Toxic

I prefer to read the book Meditations From the Mat by Rolf Gates everyday (as it is a 365 meditations book set up for one passage a day) and this year I started to actually read it beginning with January 1st, wanted to see how it felt to follow it with the calendar year.

Currently i am still within the section about the yamas -the ethical and spiritual observances help us develop the more profound qualities of our humanity. The yama that is being discussed in the current passages is about nonhoarding or letting go. Letting go of physical clutter, or not focusing too much on materialism, but also letting go of personal and spiritual baggage. Cleaning the skeletons from our closets so to speak, cleansing ourselves of negativity to better ourselves and to have a more powerful impact on others. Letting go of past blames and regrets, embarassments, jealousies, vengances, bitterness, etc. Letting go of our constant control to be perfect with everything and everyone, and focusing our engeries on knowing already that we are perfect and that all is well. learning to relax more and be more relateable and approachable. Learning to truly accept ourselves and appriecate what we have been given, and moving on, shrouding away the past and letting go of the whatifs of the future and allowing ourselves to be present in the present moment. Someone once told me that it is called the present because it is a gift and we should all learn to cherish it! *^_^*

There are many different meditation styles and techniques out there, one of the most well known and simplest in concept I personally find to be the most challenging to actually practice and master, and that is closing our eyes, calming our breath, and letting go of our thoughts and judgements and concerns and just being there in the moment, in the room listening to the sound of our breath or the tv on down the hall, or the dog barkign outside, or the wind chimes, or the rain, your tummy grumbling, what have you, but lettign go of labeling what you hear or feel, not judging anything or feeling emotion towards it one way or the other and continuing to just quiet the thoughts in your mind.

My challenge to you is to pause reading this or checking your email, or facebooking, or checking out porn (whatever floats your boat), turning away from your phone or computer, closing your eyes and for 3 minutes focus all your energies on quieting your mind, and just being in the moment, being in whatever room you are in however if on a bus or the train or something i suggest waiting til you get home so you dont miss your stop) I am practicing with you, so enjoy!