I recently spent an entire afternoon watching my grandmother go in on these guandules! I realized she was on a mission when I noticed the bucket next to her rocking chair. We sat for hours as she worked through plant after plant. She must’ve de-seeded like 20 pounds worth.
Not once did she complain or try to rush the process. And I am still, weeks later, inspired by her diligence and patience. She was showing me meditation in action.
Although there are many ways to practice stillness and witness our thoughts, there are also many ways to practice meditation on the go. There are days when I feel fully aware of where my body is in space and conscious of my breath, and there are many times I don’t. “the goal is practice, not perfection” Caroline Myss says.
What would it feel like to practice meditation while doing the dishes? folding clothes? or cleaning the house? Our minds don’t know the difference between a calm activity vs a not-so-calm one. The difference is in how we react mentally, physically and emotionally. And the more we practice conscious proprioception, mindful breathing, staying calm, the more it becomes second nature. This gives us the ability to move through life as if it were one long meditation.
Maybe you’ll try this or you have been practicing for a while. Either way, I’d love to know how meditation plays a part in your life and how it feels to be in and out of practice.
More pictures of my visit to grandmama’s country palace here.