We are the River. We are the mountain.
We all see those peaceful pictures of that happy person meditating on top of a mountain or by a river. These pictures can be very inspiring and they can also be innocently deceiving. They can make us feel that we need to go and be in these places in order to attain peace, but to be able to do that is not a reality for most of us. I am sure it is very powerful to meditate in these places and to see that someone is able to do that is beautiful to witness, as it can remind us of our true essence in the absence of our busy lives, however, practicing the ability to be present is meditation and it is in any situation and any location.
Of coarse it would be easy to find peace on a mountain top or along side a river bank. I go to the river to meditate every week and if and when I have the opportunity to meditate on a mountain I wouldn’t hesitate, although, it is in the thick of the grind within our daily lives we can find the most profound meditative work. In fact, the more chaotic or mundane the place or situation, the more the opportunity to be powerful in your practice to be present.
Imagine on a busy city street corner you see someone sitting and meditating. Quite the shocker, but why not? Maybe we should free these images we attach to in what peace looks like. Free the idea within our mind that finding peace is sitting on the mountain or in some secluded place. Perhaps we can understand that we are not separate in these places within our consciousness. Perhaps we can be the strong mountain as we sit or flow as the river as we move or vise versa. In fact, society needs this example of change more than ever.
Movement is Meditation
We are constantly moving, even while we are sitting still. Notice this inner movement the next time you are sitting in meditation. It is the law of polarity, a push or pull if you will. We inhale, we exhale. We can be present in this great movement within simply by noticing this energy and allowing it to flow in all directions as we sit. However, as we move or dance we are moving our outer body and as we do, we are stilling ourselves within.
Movement and stillness are always working together synchronously. When we are sitting still in mediation we are expanding movement from inside and when we are moving our outer body we still ourselves within. It is energies of masculine and feminine revolving as one constantly. We are simply witnessing it.
Through this meditative movement we can remember ourselves, as we feel our true essence. We can allow our bodies speak to us and give ourselves permission to feel what it says. In this expression we can gain much wisdom from our bodies. We can notice any negative stagnant energy and release it by moving, dancing, or shaking it through and out of the body at any time. The ancients knew this and it was apart of their daily practice. In fact, we can see in history wisdom of movement has been a part in many ancient cultures. The knowledge of the wisdom of the body. They knew movement is medicine, the great healing, the manifestation of our movements through embodiment creating our reality. As well as to honor and celebrate with gratitude and pleasure. As movement of the body shares with us so much information of ourselves and our relationship within the operation of life itself.
We can look at movement like alchemy. Giving the opportunity to transmute energy into another state. The change is the constant. We can look at it as one energy constantly changing as it passes through, allowing it to move and cycle out to where it belongs. Perhaps gratefully giving energy that doesn’t serve us any longer to the earth to form the movement for a life of a flower. There is never waste, only energetic fertilizer.
Using the movement of walking as a way to incorporate our meditation practice is powerful, as we can practice often. Imagine every time we walk from the car to the store, school, or home we can be present in our walk. Walking one with the earth or the air as we breathe, grounding ourselves with earth’s energy as we step with it or as it.
There are plenty of opportunities to incorporate this in our practice anywhere. We can practice breathing and expanding in the car. We can do subtle meditative movements in the work place or practice them with your children—especially in chaotic moments. You can implement practices of zen teachers or make up our own way, your own practice, as there is no wrong way what works for your meditative experience. I do both and I need to do them often.
If we constantly make an effort to move in motion with life and dedicate ourselves to be grounded like an anchor in the ups and downs, then our subconscious unifies with the constant changes of each day.
Abigail Risica
