Meditation: Headspace, Appreciation #4
Length: 11 minutes
Where: Venice Beach, California
How It Felt: Like heaven
Who Joined Me: Steve
You know that feeling when you’re in a moment, and you suddenly realize it’s completely perfect? As in, you wouldn’t change a single thing, and you’re just so unbelievably happy to be in that moment, you want to be as present as possible so it lasts as long as possible?
That’s what I experienced during our meditation yesterday.
Steve and I decided to go to Venice Beach for a date night. We drove over with the top down, then parked near Muscle Beach and found a little taco stand. We wandered out onto the nearly empty beach, found a perfect little stretch of soft, warm sand, and settled onto our blanket with a little wine and our fish and shrimp tacos.
The birds were flying overhead, the whoosh of the waves drowned out almost all other sound, and a sailboat floated by as the sun began to set over the mountains.
It was just… perfect.
We wanted to meditate at the beach, but we didn’t want to miss a gorgeous sunset (never, ever miss a sunset when you get the chance to watch it, right?) So, after we finished our little dinner, we decided to meditate with a soft focus, with our eyes open for part of the session.
I’ve never meditated with my eyes open before, and I think, for me, it really requires peaceful surroundings. I’m certain I would get distracted otherwise, but not in this moment. It was like I was dropped into the center of an actual meditation, like what a YouTube video would put in the background while it plays soothing music that is meant to de-stress you. The beach, the sunset, the feel of Steve next to me, the ship, the waves, the cool air….
It was another appreciation meditation, and when I asked myself what I appreciated most in my life, I couldn’t get past the moment. This perfect moment. Beauty, peace, full belly, my love there with me, home in my favorite city….
I just spent ten minutes meditating on that moment.
And I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
My Year of Meditation 