Silence.
The steady hum of the air conditioning fills the room, reverberating off the walls, mats, and human bodies.
Then the hum of a mechanic device being powered up, with an interrupting click.
Slowly, slowly, a man’s voice fills the room, but as a whisper,
Making me zone in silence even more.
“Breathe. Breathe,” he says.
My breathing fills my mind, and I feel connected a bit more with my body and spirit.
“Picture a candle.”
A small flame appears and then a small white candle, illuminated by the light.
“Picture a door in the flame and open it with your heart.”
A small wood door appears and I will my heart to open it.
On the other side I see beauty.
Beauty unknown to me like other beauty.
Lost loved ones clothed in white, loved ones known and unknown to me.
As quickly as they came, they were gone, and I found myself gazing at the single flame again.
Almost in a slight panic I tried opening the door again with my heart, but with help from my mind, it opened only a crack, and then shut.
I couldn’t open it again.
The other side lost to me forever.
Those thoughts were soothed by one single thought.
“Again. Again tomorrow. It’s a new day.”
And so that beauty I will see again. Another time. But again.
- Kelsey
The drone of the voice on the laptop is soothing, almost hypnotic as we sit in a large room. The voice of the unknown man on the laptop is calming and comforting, as he mentally leads us into our subconscious. He talks on and on about how our hectic lives cover up our true selves, and under a materialistic being is the person whom you really are. Our eyes are shut in anticipation, as we savor his every word. His descriptive words of your “inner heaven” make you feel as if he has been there and experienced all he talks about first hand. All of a sudden his words pull you back into reality and he stops talking all together. Our eyes flicker open and the light is turned back on.
- Caitlin
Yesterday, the whole choir was exhausted from our 110% effort in Evensong. We didn't have rehearsal, and we decided that Compline would just be overdoing it in the singing factor. So instead of the chapel, we met in the mat room of the mezzanine level. Mrs. Beine turned on a "yogatation" (yoga + meditation= yogatation) track from her laptop. At first, the Australian narrator was cheesy enough to set us off into fits of giggles and suppressed snorts. But eventually, we either really got into it or started to fall asleep.
Some people were in standard meditation formation; crossed legs, straight back and palms resting on the knees. Some of us on the other hand, decided on a less conventional position. Eliza was splayed out on the floor, Esther and I had our legs pulled up and our heads in our laps, and some were sitting back to back. But at the end, all of us had experienced some sort of meditation because we were mellow and peaceful… until we got upstairs. Snack was cookies and some caramel corn from Heidi. After some "intense foosball" and lounging though, we all slumped upstairs and drifted into sleep.
As we all embraced the silence of the room our legs crossed and hands on our knees Mrs. Beien clicks a button on her computer and our meditation lesson began. We learned the 7 most important things to remember while in a yoga lesson. It was a quiet and peaceful night and we all enjoyed finding our real selves.
~ Gabby
The yoga and meditation session was the best way to relax after a long day. We listened to a podcast that instructed the session. We sat in a big room and spread mats all over the floor. We then turned off the lights and sat cross-legged on the floor with our backs straight. The podcast included the different elements of meditation, instructions on the best way to relax, and soothing music. I learned that if you place your palms face up on your knees you receive energy, and if they face down you calm your energy level down. The yoga and meditation was really relaxing and I am really glad that I did it.
Yesterday, the whole choir was exhausted from our 110% effort in Evensong. We didn't have rehearsal, and we decided that Compline would just be overdoing it in the singing factor. So instead of the chapel, we met in the mat room of the mezzanine level. Mrs. Beien turned on a "yogatation" (yoga + meditation= yogatation) track from her laptop. At first, the Australian narrator was cheesy enough to set us off into fits of giggles and suppressed snorts. But eventually, we either really got into it or started to fall asleep.
Some people were in standard meditation formation; crossed legs, straight back and palms resting on the knees. Some of us on the other hand, decided on a less conventional position. Eliza was splayed out on the floor, Esther and I had our legs pulled up and our heads in our laps, and some were sitting back to back. But at the end, all of us had experienced some sort of meditation because we were mellow and peaceful… until we got upstairs. Snack was cookies and some caramel corn from Heidi. After some "intense foosball" and lounging though, we all slumped upstairs and drifted into sleep.
- Anna
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