Tag: Spirituality

Developing your Meditation Practice, Stage 1

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There are a number of simple stages in the establishing of a consistent, daily, meditation practice.  The preparatory stages can be found in the link in the header entitled “Starting a Meditation Practice”  and they concern time, place and posture. This series of posts will move us on from those important preparatory elements.

Once we have established our posture and relaxed the body, we begin by placing our mind on the breath. In other words, we consciously and deliberately take our mind from wherever it has been up to that moment and focus its attention simply and gently on the awareness of the breath. We are conscious that we are letting go. We knowingly mark a change from what we were doing to this activity, to the next ten or twenty minutes of awareness of the breath. So three elements: settle the posture, deliberately change the focus, recognize thoughts and let them go. We gather the mind which has been scattered on a number of activities up to that point and begin to focus it softly on the simple act of breathing.

This is the the first part of the first stage, turning our attention to  the breath, marking a change from what activity we were engaged in up to this point.

Lent

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The word Lent, as I said before, comes perhaps from the Old English and refers to the lengthening of the days in Spring. However, the latin name for this period is quadragesima meaning “forty”, and reminds us that one of the inspirations for this period is the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert. So one way we can regard this period is that it reminds us to simplify, in a more focused way, in order to reflect upon the real priorities in our lives. Remove clutter, spand less time in front of the TV or internet, set aside time for reflection, writing, and walking.

“It seems to me that the strangeness and wonder of existence are emphasized here by the comparative sparsity of the flora and fauna: life not crowded upon life as in other places but scattered abroad in spareness and simplicity, with a generous gift of space for each herb and bush and tree, each stem of grass, so that the living organism stands out bold and brave and vivid against the lifeless sand and barren rock. The extreme clarity of the desert light is equaled by the extreme individuation of desert life-forms. Love flowers best in openness and freedom.”

Edward Abby, Desert Solitaire

Talking to God

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The grass beneath a tree
is content and silent.

A squirrel holds an acorn
in its praying hands
offering thanks,
it looks like.

The nut tastes sweet;
I bet the prayer added
to its taste somehow.

The broken shells fall on the grass,
the grass looks up
and says
“Hey”

And the squirrel looks down
and says
“Hey”

I have been saying “Hey” lately too,
to God

The formal way was just not working

Rumi

St Francis de Sales

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Today is the feastday of Saint Francis de Sales. He is the patron of Geneva Diocese and was based in the lovely French town of Annecy. He was known for his gentleness and good humour. Sometimes religious practice can lead to a certain rigidity and severity of attitude. Not so Saint Francis.

I like this quotation from him. Sometimes inner peace is disturbed by one’s own mind, so mindfulness practice, in noticing our thoughts, helps keep an inner balance. It reminds me of the saying from Thich Nhat Hahn, Life is short so we should smile, breath and go slowly.

Never be in a hurry;
do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.
Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever,
even if your whole world seems upset.

Facing up to Loss

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Traditionally, in the Christian yearly calendar, November is the month for remembering those who have died.The roots of this tradition are probably found in the basic human awareness of the approach of winter and the shortening of the days. As well as reminding us of the impermanence of all things, including our health and life, it helps us reflect on the other losses which we face at times in our lives, such as when faced with change, or sickness or having to move. The most basic practice in these moments is to be aware of the feelings these losses provoke and not to run from them.

“On some basic yet very deep level all of us feel fundamentally alone, and until we face this directly, we will fear it. Most of us will do almost anything to avoid this fear. Many, when faced with the fear of aloneness, get extra busy, or try to find some other escape. Ultimately, however, the willingness to truly feel the fear of aloneness and loss is the only way to transcend it. It’s also the only way to develop intimacy with others, because genuine intimacy can’t be based on neediness or on the fear of being alone.”

Ezra Bayda