go-thebloglesstraveled

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

We must be very suspicious of the deceptions of the element of time. It takes a good deal of time to eat or to sleep or to earn a hundred dollars, but a very little time to entertain a hope and an insight which becomes the light of our life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

Tibetan Singing Bowls

Tibetan singing bowls (TSB) are a really vibrant addition to meditation. Personally, I opt for silent meditation, rather than guided meditation, but there are ways to incorporate TSB into both of these styles. These instruments are known for producing different vibration frequencies, and these frequencies are said to have healing properties. Whether or not they do have healing properties, feeling the vibration inside your head (if you are wearing headphones) can help you to climb into the moment. I say ‘climb’ because you can literally reach into these vibrations and feel them encompass you when you are in a state of meditation. It is an amazing meditation tool, and a new way to focus your mind while giving it a way to drown out other sounds and distractions.

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

A tent lakeside with views like this, doesnt get much better!📸: @rhysjsimms Find more at https://takemecamping.org

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

Simple Pleasures.

In this wonderful world of boundless media, there are a million definitions of pleasure. Traveling. Eating luxurious, exotic cuisines. Shopping. Online shopping. Et cetera, et cetera. Sometimes, it can get difficult to manage expectations. Happiness is as ambiguous a concept as pleasure and our culture has taken this ambiguity and commercialized it. Now, happiness seems unattainable without wealth, connections, opportunities. In my life, I make a concerted effort to manage my expectations and erase the inflated concept of happiness-as-a-product by finding simple pleasures that add small bursts of joy into my day. For me, a (mostly) daily simple pleasure is a cup of coffee. I only drink one cup of coffee a day and it usually comes from the Keurig machine provided in my office cafeteria. I look forward to this experience every morning. I revel in the feel of the hot mug in my hands, the smell, the taste of the coffee and CoffeeMate creamer swirling together in the mug. Although these little pleasures can be anticipated and looked forward too, I do not allow them to create expectations or waiting. If someone pulls me into a 20 minute discussion after I have just brought the mug to the desk, if I am out of my favorite creamer, if the machine is broken or the flavor I like is gone, it is okay. It is okay because I treasure my coffee but it is not an expectation, or a moment to be “pedestaled” and then lamented when the experience is affected in an unexpected way. By this same token, I do not wait for my coffee. Waiting is an act of pulling oneself out of the present. Simple pleasures are meant to inject simply joys in small batches and break up the overarching concept of ‘happiness’ and ‘pleasure,’ they are not supposed to create moments where we drop our present to wait on their fruition. Simple pleasures are how we combat the idea that ‘happiness’ relies on the back of something else.

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

Good people strengthen themselves ceaselessly.

Confucius

[go-thebloglesstraveled]

Simple Presence.

Being present is the latest catchphrase in a world living for the rush but dying for some peace. Being present is about entering into each moment and living it fully without the inhibiting contemplations of past and future. The past is gone and the future has no guarantee. But how does simple presence look? In what ways can it manifest for every person? For my practice, I monitor simple presence with physicality. If I am walking, I will take a moment to notice the flexing of my feet on the ground, the rush of air past my palms, the pace and gait of my step. If I am sitting at my desk staring into my computer, I will take a moment to pull off my glasses, blink my eyes, flex my wrists, and move my body. In these actions, I am taking stock of my body’s present position in my life and in the greater scape of the world. I am taking a moment to realize every detail of the physical objects of my life, including my own body. It may seem crazy to imagine your body in the span of the universe, but these real moments of awareness help to propel your mind into this reality. In these moments, I am forced to consider exactly what my body is doing and this helps me to refocus my mind. While meditation is an important part of my development, I think of these actions as small meditations throughout the day that center me in my world. Gaining simple presence is just a matter of choosing to stop and take a moment to collect and reflect. Choosing to focus on physical elements of the present is something I do to counter the concept of total metaphysical reality. While it is vital to understand the human body and soul in these two realms, centering the physical body in the physical landscape can help to feed the mind in ways I never expected.