Today, the 23rd of March 2023, marks the third UK National Day of Reflection. This unique day is an opportunity to remember our loved ones who’ve died, support people who are grieving, and connect with each other.
Maya Angelou once wrote. ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ As we take time to reflect and remember those that have died, those who we continue to love, let us find ways to remember the good they brought to our lives and how they made us feel loved and valued.
To support the National Day of Reflection, our spiritual care team have complied some information on meditation, which you may feel beneficial on this National Day of Reflection:
Tips for leading meditation:
- Create a warm, comfortable, and welcoming space.
- Ensure that everyone can find as comfortable a posture as possible.
- Consider playing quiet ambient music, particularly if there is significant noise outside the room.
- Do not rush – take a steady, gentle pace and leave plenty of gaps for people to connect with their breathing.
- Speak with a normal voice and loud enough for people to hear.
- Do the meditation yourself, do not just read the script. This helps to create a shared experience.
- Use cue phrases to enable people to stay with the meditation. For example:
- If your mind wanders, just notice and gently bring it back to the breath.
- Notice any tension in your body and relax that area.
- Let any intrusive thoughts drift away – imagine them as balloons taken on the wind.
- Have paper and pens around so that afterwards people can note down anything significant to them.
Meditation postures:
- Sitting on a chair – put both feet on the floor and sit straight. Place your hands on the thighs, palms down or up.
- Kneeling – do this with support. You can use a prayer stool or cushions (between your calves and thighs). Don’t put too much pressure on your knees. If it starts to hurt, choose another posture.
- Cross-legged – To achieve this position, put a cushion or mat on the floor and sit on it with your legs crossed. Put your hands on top of your laps either faced up or down.
- Lying down – if you are not able to sit-up, try a lying down mediation posture – lie with the body completely at rest, arms at the sides, palms up and feet relaxed. If it’s more comfortable, a pillow or other support can be placed under the head or knees.
No matter what meditation position you choose, one thing to aim for is to keep your spine as straight as possible. Don’t force it though, just make it straight in a natural way.
A simple meditation
Close your eyes and just spend a few moments being aware of your breathing. Be aware of the breath going in and out of your body.
Then with each breath in imagine breathing in something positive and sustaining.
For example – I breathe in love.
You can use a variety of words and phrases:
Peace, strength, God, courage, Spirit, great Oak, hope, etc.
With each out breath imagine breathing out something that is troubling you or holding you back.
For example – I breathe out fear.
Other words and phrases could be:
Pain, anger, frustration, misery, sadness etc.
Do this for a few minutes and then gradually become aware of your surroundings and gently come back into the room you are in.
To learn more about our Spiritual care and bereavement services, please go to: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/wellbeing/psychological-and-spiritual/