Monthly Archives: March 2013

Here’s the thing about meditation, at least by my definition/interpretation. It does not always mean one must sit in lotus position, in front of some incense laden altar to The Buddha, close one’s eyes, and seek the meaning of existence. You can meditate at just about any time or any place. All it takes is the desire to remain silent and try to be fully aware of, and one with, the present moment.

For instance, when was the last time you just sat in a room for five minutes and simply tried to observe it by checking in with all of your senses? For me it was just five minutes ago as I write this.

I laid in bed having just tucked my daughter in to her’s for the night. My wife had gone downstairs to finish cleaning up the kitchen. So, I pulled up my favorite meditation timer on the iPhone, set it for five minutes, put it down on the nightstand, and started. I just laid there. Eyes open. Watching the light and the walls and the wardrobes. Listening to the sounds I heard in the house. Listening to the sounds I could hear outside. I tried to notice each place my body touched the bed and my hands felt my heartbeat as they lay across my chest. I then began to see how many of these things my working brain could realize all at once and not as individual parts as I brought focus on them. Knowing that my subconscious brain did, in fact, process the senses and so much more all at once.

My point being that this was meditation. One could do this in a checkout line or in an office at work. One could decide to take that time and simply be present as opposed to reaching for the closest distraction. The more complicated you believe (or let people tell you) meditation is, the less likely you are to do it. Yet, it is something that can bring true and lasting comfort to your day. Therefore, make it simple.

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Seems |rtyar|referrer|ythaa
like such a simple question doesn’t it. We likely get asked it at least a dozen times on a busy day in at least as many ways.

"Howya doin’?"

"How’s it going?"

"What’s up?"

Whether we are good or bad or so-so, we usually answer with a curt response. "Good" or something positive is a most common one, even if some of the time a lie or not nearly as close to truth. "O.K." is often used. Yet, very rarely do we say, "Terrible" or something negative. After all, to give someone details might scare them off or, perhaps worst, invite them in. As if we are the only ones in the world to have both good days and bad ones.

So, here is an assignment. The next time you are asked, tell the truth. Give some detail as to why that truth is your truth. Invite them in. Because I believe that, despite what we may think, people really do have the time to care and want to. By answering with our canned response we are robbing them of the opportunity to do so. More importantly, we are robbing ourselves of the possibility that what they have to say in return might change our day around for the better.