Meditation and Mindfulness

Can you remember the last time you didn't have a thought running through your mind? Can you remember the last time you smiled at a stranger and truly wished the best for that person? Can you remember the last time you weren't thinking of the past or future but were entirely in the present?

My dearest friend, Abhi, sent me a book called "The Power of NOW" by Eckhart Tolle. Every word, every sentence, every page...I cannot find the right English words to describe it. I could use powerful, clarity, any word but it can't possible do it justice. It's like standing on top of mountain and being completely overcome by the view, the awe, the moment. You can't describe it, can't label it; you have to experience it. Let me try to "explain" it.

I always start with breathing meditations. By focusing on your breath in a number of ways, you are bringing yourself into the present. You are only conscious about your breath - how it feels, the coolness of an inhale, the warmth of an exhale - and not thinking about what you did earlier in the day or your plans for the rest of the day. Find a comfortable place to sit and make sure that you are grounded. Some prefer to sit cross-legged on the floor but sitting in a chair with good posture and feet firmly on the ground also work. My personal favorite is sitting against a tree to be extra grounded; surprised? Now close your eyes. Do a quick body scan - feel the pressure of the ground on your feet and legs. Feel the spine holding you tall and strong. Feel the shoulders and arms relaxed by your sides. Now focus on your breath. Count breaths if you like to keep focused in the present. Breathe normally; your breath will deepen naturally. Try to stay focused on your breath as long as possible. When you notice your mind drifting from the breath, gently acknowledge that your mind is elsewhere and bring it back to the breath. 

My other favorite meditation is one of love and compassion. Again sit comfortably and grounded to Earth. Close your eyes and bring your attention inside your body. Focus on an object/God/Goddess/person that you feel embraces the concept of love and compassion. For some, it might be your mother or father, grandparents, a religious figure, or a young child. Or it might be embracing the feeling you had when you first held your baby. Whatever it is, focus on that feeling and image. Let that feeling cascade over you. Some would call it a "warm fuzzy feeling." Now try to extend that feeling into everyone in the room. The building. The city. The state. The country. The continent. The hemisphere. The entire World. Focus on compassion and wanting the best for absolutely everyone and everything. Just try it.

Another thing I've noticed is how similar religions truly are. After being raised Catholic and exploring other religions, the similarities are striking. We really aren't different from each other at all. We are all striving for the same thing - an end to suffering. Some believe the ultimate end to suffering is called Heaven; some call that Nirvana. We try to get there in different ways. Just think, who wants to be suffering when they can be at peace?

Have some quotes. Maybe one of these will strike a chord.

*Words have the power to destroy or heal. Words that are both true and kind, they can change our world.

*The heart is like a garden; it can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there? 

*We are not independent but interdependent.

*Stay centered, do not overstretch. Reach from your center, return to your center.

*Take time everyday to sit quietly and listen.

*We inter-breathe with the rainforests, we drink from the oceans. They are part of our own body.

*If you wish to know the Divine, feel the wind on your face and the warm sun on your hand.