Meditation? I was encouraged to start a simple meditation for 15 minutes everyday. Immediately an image of a cross legged, religious person in robes sprang to mind. No, no, forget any preconceived notions. This is just you, by yourself.
Dress comfortably, I was told. Sit comfortably. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Breathe in, deeply, but comfortably (don’t try to hard), and then breathe out, feeling your breath move through your body. These were simple instructions. So I decided, this must be doable.
Initially, I set the timer on my phone, relaxed and settled into my breathing. Then, thoughts, worries and to-do-lists, one by one, popped into my mind. I was told this would happen and not to worry about it…..just recognize the thought, dismiss it and refocus on my breathing.
The first few weeks it seemed like I wasn’t making much progress; but, gradually, those thoughts were fewer and it became easier for me to refocus quickly. The only reason I kept with it was the wonderful feeling that encompassed my upper arms and torso. It was a sort of tingling feeling…..a very wonderful feeling.
The one caution I received was to meditate without an agenda. Don’t expect answers to questions. Do it with a completely open mind. Do it to relax my body and allow my mind to connect with my source, my God, my soul. What a beautiful thought.
I’ve known that there are activities that are meditative. I recognize as I paint that often I’m lost in a place without thought. Many people describe their experiences while concentrating on these sorts of activities as being in a time warp. They are so focused that it’s as if they’ve lost time. Scientists, artists, musicians, athletes, well, creative people in any area, talk about “coming to” and realizing they’ve been totally absorbed in their process for minutes, sometimes hours at a time.
In the Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra said, “During periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights that give so much joy and delight.” I love that description. I think he’s as much a poet as a physicist.
We all use words to try to interpret our experience, based on our belief system. More and more, I’m using “intuitive mind”, imagination, inspiration, soul, source, God, inner being, and still small voice as descriptions of the same thing. I want to listen. I want to receive the inner peace and knowing that listening brings. The problem, for me, is the noise, the everyday noise of everyone else, the radio, TV and my reaction to them. That’s where meditating comes in. It provides the quiet.
After months of meditating I can’t imagine ever stopping. When all of me is quiet, wonderful ideas, exciting ideas burst onto my mindscape, sometimes as thoughts, sometimes as images. I get goosebumps all over my body. I highly recommend it.
And, so, the thing I’ve learned and the thing I want to share with you is that meditating is fun. After meditating, I feel more relaxed, happier, more clear about what I want and full of exciting and satisfying ideas. What a blast!
