Too often in daily life, our thoughts control us, and not us, our thoughts. For viveka and vairaagya to serve us best, we need to have the control. This is where meditation comes to our aid. Not all of us can enter the transcendental, but we can all have 'down time'. Not, I hasten to add, distracting the mind with films, books, or whatever other activity. All those are leisure and valuable to our general well-being but are not of benefit when seeking to bring calm to the storm of life. For that, we must learn to become empty vessels.
You've heard/read/seen it before... sit and commune with nature; watch and count the waves; address the clouds; huddle with a tree and let it whisper to you... refuse to let the thoughts of the office or home rage while you are in that space you have created for yourself. Tell them, 'be gone!' then keep bringing your mind into the 'ward' you have assigned yourself. Do this for half an hour a day. Longer. Longer, still. Banish the external until the mind has no more anchors there...
We could make list of what controls us.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
this is the best definition of how to meditate I have seen, this I can do and used to do when I was single. I would drive to the beach, put my chair in the edge of the waves and sit there for an hour or longer, listening to the waves and watching them roll in and out and listening to the birds calling. it calmed me completely. I also used to do that in our back yard here when our swing was in working order. sitting swinging back and forth watching the light on the pool and in the trees. we need another swing
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! It can be hard for me to empty my thoughts, my mind can race all over the place. Have a great day and happy new week!
ReplyDeleteI know that I have enjoyed the benefits of walks through meadows and forests my whole life. I have benefitted from shoreline rambles and streamside meanders, arduous climbs through mountain passes - and on and on. Yet I have never meditated in the way that you postulate. I see people these days offering prayers to the rocks, literally thanking the trees, and engaging in other metaphysical activities that are foreign and alien to me. But to each her own I say, live and let live.
ReplyDeleteMorning YAM so happy you are feeling better....guess what? Our pretty blooms are enduring snow and sleet here this morning. But only sticking to grass cars and decking. March is always unpredictable here. I do so love my EMW but not today
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
First, I see you have been under the weather and hope you have recovered. Second, my meditation practice, is essential to my wellbeing. It is in no way easy, but it is helpful. I have also adding daily grounding exercises and again, a work in progress but a helpful one.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about our home and property is that it's easy to hang out in our backyard and commune with nature. We enjoy hanging out on our patio and watching the dogs play in the yard while also watching for birds and butterflies. It really helps to clear the mind.
ReplyDeleteHaving a puppy who is looking for mischief at every corner has somewhat interfered with the meditative, or at least contemplative, aspects of nature walks these past months, but I think progress is being made!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
Lovely post, an oasis of calm in itself. And I really enjoy the quote you choose as well. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteI do agree meditation is tremendously rewarding. But managing half an hour is quite a task. The mind is such a loafer.
ReplyDeleteWe read somewhere about an artist who says her greatest creativity comes out of boredom which she brings on by sitting with herself and becoming that empty vessel. Xxx Mr T and F
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