There’s something magical about this time of the year when the length of day and night are the same. I find my body wanting more rest but my mind still full of things to do.

So today, let’s embrace this transition and align ourselves with time. That is, be with this moment.

Click below to listen to an audio version of this post. Thanks to Laz Slomovitz for the accompanying music, Gratefulness.

Once you’re settled in a comfortable meditation posture, close your eyes. Take in a normal breath, noticing the air move through your nostrils and then out. Now take a deep breath and experience the rush of air through your sinuses and throat. Allow the exhalation to happen naturally. Now breathe in deeply and control the exhalation, releasing the breath slowly.

Imagine this simple activity as a metaphor for your relationship with time. Do you try to push time, control it to fit your schedule? Do you rush through it? What if instead you rode time like a leaf on the river?

Try this: imagine you are in a rowboat, canoe or on a raft. It is a sunny, peaceful day and the river is full. There’s no wind and you are completely safe. No rapids or waterfalls impede your way. The current is steady but not too fast. In this image, see yourself sitting or lying in meditation with your eyes closed, trusting the flow of the water. You’re totally relaxed. Notice the pull of the current underneath you and let it move you gently with its rhythm. There’s a soft rocking motion as you move forward and you let go even more.

The sun feels warm on your face and then you perceive a shift in the bottom of the boat or raft. A curve in the river has created a gentle tug and you’re going in a slightly different direction yet you stay relaxed, your mind now still and peaceful. Become aware again of the current, the soft rocking motion. Notice the peace that comes with floating on this moment. Meditate on this peace.

As a mental health professional, an owner of a fitness studio, a writer and a wife, mother and grandmother, I have found meditation to be helpful in every aspect of my life. To find out about my meditation classes this fall, contact me at susanmmorales@yahoo.com or check out my websites: susanscottmorales.com and bodiesinbalancefitness.com