9. (2019) Oṃ, IDP BMI. VO:

Let's take a second and meditate together.

The most psychedelic thing that ever happened to me was during a group meditation. My wife and I were invited to a Deeksha Giving session in Eugene, Oregon in 2007. I had been a sort of an off Soto Zen guy for years, but at the time I didn’t know much about Kundalini, Shaktipad, or Deeksha, as it was called in this case.

24/7 caregiving causes you to become creative to oftentimes maintain meaning of self. I’ve gone from journaling, to painting, working all kinds of puzzles to finally meditating. After searching Utube for about two weeks, I decided to try meditation.

Life is composed of a series of events that arise only to collapse. Nature is a perpetual work in progress – a process of infinite change. The rate at which change precipitates is beyond our brain’s capacity to calculate.

If there is one thing that I’ve learned through the years, it’s that the mind can be a powerful tool to help guide us and make sense of the world around us. It can help us create works of art, it can help us with various skills and talents, and it can even help us overcome challenges. However, despite the amount of good the mind can do, it can also do a lot of harm. While the mind has indirectly attributed to suffering in the world through creations and actions that have caused physical harm, it can also directly cause suffering to the individual it belongs to. This is usually brought about through ruminating on things that may cause fear, anger, or sadness.

Does the thought of meditation bore you? Do you find it difficult to sit quietly and calm your thoughts from the hustle and bustle of daily life? Perhaps you just haven't found 'your' method of meditation!

Introduction

This year, I really wanted to get a handle on my anxiety. So I set out to try the most popular remedies and I noticed a reoccurring theme. Meditation made the top of most lists. I had tried it here and there but never consistently. It was hard for me to focus and my mind would wander. Part of me was always skeptical of the process and would never commit to the idea.

The yoga world can appear really intimidating. Modern media depicts thin, fit practitioners with their ankles behind their ears and balancing on their heads. I get why a lot of people feel like they “can’t” do yoga! But that’s unfortunate, because the physical strength is such a small part of this greater lineage of practices for your body and your mind. I’ve been practicing for over five years and I still struggle with headstands! That doesn’t mean you can’t try yoga.

I first heard about Vipassana at the age of eighteen during my first year at University. I didn’t know too much about it, but I was intrigued and remember thinking that I would return to it in the future when the time was right.

It's easy to find playlists of cello music compiled for relaxation and mindfulness. Listening to the low, rich and reedy quality of this string family member can be soothing and uplifting, perhaps touching a nerve through its similarity with the human voice.