Pink Floyd - Time - YouTube
Time is a construct of the mind. It is an abstraction and a concept that is both flexible and malleable.
Do you remember how time seemed to crawl when you were a child waiting for Christmas?
Have you ever had a job that was so boring that time seemed to stop?
On the other hand, have you ever been so involved in an activity that time seemed to fly away?
Amazingly, my wife and I disagree, sometimes.
She tells me that needlepoint, quilting, and gardening are meditative.
Tai Chi has been called a “moving meditation”.
As always, words fail us.
It is true that Tai Chi, like the katas of karate and the intensity of thought that dissolves our concept of time when we are solving a mathematic problem, researching, or creating a written, painted, or sculptured piece of work all defy the concept of time that controls us when we are wage slaves or parents. But, can we escape the chains of time?
Yes, of course. We do it every day and we usually do it unconsciously.
Meditation, as I define it, is one of the most difficult ways to do so. When we sit, we become aware of aches and pains, strains in the joints, itches, and obligations that must be dealt with.
As I prepare to meditate, I often have to stretch and twist. I always have to loosen the muscles in my neck, and if a thought comes to my mind that requires immediate action, I will always postpone my meditation and either perform the needed work or write myself a note to remind myself of what is needed.
It is only then that I am prepared to meditate.
Are you distracted by noises? Put on some soothing music. I find that Brian Eno’s MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS (aka Ambient #1) is pleasant. HIGHER and ASCENSION (both are compositions by J.S. Epperson that are sold by hemi-sync.com) also put me in a meditative state of mind. But consider yourself warned: unless you want to go to sleep [and all three are great for helping insomniacs get to sleep] it is best to listen to these while sitting upright
By the way, if you are unfamiliar with the term “monkey mind”, you would be well advised to read a copy of Shunryu Suzuki’s book ZEN MIND, BEGINNER’S MIND.
Until next time,
Namaste
I have often been accused of being a monkey. Did you get my emails?