Meditation for Scared People

by Band of Banners
(Philippines)

Do whatever works for you

Why scared?

Back in the mid-90s (I was just in my 30s then), I got curious about this Taoist meditation from some "guru".

That's how they called them then.

Anyway, I love reading books and I came upon his book.

I read a bit and tried the meditation.

Lo and behold, I felt my solar plexus (below your rib cage) getting so light and I felt I was going to separate from my body.

Nope!

None of that for me.

I immediately stopped all that nonsense.

I mean, what if my body doesn't come back?

So, I dropped all ideas of meditation -- until a French lady in 2000 said she wanted to initiate me in Reiki Healing.

She said it was energy from Angels -- cool!

And she said she'd rather pass it on to me so I can pass it on to my countrymen.

Right.

I haven't really fulfilled that expectation as I reached but Reiki I.

It's a beautiful meditation done lying down (perfect for lazy me) and you have hand positions over your chakras and breathing that goes with it.

PLUS, you get to listen to such beautiful, high-frequency music that you will honestly feel you are in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And no, it won't make you sleep.

Only because I cut short the breathing and got rad.

I made it eight counts inhaling...hold...eight counts exhaling...hold.

Now, lazy person that I am, I've cut it down to four counts hehehe.

Fine meditator I am.

I hope you don't follow my example, but if you're curious, read on, for there's another meditation that will really be for scared people (scared of separating from their bodies).

There is this wonderful meditation which won't separate you from your body.

On the contrary, it will attach you more to your body as you will see shortly.

I've followed the example of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk from Plum Village, France.

He calls it "engaged meditation".

Engaged because you focus on the moment as you do your every day thing.

Like washing dishes, cooking food, walking, grocery shopping, driving, playing with your grandkids, talking to your kids, gardening, reading a book, and whatever activity you love doing each day.

My late father, a physician-surgeon, would probably call that "presence of mind".

He always inculcated in us to focus on the moment, especially crossing the street.

Gosh, my dad sure was a visionary -- way ahead of his time!

And now, I found it's also called "engaged meditation".

So simple.

So practical.

So doable.

And truly for scared people like myself who never wants to separate from their bodies and see that silver cord dangling from their bellies to their bodies wherever it finds itself to be.

And because I'm lazy and antsy and like simple, practical stuff, Thich Nhat Hanh's method suits me just fine.

You watch, it's perfect for when you drive.

Focusing on the road, on the pedestrians, on the traffic lights, on the state of your car.

See, that's my way.

What's yours?

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