Morning Quiet

I'm a morning person. Always have been. I assume that I always will be. For years my alarm has been set for 5:45. Most days it doesn't even go off because I'm already awake. I enjoy getting up in the quiet, taking a cup of coffee with me as I take Sammy outside and listening for the world to wake up.

Off and on during my re-awakening as a Christian I've practiced meditation. I've always been drawn to the more contemplative side of being a Jesus follower – forty days in the desert, his withdrawl from the crowds to pray and think – these have always been the Jesus stories that capture my imagination.

But, the truth is, I practice meditation kind of like I diet. Good intentions. Good feelings for awhile. Then, slowly, life and the sluggish nature of being human slowly creep back in. Pretty soon I realize that I've downed a bag of Cheetos and haven't prayed in a week.

This week I set my alarm for 5:30 to give myself a few extra minutes of silence. I positioned my meditation bench and mat facing a window that looks out into the gardens at the side of the house and I knelt to calm my soul and encounter God.

Meditation is one of those things in life that requires practice. Nothing worth anything comes easily. But I can already feel the difference in my soul. For the first few minutes I close my eyes and concentrate on my breath. As I breathe in I repeat the Old Testament name for God – I AM. I say it again as I exhale - this time thinking about myself and how the sacred lives within me.

After awhile I open my eyes and watch the garden, continuing to focus on my breath. I try to open myself to the sacred around me and foster a sense of thankfulness in my heart. When I feel ready to reenter my morning routine I bow and say an audible thanks.

On Saturday afternoon Ali and I walked from our house to downtown and the library. While she was doing geneology I perused the religion section of the stacks. I came home with Thich Nhat Hahn's book "Living Buddha, Living Christ." It parallels Buddha's teachings with Christ's. I'm enjoying reading it very much. One of the meditation exercises in the book goes like this:

Breathing in, I am aware of my heart.
Breathing out, I smile.
I vow to eat, drink and work in ways
that preserve my health and well-being.

Maybe that will keep that Cheeto bag out of my hand. . .