A Yen for Zen

Meditation. Contemplation. Prayer. Clearing the mind. All concepts being touted as helpful to sustaining the ability to live in the moment, to be "mindful". Meditation has been shown to help with emotional issues including anxiety and stress, and to enhance physical health by lowering blood pressure, increasing oxygenation of the blood via deep breathing and improving sleep. But here in the West, meditation practice is often linked to the idea of long hours twisted into the lotus position, chanting mantras and gaining enlightenment. Not that enlightenment wouldn't be a welcome visitor to our stressed, harried lives. But, unlike cultures who grow up with meditation being as much a part of their daily life as bathing or eating, we Westerners (wrongly) assume that there is a "right" way, time or duration in which to meditate, and we simply can't fit it into our already packed schedules. The truth is, meditating can last as little as a few seconds, and can be done standing, sitting, laying down or in almost any position in which we find ourselves. Standing in line at the grocery store is a particular favorite of mine. I use the time to take deep breaths, focusing my attention on the sensation of my lungs unfurling in my chest, and the feeling of the breath exiting my body as I exhale. Walking my dogs is an opportunity to try walking meditation. Instead of planning my grocery list or perseverating about an argument with my wife, I notice how my heels make contact with the sidewalk, the different parts of my feet following suit until my toes push off the cement for my next step. When I am feeling an intense emoTion, like fear or anger, I try to remember to "watch" my thoughts that are fueling those feelings. I imagine the thoughts filling my mind like a cloud, and then a breath of cool air clearing the cloud from the field of my mind. These simple, short exercises have a remarkable ability to positively affect my mood, my energy and even the tension in my body. As experienced meditators know, these efforts are called a "practice" for a reason - we will never become experts. More than a few veteran practitioners have reminded me that the truly wise know that the practice of meditation will never be mastered, and the more one practices, the more one realizes there is no "end point." And there's something freeing in feeling like I don't have to do it "right" to reap the benefits. So instead of berating yourself for not having the time or knowledge to effectively clear your mind, try washing the dishes with a focus on the rainbows glistening in the soap bubbles, or noticing the individual feathers on the robin outside your window. Enjoy your next cup of coffee with a focus on the swirls your spoon makes in the liquid as you stir. Remember, you don't need to do it perfectly. You just need to start.