Meditation Articles Series

I received a wonderful gift.  It’s a big soft blanket.  My dear friend suggested I wrap it around myself on these cold mornings when I get up to meditate.  Usually I wear a shawl around my shoulders.  This blanket is very warm and light.  Not only can I wrap it around my whole body but I can also cover my head with it.  I find doing this not only warm but also soothing.  It’s like being physically cocooned in such a way that lessens even more sensory input from the outer environment.  Noise is reduced immediately. 

It makes good sense to do this.  After all, covering the head has been a traditional practice in monasteries and convents for centuries.  It’s also a symbol of withdrawing the senses from the outer to the inner world.