In the Backpack - Meditation

Everything I've been reading says that if there is one thing to do in life it is this... meditate. That's it. For 30 seconds here and there, for 30 minutes, for 3 hours. The time doesn't really matter - what matters is that we do it. But meditation has a bad rap reputation... it's hard... it takes too long... it doesn't work for me... I can't do it... my mind keeps wandering... etc. etc.

I wonder if, as children, we said the same thing when we starrted to learn to crawl or walk or ride a bike... or skate or swim or read... or any of those things? Meditation is like those things... it takes practice. And there are many techniques. But somehow it still manages to slip off of my radar screen very quickly.

Part of the issue is that we really don't have a strong tradition of meditation in the Catholic Church. Yes, I know... I've heard of Centering Prayer and John Main and the Christian Mystics. And yet... how much of that is present in the run-of-the-mill parish? It wasn't around when I was growing up... or later even. Our focus is on the Mass, first and foremost. The Mass is the most important thing. But is it... really? We spend 1 hour a week at Mass. What do we do the rest of the time? How can we connect with the divine the rest of the time. Because if we're thinking 1 hour of Mass a week is going to do it... or even throw weekday Mass in for good measure... it ain't gonna cut it. Not in my experience.

And so... meditation... a way to still the mind... a way to slip into the gap between thoughts and words and breaths. A way to touch the silence that lives within each one of us. A way to just Be. But how does one do it? Well.... for Christmas, my partner gave me a subscription to a meditation series from the Chopra Centre. I've meditated with it several times now... and it is good. All you have to do is get comfortable and close your eyes and follow the instructions and let them worry about the length and the timing and that sort of stuff. It's simple... and it works.

A definite asset in my backpack.