This is a meditation which helps our awareness of the cycle of life, each giving to the other the Breath of Life. We link it to our physical breathing rhythm, because this is, in fact, a cycle of sharing. With each breath I breathe in physical life. It comes to me by way of the trees and the whole of the plant kingdom of the earth. My in-breath is their out-breath. All day I breathe in the oxygen breathed out by them, and they, in turn, breathe in my carbon dioxide. This is a scientific fact. So, I breathe in my very life from the trees and green plants. In turn, I breathe out life to them with every out-breath Take a few moments to be fully aware of this cycle of life-giving as you breathe in and out to your natural breathing rhythm.

Moving now to the spiritual level, we become aware of the same pattern. Our Divine Source, the source of all being, is perfection. Therefore, as we breathe in Life at the spiritual level, we are part of the same cycle as that experienced at the physical level. the Essence we breathe in we also share. Thus, if we think of breathing in Light with each breath we know that we are radiating and breathing Light to the Whole. We can work with any essence we choose, - Life, Light, Peace, Joy, Love, - and make it the cycle of our meditation. That which we breathe in we also breathe out.

We speak of 'inspiration'. To breathe in is to in-spire, a positive word. And the whole cycle is positive, for the expiration of one is the inspiration of the other. This is the cycle of the unity of the Whole. Such a meditation can be done at any time and in any place. It can last for five minutes or for an hour. It is a wonderful walking meditation. And it can become habitual and constant. To link it with our breathing is to incorporate it with the very essence of our being. We become aware of it in our moments of stillness, which we can use to focus upon it consciously and without haste. And then, through our intention and dedication to this purpose we can carry it into our daily activities, becoming effective channels of unification and of love.

Peggy Bunt