Unlike most working adults, I look forward for Wednesdays. It is in the middle of the week when the wonderful insight meditation community of Saskatoon meet up to sit down and check within. And I love it… It is like an oasis of peace in the middle of what is usually a hectic week. I try to make it every Wednesday, even in the winter nights where it can be -40C (yeah, C as in “Celsius”). I believe practice does not end on the cushion though… The ultimate objective is to develop the skills to implement mindfulness where we need it the most, that is in everyday life where we deal with the angry boss, the stubborn partner, the moron driver that cuts you off. We also need it to be fully present in those little moments of joy, to let them permeate our hearts and open fully to a beautiful experience. All in all, we practice to cultivate the oasis of peace I mentioned earlier so it can be accessible any time; not just on Wednesday nights.
And this is why I decided to share my experience taking my practice off the cushion into everyday life. After two years of having that conscious intention, sometimes I wonder if I had made any progress at all (any of you on the same boat?). Case in point:
I am a lazy cook, but really enjoy cooking with my partner, mainly because he usually volunteers to do the dishes afterwards, haha. Recently, he went out of town for a week and I found myself looking for places close to work for lunch. I found a Wendy’s half a block away and indulged in the spicy chicken sandwiches every single day. By Friday I was feeling somewhat guilty with my eating habits, so I decided to go to this delicious organic bakery for a salmon sandwich instead. I was on my way thinking about my projects at work, planning and setting deadlines. I was already in the venue when I realized that the place looked slightly different than I remembered, but somewhat familiar. Then I saw the flashy menu featuring the spicy chicken sandwiches. I was at Wendy’s! I was on auto-pilot, too immersed in my thoughts to even realize where I was heading.
I was embarrassed, I mean, I am supposed to be somewhat mindful after two years of practice, right? But then I recalled Tara Brach’s teaching that thinking is just what minds do: “Just as the body secrets enzymes, the mind generates thoughts”. One teacher once told me that our minds are like taking care of a child in an international airport… The moment you get distracted they are are already boarding a plane to Asia. Please make the conscious effort to not beat yourself up if this happens. Moreover, never use a stick to discipline yourself so you “get it right the next time”. There is no such thing. Such experiences are not an obstacle to the practice, they ARE the practice. Wherever you are -sitting on the cushion, at work or at home- Just smile 🙂 and start again… As long as we are still breathing we can always start again, and get the salmon sandwich.
Catalina.