From what little I know about the readers of this blog, many are not interested in meditation. I can understand that sitting still for x number of minutes sounds less than exciting. However, doing so can lead to good things. The practice is the cheapest, most direct way I know to appreciate the miracle that you, your brain, your mind, your conscious mind and all the other thousands of parts of you, actually are.
A good friend told me yesterday that she found that she can't meditate. She thought the goal was to sit with an empty mind and her mind keeps supplying ideas, memories, scenes, possibilities - many things to think about. But please understand that minds do that and it is fine. One just tries, tries (!) to stay alert and notice what the mind is playing with. Once notice takes place, the mind owner dismisses that subject and goes back to not dealing with anything just then. Bingo, here comes another charming subject, person, memory, hope, fear, thrilling sin that could be committed or regretful act that needs to be confessed. Sorry! Later - not now.
Behaving in this way for 10, 15 or so minutes, leads to greater awareness of what is coming to mind, what is seeking thought space and attention. In other words, what develops is what is being called "mindfulness". That is awareness of feelings, ideas that are seeking attention.
In the last few days, I have been going on about the book "The Buddha in Jail" by Cuong Lo. I downloaded the eformat of the book and read it. Exciting, interesting, motivating. I taught one lesson in a prison, at a teacher's invitation and found polite reception. I have the idea that many incarcerated men have led tough trying lives. The stories and backgrounds that Lo, a Buddhist prison chaplain in the Netherlands, recites show some of the difficulties humans can have being born, growing up and living.
The book has refreshed my interest in practicing mediation and paying attention to what thoughts and feelings come to mind when I do.
