Words of Comfort

When I am feeling stretched too thin, stressed out or burnt out there are a few words of comfort I repeat like a mantra while meditating.

The first words of comfort were memorized years ago from my Grandmother’s King James Bible. I am a deeply spiritual person, but not a religious one. But, these words still bring me comfort. They are from Psalm 25 (this is how I memorized them, right or wrong…):

Oh my God, I lift up my soul to thee, I trust in thee, let me not be afraid, let not my enemies triumph over me.

Trusting in a higher power, trusting that things are just as they should be gives me comfort.

By asking to ‘not be afraid’ I am calling forth my own inner strength and courage.

And, ‘my enemies’ are not only people and forces outside of me, but also my own negative thoughts and self-doubt. The request to not let these enemies ‘triumph over’me is a gentle reminder to not allow these things to adversely effect me or stop me from going forward.

Another mediation I practice is a ‘meta’ meditation, or a ‘loving-kindness’ meditation. This one is adapted from Carol Spears. She has a wonderful CD of meditations and guided visualizations you can purchase at CDBaby, A Lotus For You

May I be free from inner and outer harm,
May I be happy, peaceful. healthy and strong,
May I take care of myself with joy,
May I hold myself in arms of love,
May I embrace my heart.

I also try to surround myself with beauty and I keep fresh flowers on my desk in my home office.

These things give me comfort when my creativity temporarily leaves me and I don’t have the energy to write, to draw, to paint, to dream or to create. They remind me that sometimes we just have to slow down and give our body and our mind the rest they crave, for tomorrow is a fresh, new day.