Founder of The Mindful Moment, Dr. Alexandra Domelle shares her morning meditation routine
"In stillness, in silence, in now, I am." - Alexandra Domelle
Angel pads across the bedroom floor and meows softly. It is four a.m. and I am already awake.
Eyes closed, I reach down over the side of the bed, my fingers closing around a dense coat of fur. Purrs fill the room, the only sound reverberating in the stillness of the night.
This is our ritual. #DailyRitual
Each day, every day, same time. Just as Angel knows exactly where to sit for the likelihood of maximum pats, my body knows to wake up exactly at this hour, without the aid of an alarm clock. It is a peaceful time for both goddess* and cat, each of us lost in our own quiet contemplation of life.
*A name lovingly given by readers and listeners.
At this moment, we are both surrendering. We are both allowing. We are both receiving. #Meditation
Eyes still closed, I marvel at my breaths, chest rising and falling, body still loose and heavy, mind still blissfully relaxed and devoid of its cacophony of thoughts. Angel, likewise, is delighting in her morning ministrations, unperturbed by this delay in receiving her first breakfast or the overwhelming need to voice her opinion on just about everything.
Both will come later.
For now, this is our time to meditate; each being choosing her own way to go about this sacred ritual. There will be many others throughout the day; silent meditations in the living room, loving-kindness meditations with patients, and walking meditations in the garden.
Each meditation offers the opportunity to connect the infinite, eternal self with the ancient wisdom of the Universe. And each session brings me deep clarity, joy and peace, followed by a sustained period of automatic writing, sometimes called “writing with Spirit.” Or perhaps writing is a form of meditation itself? For Angel, meditation invariably segues into blissful, relaxing sleep.
In short, it makes us both very happy.
Meditation always has been a cornerstone of my life, with early attempts often ending in sleep, much like the cat. Over the years, however, as I have grown accustomed to these moments, it has become easier and easier to emerge from meditations with renewed vigour.
On days I have chosen not to meditate, falsely prioritising some other activity, these have been the ones where I have felt most unbalanced, unable to think clearly or make good decisions. Each of these has been a valuable #LifeLesson.
So now, I regard meditation as important as breathing itself. It is the life force that sustains me. It is when I am completely connected to Source. It is the vehicle through which I live, breathe and appreciate the present moment. #PresentMomentReminder
There is something inexplicably delicious about meditation. About surrendering to stillness, to silence, to now. #JoysOfMeditation
Its contrast to modern-day living is stark.
This is an era of constant sharing, co-creating and collaborating. The world seems saturated with thoughts, with words and with deeds. Never before have we had the ability to connect with so many people at once, across multiple time zones and over a multitude of platforms.
The opportunities are endless. Everyone has a story, or several to tell. And when there are no genuine stories, then fake ones are created. There is a growing urgency to be somewhere else, someone else or something else. And yet for all this momentum, there are very few of us who truly feel content.
Content with where we are, who we are and what we are. #TheMindfulMoment
Progress, drive and success may be the fast stream of Life and our advancement, but what of the deep, still pools of contemplation, reflection and awareness?
Where in this fast-paced, swirling maelstrom is the space for stillness, for silence, for now? #TimeForMeditation
I recall a conversation with a woman who once came to see me. Intelligent, ambitious and highly successful, she looked at me, horrified, “I can’t slow down!” she said. “If I slow down, I’ll sink like a stone!”
“Well, at least you may enjoy the view while sinking,” I said. She did not like my reply. A few months later, she received a significant promotion that elevated her to the top of her game, the highest tier she could obtain in her organisation.
Was this the time to slow down?
“Of course not,” she said. “I just have to keep this momentum going.”
Until when she could not say. Retirement? A nervous breakdown? An accident? Or perhaps, she will continue through life, achieving success after success, never ceasing her momentum.
Perhaps somewhere along the way will occur an event, internal or external to her that compels her to pause and evaluate. #Awakening
Time will tell.
Meanwhile, the end of this article draws near. Yes, I am writing this following a meditation session. Angel has been snoring on the seat next to me. Her sapphire blue eyes are now fixed on mine. #ILoveMyCat
It’s time for second breakfast.