Rhythm:
is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events.
side note:
Neurologist Oliver Sacks posits that human affinity for rhythm is fundamental, so much that a person's sense of rhythm cannot be lost in the way that music and language can (e.g. by stroke).
Why would someone blogging about their meditative journey begin with an explanation of rhythm? Good question, but there's no definitive answer. Several things come to mind for this particular day though! I woke up late today, tired from playing in the snow - I reckon. As I lay in the living room trying to will myself upstairs to my meditation room two songs popped into my head, "Bill Bailey" and "Dust in the Wind". Okay, I don't know about you but these songs don't belong together. So, I just assume that they were connected somehow to the morning interactions with my family.
I would feel remiss if I didn't tell you that I googled the lyrics to both songs, looking for words that pinged my soul as messages. They did not ping. So I let them go. Someone told me once that our minds register music faster than we register words. So often during my day a song pops into my head and I just chalk it up to my soul sending me a message. Often I don't know why the song came, I just try to be aware of them.
So I went upstairs to meditate with my children scurrying about the house. It's quite distracting you know, that's why I generally rise with the sun! There's no interference that way! Plus in Eastern thought rising with the sun is highly respected. I like that, being respected - even if no one really knows that's why I get up that early. Okay I've already digressed haven't I?
It was difficult to begin my meditation and even harder to stay put! But I so look forward to my journey that I made myself be still. I prayed for guidance, I listed my gratitude and I listened but didn't hear a reply, so I meditated hoping to still my mind long enough to gain wisdom and peace.
Fidgeting, distracted by number 1 sons downstairs gaming and number 2 son watching cartoons upstairs, I sat in easy pose with my right hand on my left pulse trying to focus hearing Sat Nam on each pulse beat. Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam (it means truth is my identity), Sat Nam... I finally got into a deep enough state to call for Lagan. Apparently and I'm just speculating I wasn't deep enough because I was still in the woods. This hasn't happened yet, I usual am in the Valley opening when I call for him! Not only was I in the woods when I called his name - I was crossing a narrow board across an alligator invested waterway! It required enormous balance not to fall into the water! Balance, Balance I kept telling myself as I carefully placed one foot in front of the other. Focus and balance that what it took for me to not fall off the beam! Whew I made it to the valley!
Lagan, I said when I saw him, I want to walk on the path like before. Can I please have a basket today - I like the virtues. Sure he said, and I looked down the path to see an enormous basket waiting for me - but I sensed it was in the future. He said first I had to perform a deed! A deed? What kind of deed, like yesterday, rescue the souls? He said, "life has to have it's own rhythm!" Huh? A rhythm? Like what? And another weird old song popped into my head, "Dancin yea!" (you know the BeeGees) I told Lagan that I didn't understand the reference - and he said that in order to be the light keeper (which was what I did yesterday in hell!, I had to have follow through. Follow through? What's that like?
"Carrying some project or intention to full completion - you never do that, you loose focus and fun off chasing happiness again!" Arrghh, seriously, I have to do the same thing everyday? "For life to unfold like a flower, you have to have rhythm." And you want to know what else he told me - that little creature said I had something organic wrong with my mind! Even in meditation I get annoyed, so I didn't bother to ask him what he meant. I have a pretty good idea he was talking about how easily I loose focus. An ant on the window ledge can distract me for 10 minutes! So I meditated some more, hoping to gain focus!
Funny thing is that I was only in meditation for a short while but the flowers in the valley all bloomed and the seasons changed too! It was if I had been sitting there for a whole year. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter! Complete with leaves changing, snow falling, rain and sunny days! It was so beautiful. The soul is an elusive creature isn't it. The mind has the most amazing abilities. Maybe I somehow waste my ability by not finding my own rhythm?
I came out of my meditation and made notes because I knew I wouldn't have time to blog today. It's been twelve hours since I meditated and I noticed that life happens slowly. All day the snow only melted a little, no trees turned green before my eyes and no flowers bloomed while I watched. But people say "life comes at you fast." I am aware of this in respects to tragedies but on an ordinary day, I do not take note of this rapid succession of life's happenings.
To say I understand any of this would be a lie. Maybe the more questions I ask the more I'll understand. Let's hope that's true. Now I'm off to find my sleep rhythm so I can wake up and visit Lagan....and apologize for being rude when he said I had something organically wrong with my mind!
Blessings!!!
