Thursday, January 3, 2008

Morning Meditation


Mr. Wizard and I have a very inconsistent meditation practice. But we do continue to try to incorporate meditation and prayer into our daily lives. One of the things we had hoped to find on Dominica was the time and space to expand these practices of spiritual unfolding. Unfortunately, our ability to be "too busy" and our procrastination followed us to the island like all the other character flaws we developed into full flower while living up North.

But this morning we did sit in meditation on the back veranda. I had a lot of difficult getting quiet, but I was able be present in the moment as we sat. Each breath was moist as soft rain fell making a dull pitapat on the leaves in the garden next to me. Birds sang their morning celebration song. The pug snored softly in his meditation.When I opened my eyes, a mist was rising from the verdant green hills before me and the living presence of this island was immanent. Of course humanity is immanent also, and a car screeched down the road, its driver probably late for work.

These are the moments which make me glad I am exactly where I am. The idea of listening to the furnace or A/C hum instead of hearing the birds and rainfall seems unfathomable. The image of hiding from the elements in a box, rather than being connected daily, seems an impossibility. All of the easy comforts of the Big World cannot make up for the prison life of house and job we once knew.

livingdominica: and glad she is here, today anyway.

2 comments:

Minerva said...

Lovely picture. Veranda seems like a right place to meditate. Your post reminded me of my last (succesfull?) attempt at meditation. It was here at the institute and I decided to try my best not to get distracted by a twitching nose etc and really try to see that light between my eyes. If others can, why not me? Well, it took some doing, but finally, a wee light appeared. Good, I thought, while the light started growing, became brighter and in it ...was a tiny, luminescent green frog. Suddenly the frog took a - large - for the frog's size -kayak paddle and ... hit me over the head. That was the end of that meditation, lol. (I found a plausible explanation for the frog: coquis were singing otside... but the kayak paddle? and being hit over the head... what did I do???)

Anonymous said...

Your back veranda looks like the perfect spot for meditation.
I meditated frequently when I first came to St. Maarten, often at the beach at sunset.
Over the years, I seem to have lost the daily ritual. I want to get back into it. The Caribbean has so many perfect spots to meditate.
Maybe that should be my new year's resolution.
Happy new year!
Barbara