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Writer's pictureKatrina Paquin

A Glimpse of Serenity

Updated: May 8, 2020



 

The moment that I first caught a glimpse of pure serenity, I was listening to a guided meditation with Ashley Aiken-Redon called Adi Shakti meditation. (It can be found on FMTV's website) The summary of this meditation on their website indicates that "Adi Shakti tunes one into the frequency of the Divine Mother and into primal protective, generating energy. It is said that chanting it eliminates fears and fulfills desires." As I began to listen her chant, my entire body filled with tingles, like I was receiving a deep inner massage from the universe. Tears flowed as I was bathed in sound and I felt not only a connection to the Divine Mother but somehow, my mother as well and her mother before her. This meditation is not like anything that I've ever experienced. I surrendered deep into the experience, chanting the words "Adi Shakti ... ", tentatively at first and then with a little more flow as I let go. The intensely beautiful healing words truly made me feel as though healing energy was pulsing through and cleansing my soul. Once the meditation was complete, there it was, a complete sense of serenity! A space filled with peace, calm, tranquility and stillness. I didn't have to be anywhere. I didn't have to be anyone. I simply rested in the warm embrace of the divine energy. In my divine nature. In the feeling of serenity.


Since this experience, I have continued to regularly practice meditation (this one and many others). When I am disciplined in caring for myself (the irony is not lost on me) then in making it a regular habit, I feel as though I have more time to think before I react to everyday stressors. In fact, to everything. I have more patience with my children (and my husband), and I feel as though I have more energy and compassion. When I slip up on my meditation routine, I immediately start to feel less peaceful and more rushed in my daily activities. I start to feel like everything needs to be done at the same time. And when I start to overreact to the external, I have friends who will ask "have you done your yoga or meditation lately?". Some of these experiences/reactions are unique to me and my own personality (and a handful of others who share common traits), but for the most part, it is part of the human condition in the times in which we live. There are more options than there ever were for ways to fill our time but yet they turn into distractions from things we must do and things we want to do. A regular meditation practice allows me to sit and reflect on the innate beauty of my life without any of my accomplishments, expectations or judgement. For a little while thereafter, that feeling stays with me and in an instant, I can take in my surroundings without expectation or judgement. An amazing feeling, to say the least.


The best news of all? The benefits that I've mentioned above do not come once I've been practicing for 45 mins a day for days on end. They come after a regular practice of just 5 minutes a day. Something that I can easily spare without complaining that I can't find the time.


In her book When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön wrote of a dream that she once had about getting a house ready for Khandro Rinpoche. He was rushing around and cleaning and cooking. When she greeted her, Rinpoche smiled and asked "Did you see the sun come up this morning? To which she that she had not because she was too busy. Rinpoche laughed and replied "Too busy to live life?". And with that, I will leave you for now my dear friend.


Namaste,

Katrina, xo

 


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