Meditation
We live in an amazingly busy world and everyone is rushing to get from here to there. Why are we so busy? What are we really trying to accomplish? What would happen if we just slowed down and enjoyed each moment for what it is, a moment, the only moment that exists? I believe this skill set is greatly enhanced by meditation.
We live in North County San Diego and the town just south of Carlsbad is Encinitas. I believe Encinitas is the center of holistic healing in the US. If it’s not, it’s pretty damn close. There are so many people that live in this area who are focused on a spiritual path. The Self Realization Fellowship, the beautiful space created by Yogananda, is in Encinitas overlooking the ocean. There are probably more yoga studios and healthy living businesses per square mile in Encinitas than anyplace else I’ve ever been. And, we live right by the ocean so there is no need to play music with the sound of the ocean, just walk there and listen to it naturally. We have a chance to experience a different life than most.
Having come from a hard core upbringing in NY, where everyone is chasing something, North County San Diego is a huge change. Ilise calls me a Californian all the time. Well, if meditating on a daily basis and looking to find a sense of inner peace is being a Californian, I’m all for it! When I lived in NY everything was about accomplishment and winning. From 7 am – 7 pm it was all business. There was nothing on anyone’s mind other than making a living, going to the office to get sh*t done. Now, I love getting sh*t done too, but at what cost and where does meditation fit into all of this? I believe it’s true that many highly driven individuals meditate and still go at it fill force, but for me meditation has slowed me down.
For the past 50 plus days I have meditated at least once and many times more than once. When we traveled for 6 months I meditated every day for the final 100 days or more. The time in between I didn’t meditate regularly at all. I can tell you that my peace of mind and my well being are so much greater when I’m meditating regularly. My meditation practice allows me the ability to slow down my mind, to realize that everything that we see, everything that we experience are just thoughts in our mind. In the end we create our own reality and the practice of meditation allows me to see that.
As for the actual practice, I’ve tried two different apps on my phone, Headspace and Calm, and I find the female voice on Calm to be much more soothing to my mind. I have gone through many of their guided meditations and enjoy the process of being brought back when my mind wanders. I’ve considered attending some meditation intensives in the coming months to see what it’s like to live inside our own mind for an extended period of time. I believe that will help me understand myself even more. I’m no expert at all, but if you ever have any questions about meditation, about how it might effect your life, please feel free to ask. I hope to never go through another day without taking the time to recharge my mind.
Connecting the dots ….. one dot at a time!
Larry Kesslin 