Mountain Meditation

Antonio Joli's View of Paestum, 1759

The excavation of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the 18th century brought an excitement to the study of the classical past. Italian artist Antonio Joli was one of the first artists in that period to paint multiple views of Paestum, an ancient Greek city located in southern Italy. Here, we see a bird's eye view of the city known for its Doric temples, and behind them we see the Cilento Mountains rising above the ancient ruins into the vast and luminous sky.

• Sit with crossed-legs on the floor or sit on a chair with feet firmly touching the ground.
• Rest your hands in your lap, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
• Imagine that you are sitting on top of a mountain. Envision your past below you and your future above you while you sit still in the present moment.
• The environment around you is changing but like the mountain you are centered and unmoving.
• Take a deep breath in and as you do, breathe in strength, stability and stillness.
• Release.

As an extension to this meditation, pair this with a Grounding Meditation.