Tags
blue monday, lojong, loving kindness, Meditation, smile, Yoga
An old college roommate made the observation that my last post led off with a rather depressing assertion (hope can be an enemy). Later that day I read online that it was Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year. After that I feel obliged to put a little wind back into my reader’s sails and perhaps my own.
Practice Makes Perfect
Buddhist methods are formulated to put the insights of enlightened beings into practice. For example Lojong & loving kindness techniques engage the practitioner in the mental and emotional responses Buddhist philosophy shows are most beneficial. It’s not enough to know that compassion is good for you; you have to put it into practice in daily life. These methods train the mind, like learning to play a musical instrument. After a time, the motions become natural.
They help you walk the walk.
The Sauce
Often times when I sit for meditation, as part of my preparation, I settle into my posture, take inventory of my body and emotion tone, and then do a little special yoga.
Try it yourself. While you’re reading this, sit down and comfortably settle yourself. Put your feet flat on the ground. Take a nice deep inhale and let it out. You may want to do this a few times, because it really feels great.
Find a comfortable balance in your spine and scan your body for tension. Come to a place that allows you to ease as much tension in your body as is possible in this short exercise.
Now that you’ve settled your body, relax the tension in your face. Let your cheekbones relax, the skin of your temples, and your forehead. Let your teeth separate slightly. Give it a few seconds and enjoy the feeling of openness and ease.
Finally, bring a gentle smile to your lips. Notice how it feels. Your body and your emotions will recognize the motion.
If it’s working, continue on, perhaps to a full out smile. Don’t overdo it. Just let it blossom. Maybe a funny memory is jarred loose. Go with it. Smile with your whole body. Feel your heart lighten and your spine lengthen.
If you’ve got it in you, dare to laugh. Maybe start with a giggle and see if it catches. Let yourself go.
Amitofo
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