A Sanctuary Within
Upon waking this morning, I was immediately filled with gratitude. The wildfires and Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles had spread fear throughout the city for an entire week, and I was thankful that we still had a home. As I write this, thousands of evacuees are staying in hotels or various accommodations across the Southland, waiting to see if their homes still exist. Our family was displaced during the devastating Woolsey fire in 2018, and many friends and neighbors lost everything, only recently moving out of temporary housing and completing the construction of their new homes. Some never rebuilt. This was all too familiar to me.
During Woolsey, our house remained intact, but the situation surrounding the fire left me feeling stressed. Seeking solace, I chose to visit Lake Shrine in the Pacific Palisades. As I walked across the garden's soft mulch that day, I felt distanced from the chaos of the fire, despite the smoke and ash in the air. This trip to my sanctuary calmed my frazzled nerves and restored my strength. After all, I needed it... I had 3 teenagers, 2 cats, a dog, and a husband all squeezed into a small hotel in Santa Monica! It was a much-needed break.
When the Palisades fire occurred last week, I was in the midst of preparing and packing for a three-day silent retreat at Lake Shrine. I was looking forward to seeing my best friend, Leta, who always accompanies me. She travels down from the Carmel area, and it is a sacred time for us to share. It gives us a few days away from our daily responsibilities and full permission to enter a quiet sacred space. (My husband thinks it's funny that I prefer this over any luxurious vacation). I have attended several retreats at Lake Shrine and am a devotee of Self Realization, which is based on the beautiful teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda. The three-day retreats are filled with continuous silence, meditation, chanting, energy exercises, soul contemplation, delicious vegetarian food, and conclude with the Sunday morning sermon. Have you ever experienced a day of silence? Try it. You'll be amazed by the wisdom that emerges from silence. Our souls are ancient.
Yogananda's spiritual teachings are extensive. Even a lifetime of study might not encompass all the knowledge this energetic and dedicated yogi shared during his 52 years on Earth. The most significant lesson is the emphasis that all world religions guide us to the one Creator. This has been my belief throughout my life.
Regardless of your beliefs, having a sanctuary is incredibly beneficial for escaping life's chaos and finding a place of peace. I urge you to discover or create a rejuvenating haven to retreat to when life becomes overwhelming. Lake Shrine represents this idea for me, and it's truly miraculous that both the Temple and gardens survived the Palisades Fire. However, they will likely remain closed for many months, or even years, as the surrounding areas recover. What should I do? With my preferred physical sanctuary unavailable, I must follow my own advice and seek refuge within my heart. Does that sound 'woo woo'? Bear with me!
Each of us possesses an inner sanctuary, even when fleeing from frightening wildfires. As beings endowed with consciousness and an awareness of this consciousness, we naturally have the capacity to enter our own divine sanctuary through the science of meditation. Indeed, there is a science behind it, and both your brain and body appreciate it! Did you know:
Brain activity
Meditation can change the structure and function of the brain. It can increase connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, which can help people be less reactive to stress.
Brain networks
Meditation can improve the brain's ability to switch between focusing and mind wandering.
Neuroplasticity
Meditation can rewire brain circuits, which can improve brain and body health.
Gamma waves
Long-term meditators have higher levels of gamma-wave oscillation, which can indicate an ongoing state of open awareness.
Can I meditate? Many people think they can't meditate, but it's something anyone can do. A common mistake in meditation is trying to control your thoughts, often referred to as 'monkey brain'. When I began meditating years ago, my monkey brain was out of control! Yogananda advises beginners to treat the mind like a puppy on a leash, gently guiding it back to the third eye (the point between the eyebrows). Nowadays, I begin each meditation with a sense of gratitude. What does that mean? It's one thing to think about gratitude, but it's another to feel it throughout your body. When genuine and sincere, the essence of gratitude soothes the body and focuses the mind, leading to a wonderful meditation experience.
In our unpredictable chaotic world, it's essential to have a sacred space for your highest thoughts and prayers. This morning, my meditation was a visual journey through Lake Shrine. (I'm very visual) In my mind, I imagined walking beside the mirrored lake with the swans and the amusing turtles as I passed the beautiful arbor holding Gandhi's ashes and eventually turned inward toward the old temple. After this visualization, the meditation deepened, and ultimately, I entered my temple of peace. Another favorite of mine is meditating to music...it really helps! I like this one because the music is both classic and magical. Try it! Eventually, your meditations become more transcendental, and you'll soon find yourself sitting longer and longer. Some long-term meditators go for hours! I love it because it empowers the person to remove the contagion of fear that seems to be dominant in our modern world. Meditation has the ability to transport you into a holy state of existence and to the highest expression of who you are! It can create your own 'heaven on Earth'.
Isn't that what we all want?
xoxoLori
ps - If you or someone you know has been affected by the Palisades or Eaton fire, the monks and nuns at the Self-Realization are available for spiritual counseling and prayer. Here's the link!
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