'Only Connect’
Discover a special collection of meditations
Below are several sets of mindful meditations for you to choose from. Some are detailed, guided sessions, others are very simple, with just a few spoken words. I hope you will enjoy joining in with these meditations and connecting to the moment within you, just as you are.
Further details of any of the videos shown can be found if you go to the Playlists section of our YouTube channel (@thelovethatweare). You will find playlists for all five ‘Live Recorded Meditation’ sets, plus for ‘Sounds by the sea’, ‘Some guided meditations’ and ‘Simply be’ meditations. The description of each playlist will give you general guidance for self-care before following the meditations. The details for each individual video will give you more ideas and understanding regarding that specific meditation. To find these playlists (plus many more) CLICK HERE.
Here is a brief introduction to what mindfulness is (and is not) and to the sets of Live Recorded Meditations below. You can also see the further ideas around this introduction in the Details text for the video, found on the YouTube channel.
A big encouragement is to see the value of focusing on the simple act of breathing for bringing us into this ‘present’ moment of now – a true gift we are each born with. And the value of ‘giving it a go’; taking a leap into less words and more practice of regular meditation, to discover how mindfulness really can transform our lives.
All the five sets of Live Recorded Meditations below only use words such as ‘love’ and ‘light’ for the universal loving energy we are focusing on. They are not limited to any specific faith and I offer an open freedom of choice for the word for unconditional love that you feel most comfortable with, or none at all.
Live Recorded Meditations during a Mindful Meditation Retreat
A set of meditations recorded during a retreat open to all, at St John’s College, Oxford. We learn and practice together six mindful meditations suitable for all levels of experience. The sessions themselves are most helpful if followed in numerical order 1- 6. The background sounds heard at times are a part of the real-life meditative experience! Please see the Playlist Details on You Tube for self-care responsibility, and only follow the meditations if it is safe and healthy for you to do so. And enjoy!
Live Recording List
Mindful Retreat Meditation 1. The Hourglass
Mindful Retreat Meditation 2. The Mountain
Mindful Retreat Meditation 3. Opening the heart
Mindful Retreat Meditation 4. Deep Relax into your inner sanctuary
Mindful Retreat Meditation 5. The Lake Meditation
Mindful Retreat Meditation 6. Choice-less Awareness
Live Recorded Meditations
28:55
22:28
36:46
24:42
19:43
28:47
Live Recorded Mindful Meditations in the Hope Centre
Here is a set of eight mindful meditation classes, each recorded live at the Hope Centre, and so giving you the experience of a real-life session, with the odd bird call or nearby sound, and an informal, naturally guided text. The sessions are best followed through from session 1 to 8, so helping you to learn and practice mindful meditation and discover its many benefits.
These meditations follow similar themes to those in the set above, but each meditation is unique as the words of guidance are spontaneously inspired by the moment we are in. This set also has different meditations at the end, focusing on ‘Being full, being held, and being’ the light and love that we are.
Please take self-responsibility and only practice these meditations if it is safe for you to do so.
Live Recording List
Session 1. The mindful ‘Hourglass Breathing Space’ meditation
Session 2. The mountain in you
Session 3. The lake within
Session 4. A Deep Relax with light
Session 5. Be with all of who you are
Session 6. Meditation on opening heart to love and compassion
Session 7. ‘I am Light, I am Love, I Am’ Meditation with Hourglass Breathing Space to begin
Session 8. ‘I am full, I am held, I am’
Live Recorded Meditations
22:54
31:39
27:45
30:30
23:48
27:34
34:30
19:23
Live Recorded Meditations on Active Mindfulness
This set of meditations takes us into a ‘second circle’ of the spiral re-connecting us to the love that we are, in that we focus more now on ‘active mindfulness’, by actively giving to ourselves and then sending out into the world, seven different aspects of the energy of One Love. From healing light to kindness to acceptance, ending with a combined, prayerful experience with all seven. Please see the Playlist Details for guidance on self-care responsibility and ideally follow the sessions in numerical order, from 1-8 (after already having practised meditations from the sets above). And enjoy being peacefully dynamic!
Please take self-responsibility and only practice these meditations if it is safe for you to do so.
Live Recording List
Active Mindfulness 1. Shining light
Active Mindfulness 2. Loving
Active Mindfulness 3. Forgiving
Active Mindfulness 4. Peace
Active Mindfulness 5. Joy!
Active Mindfulness 6. Kindness and Compassion
Active Mindfulness 7. Accepting
Active Mindfulness 8. Being all the love and light that you are
Live Recorded Meditations
17:42
17:14
17:23
14:57
15:13
15:47
20:45
22:56
Live Recorded Meditations: Third circle with more silence
This set of meditations forms the ‘third circle’ in our spiral of re-connection to the love that we are. Ideally practised in numerical order, after the first and second circle sets above. Here, we focus on healing light, loving and being loved, peace, and hope, both filling ourselves inside and dynamically sending these energies out into the world. And then we focus on courage and confidence, connection, and ultimately Oneness, unifying all the energies into One Love.
