The Healing Womb:
a meditation tele-circle
for women on a healing journey
I invite you to enter the Healing Womb, sanctuary of spirit, of love, of holding; a virtual living room, where friends gather for thirty quiet minutes every other week and connect to the nurturing flow that this life offers us through heartful, mindful awareness in the comfort of our own homes.
Even if you are not living with a chronic illness, healing is a broad term. We all have some healing to do.
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My thoughts on healing: In my experience, healing does not always involve a "cure". It happens daily to people with horrendous illnesses. Healing for me is a balanced state of mental, spiritual and emotional well being that allows for comfort in an uncomfortable body and mind. If we can learn to be with this moment, what ever “this” moment looks like, then the fears that are tangled up with pain, the anxieties that tend to tip us off center, gently reach equilibrium again, at least temporarily.
Then for a breath... maybe ten breaths,
we can experience relief and peace
...and begin again.
~Laura
Details:
Typically we will gather on alternate Fridays at 11am to 11:30am, EST (GMT-4). Our next meditation tele-circle, will be Friday June 8th, 2012. Recognizing that no day or time will work for everyone who is interested in joining, I will record each call and provide a link on my blog later in the day for you to listen to when it is convenient for you. There will be several of us on the call at one time so, energetically you will feel our presence even on a recording. If you want to be part of the circle but can't attend at that time, let me know and we will hold your "place". I'll say the first names of everyone in attendance and those whose hearts are with us at the beginning of each call. In this way we will know that we are not alone, that we are part of a community; I believe a sense of connection is vital to healing.
Dial-in Number: 1-605-475-5950
Access Code 475535 #
When you enter the call, it will be on presentation mode. That means we can start promptly, and if someone is a little late, that is fine because you will all be muted. This will also create a silent container in which barking dogs (except for possibly mine-sorry) or other ambient sounds are minimized for the group. I will gently guide us all into silence And there we will remain, embraced in quiet for the remainder of our time together until I softly lead us back out into the rest of day.
The Healing Womb is a free will offering, from my heart to yours. *There is no fee to be a part of this meditation circle or to download the podcasts at this time. “The only costs for these type of conference calls are whatever long distance rates are charged by each individual conference participant's long distance carrier.” ~FreeConference.com
Do you find these meditation practices to be nurturing on your healing journey? I'd love to hear from you! laura@shinethedivine.com AND, if you would like to make a small financial contribution to support the time, energy and love I've poured into creating and facilitating The Healing Womb meditation circle live as well as recording and editing the podcasts, consider that a single download from itunes is typically .99 cents. While I can no longer work outside our home to earn income due to disability caused by Multiple Sclerosis, this is meaningful work I am able to do. Your generosity truly makes a difference for my family. I also understand that if you are living with a chronic health condition you too may be limited in your ability to work, and that is why this is an optional donation and not a fee for service. Thank you, thank you, to the those of you who have already made a contribution.
Are you interested in joining our circle? Please send me an email and let me know. Right now there are 30 members in our group. I am not asking for a commitment for your presence at every session--life happens, I just need a general sense of serious interest for planning purposes so I can have enough phone lines open through the conferencing service. (There will be always be a few extra lines just in case someone decides to be on the call at the last minute)
Props, Alignment and Technology
With 20+ years experience practicing yoga, I feel strongly about the value of props for support and comfortable alignment. Alignment is important as it allows our breath to flow with greater ease, helps us to stay alert in our practice and protects our bodies from injury. I offer what is written below as suggestions from personal experience and information I’ve learned from my teachers through the years. YOU know what works best for your body, if something hurts, feel free to readjust yourself at any time during our practice. Listen to your body with compassion.
On the floor:
If using a zafu (meditation cushion) or folded blanket on the floor, sit so that the sits bones and fleshy part of your bottom is on the thickest part of the cushion or back just beyond the edge of the folded blanket. Reach your hands beneath your buttocks and gently pull the flesh outward so that you feel the bones connecting with the cushion. I suggest that you do not cross your ankles as you sit, instead rest the sole of one foot against the opposite inner thigh and the sole of the other foot against the shin of the opposite leg. Your pelvis should be tilted slightly forward so that your hips are a little higher than your knees, allowing for space between the vertebrae of your spine. This alleviates the “crunched” up feeling in your lower back that can be painful and cause fatigue.
Straight-backed chair: If you are on a chair, there are a few options to try. You may prefer one to another. Sit toward the edge of the chair with only your sits bones and the fleshy part of your bottom on a folded towel (set atop the seat of the chair) thighs extending forward, your feet flat on the floor. Placing a folded towel beneath your buttocks will raise and tilt your pelvis slightly forward. If your legs are short like mine, you will need to place a few books, folded blankets, or yoga blocks beneath your feet so that they are supported and your base is completely stable. If you fatigue easily and do not have a lot of core strength, you may find that sitting back in the chair with a hand towel rolled and placed between the small curve of your lower spine and the back of the chair, along with a folded towel placed beneath just your sits bones and books, blocks or folded blankets under your feet is more comfortable. Like those who are sitting on the floor, you will want to reach beneath the fleshy part of your buttocks and gently pull the flesh outward so that you feel the connection between your sits bones and the seat of your folded towel.
Reclining: If reclining you may wish to place a thick rolled bath towel, bolster or rolled blanket beneath your knees. This relieves tension in the lower spine. You may also find it comfortable to place a rolled hand towel in the space between the surface you are resting on and the curve of your neck for extra support.
Play with the towel rolling, book piling, and blanket folding before we sit together, to find the heights and thicknesses that work best for YOUR body.
I find having an extra blanket, shawl or sweater to throw over my shoulders as I sit is cozy. I get cold easily, it is no fun to sit and shiver, it tenses up the body and while noticing pleasant and unpleasant is part of mindfulness practice, why not at least start out somewhat comfortably?
How does one hold a phone while meditating? Two people asked me about this, and it is an excellent question! I use a hands-free headset so that I can listen without holding the phone when I sit in spiritual direction with my director or when I guide others. I do the same when coaching so my hands are free for note taking, and of course will be using that for our meditation circle as well. An alternative is to simply use the speaker setting on your telephone.
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♥ The word for compassion in Hebrew is rachamim, it is rooted in the word rechem…womb, hence the play on words...instead of Healing "Room" this is the Healing "Womb"
