***Meditation that is Comfortable For You and Relevant to You

Meditation that is Comfortable For You and Relevant to You

Do you find the whole meditation thing intimidating? OK, I admit it: I do. Sitting cross-legged on an oriental cushion is, hmmm, unamerican? It's something. It's uncomfortable in more than one way. It's something that is 'not me.' There. I said it. So let's dismiss that concept. Maybe later.

Let's get down to our own basic physical reality. (l) Our body has a 'mind' of its own. All by itself, it is energetic or happy or bummed out or distracted, or whatever. It is a like horse that won't take our directions, often. (It is subject to electromagnetic weather or something.) Do you really realize this? (2) Our minds...we...believe reality makes sense. (Now, one could make a case that reality does not make sense, but that is another article.) We instinctively believe and accept that reality makes logical sense, so it is true for us. (Did you catch that distinction?)

So...let's say our body is melancholy but WE are euphoric (happy). What happens when this dichotomy, this disconnect, occurs is: Our minds jump in to MAKE this make sense. Our minds connect whatever is happening to the mood our body is in, and dictate: You are unhappy because X is happening.

Well, X might not REALLY make us unhappy at all. But we are in the habit of listening to our mind, so we believe what it tells us. There is not much harm in the whole thing at this point. Uh-oh, though: From now on, when X happens, we believe we should...(That is the operative word: should.) be unhappy.

Of course, this process happens regarding many other moods the body can be in; I just used 'unhappy' because that is the one that often causes the trouble. We might feel euphoric and fall in love with some misfit.

Now a ripple effect sets in. It is not just this one incident that our minds have policed; it is quite a few situations. Now, we go around reacting to things in an artificial way, in a way we think we should. 'Should' is the operative word here. 'Should' gets us, this way, into a world that does not make real sense and does not suit us or serve us. Step by step, we are farther away from our real feelings.

An example is in order here. Let's say your body (your physical consciousness) is edgy, irritated, resentful. Body chemistry is what makes it feel that way, nothing connected to what is going on. (It's the consequence of those allergies, or that fever.) Let's say someone walks into the kitchen where you are doing something. You are ready to take offense the moment this person appears, even before (he) opens (his) mouth. And ever after that, you are ready to be annoyed at this person. God help him.

Here is the meditation I propose for all of us: To go about our daily business paying attention to how we REALLY feel in our heart, in our gut, in our soul about what is going on right now. Keep track of this. Categorize this. Apply this to your sense of reality, and discard what contradicts your real experience. Let that be the process that swells into your sense of reality, instead of the random one based on how the body feels at the moment.

I propose an ongoing, minute by minute, tuning in to 'how I feel right now about what is happening right now.' To me, that feels just fine, feels acceptable. And it is a real meditation. Gradually, it will get us on a course that makes sense to whoever we really are at this place and time.

I wonder whether this is what all that 'mindfulness' concept is about. I admit I don't know. You are allowed to enlighten me.