crafting a Daily Practice referred to page numbers, which were off, rather than the titles of the exercises suggested. So who knows if I was doing what she wanted, but either way it worked!)
Each morning, I strive to start my day with 9 four fold breaths, followed by candle gazing, sitting in silence and journaling – my goal is ten minutes of each, though on a day I’m in a rush, i’ll do 5. However carving out that part of my day to do 20-40 minutes of personal work has been invaluable. It really does even me out and make me calmer, nicer and more centered through out the day.
I also work in my centering and grounding to this exercise – I spent 2-5 minutes centering during the candle gazing, and 2-5 during the eyes closed sitting to do my grounding.
I count my breaths on a string of beads, which will be updated and re-created soon to make them a set of meditation beads/reminders. I like having a touch stone to work with.
I find that even five minutes a day tied to longer term work is beneficial.
As this keeps coming up, my fast meditation is:
1) Remove shoes
2) Optional reading (Could be almost anything from the Havamal to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance to poetry to Frankenstein.)
3) 9 deep breaths in and out and 9 “Heimdall, Himdallr, Vindler, Rig”
4) 4 deep breaths in and out and 4 “Freya, Lady, Vanadis”
5) 9 deep breaths in and out and:
Hermod, Hel rider
Hermod, Sleipnir rider
Hermod, Nine Days rider
Hermod, Nine Nights rider
Hermod, Frigga’s rider
Hermod, Frigga’s speaker
Hermod, Brave rider
Hermod, Dark rider
Hermod, Hel rider (sometimes 3 times)
6) 7 deep breaths followed by:
The Hag of the Iron Wood had three children,
And the daughter was death,
The son was destruction,
And the third encircled the world.
Roots of a mountain
Beard…
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