Lighten Up Meditation

Change your life - learn to meditate!

health

You are what you eat.

You are what you eat.

by ·

Or more accurately: You feel what you eat.

I have recently gained a new appreciation for this.

My entire adult life, I have used food as a crutch or a panacea to change my emotions. It’s the socially sanctioned way to cope.

This is not me. But it may as well be.

Of course we know that food affects health.

We can all appreciate that a diet of junk food and candy is going to show up over time in the appearance and function of the body. Just like smoking cigarettes is associated with lung cancer, sugar is associated with negative impacts on health. You already know them.

And yet, at least so far in this culture, it is totally acceptable to use food in this way.

I have intellectually known this for years and years (as I’m sure you have too) and I still never let it get in the way of my own behaviors. Have a bad day? Get some Doritoes. Or more recently, donuts. Anyone who knows me knows about the donuts.

Or just come out of a tough meeting at work, and go for a cookie.

The hit is near-instant. The rush. The little elation.

What could be the problem with that?

After all, it’s only a FOOD. And totally legal, and not even anything to be ashamed about. (Unless you’re a person of size, and then heaven help you that you be seen eating anything in public.)

Heck, we celebrate big milestones with CAKE!

Birthday cake. Wedding cake. Retirement party cake. Any excuse for a cake.

Or cupcakes. Or cookies. Or jellybeans, or chocolate. Nothing that a little 50-carb morsel of indulgence won’t fix.

I saw nothing wrong with this, myself, given how much I thought sugar was my friend.

I’ve recently been introduced to Geneen Roth’s Eating Guidelines (thank you, Sue!) and what she says makes sense to me, but I puzzled over how it could be effective in really bringing about change in one’s weight. I haven’t exactly embraced them or started to live my life by them, and yet, they must’ve sunk in without me expecting it (as Truth has a way of doing). I was reflecting on what I perceived to be Geneen’s overall message: That food is a symptom. When we are out of alignment, then it is reflected in [how we feel about] our bodies.

Have you ever heard of an Enlightened Master who was overweight?

Oh. Well actually, yes. But I haven’t ever encountered one who gave a shit about his or her weight.

As Byron Katie says, “When I found The Work, cigarettes quit me. Overeating quit me.”

It’s not “me” doing the quitting. “I” am clearly incapable of that, or I would’ve stopped using sugar as a drug a long time ago.

And that’s what it comes down to. Sugar is totally a drug. I take a hit of a donut and I momentarily “feel better” — but it’s an absolute illusion. I don’t really feel better. There is a high that masks over the whatever-it-is that I didn’t want to feel.

And then later, whether later that day or the next morning, I feel like incredible crap. I feel bloated. I feel thick. I feel heavy, not in a physical way but like I’m living under sludge. I do not feel my best. I do not feel the high of happiness that is so often a part of my life.

But here’s the awful part: When I am in a down-cycle of difficulty, when I am in a rut of continuing to choose sugar (or whatever other drug – might also be red wine or beer or anything that numbs me) then I may continue to grab for that quick-fix relief from the challenges I am feeling. And I may be (seemingly) unable to break the chain and allow these substances to pass through me sufficiently where I can break through the surface of that sludge and touch the Light again.

It is (apparently) only when I have a certain modicum of balance in my life, when I’m doing the Right For Me things, like working out, and meditating, that I have the increase in awareness that lets me even perceive the horrible effects that sugar can have.

(It’s not actually just sugar for me – it’s carbs. Carbs are the problem. Almost all carbs are really tough on my state of mind.)

I say “apparently” in that sentence because there is a part of me (and of you) that is fully, completely, 100% indubitably aware of every single action I take. That knows, watching me, as I pull into the parking lot of the donut shop, what I am doing and what I am setting myself up for. That is not being listened to or heard in that moment.

Because in that moment, I think I am in pain, and all I want is relief.

There is no blame here. It’s only awareness.

When that Awareness is allowed to be living and alive and Present in my attention — at the forefront — then I make choices that make me live happier. When I only vaguely allow that Awareness to be felt from a background perspective, and I don’t honor it and bring it forth into conscious understanding, is when I will suffer.

This is one example of how suffering is a choice. I know consciously what will bring me joy and what will only be a (perceived) panacea.

