Mid-July Daze

In the warm temperatures I’ve started taking my daily walk early in the morning, before doing my daily meditation. That change in habits has me feeling like I’m floating in a

Mid-July Daze

When I come back from my walk and sit down in my regular spot to meditate, my mind refuses to quiet. And I find myself drifting into all sorts of thoughts. Even when I listen to some of my favorite guided meditations I’m having difficulty settling.

Still, I sit each day and allow my mind to wander if needs be. I come back to my breath again and again. And though my meditation sessions feel anything but peaceful these days I figure that if nothing else, I am learning to be persistent and am also focusing on being kind to myself.

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
― Thich Nhat Hang, Stepping into Freedom: Rules of Monastic Practice for Novices

Each time I notice that my mind has strayed away from the present moment I gently say to myself, “Thinking,” and then I return my attention to my breath using Thich Nhat Hanh’s words — “In — Out — Deep — Slow — Calm — Ease — Smile — Release — Present Moment — Beautiful Moment.”

I rarely get through a single repetition of the words these days before I notice that my mind has strayed again. If I was doing Zen meditation where you count silently to yourself from 1 to 10, starting the count over again when you notice your attention has strayed I probably wouldn’t get further than 3 in my counting before I needed to start over.

Kindness and Persistence

Even though my mind goes a-wandering incessantly when I sit to meditate, I view my morning walks as a kind of walking meditation.

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.
― Thich Nhat Hanh

And when I am working on photographing a bouquet of flowers each moment of working with them and appreciating their beauty is a kind of meditation.

I’ve also been spending time on the deck swing enjoying the trees, bird song, and breeze, another kind of meditation.

Each day I give thanks for another warm day, for being able to swing in the shade and read, for having this day, and the beauty all around me.

I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

Are you also enjoying a mid-July daze?

May you walk in beauty.