Credit: Zen Yoga garage
A note: I started writing this post, like many stories, based on a single funny incident, the first compliment / insult Rebecka had about me. And then you know how I am, I get all philosophical when I think about Zen and meditation and mindfulness, probably because it saved my life by giving me something to hang on to when I was struggling with PTSD. But I know not everyone gives a darn about it, so if you want you to skip the lecture, you can read the introduction about Rebecka, skip to the end for a Dad joke which is clearly marked, and come back tomorrow for a sailboat story. I promise, from now on, just posts about adventures and my mishaps.
The comment. One of the first things I recall doing after I met Rebecka was walking along the Embarcadero, a wide walkway that separates the street from San Diego Bay, and which originally served as a place to unload the tuna boats. Back when I was young it was busy with boats unloading nets and fish and it smelled to high heaven.
Today it is a tourist attraction with sailboats, submarines, aircraft carriers, and restaurants.
Back when we met as we walked along the embarcadero, Rebecka and I came to the end of the pedestrian-only area and there were poles set vertically in the pavement to prevent cars from entering.
“Would you look at that!” I said, “They have used railroad rails for poles.” Pieces of rails had been cut into pieces, anchored in the pavement with five-foot lengths sticking up to block traffic. I caressed the part of the track which had carried trains, and it was still shiny and smooth. “How cool is that!”
Rebecka shook her head. “No wonder you like to take naps, it must be exhausting to see everything you look at.”
I mention that because it is delightfully backhanded compliment: she compliments my observation skills while noting my laziness.
You know, I told this story for years as a joke, as Rebecka making fun of me in a good natured way. And always finished the story with Rebecka’s quote because it seemed to make sense that if you saw everything you looked at, it would be tiring.
I had a similar experience back in the fire department when I was first reading about Zen Buddhism and I talked about the importance of paying attention to each moment. One of the other firefighters said, “Jesus, that would be torture. It would make the Super Bowl halftime show last an eternity.” In his defense, that was back when pro football half time shows were 30 minutes of marching bands.
The University of Arizona and Grambling State marching bands performed at the Super Bowl I halftime.
Here comes the lecture.
But after 50 years of Transcendental Meditation and 36 years of Zen meditation, I now realize that it is just the opposite. Seeing what you look at means that you are in the moment, you are observing what is directly in front of you, unbothered by intruding thoughts. The opposite of that is walking around being lost in thought, being only occasionally aware of your surroundings.
Mindfulness is focusing on what you are doing, because intruding thoughts are not you, they are just passing visitors. That’s it, that’s Zen in a nutshell. Zen meditation is simply sitting quietly, maintaining good posture, focusing on your breathing, and if a thought tries to intrude you let it come and let it go with out ‘attaching’ to it, without letting it carry you away from where you are sitting and concentrating.
An example of attaching to a thought is you are counting your breathes, out – one, in – two, out – three, In, oh my gosh, I almost forgot! Today is trash day. Does the recycling bin go out? Maybe . . .
When you notice you have attached to that thought about trash day, and let it carry your mind away from where you sit, so you simply return to counting your breathes, out – one, in – two . . . You don’t have an emotional reaction to attaching, no judgement, you just return to counting your breathes. Meditation is just a tool to make you aware that your thoughts are not you. that there is a peaceful serenity which exists within you, and thoughts can come and go without disturbing your focus on this moment if you are being mindful.
Many of us have our first experience of mindfulness when we visit a wilderness area. That profound serenity of being outdoors, being lost in the beauty of nature, which is so calming and relaxing we just stop, and look, to listen, and take it all in. We are just so focused on our surroundings that our mind is still and thoughts cannot intrude. There it is, mindfulness.
People often ask if Zen is a religion, if it has a God, and the Dalai Lama always just chuckles and says any person, of any religious belief can practice Zen without interfering with their faith because it is just about doing what you are doing with intention, if you are sweeping, sweep. If you are praying, pray.
That’s what I love about Zen. You read the quote above and go, “What the hell?” But that sums it up nicely.
When your mind is being bombarded with thoughts, I suppose that stopping those thoughts because something has grabbed your attention (‘seeing something’) might seem like an intrusion, an interruption. But when a calm mind is seeing things, undisturbed by intrusive thoughts, then it is actually very peaceful and relaxing. People often said I was the calmest person they had ever met, but it often took great effort, just observing what was occurring around me without reacting emotionally to it, letting intrusive thoughts come and letting them go.
The Dad joke. The downside of accepting that me seeing everything I look at is not tiring me out is that I must admit that I take naps because I just enjoy them, that my favorite activity is waking up, rolling over and going back to sleep. Some people might call that being lazy. So be it, everybody needs a hobby.
Dad had a different approach to naps. “Whenever I get the urge to exercise, I just go lie down and doze off until it goes away.”
And I still think Rebecka’s comment is funny, 40 years later.
Out for Justice 