any bench is a meditation bench
Week One
A combination of curiosity and encouragement has brought me to the point where I will now begin my training in mind discipline. This will not be entirely new to me. Years ago, I had trained in a traditional karate dojo. My Japanese sensei saw some promise in me, although ultimately I am sure that I disappointed him. Perhaps now I can learn what he had been trying to teach me all along.
You have to agree to this process. I was asked to give my consent and silently, I did. It was not an easy thing to do. Later it occured to me that this was not about trusting the program or trusting my instructor. First, I had to trust myself. It may sound easy, but for me, that was a real step that needed to be taken. Eyes closed, lying down, we begin.
The initial guided meditation was enjoyable. I was not bored and I did not fall asleep. I was aware of my breathing. Several times I noticed that it had become suspended, perhaps for about twenty seconds until I realized what was going on, and finally took another breath.
Knowing that my instructor was guiding me to a deeper place, I amused myself by wondering if there would be any giant squid swimming by. I saw none, although I did see people from my recent life walking past. It seemed to be completely ordinary, and I didn’t think too much of it.
The traditional sound of a Tibetan bowl accompanied this meditation. Every five minutes there was a pause and a larger and deeper bowl would start to resonate. Six bowls, thirty minutes time and we were finished.
Sitting up, I felt quiet. Clearly I had been through something, but I was not interested in talking about it.
The next morning, I told my instructor that I was not feeling right. My throat was scratchy, my voice was rough, my eyes felt hot. I was coming down with a…
“You do not have a cold” was the absolutely emphatic answer.
Apparently there is a physical response to this mind work. My mind was clearing itself out and my body was paying the price. I began the homework, the five minute solo meditation. It was not easy. My back hurt, my legs refused to relax, my mind wandered. Thankfully, I was alone and my poor performance could not be observed.
Every morning I do the solo meditation. I had disappointed my Japanese sensei. I would not disappoint this instructor. Maybe that’s the whole idea.
This article was considered, prepared and written by a student of
Mind Body Performance Management