A summer meditation

Gavin Thomas Murphy of Irish Jesuit Communications offers a meditation on tuning into the rhythm of the summer breeze and a gentle inner experience. An invitation of love and compassion, it involves imagining a peaceful scene with the wind moving the curtain of a quiet room. Find below the text and audio versions, along with Ignatian reflection questions for after the meditation. This ‘Summer breeze meditation’ features in The Sacred Heart Messenger » for August 2023.

Summer breeze meditation (text version)

I invite you to take a comfortable position, a position you can relax into for about five to ten minutes, in your own space, as you are right now. Concentrating on our breathing can help us to settle into our bodies, so we might just be conscious of the air that comes into our bodies and goes down and expands our chest or our belly, and the flow of air that goes out again through our nose or our mouth. We just take a few deep breaths.

I invite you to soften any tension or pressure in your head. It may be relaxed, but if you notice any strain or tension or denseness in your head, just to invite that softening of any head pressure. And to tune into an expansiveness and a warmth in the chest. It may help by placing a hand or hands over your heart area, again to invite that warmth and expansiveness around your heart.

As we begin to settle, I invite you to use your imagination. I invite you to imagine that you are in a still and quiet room. It is a fine summer day. There is a door in the room that is slightly open, there is a curtain that is light and white that gently covers the open door, and the curtain is blowing in the summer breeze. Again, to settle in this quiet space with the curtain blowing in the breeze. It can also be helpful to ask what we want at this time. In line with this summer scene, it could be to tune into the rhythm of the summer breeze, to let the experience enter our hearts, to get in touch with a kind, loving and gentle inner experience.

As we continue to imagine sitting in this quiet room and the curtain gently blowing in the wind, I invite you to focus on one of your senses, be it hearing or seeing or smelling or tasting or touching. A sense that can make this summer scene feel more real. So, it could be hearing the summer breeze moving the curtain and entering the room.

Or a sense of touch that enables you to feel the breeze peacefully brushing off your face and body. Whatever sense that helps you to tune into a kind, loving and gentle inner experience. You can linger with this experience for as long as you wish… in a gentle, kind and loving way.

We will leave this scene in a few moments, and so it’s an opportunity to remember this feeling in our hearts, in our bodies, in the quiet room with the gentle breeze and the blowing curtain. We can give thanks, we can simply say “thank you”, “thank you for tapping into this inner wisdom”. We know that we can get in touch with this summer breeze of our hearts whenever we wish, to be still and to use our imagination, and to feel that gentle sensation.

So, we come back to where we are right now, aware of the space around us, preparing to carry on with our day, and in our own time to gently open our eyes.

Reflection

The prayer methods of St Ignatius include reflection on the prayer:

How was I feeling as I began the prayer? How did I feel during it? And at the end?

Did anything in particular surprise me about the meditation, what came to mind? Did any images or memories come to mind?

What are you grateful for from the time of prayer? Thank God for this. What might have been difficult? Ask for God’s help in that.

Would you like to go back to any part of the prayer?

Is there any action you may take as a result of the prayer?

Note: these reflection questions may be used one or two at a time.

Audio version

Click on the link below to listen to the meditation »