Being around hordes of people all day at work makes me not want to be around them so much on my days off. Like, I've had enough, thank you, I'm full. What I really miss is the space that exists when NO people are present, and that is hard to come by. Where can you get that purity of space?
Nature provides it, like at the beach, or in the forest, but it's hard to fully let go when you're on a public beach or deep within a dark, silent forest because part of you is still scanning your surroundings for danger, and that part needs to rest too.
Home can provide the silent recharging space, IF you have no kids, the parents aren't needing a call or coming over to visit, there aren't any must-do projects that you're contemplating doing, and you're able to block out knowing that the internet and TV, plus food and libation, are oh so painfully near. Sportscenter might be on!
And then, adding to that, physically you have to be in the right place, in a somewhat alert state of mind, not overly tired, hungry, or restless from too much sitting around (like after you do office work).
All of this in an effort to get THERE, where you are in meditation, communing with that neglected part of your being that is always present but is never allotted any time. This is where the answers, insights, and inspiration comes from, when space is created for new things to enter into the mind. Yogis urge people to sit and meditate, if only for twenty minutes- morning and evening- surely you can find the time (!) but I personally can't seem to find the time to do it anywheres near that consistently. However, when I do sit down and meditate it it is like going to the gym, where I come out thankful for gifting myself with some stringent physical exercise that I know is going to benefit me. Perhaps not that instant, but soon.
Antonio Molinari- Unsplash.com
In a meditative state you're taking in data, I guess you could say, but it's not the kind of data you take in where you're passively watching TV or viewing videos on the internet, no matter how INTERESTING.
"But wait- wait just a minute here! Who has time to create the perfect space, and then immerse one's self in it for twenty minutes a day, twice a day? Isn't that unrealistic in the age of the 'short attention span'? Our lives move so fast now, there are sooo many things to do, and so we've built up momentum, a momentum that can't be stopped in twenty minutes".
"Can that kind of momentum EVER be stopped?"
The answer to that is that this momentum CAN be stopped, but it is a cumulative process. It happens over time. Regular meditation can keep the mind from building up racing speed. It isn't allowed so far off the leash, to roam hither and yon, like an untethered puppy.
"But wait! Even so, I want immediate results! I don't want my mental momentum to be curtailed, for I fear it will build again, perhaps even stronger. Any pause in my day is frightening to me. I MUST keep up!"
Ok. How about cultivating a CONSTANT state of meditation, then? This is surprisingly easy to do. It takes some vigilance, yes, but it can be done. Here, you stay always calm and peaceful inside because you see the VALUE in it. You never want to stray away too far from Source.
Try cultivating THAT and see where that gets you. I've tried to be in that state all of my life, even when I was a kid and didn't have the words to describe it. It just feels good. Natural.
Some might say, when you do this, that you're distant, not quite there, and they're right. I always reserve a little space for the creator of all space because I want that portal open always, never closed or hidden or muted. When I feel that losing my connection might be possible, due to any kind of craziness going on around me, I take time out to re-center and re-balance.
Lose the connection? No thanks!