#026 Happy World Meditation Day! And How to Boost Wellbeing with Glimmers

21 May is World Meditation Day!

I will admit, I didn’t actually know there was a World Meditation Day until yesterday. I also did not pick up the signs from the daily 10% Happier emails mentioning World Meditation Week every day for the last week. That probably was my first clue that my brain is a little overwhelmed at the moment!

This year’s World Meditation Day theme introduces the idea of Beholding the Divine Beauty. When I first read about this, I admit, I did sigh a little bit. During Covid the theme was ‘health’ and the year after that ‘unified consciousness’. I thought to myself that they would be a tad easier to write about. But beholding the divine beauty?!

I sat down to think about it.

I have a lovely room upstairs that doubles as a playroom/TV room, but it also gets the most glorious morning sun streaming through. This morning (4C in Canberra, so not that cold!), I sat on the floor in the sun to warm up my body after doing school drop off.

Initially, I sat down with a coffee and my phone to scroll through my emails and plan my day. But as the sun started to warm my body, I put everything down, tilted my head back and closed my eyes, and let the sun wash over me. I tuned into the sounds around me – the crows competing for aural space with the cockatoos, the sound of cars, and my 2 cats – both languidly grooming themselves in the sun next to me.

It was so delightful to sit, be warmed, and to pay attention. It was mundane, but to me it was a bit of a lightbulb example of the divine beauty we can find in our everyday lives – if we stop and look for it.

Too often when we think about divine beauty (if we every stop to think about it at all), we are looking for examples of awe and magic – like a magnificent sunset, the beauty of the recent aurora australis, or towering redwoods – but divine beauty is everywhere. We are looking for beauty with an exclamation mark!

But what if we looked for the tiny moments – and noticed more of them – instead?

‘Glimmers’ are the opposite of triggers. The term was coined by Deb Dana, a clinical social worker who specialises in complex trauma, and refers to small moments when our biology is in a place of connection, which cues our nervous system to feel safe or calm. They aren’t just tiny moments of joy or happiness, they can also spark ease, relaxation, safety, connection, or the feeling that the world is OK – even for a fleeting moment.  

Some examples include:

·      admiring the moon or stars

·      feeling comforted by furry friends

·      noticing the warmth of a loved one’s voice

·      hearing your favourite song on the radio

·      having a dance party in the kitchen

·      feeling a sense of connection with others.

Looking for glimmers is a great way to behold the divine beauty every day. Too often, we rush from home - to work - to meetings - to eating at our desk – and back to meetings - and we don’t stop. Not to notice, not to go outside, not to reflect, and maybe not even to give someone our full attention when we are engaging with them.

Today, on World Meditation Day, I would encourage you to stop and behold the divine beauty in your everyday life. Don’t wait for the weekend, or until you are on holiday, or until you have more time. You have time now.

If you want to dive into a short guided meditation today – whether you are a complete newbie to meditation, or an experienced practitioner – click the link above, find a quiet space and sit with yourself for 10 minutes.

Be well (and behold the divine beauty!)

Alicia