Mindfulness

[pjthompson]

I have come to hate the drive to and from work. It's become a nightmare of bottled up traffic and frustrated motorists and I routinely find myself thinking of going on a shooting rampage. And I'm one of those lefty pinkos who doesn't believe people should be allowed to own handguns. Because of people like me who, if I had a little less self-control or my brain chemistry was imbalanced, might go on shooting rampages.

Then I had my wake up call last week, reminding me that I may still be living, but this world is at best a temporary home. The drive in was as horrid as it's been in the months before, but I took a deep breath that day. Several deep breaths. I let it go. And I noticed the sunlight shining through the new leaves of the trees, an aqueous chartreuse, and making a aura of crisp golden light around the older, thicker leaves. The patterns of life hold, no matter what happens or does not happen in our lives. The spring always returns. You can't hold onto the cold, churning darkness forever.

As if to reinforce the lesson, on the radio that day NPR had a story on Thich Nhat Hahn, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk who has many followers here in the West. I remembered going to see one of his lectures some years ago, and the charming way in which he conveyed his philosophy: staying in the moment, compassionate listening, mindfulness. All the things that have been missing from my commute.

I'm not a Buddhist but I've adopted many of their tenets. I can't completely support any philosophy which abjures the body. I believe we were given bodies for a reason, to learn from them—their failure as well as their strength. Our bodies are the only thing in this life that are ever truly ours to possess. All the rest is ephemera. I believe in some other spirit, but there is no incontrovertible proof that spirit exists, only faith. This world is all that we can truly know—while we yet live.

And so I remind myself every time the drive or anything else gets to be too much: "Sink your toes deep in the loamy earth and wiggle them. Stay in the moment, feeling the richness of life squeeze between those digits. Savor it while you can. Be mindful of our Mother and of yourself . Savor yourself while you can. Be good to yourself, so you can then make a better space in the world, so that you can be a compassionate listener to those around you who need help, so that they can be a compassionate listener to you when you need help. Remember your body is a creature of this world and no other. This is the first step in grounding yourself in the moment with your feet on the good, green earth."

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Wise comments indeed.

[pjthompson]

Now, if I can only remember my mindfulness. :-)

[everyonesakitty.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this...

Fred Charles Said:

[(Anonymous)]

I wouldn't call myself a buddhist, but I've read a lot of books on the subject, and think that they are onto something.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I wish I had you patience to be patient. ;-)

But yeah, we often let the little things consume way too much of our energy.

[inkbabies.livejournal.com]

Well said!
I'm not a Buddhist by religion for the same reasons, but I do agree with most of the philosophies...

(I came over from frostlight's lj, but I see you often in java_fiend's and a couple of other friends journals too. Mind if I friend you?)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this. It was just what I needed to read today.

[pjthompson]

Mind if I friend you?)

Not at all. And thanks for your kind words.

[pjthompson]

I'm so glad. :-)

[pjthompson]

You're welcome. I needed it, too.

Re: Fred Charles Said:

[pjthompson]

Can you imagine how better the world would be if we just followed those simple but powerful ideas?

[pjthompson]

I'm the most impatient person in the world and I let myself get tied up in such knots. If I'm good at anything, though, it's at reminding myself that there's another way to look at things.

[inkbabies.livejournal.com]

you're very welcome!