I feel what I eat.

This is a direct cause → effect relationship. I eat crap, I feel like crap. I may pretend to enjoy it, that sugar rush of pseudo-ecstacy, but always, always, it has an effect on my attention. It corrodes my state of mind and makes me weaker, not stronger.

I know that there will be times when I choose the donut anyway, or that I intentionally go out with friends and order onion rings and a beer. It’s not like those are off limits or that I’m not being spiritual when I do that. It’s just that it has an effect.

When my one motivation in life is to be as clear in awareness as I can, so that I can be living the life I was put here to live, then those choices have consequences. Sometimes they’re absolutely the right choices to make. Drinking beer with my friends brings me great joy, because it’s something I do so infrequently.

The cumulative effect of drinking beer too many days in a row starts to make it more likely than not that I will begin to make poor choices elsewhere. And the cumulative effect of bringing awareness to my food choices means that I will be empowered to make more joyful choices a part of my pattern or routine.

These routines can be life-saving. It’s the awareness that makes them possible.

image credit: candice_rose Image retrieved from pixabay 5/4/19
There is no pill to fix you

There is no pill to fix you

by ·

Unless perhaps we’re talking about the red pill from The Matrix!

Our culture is unfortunately stuck on the quick fix, the one-stop solution to all of your problems.

There is no such thing.

When there are REAL problems, going deep — such as the problems of understanding your soul — then these have no simple solution. (Mostly because it’s not a problem! As they say, you are not a problem to be solved, you’re a mystery to be experienced…. but that harps too close to the spiritual pablum that I’ve railed about previously so I won’t make it the center of this post!)

While it’s true that Enlightenment can manifest in a flash — it always manifests that way — it’s probably not very useful to hang onto that idea as a salvation.

You can decide to work towards Enlightenment, that you want to dedicate your life to self-discovery, that you are earnestly working towards the Truth, but beyond that there’s not much you can do to make it happen any faster than it’s going to.

These things are not up to us.

And there’s definitely not a quick fix for the problem of YOU.

You are already perfect, because you are Infinite God. You are the Truth. You just may not be perceiving that clearly in this moment.

The core of you is the absolute beauty of the Love that you seek. It’s right under the surface of your mind. It’s hidden there, waiting for you to discover it.

It’s definitely not “out there” in the form of a pill or a technique or a mantra or a solution.

What meditation does, and all the other good practices like chanting and service and mindfulness and focused concentration, what these things do is clear out your attention and raise your energy level so that you may more accurately see.

They don’t change who you are.

Who you are is already there, in all its already-perfected glory and radiance.

Right there. Within you. Right now.

Meditation can be absolutely fundamentally invaluable in this chaotic mixed-up world that we live in, with the distractions and lures and addictions that the world dangles. The world sends you in so many directions. (Pro Tip: That’s where the agony comes from! If anything, it’s The World that needs to be fixed — not you! If only there were a pill for that…!)

What you can do is DECIDE.

That’s the most powerful pill of them all.

You can DECIDE that you are interested in Truth. You can DECIDE that what you want is freedom. You can DECIDE that you are willing to go through the hellworlds of your mind if that’s what it takes, because you have faith, or you believe enough in what the exalted saints and the masters have told you, that you are willing to take action.

The only pill to fix you is that action: The action of belief.

The action of knowing that there’s more out there than just this.

Or more accurately: There’s more IN there. 🙂

Taking a pill to feel better is no problem. If there are physical ailments that the body is suffering, then definitely seek out help. God created Western medicine and doctors just as much as She created holistic healing! It’s wise to avail yourself of what is on offer. Don’t rule out anything if you’re in pain. It’s very difficult to meditate when the body is complaining loudly about how it’s in pain (though to be fair, it’s not at all impossible to meditate even when you’re in pain, and the pain itself can be used as a form of meditation — but that’s a post for another day!).

But there is no pill for Enlightenment, and definitely the current social acceptance of marijuana does not mean it’s the solution either.

What’s required for Enlightenment is your willingness to believe that it’s possible. You also need to be willing to see beyond illusion (that’s where many people get hung up!). You need to be brave enough to keep going, even when it seems like there’s trouble. You need to be honest, and persevere, and ruthless in your willingness to literally comprehend Truth.

