Go Fly a Kite!

As I tug on the string determined to conquer the crosswinds whipping our rainbow striped kite, my 7-year old nephew J. screams out "this is so much fun, Aunt Marie!!". Now I admit I am no master kite flyer, but J. thinks I rule. We stood out there one brisk afternoon last week (rare in Phoenix) happily flying a kite. Laughing when it torpedoed down, seemingly straight for us, and smiling from ear to ear as we watched our kite play in the wind. It seemed more like a dance with nature, a game of cosmic tug-of-war.

I had a blast flying this long-tailed kite, feeling like a kid without a care in the world, reveling in the simplicity of pure contentment (santosha). I wondered what thoughts this evoked in others who saw our high-flying kite. What immediately comes to your mind when catching sight of a kite jostling in the wind? Finding contentment or joy needn't be expensive, complicated or full of attachments. We found it in a $5 kite and a good breeze!

Turn Off the Bad News Channel

I am on a lifelong search. Sometimes I find this elusive elixir I search for, only to lose it once more. We all need it, yearn for it, curse at it when it goes away, but many of us can't seem to hold on it. Last week, once again, this lifesaving drug eluded me. Determined to re-capture it, I tried a new tactic. I turned off the 10PM news. And that night, I slept like a baby. Sleep, oh wonderful sleep! Overstimulating my brain with shootings, drug arrests, economic meltdowns & layoffs was just not conducive to getting my zzzzz's. Go figure. I don't consider myself a news junkie, but I like staying connected. Apparently, my brain needs to disconnect to recharge. A side benefit, apart from looking more rested, being less irritable and packing more energy, is I am finally catching up on some reading. It means I am dusting off that Yoga Journal from 2006 and reading it cover to cover. Not to mention the eternal stacks of half read books on my night table (I do rotate them, it makes them feel special).

Not getting enough sleep ages our biological clock, depletes our immune system and causes more stress-related symptoms. Try turning off the TV one hour before going to bed this week, or in my case, retreating to the bedroom and closing the door. My husband can watch the Suns game as long as he wants, I'm learning about that perfect backbend!

Do Not Disturb the Water

We see the mirror of ourselves in still water, not rushing water. I view my mind as the surface of a lake. Sometimes, it is as busy as prime boating season, with ski boats racing everywhere, and jet skis buzzing around. At other times, it is rippling endlessly, courtesy of a perfectly cast skipping stone. And still, there are those precious, wondrous times when the surface of that sapphire lake is a looking-glass mirroring the endless sky above. It is in those moments that I catch a glimpse of my soul...and smile at its beauty. May your meditation lead your mind to this unstirred water.

Meditation is hard!

I smile patiently and understandingly when I get that response from non-meditators. Ahh, patience. There's a simple, non-threatening word that most of us need more of. After all, everything we learned required some amount of patience. We didn't learn to tie our shoes in one day, although most of us don't remember that far back. Of course, kids today just Velcro their shoes. Meditation is no different than learning any other skill. It requires perseverance, patience and focus. We are re-training our minds to not think or judge. Notice I didn't say "stilling" the mind. I believe that is too lofty a goal when beginning to meditate. Let's just aim for not thinking or judging for now. That should be enough to keep your mind doing something. Because your mind wants to keep busy, have no doubt about it. As a test, try to stop thinking right now and aim to still your mind. The Buddhists call this "monkey mind". As soon as you've made the decision to stop the mind's fluctuations, it starts jumping around like a monkey from tree to tree. The most bizarre thoughts may come into your head, things you haven't thought about in years! I'm pretty amused with my mind when that happens.
Just tell yourself "Oh, just judging again" or "There's that monkey mind" and see where the mind takes you. It's called noting and is quite useful at consciously becoming mindfully aware. Try this for 5 minutes, aiming for once a day or at least 3X over the next week.