simple sit?
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Well, like the meme says, one reason to meditate is simply because some questions can't be answered by Google. Though not my motivation, there's some truth sitting in that humour. Meditation does offer up some practicalities along with the de-jangling of my nervous system and general life-enhancement. Often an important thing I've forgotten will download amid the mind meanderings and occasional quiet interludes. Insight is an important aspect.
But the real reason I began meditating when I was 19 is because, quite frankly, I thought it was cool. I liked the identity of being a Spiritual Person, and at the time I understood that being a regular meditator was a key prerequisite for being a spiritual person. So I sat. Luckily I also understood that it was a practice, and getting good at it wasn't part of the deal. That helped when the band of wild monkeys let loose in my noggin had friends over. It's only a practice... It's only a practice... It's only a practice...
Now I meditate because I can't imagine not. It's been almost 40 years of dedicated sitting, and somewhere around year 17 I turned a corner where I stopped having to convince my bum it was okay being sore. One day I realized that I really really wanted to meditate and not because I liked identifying as part of the imagined spiritual elite. Rather, I realized that I was changing. I couldn't exactly track it as such, but there was a subtly obvious change in my life that presented as feeling better about myself. Happier. Healthier. More whole. Juicy.
So I sit. I take the 'nowhere-to-go-and-nothing-to-do' approach and try to be present, not manipulating my experience or trying to accomplish anything.
The retreat is my delight and happens each month whether someone joins us or not. It is what we do, and if it sparks others? Excellent.
But the real reason I began meditating when I was 19 is because, quite frankly, I thought it was cool. I liked the identity of being a Spiritual Person, and at the time I understood that being a regular meditator was a key prerequisite for being a spiritual person. So I sat. Luckily I also understood that it was a practice, and getting good at it wasn't part of the deal. That helped when the band of wild monkeys let loose in my noggin had friends over. It's only a practice... It's only a practice... It's only a practice...
Now I meditate because I can't imagine not. It's been almost 40 years of dedicated sitting, and somewhere around year 17 I turned a corner where I stopped having to convince my bum it was okay being sore. One day I realized that I really really wanted to meditate and not because I liked identifying as part of the imagined spiritual elite. Rather, I realized that I was changing. I couldn't exactly track it as such, but there was a subtly obvious change in my life that presented as feeling better about myself. Happier. Healthier. More whole. Juicy.
So I sit. I take the 'nowhere-to-go-and-nothing-to-do' approach and try to be present, not manipulating my experience or trying to accomplish anything.
The retreat is my delight and happens each month whether someone joins us or not. It is what we do, and if it sparks others? Excellent.