Hatching Meditation

This simple meditation is beautifully appropriate for the emerging Spring season. It encourages us to expand a little, stretching beyond our current limits–a good first step for becoming more deeply who we are, and attaining our heart’s desire.

Find a time when you can be alone and undisturbed. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Listen to the sounds around you; become gently aware of the small noises that make up your world at this moment. Now bring your attention to the sound of your own breathing, the rhythm it makes as it enters and leaves your body. Together, these are the sounds your world makes.

Next, imagine that you are sitting inside a large egg. Imagine the smooth, curving wall, the gentle darkness, the way the egg fits you perfectly, enclosing you in a small universe. It is quiet and safe–the only world you have every known, the only one you’ve ever seen. But you are growing. The eggshell is gradually becoming cramped and close. You become aware of an urgent desire to stretch, to expand. The walls are hard and thick. But you are impelled–through some mysterious force of soul–to push…to push hard. You need space to grow. The wall cracks. You push harder still. Perhaps you kick or hit the wall with your fists. Soon the wall begins to break open and you push your way out. The shell is sharp and scratchy; it can hurt to break out of the egg. But you struggle–and suddenly there is a vast, enormous vista before you, a world you never dreamed of, a spaciousness you never imagined possible. Look around at this huge expanse. There is unlimited room and potential for growth. Stretch yourself as fully as you can. Really allow yourself to feel the exultation of breaking free into something larger than the familiar. Take a deep breath and open your eyes.