Yes, And…

In meditation, you are encouraged to come back to the breath when you notice that you have drifted into thinking. I used to I say to myself, “Forgiven” when I noticed that I was no longer centered in the present moment (because for a long time I was so hard on myself for not being perfect). But that no longer works for me during meditation because I have (finally!) moved to a place where I feel there is nothing to forgive. Of course thinking happens and my mind drifts into old patterns. That’s why I meditate. Yesterday I noticed that I had drifted into thinking during my meditation and simply said,

Yes, And…

as in, “Yes, I’m thinking again and it’s okay.” The simple acceptance embodied in saying “yes” followed by the openness of “and…” made me feel a sense of expansion in my field. It was easy to come back to noticing sensations in my body and my breath breathing in and out.

Staying in the present moment for very long is hard. And the longer I practice meditation the more I notice the little paths that my mind typically wanders off too. I tend to spend a lot of time rehearsing what I might say or imagining what I should have said, rehashing moments that are long past or that may never occur. Sometimes I spend time wishing that things were different. And I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to “improve” things, usually my health.

When I say “Yes” to everything, even the hard parts of my life, everything gets just a little easier. I’ve been missing my beloved cat, Gracie a lot. And hardly a day goes by that I don’t find myself in tears for a little bit of time remembering her. Saying “Yes, and…” to even this helps me allow the feelings, to come, then go, and I keep moving through my day.

Love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of yes live
(skillfully curled)
all worlds
― E.E. Cummings

Try It…

What are you struggling with in your life? Can you notice when you’re struggling and simply say, “Yes, and…” and then allow everything to be just as it is?

Yes, and…

May you walk in beauty.

Note: It’s amaryllis time. These beauties burst into full bloom this week and my other plant is ready to bloom soon!