Out with the old and in with the new.
It may not be Spring but it's time for me to start new and fresh. Along with getting rid of my ex, week 1 and still holding strong, I am trying something else new. Buddhism.
Don't get all Judgey McJudgerson on me just yet, I am not a religious person and thankfully Buddhism isn't a religion. In a nutshell, Buddhism is about inner peace and being a good person. The Buddha was not and still is not seen as a God or a Prophet. He was simply awakened. Always seen as a human being, no more special or more important than anyone else, he was only enlightened with knowledge and understanding of the Universe. I won't go too deep into what Buddhism is because I am still learning myself but I'll be keeping you updating on how I am adding a dash of Buddha into my day to day life.
First of all I am meditating. Which is harder than it seems, but also a lot easier than it appears. You can meditate anytime and anywhere. On your way to work at a stop light, on your break, while exercising, in the bath, in bed before you fall asleep and even in bed with your lover. That's right, you can even meditate while you're having sex, actually some people consider sex a form of meditation because you are out of your head while you are intimate with someone. Crazy! Oh yeah, by the way Buddhism, unlike most religions, doesn't frown on the fun things in life. As long as you aren't hurting yourself or anyone else you can pretty much do anything you want as long as it is part of your path to becoming enlightened/awakened. Suck it conventional religious conformists!
So, why is it hard for me to meditate at times? Well, getting a chance to actually push all thoughts out of my head for more than a few minutes is rather difficult with my busy life and insomnia. If I'm not working I'm trying to sleep, you would think that would be the perfect time to meditate... yeah, shut up! It's not!
Anyway, the easiest way to meditate is to put on some soothing low music, light a candle, sit on the ground on a pillow with your legs crossed and hands resting easily on your knees (palms facing upward) and close your eyes. Start out breathing normally and get yourself "centered" which means comfortable and prepared to let go of the day. Take your first deep breath and let it out slowly, then your second breath breathe in deep and then deeper still til your lungs are filled with all your negative energy and thoughts, push them all out slowly. With every breath you should feel your body relax more and more, your mind should be focused on your breathing, the soft music and the little bit of light flickering behind your eye lids.
There is no specific time that you should meditate for, as long as you are comfortable and relaxed at the end of your meditation. What does meditation do for you on your path to awakening? Don't be so feeble minded, becoming more aware of your breathing makes you more aware of the stillness that is really all around you. Knowing you're oneness with the Earth and Universe is a teaching of the Buddha, we are all connected through the same Sun, Earth, Moon, air and water. Breathing in the air that connects you with the rest of the world is humbling on some level. Not to sound like the stereotypical hippie mind you, I am not going to change my diet or bathing habits anytime soon. Trying to incorporate the Buddhas teachings into my daily life will be a positive challenge that I am very excited to share with you, and I hope I can inspire you to add a dash of Buddha to your day as well.
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