Gulp. Did everybody
hear how loud that was? I thought to myself. My saliva was building up in my
mouth and in any other circumstance, I never notice. Last Wednesday was the
exception.
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| Photo credit: Salem Zen Center |
I’ve been trying to find an activity where I can unwind. I’ve
tried zumba- way too crowded. Traditional exercise- just can’t do it. After
searching for fun (free) activities in town, I stumbled upon the Salem Zen
Center website. Free weekly meditation, every Wednesday evening. Perfect! I was
determined to go. I didn’t want to go alone. What if this was sketchy? Luckily,
my friend Hanni was willing to go with me. Thanks Hanni!
We arrive to the location, not really sure what to expect. At
this point, we are in an extremely giggly mood. To the point we are having
laughing attacks. How in the world we composed ourselves as we walked into the
room, I’m not sure. Everyone was already sitting- it was obvious they were in
their Zen-like state. I felt we were louder than a tractor-trailer as we walked
towards our chairs.
We started off with chanting- that was a first. After
chanting, we had an introductory conversation with the instructor, followed by
walking mediation. This is where it gets good, folks. I knew the next 27
minutes were going to pass by very slowly. Sitting in silence; trying not to
think is way harder than it sounds. The room is dead silent and every single
possible sound is magnified by 20.
My mind is going a mile a minute. I’m
thinking about the ambient noises I hear, the motorbike that just zoomed by on
the street, I have an urge to wiggle and crack my toes. Then I start to think
about how I’m not supposed to be thinking. 1…deep breath…2…deep breath 3 deep…that
iPad was really nice. Yikes, I have to start over and focus. Our meditation was broken by enjoying a cup of
tea silently and a Dharma talk discussion. The whole adventure lasted two
hours.
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| Photo credit: Salem Zen Center |
We live in a culture where we are programmed to
live an on- the-go lifestyle. It’s good to take a moment and slow things
down. This doesn’t necessarily have to be done through mediation because it’s not
for everyone. Personally, I like the concept of meditation. Am I good at it?
No. Do I want to lead a balanced life? Yes.
