Everyman's Journal 2011

Everyman's Journal 2011, #35

Feb. 18

Finding myself anxious and tense (from 'the overwhelm' of producing Loren's rapidly approaching CREATING PERFECT HEALTH seminar) at one point in my day yesterday, I noticed my breath meditation practice was working.... because as I noticed the anxiety, the next thing I noticed was my breath. It was shallow, high up in the chest, not deep, and quicker than usual. I consciously went to it then, extending it, deepening it, slowing it down. And as that was accomplished, the anxiety retreated, for in the slower breathing I could access a much truer thinking level.... like remembering 'I'm not alone', 'I can count on miracles', and 'it's all covered', etc. And as I relaxed into a deeper trust, things happened 'right on time' all the rest of the day.

In some ways attending the local Wednesday evening breath-meditation-focused sorta-Buddhist discussion group is like a review, and in other ways it's clearly new territory for me, because I'm more mature than in the past, so I'm seeing more... well, the best word is... more sincerely. That there have been many times in my life where I have received breath-work teachings is a fact, but that means nothing in the now of the now unless I am still using and receiving benefit from those past teaching. Of course I am receiving 'some' (it would be impossible not to be)...and, in the past few years, those kinds of practices had receded from my world. So it creates the spiritual equivalent of 'use it or lose it', and in that context, my current 'review course' is completely appropriate.

Yet even in those times where I lived without a commitment to a formal practice, I still would remember occasionally to sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. When I did, almost each time what I would come to was the place in me that was saying "We need to do this a lot more....". And I would agree with that thought and give permission for it to be, knowing that with that permission, in time, it would be. Therefore, I'm not surprised by where I find myself. :-)

As I look at all events and influences that have overtly or covertly transpired over the last couple of years that has resulted in the world I now inhabit, I am often thankful to God for the subtlety that is usually used to guide me. For when I would forget, I was forgiven, and simply embraced when I finally did remember. That is the Way of Compassion... it allows me to learn truly... waiting until I actually see something newly before 'raising the bar'.

So ...as yet I am still a student gaining skill and mastery of the simplest of mysteries.... the mysterious fact that we/I ARE our breath to an unimaginably profound degree.... a fact that we/I are profoundly blind to also.

Bottom line: I am grateful to be giving myself this review (by choosing to attend the group).

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In a recent past entry, I noted that the flavor of this meditation group was 'more sober than bakti' (joyful/blissful), and that I missed that. I guess God must have said 'Bingo...learning opportunity' to that.... because (probably as a lesson delivery for me) last Sunday one of the Buddhist group women showed up at the (mostly Hindu/Christian/Sufi) "Sacred Singing Circle" I lead. It was an interesting switch, to mindfully experience 'how she was' in a such a 'bakti circle'. Since I haven't talked to her about it directly, I am conjecturing... but it appeared she just couldn't get into it, even though I could see she was trying to 'go along with the program'. I kept adjusting things a bit to see if I could do something that would allow her to join fully, but I didn't seem to succeed very well. She stayed for almost an hour... I think because the friend she'd brought was enjoying herself... but at a break in the songs, she eventually said 'We have to go', and so they did. And that was fine... that's the posted invite...."leave whenever you need to". But then, the energy shifted, amping up into a deeper musical & bakti heart communion for those who were left. The lesson? (In a minute..) This Wednesday, as the meditation group convened again, I was in a quiet mood, and I just sat and witnessed the relatedness of the other members of the group. And here is a part of the lesson... I was able to experience the aliveness of love passing through the group, even though the form of it was 'sober-flavored'. It was very sweet, and gentle, and very kind, for the most part. What I would call 'low-ego'. As I think about this, I sense an aphorism, a principality.... what?... something like: 'Birds of a feather not only flock together, but they also can find ways to commune with each other that are difficult for 'non-flock members' to preceive. I can't think of any group this doesn't apply to.... and I sense this phenomena is also at the core of unique language creation, given that language is a symbol describing a shared experience.

It seems (from this) is that the only way 'into the shared space' is to 'match vibrations', or at least 'harmonize vibrationally'. This might just be the Master's 'practice of practices'.... being present without agenda enough to match vibrations with anyone we would desire to, or be guided/directed to. And I do mean 'anyone'.

It a high bar to learn. Should keep me busy for a while..... :-)

Namaste,

David

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

(my fine art website)

www.davidseacord-everymansjournal.blogspot.com

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

www.davidseacord-acimcommentaries.blogspot.com

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

www.everymansjournal2011.blogspot.com

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)