Yoga and the Art of Meditation

Although I practice the physical part of yoga, in addition to keeping my mind stilled and freed from distraction, I never before thought about the ability to be freed from anything but the everyday stresses that plague me. I imagine I'm on a beach, the most beautiful I can think of. I've been under a tree, in the shade, and the sun starts to rise slowly, disabling the tree from protecting my pale skin. The sun starts to touch my toes, creating much welcomed warmth. It then rises up my body, and I feel the warmth traveling through me, my body absorbing it like a sponge in water. It reaches the point where my fingertips are warmed, the sun rising up my arms, my torso, and my neck. It gets to my eyes, and I have to squint a little, being unaccustomed to so much sun. Finally, it reaches the top of my head, and I am immersed in sunshine, becoming one with it. The sand below me falls away, and I am suspended in the air, the sun now shining all around me. It permeates my skin, burning away all of the sorrow and frustration, the stress and the pain I feel. It takes away the thoughts of imperfections, of insufficiencies, and my doubts about the path I'm on; instead, it takes me to a place where I am content with myself, where I can be completely myself, without fear of being not good enough for anyone, including myself. My body starts to drift back down onto the sand, landing ever so gently. The sun changes its direction, starts moving away from me and back behind my tree. It slowly fades from my head, my fingertips, all the way down to my toes. And I am once again asleep under a tree on a beach. When I open my eyes, I'm back in my room, or my boyfriends, or outside on the grass. I feel rejuvenated, rested, like I've slept for ages.