On not getting hung up along the way...

I skipped a couple of days meditating because, well, I’m basically undisciplined. And because I had to go to a Santana concert. And because it was too hot. And…and…and. But I’m so glad I got back to the cushion this morning.

I’ve had a couple of interesting experiences during my meditations. My tendency, when something unexpected happens, is to shift my focus immediately from my breath to the “happening,” to my surprise at the thing happening, and then to a longminded (same connotation as “longwinded” except it’s mental, not verbal) overanalyzing of what it all might mean.

I had one of these experiences this morning. I won’t say what it was. Trust me, I’m not trying to be all mysterious and ooh-ah-ish; I’m just not saying because it doesn’t matter. This is the realization I had in that moment. It’s not that the experience should be quashed or completely disregarded – just that the only important thing at that moment was for me to come back to the breath. So I said to myself, “Self, that’s really cool, and I’m grateful for it, and it brought in some light & joy. Now get back to the breath.”

I work in academia, where mental gymnastics & analytical contortions are required daily calisthenics. You have no idea how liberating it was for me this morning NOT to dwell, deconstruct, pick apart, ruminate, examine, dissect, and otherwise indulge in the typical gear-spinning of my mind. Not only did I come right back to the breath, I came back with the uplifting beauty of an experience noted with a sense of wonder, then simply left to BE.