APPAMADA

Peg Syverson

The Practice Path of Holidays

The holidays present special challenges and opportunities for practice. Many people feel isolated or lonely, stressed or depressed at this time, while others are basking in the warmth and love of friends and families. You may experience a real roller coaster of emotions, thoughts, stories, interactions, and reflection. Sometimes the crush of activities means that we are not able to take good care of our bodies, spend time with those closest to us, or find time for meditation. Our practice under these circumstances is no different than when we are sitting in zazen in the Zendo. In the car, in a checkout line, wrapping gifts, or making travel plans, take a few deep breaths, allow your body to be completely relaxed, and simply notice your total being, exactly where you are. Recall that you are already an awakened being, who sometimes gets tired, distracted, emotional, triggered, and transcendently happy, just like all of the other beings around you. Your boundless, wise, and compassionate mind and heart are always available; we only need to recall that this is our true state of being. The function of this holiday is to bring us together to appreciate each other, in all of our conditioned quirkiness, and to share in moments of unsurpassable intimacy and luminous being. Because this holiday comes at the end of one year and the beginning of the New Year, it is a wonderful time to reflect on our practice path and our aspirations for the coming year.

How is your practice affecting your experience of the holidays this year? We can share in the wisdom of the whole sangha together through this medium, if we want to use it this way. Add your comments if you are moved to.

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Lisa Kuntz Comment by Lisa Kuntz on January 3, 2010 at 9:04am
Ever since she posted the message, I have been thinking about Peg's invitation to share our reflections & aspirations. The simple act of meditating almost every day has affected my holiday experience. It is my gift to myself, a gift I can re-open each day, not knowing what to expect. I noticed that the quality of meditating was different over the holidays. My routine was disrupted, and I noticed, "I'm having a harder time settling down; time is passing more slowly;my energy is drawn to reflection/aspiration more than usual." I found myself cultivating space & spaciousness by simplifying my holiday rituals, by entertaining with a minimum of fuss & a maximum of pleasure.

I stepped back from my end-of-the-year medical appointments just enough to have a good laugh at how much I would benefit from new technologies in the coming year: a BAHA implant that will assist my deaf ear, MOHS surgery to remove skin cancer, new glasses, additional braces & retainer coming up. I stepped back just enough to reflect on my body's demise, with laughter & grief, just enough to aspire to continue waking up & shaking up, bit by bit, every day.

My aspirations become simpler each year, but I love having aspirations. Aspirations are like the new wrinkles on my cheeks; they are mileposts that indicate change is occurring. This year I aspire to alignment & wonder how many varieties there are. When I sit to meditate, hands on knees, I notice the alignment of my head atop my spine. If all of my vertebrae are in the right places, & the weight of my brain is not pulling my spine out of alignment, it takes less energy to sit upright. It is functional, esthetically pleasing, it satisfies me. It reminds me of lining up the bowls during kitchen clean-up, a simple but satisfying act. It reminds me of turning the labels on the zafus to the wall, lining them up, straightening them; a simple but satisfying action.

As I write I become curious about another aspiration. What will it take to get my internal & external "selves" aligned? Is simple awareness enough? I realize that many of my explorations have to do with this aspiration: something within wants to be seen with-out. Something within wants to manifest itself. Perhaps that is another kind of alignment that will grow out of journaling, SoulCollage, retreats, therapy, dialogues with friends, practice discussions, meditation & inquiry. Perhaps it will come when I least expect it.

I look forward to additional comments.
Lisa



Appamada is not just the occasional mindful thought or attentive state of mind, it’s actually a commitment to being attentive. It’s more than just a meditative state of mind, it’s more than just being mindful. It has to do with that primary ethical or moral orientation we have in life, with which we bring into being whatever activity we’re engaged in. Whether in formal meditation, in our interactions with other people, in our social concerns, or in our political choices, it’s the energetic cherishing of what we regard as good.
—Stephen Batchelor

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