Picnics in the Park
We come to class, we roll out our mats, and follow our breath to find our center. This is the ideal. I usually get to step two, rolling out the mat. From there, it’s only a matter of time before I’m distracted. Hopefully, its the effort I’m putting in to sustaining the pose that’s distracting me, or maybe my determination to hold on that extra breath, and take my practice to the next level. But usually it isn’t. Sometimes, I’m distracted by the thong in full view, in front of me because the pants on the girl dip too low when she sits. Plummer style.
I’m bothered by this conundrum — should I tell her, I know I’d want to know! I figure, it’s OK, only I notice — since only i have the “backseat”. But then a man rolls out his mat next to me, and … as I predicted, he notices too, and now I feel REALLY obliged to tell her, but I don’t. Instead, I chew over this for what seems like hours. Thoughts like this, throw my practice off center. I chastise myself, I shouldn’t be so easily distracted. It’s not about how others look, or even how I look, this is my time to focus inwardly, and see what’s true.
Ah, but what is Truth? Truth, (at least in my life) has become overly complicated. Anytime anyone asks me if I’m telling the “truth”, i always have a moment of self-doubt, as if I have to internally go through Plato’s Dialogues before arriving at my cryptic, philosophical answer. The truth should be simple. Lately, before going to class, I find 5 minutes of quiet, where I can remember my truths, and leverage them to help find my center. Sometimes it’s easy, I look at the ring Joshua gave me, an eternal reminder of truths. And sometimes, it’s remembering a picnic in the park, with sunshine, and friends, like this past weekend.
I suppose my meditative recollections remove me from the moment. But I’d rather think that they help me focus on what’s important. Not super low cut pants, or the what’s going on with the down-dog behind me, but instead what’s going on inside of me.
Pictures of a picnic in a park this past weekend.
