Contributor: Author Leta Hamilton, whose books include The Way of the Toddler and a four-book series called 100 Daily Messages.
Me: What is the essence of meditation? What is it, really?
Leta: What is real about meditation other than the practice of being present in your body, experiencing an IS-ness and connecting to a bigger-than-small-you field? There is no real meditation in my experience. Anything that promotes a feeling of bigger-than-small-you experience is a meditation. It can be folding the laundry, washing the dishes, sitting down on the toilet and so much more! There is meditation in everything. It is how you approach the experience that counts. Like a plug, we can plug in anything we do in our daily lives into the socket of “bigger-than-small-me” experience. This is the key to meditation in my experience.
Leta
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Thanks, Mollie. I was standing in line with my sister yesterday & said, “We’re doing a standing in line meditation!” It’s so much about perspective. I view every breath as a way to find presence in my moment. If I notice I’m not paying attention to my breathing, I know I’ve fallen out of the meditative/presence state & I reconnect with it. Breath is so wonderful & such an easy tool for the person on a spiritual path. I would say we are ALL on a spiritual path, but not everyone accepts that sentiment!
I try my best to think that way, too. But. If something doesn’t feel good to me, it’s hard to shift the feeling immediately. I have to do inquiry, Byron-Katie style, then wait.
One of my favorite book titles – is “After Ecstasy, the Laundry”. It just felt right for that to be said here.
I need to get that one.
not read it, but love the title!