Stepping Stones

It’s so easy to get sidetracked, to caught up in the busy-ness of daily life. And even though I know the day will be better if it includes some time meditating, my prairie ethos has a hard time letting go of the notion that sitting = idleness. But I AM making time to sit each day, and although my mind is still that torrential waterfall, I’ve found a few things that help, and I’ve seen the faintest glimmer of progress…

Things that help:

1. I added offering bowls to my shrine. Valentino explained that the water in the bowls represents an offering anyone can make, even the most poor among us. He also said the 5 bowls represent the 5 senses. I love this – “offering” my 5 senses at the beginning of my practice helps me to settle in.

2. It occurred to me today that two of the lotus petals on my shrine form the shape of seated person looking back at me. This “mirror image” gives me a focal point, as if we are both breathing, and somehow, this makes it easier to focus on my own breath.

3. Some, but not much, coffee before I sit. No coffee, and I’m tense, anticipating the caffeine-junkie headache that will surely come. Too much coffee, and it’s hard to settle. One cup o’joe, though, and I’m both calm and awake.

4. Barefoot, no glasses. The more unencumbered I am when I sit, the less fidgety I am.

5. Re-reading the first chapters of Turning the Mind into an Ally, but NOT reading the last half of the book…yet. The last half of the book is about steps beyond simply peacefully abiding in the breath. If I ever manage to keep my attention on my breath for an entire sitting, maybe I’ll read on, but for now, being HERE is hard enough.

Teensy signs of progress:

1. I upped my time from 10 to 15 minutes. I wanted to.

2. Several times – for nanoseconds, really – I was aware only of my breath.

3. My dogs have learned to lie down quietly on the bed when I go to the cushion. This beats their previous licking my knees, wrestling with each other and ramming into my back, whining, or running up and down the stairs. 

And so we practice together. ;)