The Haven’s 30th Birthday Meditation

This is the text of the worldwide meditation which Ernie and Cathy McNally led this evening August 2nd, 2013, to open The Haven’s 30th Birthday Weekend.

Welcome. Welcome to each person in this room … and to each person around the world joining us. We are a large group! A group of souls choosing to connect at this time. We invite all of us now, to take a moment to imagine the people here at The Haven … and those around the world. We invite us all to gently connect … in mind and spirit … and be together.

Breathe … where you are, settle in, close eyes or not, whatever works … either way FEEL where you are, feel within you, notice your breathing … however this breath is, let the next breath be a little deeper … and now again, let your next breath deepen … settle, feel your body, right now … begin with your feet, then legs, hips, belly, chest, shoulders, arms, right down to your finger tips, now back along your arms to your neck, your jaw, and to the very top of your head … notice what it is like to be you, and feel you right now … if you want something to be different, use your breath, send your exhaling breath to settle and relax any spots that are a little tighter than you want … enjoy.

Bring your awareness to your ears … hear sounds around you. Now gently lift yourself in spirit, breathe, and wander, until you find The Haven … and settle in to a remembered place, in any way that is comfortable … breathe, feel your body, and let your mind quiet … let memories of times at The Haven come foreground … who is with you? … what are you feeling? … what thoughts are you having? … Lessons were learned here. What growing happened here? How have you grown and stretched here? Take a moment now, and – from these learnings and growth – reflect on the gifts you have given yourself through the years.

Now bring yourself to the entrance to the lodge … take the door handle, open, and step in, can you remember the first time you did this? … can you remember the last time? Pause here, feel what you feel … take yourself into the dining room, pause again … who comes to mind, what comes to mind?

Look toward the sunroom … and take yourself through the sliding glass doors, out on to the deck … and let your eyes sweep from side to side … the hot tub and deck, the lawns, gardens and ocean … the totem … and there are the swings … go ahead, take a moment and enjoy going for a swing … feel yourself lift, the air on your face, see your legs straight in front of you, reach the peak, and then back for another …

Feel the stillness as your swing is complete … look toward the water … now stand and take yourself to the edge of the lawns, you are joined by friends, greeting each other quietly, some with a look, others with a touch … you turn and look out over the water …the sun is sitting just above the mountains …now setting … can you hear Amazing Grace?…

In this silence, breathe gently and return to being with you … let your breath relax … and – when you are ready – open your eyes … feel where you are right now. And … still in the silence, acknowledge the gentle connection with others nearby … and those around the world … and now … make contact … join with two or three people close by, and make your own small group.

Now take some time together sharing and listening with each other about special moments and experiences for you with The Haven.