After the light meditation, we move our practice into giving more time to silence, because universal love, like silence, is beyond all words. As Rumi said, ‘silence is the language of god, all else is poor translation’.
Please see the Playlist Details on You Tube for notes on self-care responsibility, and only follow the meditations if it is safe and healthy for you to do so. And enjoy Oneness!
Live Recorded Meditations
22:20
28:42
29:46
25:42
28:39
35:13
36:47
Live Recorded Mindful Meditations Guided by You
This ‘fourth circle’ set of meditations teaches us how spirals really do move along in cycles, because they can actually be followed easily by anyone; either by someone who has never meditated before, or by someone who has practiced and learned tools and ways to help deepen their awareness in meditation, by following the first three circles of connection. If you have not done this, then perhaps the summary words beginning this set of videos can just be words. If you have become comfortable now with the Hourglass Breathing Space, here is the time and opportunity for you to guide yourself through your own practice, with confidence and happiness.
You can, if you wish, play the whole set of four meditations in one full run, of just over 30 minutes, by clicking ‘Play all’ on the You Tube Playlist of this name. CLICK HERE to find it. And enjoy all the sights and sounds.
Always take personal self-responsibility and only follow any meditations if it is safe and healthy for you to do so. And be you.
Live Recorded Meditations
22:55
4:37
3:05
3:24
Sounds by the Sea
This set of recordings, ideal to follow with your eyes gently open, contains sights and sounds by the sea on the Solway coast of Scotland. With birdsong, waves, seaweed, rocks and including the noise of the wind, they bring you into the moment now, just as it is, and invite you to just be, accepting all and enjoying being by the sea. In One Love.
You can play them all together (CLICK HERE to do this using the Playlist on You Tube), you can listen more intently to the water sounds beneath the wind, you can even sometimes mute the sound to just watch the water moving. Whatever you choose. Please take self-responsibility and only follow these recordings if it is safe for you to do so. And enjoy the sea!
Sounds by the Sea
2:37
3:30
2:22
1:39
6:52
4:37
2:38
1:14
In the ‘Collective Meditations’ and ‘Simply be’ meditations, below, I do use the word ‘God’ for describing divine Oneness, but you can of course use any word in your own heart and mind that works best for you. With love.
Collective Meditations
Below is a playlist of guided meditations, each between 3 and 9 minutes long. There is a choice of two videos for each day of the week, plus two for any time you choose. Each day has a clear focus, such as our ‘courage’ or ‘healing’ in God’s love.
You can watch the video with eyes open or – if safe – closed and follow the meditations at whatever time is best for you. By collectively meditating we can connect to the focus for each day, no matter what time we practice, and be lifted by knowing we are sharing our active intention. Of course, if you prefer to choose a meditation from a different day, that is good too! Whatever feels right for you. And if you prefer to use a different word or name for One Love than ‘God’, then do that, with love.
The videos are filmed on hand-held camera, and the times when the picture moves with the breath can remind us to ‘soft-focus’ our eyes and simply ‘go with’ the meditation.
Please see the Playlist Details for ‘Some guided meditations’ for notes on self-care responsibility, and only practice these meditations if it is safe and healthy for you to do so. And enjoy peace, love and healing.
Monday – Love
Tuesday – Peace
Wednesday – Healing
Thursday – Acceptance
Friday – Courage
Saturday – Knowing (breath)
Sunday – Being
Anyday – Hope and Constant Souls
Collective Meditations
7:23
2:37
6:12
2:37
7:18
2:37
4:25
2:37
4:08
2:37
8:26
2:37
2:53
2:37
7:38
2:37
‘Simply be’ meditations
For anyone who prefers or would like to try more simple meditations, with very few guiding words, there is a ‘Simply be’ meditations Playlist on the YouTube channel, which has a growing collection of short meditations, with nature and beautiful images and sounds to rest in, in God’s love. One Love. Here is a selection of twenty of these, to enjoy anytime.
Playlist
1) waterfall
2) close water
3) fire glow
4) stillness and breeze
5) The Light of the World
6) Sunlight on water
7) A prayer for peace
8) … In Spring
9) … With Spring bees
10) … In the dance of God’s peace
11) … With a dragonfly of transformation
12) … With a dragonfly resting in the sun
13) … In the reflections of God’s love
14) … Moving with the breeze
15) … In the wonder of God’s love
16) … With the flowing leaves
17) … And know that you are loved
18) … Simply…be
19) … With the Autumn Leaves
20) … With the Happy Frogs
'Simply be' meditations
3:05
3:29
4:31
2:02
3:38
3:05
3:53
2:15
1:40
3:28
0:23
1:47
1:54
1:22
2:17
3:12
1:25
1:07
3:23
1:57
All these meditations have been inspired by the love that we all are, and I hope very much you will enjoy them. x