As this year comes careening to a close - a year by any account full of crazy twists and turns, bumps, sudden stops and mad swerves - I am reminded of a trip to Disneyland when I was 12 years old and found myself on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
I've been musing about Mr. Toad as a metaphor for 2017, until I finally turned to YouTube to revisit it, and realized how much it captures the crazy ride many of us have been on this year.
But don't worry, whether your individual wild ride has been on the personal, emotional, physical, geo-political, or economic level, THERE IS AN ANTIDOTE! Please read on...
But first, it's worth taking a look at this 2-minute video.
Shot in low-light HD, it opens the curtains to reveal the sham, the distractions,
the NOISE that have contributed to this year's truly wild ride.
Ready for the antidote?
When faced with TOO MUCH NOISE from the outside, the antidote lies in finding our way back to the STILL SOUND CENTER within, to rediscover our INNER SILENCE.
Here's how... it won't take long... and it's really easy...
We draw on the ancient traditions of chant, in this case, chanting the single syllable HU, considered by many to be the "primordial" sound, a "love song to the Creator."
You can do all or any of the steps listed below:
LISTEN - The video below surrounds you with the soothing vocalization of many voices singing the syllable HU in an unbroken stream. Just listening can slow the train and bring you to a sense of repose.
CHANT - Amplify your relaxation by chanting the syllable HU (pronounced H-H-HEE - YOU), either on your own or along with the recording. With your spine straight, breathe in deeply, then - as you exhale - let air flow over the back of your tongue on a breathy "H" and begin to sound the vowels, using the tongue to very gradually change the shape from "E" to "U" through the end of your breath. Repeat.
VISUALIZE - As you listen or sound or both, you can enhance your practice by visualizing a white light spiralling up from your tailbone to your crown as you inhale, and spiralling down your spine from crown to tailbone as you exhale. Extend the visualization to bring the light all the way from the Heart of the Earth and the Great Spirit of the Sky.
When you have finished, sit with your eyes closed and take a few moments to feel into
the space and silence you have opened within.
I hope this practice serves to bring you peace and calm this holiday season.
May the New Year bring you serenity, hope and harmony.
With warm wishes, Valerie