Several months ago I did a post by the name of "Going Within." It was a post that went through the different stages of getting a meditation practice together.
In a completely unrelated conversation with my sister, Darlene Markarian, she told me that she had initiated a meditation practice. She stated she was not very good at it and that she was having some difficulty in making it a regular occurrence. That sentence probably sums up meditation better than anything I've ever heard. I was so excited to know that I had reached someone, and especially someone that I have looked up to for so long.
So, Darlene, this blog is dedicated to you. It is with hopes that I can help you improve on your meditation shortcomings and get someone else to meditate. I was not regularly meditating when we talked, but that has changed. I am now meditating for about 15 min. every morning, every day. ( And I'm not very good at it!)
Chogyam Trungpa, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, wrote a brilliant book titled "Shambhala - The Sacred Path of the Warrior." in the book he gives one of the better descriptions of a simple meditation that I have seen. He begins "Meditation practice begins by sitting down and assuming your seat cross-legged on the ground or in a chair. You begin to feel that by simply being on the spot, your life can become workable and even wonderful. You realize that you are capable of sitting like a king or queen on a throne. The regal mass of that situation shows you the dignity that comes from being still and simple."
The upright posture comes naturally when sitting simply, but proudly. Then rest your hands on your thighs in a relaxed position. Find a spot approximately 6 feet in front of you and focus your gaze at that.
He continues "then, in meditation practice, as you said with a good posture, you pay attention to your breath. When you breathe, you are utterly there, properly there. You go out with the outbreath, your breath dissolves, and then the inbreath happens naturally. Then you go out again. So there is a constant going out with the out breath. As you breathe out. You dissolves, you diffuse. Then you're inbreath occurs naturally; you don't have to follow it in. You simply come back to your posture and you are ready for another outbreath. Go out and dissolve: tshoo; then come back here posture; then tshoo, and come back to your posture."
As you continue to do this thoughts will pop into your mind. Calmly dismiss them, saying "thinking." No matter what thought enters your mind simply say "thinking" and let them disappear.
Do not judge your thoughts, they are just your thoughts. They are not good or bad, they are just thoughts. Send them away, "thinking." Meditation will help align your mind and body and bring an amazing calmness.
And, with that, I am pleased to announce the first podcast done by the aging hippie. I will be working on it tonight and should have it done sometime tomorrow. Additionally, with the holiday season upon us, I am going to be creating a "guided grounding and centering meditation." of course, all of this will be linked to and centered on theaginghippie.com. It will be around five minutes long (we can all find five minutes) and will be perfect for relieving the Holiday insanity!
Please let me know of any success stories! It's wonderful to know that you're actually reaching someone.
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