Chill

I chose today's photo because it is probably the most peaceful photo on my computer. This is Queens Park a couple of years ago about this time of year. However you may dislike the cold, it's hard to deny the tranquility which comes with snow. This is especially true if the roads are brought to a standstill, of course, but even without silent roads the stillness of a landscape frozen solid is a wonder to behold. It's worth donning jumpers, coats, boots, hats etc for a taste of that absolute calm.

If you don't fancy a walk in our snow-covered parks you can stay where you are beside the fire with your laptop on your lap and follow this link HERE. This will take you to an animation about how to meditate for one minute. The little video includes, at the centre, a one minute meditation. All you have to do is sit down in front of your computer, and the little pencil man will guide you through. He has a particularly gentle voice, so it's worth it just to remind yourself about how to speak gently and that gentle voices can actually be just as compelling as loud ones. Let's hear it for gentleness.

Of course sometimes gentleness is more difficult to acheive than at other times. And sometimes you can't stop even for that one minute, like for instance if you're Lenny, from Mavis's Shoe, while she is escaping through the streets of Clydebank and the bombs.

And of course there are wonderful things to be gained from longer meditations. I should know. I used to meditate for forty minutes every day of my life. But to be reminded to step out of your life for just one minute is like suddenly seeing doors, perhaps escape routes, which have been shrouded in invisibility cloaks. Close your eyes and they're there. Open them and the problem before you has either disappeared or at least faded.