MEDITATION

a damp blustery morning
weather for woodlice and snails
redeemed at least by occasional bursts of bright sunshine
unlike yesterday's dogged drizzle
the solstice
what an anti-climax
pity the poor druids at stonehenge
by ten o'clock
the night had settled in damp and unprepossessing
just like my mood
vague plans for an all-night picnic up on a local hilltop
come to nought
only a hot tofu curry briefly fires my jaded metabolism...
sunday morning
i surprise myself by rising at seven
and breezing through my yoga routine
that's five days in a row
the best i've managed for a while
everyone should do yoga first thing in the morning
before they start worrying about the daily grind
or turn on the today programme
or whatever they listen to
there should be a communal yoga hall
in every neighbourhood
beginning the day with some yoga poses
is like a tradesman
calibrating his instrument before starting work
or a cyclist
oiling his gears and tightening his brakes
a realignment of the body's muscles n sinews
clearing the mind of its incessant noise
more yoga
fewer health problems
more positive karma
less angst
more purposefulness
less aggression
more speed
less haste
or is it the other way round?
as well as the yoga
i've been trying a little meditation
another brilliant eastern invention
that could revolutionise western society
if only people would try
you may remember my new year's revolution
to be happy
well i can't say i've entirely succeeded
but i have started to dabble in my own way
and the effects are encouraging
the interesting thing about meditation is
you don't have to sit in a silent room
in the lotus position
heaven forbid!
i can't ever imagine getting anywhere near the lp
even if i practised every day for a hundred years
and silence is a rare commodity
amidst the roaring bleeping turbo-charged noughties
my provisional concept of meditation is
any attempt to control one's thoughts
to reign in the constant internal dialogue
to resist the primeval emotions
to withdraw slightly from the mental melee
and reflect on one's thought processes
matthieu ricard provides a good analogy:
an old man watches children at play
for the children
their games take on a life n death importance
for the old man
the children's concerns
are like passing clouds in the sky
the key element of mediation and happiness
is compassion
concern for the welfare of others
rather than the self
easier said than done for a typical westerner
who has been socially encouraged
to assume that a lifetime's pursuit
of his own self-centred concerns and desires
is exactly what he should aspire to
"suck-cess"...
my experience over the last few months is
that if i am feeling worried or anxious
more than likely
it's because i'm dwelling
on my own petty desires, dislikes and delusions
a chained victim of my own blessed ego-a-go-go
my mistake is in failing to contemplate
how does he or she feel?
what does that creature feel?
how can i help to relieve
that person or sentient being from its suffering?
for suffering is the one constant in the universe
and therefore the ultimate goal must be
to reduce suffering rather than adding to it
the challenge is
to constantly keep these thoughts uppermost
instead of reverting back to the old habits
and that's where the meditation comes in
it can be just a few seconds
it can be on the bus
in the street
on the loo
it can be as simple as checking a momentary surge of anger
stopping
focusing the mind
and letting it melt away
like a ripple across a pond
no lotus position
no silent darkened room
no excuses