Traffic. Lots of traffic. Crazy, weaving, dangerous speeding cars and buses and moving vans next to eighteen wheelers zipping down narrow lanes, because the freeway is undergoing construction with new lanes blurring into old lanes and there is no shoulder and about 4 inches on either side of the outside lanes is a concrete barrier with more traffic merging into those lanes from an entrance ramp with no, let me repeat, no acceleration lane whatsoever about 10 minutes before rush hour. It's a complete recipe for disaster. And there you are.
Probably you've been there before. And, probably, you'll be there again. And again and again. What do you do? Well, you could ask yourself why you want to live like this in the first place. I know I have. But since it's unlikely any of us reading this right now are leaving the city anytime soon, you could do a couple of other things in the meantime. One option: Allow yourself to become emotional, because from your point of view everyone else is driving like a bat out of a really bad place (but not you, of course). You could get really worked up and curse your speeding neighbors, effecting you to the point that when you finally (we hope) arrive @ your destination your energy is completely unbalanced and you relive the entire ordeal with the first person you come in contact with.
Here's another option: You remain calm. You concentrate so that you are aware of everything happening around you. You can make good decisions insuring that not only do you arrive @ your destination in a fashion that allows you to be a real blessing to the first person you encounter, but, most importantly, you actually do arrive. Safe, calm, in one physical and emotional piece.
Which do you choose?
For some people, a regular meditation practice is a bother. It's nice to stop in to meditate with a group from time to time and "take a break" before returning to the rat race. However, when the moment arises when being able to quiet the mind is absolutely essential to making a wise decision, they can't do it. Meditation has practical applications. One of those being that it provides the meditator the ability to remain calm under any circumstances. To have laser focus when they need it. But, of course, this takes practice. Daily practice. And patience. Patience with yourself first. Once you are able to become patient and nurturing to yourself by allowing yourself to let go, it becomes easier to be patient with others. And, maybe, we might remember that sometimes we are just another driver on the freeway trying to get home, just like everyone else.
Deepest Shanti,
S.
Probably you've been there before. And, probably, you'll be there again. And again and again. What do you do? Well, you could ask yourself why you want to live like this in the first place. I know I have. But since it's unlikely any of us reading this right now are leaving the city anytime soon, you could do a couple of other things in the meantime. One option: Allow yourself to become emotional, because from your point of view everyone else is driving like a bat out of a really bad place (but not you, of course). You could get really worked up and curse your speeding neighbors, effecting you to the point that when you finally (we hope) arrive @ your destination your energy is completely unbalanced and you relive the entire ordeal with the first person you come in contact with.
Here's another option: You remain calm. You concentrate so that you are aware of everything happening around you. You can make good decisions insuring that not only do you arrive @ your destination in a fashion that allows you to be a real blessing to the first person you encounter, but, most importantly, you actually do arrive. Safe, calm, in one physical and emotional piece.
Which do you choose?
For some people, a regular meditation practice is a bother. It's nice to stop in to meditate with a group from time to time and "take a break" before returning to the rat race. However, when the moment arises when being able to quiet the mind is absolutely essential to making a wise decision, they can't do it. Meditation has practical applications. One of those being that it provides the meditator the ability to remain calm under any circumstances. To have laser focus when they need it. But, of course, this takes practice. Daily practice. And patience. Patience with yourself first. Once you are able to become patient and nurturing to yourself by allowing yourself to let go, it becomes easier to be patient with others. And, maybe, we might remember that sometimes we are just another driver on the freeway trying to get home, just like everyone else.
Deepest Shanti,
S.
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