Meditation Class

I was watering the garden tonight. I have a special fondness for the way the soil gets drowned and then its surface re-emerges with musky breath both wet and new.

Naomi and I have started a meditation class. She has inherited my tendency to over think things, and to let thinking lead to worrying and worrying lead to panic. So I thought a little skill building with meditation might be good for both of us.

Our first class was Saturday. She left frustrated. The whole concept of keeping her mind still was confusing and difficult. Nobody could describe what she was supposed to do, nobody could tell her if she had done it correctly. It was all very upsetting.

Two hours later, though, she bounded down from upstairs to proclaim victory and said she’d mastered the whole meditation deal. She’s so used to picking things up quickly. She wanted to skip the frustration or learning bits of this process and jump right to the praise that comes with early mastery. Did you know a great outlet for all your overachiever tendencies happens to be meditation? Who knew?

I thought of her as I was out watering my garden tonight. Her disappointment in realizing whether she's mastered meditation or not we are still going to class next Saturday morning. I believe in finding the stillness at the center of yourself. A space that doesn't chatter, comment or criticize. If Naomi's found it already: great. I hope she finds it again and again.