Monday, May 21, 2007

Fluffy White Cloud

I recently began a meditation class that is offered through my company. Every Friday, I go into a conference room with 20 of my coworkers and we learn about meditation with a 10 minute meditation in the beginning and 10 minutes at the end. It is enormously helpful to me - the one who internalizes all stress until my body breaks out into hives. My teacher stopped me one day and told me how much better I look, so much more relaxed. It has been wonderful.
On Mother's Day, Dean woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He was grumpy and out of sorts all day. After lunch, we laid down to take a nap. I got Jack down without a problem and then worked on Dean. He was so angry, there was no reason - he was just mad. He wouldn't lie still, he just couldn't calm himself down. So, when I was at the brink of frustration I remembered how much better I feel when I meditate and could I apply that in this situation? I hugged him and asked him to lie down with me so I could hold him. I whispered to him, quietly, to close his eyes and feel me hold him tight. I spoke softly that with his eyes closed I wanted him to imagine he could see a big, white fluffy cloud as it floated against a beautiful blue sky. I continued whispering to him about the cloud that it was the softest cloud he ever felt and that he could almost touch it if he thought about it hard enough. I told him to imagine that he could sit in it and then lay in it and feel it's softness all around his body. I quietly told him that this cloud was the most beautiful white color and that it loved him.
He was snoring within 5 minutes.
Later, when he awoke, I took him with me to the grocery store. He mentioned that he didn't take a very long nap. I said that it wasn't that long but it was a good nap. What were you thinking about as you fell asleep? - I asked. He smiled and said a white cloud. I asked him if it helped him to calm down and he replied, yes, it helped him to stop being so angry.
Yes, it helped him to stop being so angry.
Indeed.

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