Again, these are all clearly topics that deserve more discussion!

If you’re in pain today, of the physical or psychological or social kind, then certainly seek out the help that you need.

If your pain is of a spiritual nature*… then don’t give up. Don’t lose hope. Rededicate yourself to your meditation practice, and you will discover the path out of the woods.
 
 
 

And because I cannot miss an opportunity to watch Morpheus:


 
 
 

*Which probably all of the above types of pain really are, too!

image credit: newsong Image retrieved from pixabay 5/10/18
How to feel better

How to feel better

by ·

This life is hard, there’s no doubt about it. If you’re struggling from any kind of feelings of malaise (and who isn’t, given the state of the world at the moment) all the way through full-blown depression then it can be really really challenging to bust free. There are no easy fixes, and if you’re truly suffering, then getting support from qualified medical professionals is important.

However, there is a simple formula that you may find to be incredibly effective for battling the blues and keeping your spirits high (and keeping your spiritual practice alive!), and it comes down to these things:

  1. Meditation
  2. Exercise
  3. Career

These are listed in order of importance (if you meditate every day, then I promise you, your life will work out!!), though they’re all supremely effective when approached with the right way — and even though meditation shows up as #1 on the list, let’s talk about them in an alternate sequence today.

If you’re in a rut and feeling down over a period of time, where things aren’t going well and you can’t seem to break out of the funk, and especially when you know that it’s because you’ve been a slob — eating what you know doesn’t work for your body, indulging too much in the excesses of drinking, sitting like a sloth on the couch — then instead of trying to meditate yourself out of the funk, the best thing to do is WORK OUT.

Make a commitment just for today to do something physical.

If you’re someone who has in the past had a consistent workout routine and you’ve just let the habit sag, then simply decide today that you’ll get back on that pony and do it. You’re not committing for the rest of your life or even this week. You’re just doing it today.

If you’ve never been a regular exerciser, then this may be more difficult, since you’ve not got the past habits ingrained deep enough to leverage them now. If that’s you, then no problem! All you need to do is put on your shoes. Get those sneakers on your feet and go for a walk. It does not need to be anything severe or too strenuous. Just get your body moving.

Exercise is #2 on this list but at times, it can be #1 in importance. If you’re in a black place in your head and it is not lifting, then exercise can be way more effective than meditation.

It can be very difficult if not impossible to meditate a foul mood away. Sometimes when life gets too real, you’re lucky you can even get yourself out of bed in the morning. To expect to be able to layer on an activity that is at such a higher level of self care as meditation is often unrealistic.

In order to meditate, you have to have self esteem. You have to believe in yourself.

Or, sometimes, you need to be at absolute rock bottom and seeking help before you lose yourself completely, and in such situations sometimes meditation is also proscribed along with an entire intervention. If someone tells you, “Just meditate, you’ll feel better!” they’re not wrong, but they also may not be being realistic.

Meditation **always** works if you do it, but its effects can be exceptionally subtle, and they build. One single meditation is rarely going to change your attitude if you’re in a state of the blues. It adds to the levels of hope and optimism that may then be able to filter through, but you may find that the whole process of meditating is such a slog that you give up.

The thoughts can be too heavy to break through.

In this case, commit yourself to being physical instead. Let that be your practice if necessary, for a short time.

Then, once the endorphins you’ve released start to buoy you and your mood begins to lift after (hopefully!) a number of days, you can look around with greater perspective and add back in your meditation again. Taken together, these two tools can perform miracles on how you feel and what you’re capable of.

You need to start where you’re at, and be realistic, and certainly never give up hope. If you feel exceptionally despondent and tremendous despair, then seek attention from a professional. Talk to someone, tell a friend. There is always help available.

But if you’re just in one of those up-and-down ruts that all of us experience in life, and are feeling moody or unmotivated or down in the dumps, then try working out today, and see what it does, and maybe try it again tomorrow. And then on the third day, along with your workout 🙂 you can add in some meditation.

And call a friend. Share where you’re at. Don’t suffer alone. Get some help if you need it, and when the clouds lift then meditation is always available to carry you to the new heights you deserve.

image credit: StocksnapImage retrieved from Pixabay 6/6/18