Photo credit: Moyan Brenn

As the summer ends and we come into the autumnal equinox, I have noticed something these past couple of weeks.

I have watched as late sunflowers have bloomed, taking advantage of the last light brought by the summer sun.

These mighty sunflowers inspired me to write a guided meditation. I would like to invite everyone, including meditation and yoga teachers, to share this among friends and also feel free to use this meditation in your yoga classes.

May this meditation help us remember the sweetness found in summer and ground us as we transition into fall. Namaste.

Sunflower Meditation

The heat of summer awakens your sleepy reverie and you soon realize that you are in the palm of a person’s hand.

The person gently sprinkles you along with other friends into the open arms of Mother Earth.

You lay there in the dark nourishing soil and gratefully sip the sacred water given to you.

As the days pass, you become more connected and grounded to the earth. You feel your roots expand and strengthen.

Then one day, you surrender to the power of the sun.

Your stem begins to rise up out of the darkness and into the light up above.

Year after year you sunflowers come.

You are sent as cosmic guides to feed humans, both body and soul.

Each summer you sit, wait and observe humans as they observe you.

You watch as their connection grows with yourself and the many other plants, herbs, animals and people in the garden of life.

You rejoice as human souls rediscover the sacred communion where you the sunflowers and their souls again become one.

Your human friends reawaken to the truth that they “are not the skin of their grime or the dread bleak dusty imageless locomotive.” (Ginsberg: Sunflower Sutra)

Instead, “we’re all golden sunflowers inside.” (Ginsberg)

You have a dharma, to show humans how:

To live in the present and be grateful for each breath,

To trust in the unfolding universe,

To give selflessly

And to grow in the dark and shine bright in the sun.

You gracefully nurture others as they look inward for peace.

As that inner peace grows, consciousness blossoms and the flower of love manifests.

You stand strong in the sun and are present as human eyes transform.

They now shine like two golden sunflowers, enveloped in the knowledge that

They are divine,

You are divine,

Everything, divine.

And so the story goes for you, you golden sunflowers.

Ever grounded, ever rising, ever expanding toward the light.

Trudy is a student and teacher of yoga at Grass Valley Yoga and is currently studying at the California College of Ayurveda. Trudy believes that yoga and Ayurveda is for every body and hopes to assist people in establishing harmony from the inside out. Before becoming enveloped in yoga and Ayurveda, Trudy received her Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and English from the University of Florida.

 

Editor: Jamie Morgan

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