We had the Sunday Introduction to Meditation Class at Yoga Bliss yesterday. We had had two segments of formal sitting meditation and a period of mindful walking. We explored shifting our awareness from the most accessible tactile sensations such as following the breath to the more subtle space of the mind from which all thoughts arise and subside.
We had a fascinating discussion about how meditation can shift our perspective. We agreed that it becomes most powerful when you can integrate it “organically” into daily life. This begins with intention but also a great willingness to resist the pull of habit, to interrupt our patterns of doing, doing, doing so that we can stop even just for a few moments of mindful breathing. It also involves being creative and flexible about what really works for you. That’s what I mean by “organic mindfulness.” Our intention and consistency fuels the power of the practice – it begins to work on us beyond the more “formal” periods of meditation.
In his article, Shifting Our Perception with Meditation, author and spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, describes how consistent meditation can gradually shift our perspective:
Though you can start meditation at any time, it’s harder if your life is chaotic, and if you’re feeling paranoid, if you’re overwhelmed with responsibilities, or if you’re sick. But even starting under these conditions, meditation will help you to clear things up a bit. Slowly you reorganize your life to support your spiritual journey. At each stage there will be something you can do to create a supportive space. It may mean changing your diet, who you’re with, how you spend your time, what’s on your walls, what books you read, what you fill your consciousness with, how you care for your body, or where and how you sit to meditate. All these factors contribute to the depth and freedom that you can know through meditation.
His counsel resonates with me because I’ve found this to be true. One of our meditation students recommended a beautiful course, 21 Day Mantra Meditation Journey with Deval Premal & Miten, a few weeks ago. Deva Premal and Miten explain that the power of mantra practice also depends on one’s intention. I found the course and began working with it.
As Ram Dass says calming the mind is really tough when you’re overwhelmed by life’s chaos. Mine includes anxiety and concern about several dear people who are very sick and a few ongoing conflicts that I can’t seem to resolve. This morning I recognized the familiar patterns of recursive thoughts, tight gut and rapid heart beat taking over. I used this beautiful mantra from the Prajna Paramitra Sutra to mindfully pace my in-breath and my out-breath: Mantra is the magic formula for transforming painful suffering into happiness according to the Tibetan Buddhism