What is Meditation? Meditation is a practice of stilling your mind.
What I'm trying to emphasis here is that meditation is a practice - it's about progress and not perfection. I often need to be reminded of this because I seriously love to be the best at something - it's like having to get A's when I was in College! I demanded them of myself and mandated that you show me how to achieve them. I would settle for nothing less! But meditation doesn't work that way. I was reminded today of several basic facts as I experienced my meditative journey.
First off all things aren't always as they seem. I should never take anything for granted. Example: As Lagan and I strolled ever so slowly down the path a monkey jumped out in front of us and surprised me. My first instinct was to become the monkey. WRONG. Seeing the world from the Monkeys perspective is different than just becoming what I already perceive him to be. It came to me as I was pondering what stance to take that I was trying to tame a savage beasts. Hmm!? Taming the savage beasts is about letting our basic survival instincts run the show!
If my understanding of how this particular soul journey is working then I have hit the root of my being. Instincts. They have a purpose - but I can not be controlled by them like a wild animal. Ahh. Lagan smiled and said I was ready to go into the water again! aRRGHHGH...quite honestly, it frightens me. But I trust him now as he hasn't told me anything stupid to do...like the dog in Son of Sam! ha So into the water !!
I dove down and was drawn to a rock over near the right bank. The rock had the word courage written on it. I asked for guidance and was told to focus on blue. This seriously is a puzzle wuzzle kind of ordeal. But when things feel right - I trust that. If I asked what courage meant and felt this overwhelming desire to go shopping for expensive blue shoes - I would know - this was a fallacy. Down under the water I wanted to shed light on my darkness or shadows. So, the rock symbolizing blue and having the word courage on it means I have to speak my truth. What keeps us from speaking truth? Our shadows - insecurities, past wrongs, inferiority, all unbalanced and all negative.
Back on the bank of the water, I can never tell if it's a lake or river or channel...in case you're confused so am I! Lagan and I sat near the base of the majestic tree with our faces to the east. (rich in symbolism? the sun rises to the east, the leper at the east gate when Jesus walked by, Muslim pray facing mecca in the east, Buddha faced the east...) I had to focus on a spot on the ground. There was rich brown soil. After what seemed like forever a tiny green seedling pushed through and lay splayed open. Working its way up through the soil from the roots. 'Let Life Unfold Like a Flower!"
Planting seeds is a metaphor that has often come up in my life. (no pun intended!) I belong to a spiritual fellowship and the "planting seeds" is a main tenant of that fellowships survival. But that is a story for another day! I digress and get off track - hmmm, that is what Lagan says too! Okay, if two people tell ya you got a tale, ya better look in the mirror!
So, I watched the seed push through the earth. That doesn't mean it's safe, it just means that it has been germinated and it is trying to survive. There are no guarantees just like with life. Even the proper amount of water, nutrients and sunshine can not assure us that it - the seed - will grow. As I watched the seedling push it's way out of the dark soil, ah - another metaphor, the darkness of the soil means the seedling is reaching for the light! Viola - is that me? Hmmmm!!!??? Lagan said in his cooing soothing voice, "there is a place for people with an emotional IQ like mine." LIke OH ReallY? And where would that be? Ya wanna know seriously what he said, here's the reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj9_yW8tZxs
Did ya google it? Ok, stop laughing - "The Humpty Dance" How am I supposed to ever decipher the Humpty Dance as a metaphor for my place in life with my emotional IQ? Let me know if you have any ideas. And I'll let you know if I become enlightened!
Peace and grace -- Muah!
