Mindfulness and Meditation: Facing Our Mother, Welcoming Success

When we succeed in turning toward our mother, it becomes easier to turn toward others as well. But what prevents us from turning toward her, or what may have disrupted this connection early on? Often, instead of moving toward others and ourselves with love and respect, we find ourselves turning away. This avoidance becomes a fundamental, inner and outward movement in our relationships. How can we transform this tendency to escape and instead direct it toward life, others, success, and ultimately happiness? I suggest achieving this through inner practice. With this practice, you can become aware of the flow within your body, initially turning away, then transforming it into a full, all-encompassing movement. Exercise 1. Begin by sitting at the edge of a chair with your back straight. Take a deep breath, inhaling through your nose and exhaling deeply through your mouth. Keep your eyes open as you repeat this twice. Then, close your eyes and return to normal breathing. Place your hands on your thighs with your palms open, facing up. 2. Slowly extend your arms forward, reaching a little farther, then a bit more, continuing until your arms are fully stretched. Maintain an upright posture with your chest lifted, feeling your back becoming more straight, as though your arms are stretching endlessly forward. Internally, it feels as if your hands are reaching out toward your mother. 3. Hold this posture and begin to understand our lives. In many ways, we often replace approaching others with feelings of aversion. Continue in this position, even though remaining still may be difficult for us at times. This movement helps to extend our arms further forward, keeping our back straight as our open hands reach out. 4. Gently open your eyes. Without moving, observe everything around you with your eyes, turning your gaze forward, then in all directions, even behind you. 5. At the same time, listen to everything around you. Open your ears, prepare yourself, and actively listen to what others want you to know. Share the experience of turning towards your mother with many others, interacting with them with love and confidence. 6. Take three more deep breaths. Exhale first, then inhale, and repeat three times. Stay seated upright, with your back straight and slightly inclined forward. 7. Notice a new sense of connection to others and the world around you. Open your eyes wide, tune in with your ears, and feel a shift as you turn toward life in a fresh way. Consider how these connections weave into your work and profession. How has our path to success transformed? Are we still waiting, or have joy and fulfillment begun to turn toward us as well, just as we once turned toward our mother?

Extracted from “Success in Life” by Bert Hellinger