You may have certain ideas about meditation; but all it really comes down to is taking some time to yourself, to find quiet. Just a few minutes of alone, quiet time with your eyes closed can relax you, and help provide a sense of peace and calm. This can be especially comforting in times of loss and sadness.
Between what is seen and unseen, there is a universe. Mysterious connections between people, events and circumstances bring us to a greater order. We are all connected, sort of like that 6 Degrees of Separation theory. Have there been days when you thought of someone and then they called you? Or, did you find yourself bumping into this person on the street? In everyday life, it is interesting that when one places an intention for the day, whether verbalized or not, the dots can get connected.
I recall with great beauty the sad and happy gathering for my grandfather. He loved to listen to opera and blast the music with the doors of his car closed so that there was no limit to the volume. The day I learned of his death, I was all the way at the opposite ends of the earth, in Santiago, Chile. I had to go to France for the funeral; it was something I could not miss. On the way to the airport—while not knowing whether I could get a ticket, one of his favorite operas was playing in the taxi. The sound carried me through to the airport and prepared me for the negotiation about to occur. I was filled with the emotion of the piece and the warm memories of my grandfather, and I literally felt his presence. He was an example of living life to the fullest. He had the French ‘joie de vivre.’ He created great family gatherings in our little cottage in Brittany. His presence grounded everyone, and kept fluid and happy relations between fifty or so individuals. There were so many truths of life I learned from him. The appreciation of nature, the sea, fine wine and dining, conversation, jokes, and the importance of family. I carry so much of him within me. He has become a part of who I am.
This opera, a tune by Andrea Bocelli, kept recurring in different locations when gathered with family. A Japanese restaurant, in public locales… It seemed to be a gentle reminder that he was still there, and still would be. When I reached the airport, I felt empowered to negotiate for a last-minute plain ticket with nothing but a credit card number. And somehow, miraculously, the airline crew acquiesced. There are moments like this when you know that a little hand is helping you out.
A time of mourning can be a great space to connect with this universe. Meditation in a quiet garden, a walk in nature, and listening to music invoke the patterns in nature and the universe. Listening to this energy is another guide to healing. The spiritual makes sense of the cycles of life and death. Death, in the context of this cycle, is one dimension of life. Within ourselves, there are also parts which must die in order for others to grow. The nice thing about the universe is that it can be tapped into alone. All you have to do is set some time aside and a quiet place to reflect. When you believe in this power, it appears.
