I love to meditate

Last night, my daughter and I attended a 19-Day Feast at our friend’s home. A 19 Day Feast is a time when Baha’is get together to pray, consult about current events, and enjoy refreshments together. By far, my favourite part of Feast is the prayer portion. I realize that my love for meditation was discovered when attending Feasts as a child. The first time I remember meditating and seeing others meditate was at a Feast when I was about 10 years old. During the prayer portion, I remember looking around the living room and seeing the 20 or so adults sitting on couches and chairs and on the floor. They were all still, had their hands folded in front of their chests, or resting motionlessly on their laps. One person would read prayers from a Baha’i prayer book, or recite a prayer by heart, while the others listened with their eyes closed. There would be silence after the prayer and then another would pray followed by more silence. I noticed how still everyone was and I tried to mimic it. I noticed how quiet the room was. Nothing could be heard but the words of God. There was such a beauty in that stillness. Even today as I reflect on those moments so long ago, I can sense the power of the stillness in those gatherings. Today as I start out on my day, I am grateful for the bounty of participating in Feast last night and can still feel the echoes of calm that it brought to my soul.