Leigh Taylor-Young  Meditation Guide….

“During this 21 day journey we will hear Arianna Huffington read passages from her best selling book.  By sharing her personal stories as well as others, she’ll lead us step by step into a profound recognition of our divine potential.  Our goal is that by the end of this transformative series, your inner strength emerges and you live every moment fully and fearlessly. After each reading, we will spend several minutes in quiet meditation, contemplating new concepts we may have gathered, and finish with a powerful affirmation to carry with you throughout your day.

Throughout her book, Arianna points out that fearlessness is not being free of all fears, real or otherwise, but being able to acknowledge them, work through them, and ultimately master them.  This is the key to becoming fearless, and this is the goal of our journey.  Let us begin with day one, A Journey into Mastery.”

“Fearlessness is not the absence of fear, rather the mastery of fear.  There are things we should be afraid of…we want to stay alive, of course.  We may never completely eliminate fear from our lives but we can definitely get to the point where fears do not stop us from daring to think new thoughts, try new things, take risks, fail, start again, and be happy.

Fearlessness is about getting up one more time than we fall down.  The more comfortable we are with the possibility of falling down, the less worried we will be about what people think, even when we do.  The less judgmental of ourselves we are every time we make a mistake, the more fearless we will be, and the easier our journey.

I will provide a road map for achieving fearlessness in every area of our lives, a straight-to-the-point manifesto about how to be fearless, how to be bold, how to say what we need to say and do what we need to do in a way that has us embracing, not fearing, the reactions of others.  Why speaking out is almost always better than silence.  How to assess what is holding us back from being our best, most honest selves, and what we must do to change.  Why the world will be a be a better place if we actively work for the things we want and believe in.

I have my own key for overcoming fear.  I look for the still center in my life and in myself.  The place that is not susceptible to life’s constant ups and downs.  It doesn’t mean that I don’t lose my head and that I would not rather have praise and success than failure and criticism.  But it does mean that I can find  my way back to my center, that secure structure of inner support, so that all of my negative emotions, and especially my fears, become opportunities to achieve fearlessness. If we can find that greater inner freedom and strength, then we can evolve from a fearful state of living to a state of freedom, trust and happiness.

Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down, and allow your eyes to softly close.  Let your breathing become regular and easy.  Now feel the words and concepts you have listened to settle for a moment as we move into the silence. A steady rhythm of the breath calls us into peace and calm.  Here, in the quiet, lies the answer to every question.  Inhale deeply.  As you slowly release the breath, let go of tension in your body and sense the gratitude that comes from letting go. Breathe in and out  a few more times and allow your mind to be still and open.  Allow any outside thoughts to come and go like clouds, crossing a sun-kissed landscape.  Begin by inwardly repeating this phrase…‘I live my life from a center of stillness which is the true source of love, joy and fearlessness.  I live my life from a center of stillness which is the true source of love, joy and fearlessness’  Continue meditating for about 10 minutes.

Slowly and gently begin to bring your awareness back to the physical space you are in.  Slowly move your feet, then your hands, and when you are ready, open your eyes.

As we get more in touch with our real self that lies deep within, our self-trust, self-confidence and self-worth grows.  Be mindful, as you go through each day, and simply but effectively allow love, joy and fearlessness to inhabit more of you and your actions each day.

Let us commit to living from the inside out today, step into our power, fearlessly yet lovingly walking our path, reminding ourselves of today’s thought, ‘I live my life from a center of stillness which is the true source of love, joy and fearlessness.’

1.  Is there any area of your life where you hold back your inner power and potential?

2.  In what area do you most reveal your inner strengths and courage?

Day 2: Letting Go of the Past

 

“Some memories from the past serve us and others do not. Let’s learn to release negative emotions we may have been holding onto and remember the positive ones that made us feel strong and valued. The mentors and experiences that taught us that life is good and so are we, create the memories that feed our soul. Let us remember today that within us lies a vast reserve of untapped strength, courage and fearlessness. As we go into our meditation today, let us recall those personal heroes who taught us the greatest lessons, and emulate their courage and fearlessness in our lives today and in the future.

