Quarantine Meditation at Dawn (hug meditation)
These are strange and challenging times and I have spent the last few weeks wondering what contribution I could possibly be. One of the things I have found most moving and which really pulled at my heartstrings, is the fact that our elders, our sick and our most vulnerable have been devoid of hugs. People with chronic conditions going without the emotional support of the hugs of those that they care about. Grandparents feeling the absence of that pure delight that is their grandchildren’s embrace.
Hugs are so important to our mental and emotional health. They release oxytocin (the love hormone) which makes us feel nurtured and safe. It relaxes the nervous system and in turn helps to balance out all the systems of the body and boost the immune system, which ironically is exactly what we require right now.
So I have recorded a meditation - a visualisation of an energetic hug. It guides us through all the stages of receiving a hug to the release of oxytocin so that we actually experience the benefits of it in our body but most importantly in our heart.
The other thing that has really struck me over the past few weeks is just how loud and vibrant and so so beautiful the bird song has been. It has brought joy into my heart each morning and so I recorded the meditation at dawn so that I could be accompanied by the dawn chorus and in the hopes that it will also fill your heart with joy.
I know these are times of loss and uncertainty but for me they are also times of hope and inspiration. I have been inspired by the fact that a whole nation has come to a stand still and stayed home to protect our weak, our sick and our elders. For me it is the greatest and most beautiful act of kindness I have experienced in my lifetime. It fills me with hope that we will emerge from this experience with a new perspective and a clear sense of what is truly important. I know it has altered me and I believe it will alter the whole world for the greater.
So please feel free to share this meditation with anyone who is self-isolating or anyone you miss and would love to hug.