Labyrinth - M'S GEMS

By: Melissa Goldberg

When you think of a Labyrinth, What do you think of? I will provide full disclosure and admit, I needed to do a bit of web surfing to further educate myself about the true meaning or better yet, the real purpose of the Ancient Symbol of the Labyrinth. I thought it was a maze. I am happy to say, it is often mistaken as a maze, so I wasnʼt completely off target.

Instead the Labyrinth is a path, a path that circulates inward to a center and then continues out again. No tricks, no dead ends, just a simple path that if you allow your mind to follow, it can bring you into the deepest part of yourself and then allows you to come back out into the world with a better understanding. With what? Thatʼs completely up to you to decide.

To some, achieving a contemplative state can be tough. With all due respect to my spiritual sisters, this meditation stuff can be arduous for those who often use the left side of the brain when we are faced with stressful times. Left side of the brain folks (i.e. myself) are logical and analytical and the idea of using meditation to reach an internal state to focus doesnʼt seem productive. However, with a bit of an open mind and just a tad of exposure, it is clear, taking time to clear your mind can offer happiness and relaxation.

So how do we mend our mind, body and spirit when life's challenges come at us in full force? Also, who really has time to sit and meditate each day? I share with you some Gemʼs from this weeks show Labyrinth - The Inner Time Out. Whether you decide to take the spiritual path or the practical road, finding your center is worthwhile and may ease you through those forks in the road.

Find Your Circle - Find people who are equally dedicated to helping and supporting your growth, your beauty and your success. Conversation is the opposite of deep meditation or a walk in a quiet garden however, when you are in a place of love and support, you are in an atmosphere of real spiritual transformation. A great example, is this weeks Blog Radio Show with special guest Macha Einbender. Macha is a teacher of Practical Spirituality and Meditation. She is a true inspiration and the positive energy she transmits is truly infectious and inspires you to work harder in making your life more positive. If you did not tune in this week, I encourage you to take a listen and be part of our circle. www.BlogtalkRadio.com/Mommaspearls

Your Spiritual CD or Playlist - Getting into the habit or practice of spiritual meditation takes a bit of practice. One way to move into a clear place is to have a playlist in your car or in your house that you can play while doing nothing else. This is something you can do with your children. You can begin to expose and teach your little ones a way to clear your mind from the outside noise and to take a moment to breath deeply and enjoy the soothing music.

A Sacred Space - A place, perhaps a chair in a corner of your home that you can reserve for yourself. No work, no clothes lying on it, No children. You may leave a couple of short readings next to it, a beautiful lamp and a cup of tea. Like I said, a sacred space. Your sacred space.

Ask For Help - And, I donʼt mean this literally. Sometimes when things are in disarray and itʼs one of those days, I will pound my fists on my steering wheel and hang my head down. Often I will say, "Please help me!" and take a deep breath. I then regain some composure and move forward to finding a solution. Sometimes when we ask for help we quickly begin to find some answers. Perhaps itʼs the spirits hearing our call.

Avoid the skeptics - If you really want to move through your day on a positive note you must avoid the nay sayers. Have you ever been to a meeting and there are several complainers and people who focus on the negative. Nothing ever gets accomplished. I used to have a manager who always said, "Donʼt bring me problems, bring me solutions." When you keep an open mind you find it easier to be positive.

Find your Mantra - Om is a very common mantra and the practice of repeating “Om” over and over can offer relaxation and clear your mind during meditation. I donʼt do Oms, but I do have a living mantra that I say when things become tense or I am frustrated. I always say “donʼt force it”. It is a quote from my grandfather and it refers to me using his keys to open the door to his house. If I apply these words anytime I am at a fork in the road or at a door that wonʼt open I say to myself “donʼt force it” and I quickly take a step back and figure out what the right decision is, or better yet, which door is the right door to open.

Conscious Living - I am always amazed when watching the NY Yankees, Mariano Rivera pitch. Mariano often comes into a baseball game when the pressure is on. Itʼs amazing how he can pitch the baseball with such accuracy. He doesnʼt get distracted by the roaring crowds, he is not phased by any of the visual distractions and amazingly, he doesnʼt fall apart under pressure. Mariano, like many athletes use the practice of Conscious living. This is the practice of allowing your mind to become fully aware of the task at hand. It can take you to a deep place and allow you to find the joy. After a friend explained this to me, he told me to try this next time I was washing dishes. He told me to feel the water as it fell onto my hands. When I held the sponge and squeezed the water to listen to the sound and to smell the dish soap. Itʼs amazing how I actually slowed down and enjoyed washing the dishes. I was completely immersed in the act and not thinking about anything else going on at the moment. Try it, see what happens.

“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there - buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks everyday.” ~ Deepak Chopra

I personally have a long road ahead to get to a place where I need or crave a moment of meditation the way i need my morning cup of coffee. With a little bit of practice, eventually i will learn how to switch gears after a long day and be able to use the Right side of my brain and allow some intuition and imagery, a path I have yet to take.

With love and peace.

~ Mʼs Gems