Being a parent is rocking my world.
The joy fills me. Yesterday morning, I wandered through our neighborhood with my son as he explored the early spring flowers and citrus trees with pure wonder.
Yet, by the end of each day, my wife and I are exhausted from the endless stream of tasks: work, childcare, household chores, extended family duties, caring for ourselves, along with the inevitable challenges of married life and the heart-rending backdrop of global tragedy, crisis, and uncertainty.
When I'm out of energy, distraught about the environment or forever wars, I sometimes find myself asking, “What do I need right now? Is it meditation?”
The answer, of course, is it depends…
Vietnamese Zen master, poet, and peace activist Thich Hanh wrote, “Meditation is to be aware, and to try to help.” Meditation practice can quiet the heart and clear the mind so that we may receive the blessings of our life, and discern where and how we can make a difference.
And there are times when other activities may be more helpful.
For example, when I feel drained some light stretching, exercise, or a walk may do more to recharge me than sitting still and meditating. If I feel overwhelmed—be it with my own to-do list or the state of our world—talking with a friend, finding a way to take action, or playing with my son may all be more helpful than the solitude of introspection.
Don’t get me wrong—I think meditation is great. I’ve devoted much of my adult life to practicing, studying, and teaching it because it's a powerful, flexible tool to transform our lives from the inside out.
And yet, it's only one part of a mature, balanced, spiritual life which involves nourishing ourselves, contributing to others, building community, and engaging in a meaningful way with difficult ethical questions about our modern world.
So how can we know where to turn and what tool to use? When there is so much happening inside and out, I find it important first to uplift the heart. Notice and celebrate anything beautiful, just, or good.
Taking in the good, we strengthen our hearts. Then, if we listen inside we may just find that that we already know the answer to the question, "What's the right medicine for me, right now?”
Warmly,
Oren
Want to connect?
Join me for a free event online. Check out what's happening here. If you're up for some meditation, here's a short guided meditation that I recently posted on my YouTube channel.
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