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Cultivating Bliss

Yoga is an ancient science that uses meditation and sensory withdrawal in order to influence the meditator to overcome attachments and aversions. Hatha Yoga, is yoga for the knuckle heads. People like me who are too restless to sit in lotus position for longer than a short while. With training, it becomes possible to focus your attention on your breath, while turning your practice into a moving meditation. Hatha Yoga has one purpose, to lead to a personal and healthy meditation practice.

Mindfulness meditation is using your attention to focus on one object. The most common way to do this is to simply pay attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale. In my personal opinion, I think that there should be a pause between both your inhalation and exhalation. After sitting for some time, you will find that it is very loud inside your mind. The purpose of this kind of meditation is to continue to pay attention to your breath. People get caught up here. Most people find that they have a hard time concentrating on their breath for very long because they keep hearing things, thinking, and feeling. This is good news, all very normal.

Trying to focus on one’s attention can be daunting at times. Memories, plans, fantasies, all tend to start to converge on the meditator as soon as they begin to practice. Each time you forget to keep your attention on your breath, try to think of it as the equivalent to one “rep” at the gym. Gently remind yourself to draw your attention to your breath. Start by bringing your attention to the tip of your nose and just feel the air flow through your nostrils and fill your alveoli. Try to imagine the air diffusing through out your lungs and CO2 being replaced. As you exhale, open your mouth and feel the air gently pass through your esophagus, over your tongue, past your teeth and lips. Any time I do this, I am immediately starstruck by the fragility and preciousness of this life.

After some practice, a quiet mind becomes very addictive. Meditation will really start to intuitively define the virtues and downfalls of knowledge, versus the purely virtuous fruits of wisdom. Learning to be an observer in the world instead of an actor. Using keen discernment to determine what is best for myself and what is best for others. To patiently bear the burdens of myself and others. To Joyfully learn to be compassionate to all of creation simply because we are all traveling this road together.

I don’t really know what this assignment is about. I kind of just wanted to write something. I got out of prison last year and threw my life into yoga and meditation when I got out. Meditation has taught me that my mind lies to me. It has taught me that I cannot make a good decision when I am emotional and that I have never regretted being silent. When I take the time to sit quietly, something profound happens. I fall in love with me.