I would like to say that I rested. I cannot say that. I can say, however, that I spent 20 minutes on the meditation cushion and had some difficulty quieting the mind. I just wanted to think about stuff. That’s the real difficulty, isn’t it, because it’s one thing to sit on a cushion withContinue reading “On the Seventh Day of 2025. . .”
Tag Archives: meditation
On the Fifth Day of 2025. . .
. . .I had a nightmare of sorts in the duration of sleep between 7:30 and 9 AM. It was one of those deals where you wake up too early, say, 6, and lie awake hoping to sleep again for something like an hour and a half, and then suddenly you’re out, dreaming these super-realisticContinue reading “On the Fifth Day of 2025. . .”
#545: How to Move Forward
Today I spent several hours moving the leaves around the yard.Our house is surrounded by gigantic oaks and every year we get absolutely buried. Because I can only afford to hiresomeone a few times a year, every November I begin the workof prepping for leaf removal by a great and laborious shifting. I blow leavesContinue reading “#545: How to Move Forward”
#502: Walking Meditation with Reactive Dogs
Walking Meditation with Reactive Dogs I set my timer, three bells chime, and we’re offon the walk, myself and the two dogs on the double lead. We walk and I focus on the breathing in and out while smilingbeatifically. They start to pull and the big dog begins barking at nothing.She does this for aContinue reading “#502: Walking Meditation with Reactive Dogs”
#478: So I resolved in the new year to try . . .
So I resolved in the new year to trya meditation practice once againafter a two-year mindfulness dry spell.Not entirely mindlessness, but close. For whatever reason, I could not sitand my cushion languished without me.But during that whole episode, I knewsomething was wanting, something was amiss.It’s not enough to write a ten-syllable line; no amount ofContinue reading “#478: So I resolved in the new year to try . . .”
On the Twenty-first Day of 2024: The Numbers, Again
Number of bicycle rides in 2024: 5 Number of walks I’ve taken: I wasn’t counting. Let’s estimate that I went for a walk with the dogs maybe 7 times in 21 days. Number of alcoholic beverages consumed: 0 Number of times I wanted a drink really bad but nevertheless resisted: 5 Number of dreams I’veContinue reading “On the Twenty-first Day of 2024: The Numbers, Again”
On the Ninth Day of 2024: Just Sit and Breathe
Sometimes meditation is difficult. You’d think it’d always be easy; after all, one just sits and breathes. Right? How hard can that be? Most of us do a lot of sitting. And all of us are breathing all the time. Here’s the thing–our breathing (for the most part) is not a conscious choice that weContinue reading “On the Ninth Day of 2024: Just Sit and Breathe”
On the Seventh Day of 2024: The Numbers
Consecutive days of meditation: 7. Number of walks taken with dogs: 3. Consecutive days of sitting meditation, on a cushion: 6. Consecutive days of walking meditation, with dogs: 1. Chances that walking meditation with dogs was more successful than sitting on a cushion without dogs: 0. Consecutive days of bicycling: 5. Cups of coffee consumedContinue reading “On the Seventh Day of 2024: The Numbers”
On the Fifth Day of 2024: Meditation Method
I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching. Ralph Waldo Emerson Stuff coming out, stuff going in. I’m just a part of everything. Peter Gabriel My meditation practice, as I discovered it some twenty-three years ago now, has been to sit in silence, either alone or with a group. EvenContinue reading “On the Fifth Day of 2024: Meditation Method”
On the Fourth Day of 2024: Chipmunk Instagram
I don’t know how long I will keep this up. It’s late in the afternoon now and I have had a somewhat productive day so far. Meditation, bicycling, breakfasting, coffee making and coffee drinking, making a silly reel for instagram, picking my boy up from school, grabbing lunch at Panda Express (my only mistake ofContinue reading “On the Fourth Day of 2024: Chipmunk Instagram”
