Meditation

Meditation

“We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement” (Chördön). I grew up a dancer, from age two my mother put me in my first ballet class and I have not been able to stop dancing since. Dance had always been a form of release for me. Looking back at it now, it was probably the first form of meditation I ever practiced. Considering it was the only time my mind was still and there was no need to judge any emotion that arose, it all found its own place in my movements. However, this passion began to dwindle with the intensity of competitive dance. It became this process of constant self-improvement, an seemingly race against other performers just as well. It lost the passion, it lost the meditative state, and it became another stressors in my life. That is just why I love Pema Chördön’s quote, because there is no need for self-improvement, we already have it all. That is what the continuation of my mediation practice has proven to me. “The practice of meditation is based, not on how we would like things, but on what is” (Trungpa).

Although we are still in the early stages of the semester, this class has revived my passion for dance. It has restored the meditative state that I knew and loved from such a young age. It is all about exactly how I feel in that exact moment. There is no room to think of ways to improve, there is only room to feel the softness and gentleness that is in our truest nature. It is the most freeing thing to be able to feel comfortable in your own skin. Especially when you feel comfortable enough to attend to your body and mind with the energy and attention it deserves. Without any sort of worries to distort what is truly needed.

“When we sit down in mediation, we are instructed to sit very still like a mountain or a carved statue of Buddha, to let go of extraneous motions, gestures, or nervous movement habits” (Johnson). Beginning class with sitting mediation is absolutely transformative. It gives me time to settle in to the present moment and consider my intentions for class. It provides space for whatever needs to arise come and a place for me to have the ability to watch as they go. However, I do not believe that meditation is restricted to stillness. In fact, I feel many people misunderstand what is meant by stillness. “It is important to recognize that, when applied as a value to the process of mediation, stillness refers to the gradual softening and quieting of the body and mind” (Johnson). Therefore, it is not really about being motionless, but rather about providing space to quiet the mind and body in order to be in tune with the synchronicity of our basic nature. In fact, Will Johnson explains how the presence of motion is what brings all life together on a common ground.

Without motion life would be very dull. While I believe in practicing stillness, I find comfort in the meditative state of motion. It is a different way of exploring our true nature, by letting anything arise. It allows us to open up to the world and listen to what is happening within. I believe there should be a time to practice both without any resilience. Just as we practice the touch and go method in terms of our thoughts in sitting meditation, touch and go is important in terms of our sensations. It is important within mediation we listen and feel and attend to these sensations, but do not hold on to them or judge them in any way.

The ‘find your place’ assignment helped me to realize my appreciation for the meditative practice of wind horse. When the assignment was given I had considered how I would incorporate this practice in my daily routine. That week my boyfriends parents had been in town, so we had been going out to eat a lot throughout the week. So I figured I would challenge myself to take this practice on as I looked to find my place at the dinner table. At every restaurant we entered I awaited our hostess. As she was ready to seat the five of us I would stop, close my eyes, and connect myself with the earth bellow and heaven above. From there I would open my eyes and find my place at the table.

At first my choice of practice made me feel uncomfortable, but that was all the more reason why I though it was important to continue working with it. I realized that I had been letting everyone else’s curiosity of my actions make me feel awkward. So rather than letting these worries take away from my experience, I invited everyone to join me. Everyone was evidently unsure at first, but after the second dinner it clearly became a rejuvenating practice for all of us. It not only made going to dinner more exciting, but it opened up a lot of unexpected space for all of us to connect on different levels. Each night we all ended up sitting next to someone else, experiencing dinner from a different angle and in new company. It created a beautiful space that made us all loosen up in order to truly open up.

If the presence of motion is common denominator of living things, imagine what the world would be like if we all moved to the beat of our own heart, in the purest way. I imagine that would produce quite a beautiful melody to live among. Through these meditative practices creativity has sparked quite fluently within my journals. I believe the last stanza to a poem I wrote inspired by these practices sums up my point gracefully.

“Dig deep into your soul,

You will discover new and old.

Shine light upon what is in hibernation.

Mold your own path, instead of back tracing.

Life is short, but you can make it worthwhile.

Live fully, find what brings out your true smile.

Hold onto the good, release the negative, & construct the best.

Eternal bliss indeed exist, it just blends well with the rest.

So open your mind, embrace your soul, & move to the beat of your heart.

You will stumble across happiness one day, but there is only one way to start.”