There’s been a definite uptick in the number of folks who
are engaging in the ancient contemplative practice of mindfulness meditation.
Spiritual roots aside, a recent edition of Scientific American addressed the
studies that have revealed the very real physical, emotional, and mental
benefits of the practice. I’d venture a guess that this increased interest correlates
with the ever-increasing pressures and demands imposed upon us by a digitally
mediated existence. Those moments that
can be carved out for quiet meditation offer a welcomed, healing respite in an
often frenzied life.
I recently finished reading Running with the Mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham. The Sakyong is from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and is
the leader of Shambhala, a global community of mediation retreat centers. He’s
also an avid runner who sees the relationship between meditation and
running. That was, in part, why I picked
up his book. I’ve long embraced running as an opportunity for prayer. When I’ve
got an issue I’m struggling with, a gripe that I need to express to God, or am
filled with thanksgiving, the miles have afforded me the opportunity to engage
in the personal spiritual practice of prayer. I was interested in learning how
the Sakyong integrated these physical and spiritual practices.
Mine was also a seasonal interest. Christians have now
entered the season of Lent; a forty day season of preparation for the celebration
of Easter. The season of Lent encourages the spiritual practices of prayer,
charity, and fasting. Of the three, fasting is probably the most foreign to
those of us living in a culture and economy driven by consumption. Don’t
believe me? This commercial shows how Lenten fasting is being accommodated these days:
What I’m coming to
see is that fasting is not meant to be some form of punishment or deprivation,
it’s really about letting go of all that is unnecessary. Fasting is really
about creating space for the Spirit to work in and through us. To me, that’s
the appeal of mindfulness meditation. It’s also what makes it so darn
difficult. The meditation practice introduced in the book is not complicated.
It begins with the instruction to sit in a comfortable and upright position. (For many runners with tight hips and hammies, that's work in and of itself). Once comfortable, you focus on your breathing. This is known as “placement.” By focusing on
your breath, you keep other thoughts at bay. Simply learning this practice and
successfully engaging in it for 5 minutes is a goal that could occupy you for several
weeks! The Sakyong admits the difficulty of the
practice and that it requires training the mind. The mind constantly wants to
drift off to work, the dry cleaning that needs to be picked up, or the pain from sitting in your "comfortable" position. Coming back to your breath and letting go of these thoughts takes
work.
In subsequent
chapters, the Sakyong offers instruction and insight into ways this practice can
be incorporated into running and into becoming present in one’s daily
activities. The chapters are more like running conversations. There’s some occasional
repetition, but like a running partner who is on a roll, you don’t interrupt to
say, “I’ve heard this before.”
Perhaps it was my
Lenten mindset, but his chapter on Pride struck a chord. He says, “With ego, we
are too big to fit anywhere. With egolessness, we can go anywhere. The practice
of panoramic awareness has connected us to a larger world, and we see that we
are part of it.” In reading this comment, I was reminded of Jesus’ words: “It is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God"
(Mark 10:25). Ultimately, isn’t this the goal of the Lenten fast? It’s
about freeing ourselves from all that would control, burden, or consume us so
that we might be more fully immersed in God’s work of healing, love, and reconciliation.
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