 

Leigh Taylor-Young

 

Most of us can recall times when as small children, we felt fearful.  Some of us were afraid of the dark, others of the monster under the bed, and still others of thunder and lightening.  All of these were mostly fantasies our minds told us were real.  Fortunately, we grew out of them.  Some children grew up having lived through a reality wrought with fear. Whether fictional or real, to the mind, it all feels real. Researchers have said there is little difference between thinking about a situation or being in that situation.  Our pulse quickens, breaths become shorter and muscles tense.  The question is, do we allow our past fears to control our lives, interfere with the joy and peace of the present, or can we come to a place of  healing where we live,  in faith, reminding ourselves that the universe is a safe place.  Let us emulate the heroes in our lives who showed us how to be fearless – parents, teachers, even fictional heroes.  Let us leave the past behind.  Come into the light of the present and, from this day forward, honor our mentors by living fully, joyously and fearlessly.  Here is Ariana with Day 2, Letting Go of the Past.”

 

Arianna Huffington

 

“There have been many, many moments of fear in my life but some of them have been critical.  Times when the fear was powerful, almost overwhelming but which also taught me that it was possible to break through to the other side to fearlessness.

 

The first experience of fear that I remember was a particularly strange one.  Iw as nine years old.  Over dinner one night, my mother started telling my younger sister and me about the time during the Greek ciivil war in the 1940’s when she fled to the mountains with two Jewish girls.  As part of the Greek Red Cross, she was taking care of wounded soldiers and hiding the girls.  She described the night when German soldiers arrived at the cabin and started  to shoot, threatening to kill everyone.

 

If the group did not surrender the Jews who the Germans suspected, rightly, they were hiding.  My mother, who spoke German fluently stood up and told them categorically to put down their guns, that there were no Jews in their midst.  I remember her telling me how she watched the German soldiers lower their guns and walk away and, just hearing it, I remember the fear rising inside me.  Not just fear for my mother and the danger she faced, but fear for myself.  How could I ever live up to this standard of fearlessness?  In 2003, when I ran for  governor in California, I found myself, during the campaign, faced with the fear of being caricatured and misunderstood.  Of course, it’s in the nature of political campaigns to turn your opponent into a political caricature.  But I saw first hand how different, and how much harder it is if you’re a woman.  How much more exposed and vulnerable you feel.

 

My mother, who lived with me most of my life – through my marriage, childbirth and divorce, died in 2000.  Her death forced me to confront my deepest fear – living my life without the person who had been it’s foundation.  But the way she lived her life and faced her death have taught me so much about overcoming fear.”

 

Meditation

 

We all have mentors in our lives – teachers, parents, friends, colleagues, each of whom have something wonderful to teach us.  Let us accept whatever lessons they offer and use them to make our lives better and to make the world a better place.

 

Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down and allow your eyes to softly close.  Let your breathing become regular and easy.  Feel the words and concepts you have listened to settle for a moment as we move into the silence.  A steady rhythm of the breath calls us into peace and calm.  Here, in the quiet lies the answer to every questions.  Inhale deeply.  As you slowly release the breath, let go of tension in the body and sense the gratitude that comes from letting go. Breathe in and out a few more times and allow your mind to be still and open.  Allow any outside thoughts to come and go like clouds, crossing a sun-kissed landscape.  Let us begin by inwardly repeating this phrase.  As I let go of the past, I move forward to a state of freedom, trust and happiness.  Continue meditating for about 10 minutes.

 

Begin to bring your awareness back to the physical space you are in.  Slowly move your feet, then your hands, and when you are ready, open your eyes.  

 

As I let go of the past, I move forward to a state of freedom, trust and happiness.

 

As we  get more in touch with our real self that lies deep within, our self-trust, self-confidence and self-worth grows.Let us recommit to living from the inside out today.  Step into our power, fearlessly yet lovingly walking our path, reminding ourselves of today’s thought, As I let go of the past, I move forward to a state of freedom, trust and happiness.

 

Reflect on Today’s Meditation

1.  Which negative memories are you holding onto from the past that do not serve you?

2.  Are you willing to release the negativity and focus on those people in your past that supported and encouraged you?