Being aware of the present moment is the core of spiritual practice and one of the highest forms of wisdom. It\u2019s also an ongoing challenge. But for musicians the present moment is where music happens, so it’s important to learn how to be there.<\/p>\n
Even if we weren\u2019t assailed by the multiple stresses and stimuli of our busy lives, our minds would continue to chatter away about worries, regrets, plans and hopes. In order to be fully aware of the present moment, we need to quiet the \u201cmonkey chatter\u201d within us. This constantly pulls us back to the past or draws us to the future with all the emotional turmoil both can entail.<\/p>\n
Meditation can be done anywhere, any time and in any position. It is best to start in a quiet, pleasant, comfortable place. You\u2019ll want to eliminate as many distractions from the environment as possible. Your mind will provide enough distractions of its own.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m most familiar with the Zen Buddhist form of sitting meditation, called zazen<\/em><\/a> (“seated meditation”), which I began practicing in 1970. In zazen,<\/em> you sit on the floor on a round cushion (zafu)<\/em> in a full- or half-Lotus Position with your hands in your lap as shown below.<\/p>\n Full Lotus Position<\/p><\/div>\n In the Lotus Position [padmasana<\/em>]\u2014named for the shape of an open lotus flower, one sits cross-legged with the feet on the opposing thighs. The position is commonly used in Hindu Yoga and Buddhist meditation, but may be challenging for some. I can usually manage only the half-Lotus.<\/p>\n Since I\u2019ve learned this approach, I find\u00a0this position a helpful physical reinforcement of the practice. However, you can meditate just as effectively sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the floor (or even lying down, if necessary\u2014provided you can stay awake).<\/p>\n It\u2019s also best not to close your eyes; keep them lowered, but half open. Focus on a spot on the floor or some other neutral object. Some traditions focus on a spiritual object (flower, mandala, altar, statue of the Buddha, etc.). Your primary focus is elsewhere, so after a while you will almost stop seeing what\u2019s in front of your eyes.<\/p>\n The essential element in any meditation practice is to pay attention to your breath<\/strong> as you inhale and exhale. This is both simple and challenging. As you try to focus on your breath, you will suddenly realize you\u2019ve been thinking about an incident at the office, or what you need from the grocery store, what you forgot to tell your spouse or the paper you have to write.<\/p>\n Release yourself from any judgment or blame. (Meditation is in part an attempt to step outside the human ego.) Simply resume paying attention to your breath.<\/p>\n Thoughts will continue to intrude. Each thought is like a pebble or even a rock dropped into a pond. The water ripples and then gradually calms. As you continue to pay attention to your breath, your mind will calm. But don\u2019t worry if another pebble drops in. Allow it to sink to the bottom and let go of it. Just pay attention to your breath again.<\/p>\n To focus on the breath, I have found it helpful to recite a gatha<\/em> (\u201cverse\u201d) that the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh<\/a>, proposed. This seems to sum up the essence of spiritual wisdom:<\/p>\n Breathing in I calm my body After reciting this to myself a few times as I inhale and exhale, I will sometimes shorten it to \u201cin,\u201d \u201cout.\u201d Another aid in focusing on the breath is to count from one to ten and then back down (I count it like music: 1 and, 2 and, etc., for the in and out breaths.). The persistence and insistence of the mind\u2019s \u201cmonkey chatter\u201d is such that I\u2019ve never been able to complete a counting cycle before I got distracted and lost track. I simply begin again\u2026and again\u2026and again. No judgment, no blame, no regret.<\/p>\n Some traditions use a mantra to help focus the attention. This mantra may be given to one in secret by a guru or teacher (e.g., Transcendental Meditation). Perhaps the most widely used mantra is the Buddhist six-syllable Sanskrit mantra: O\u1e43 ma\u1e47i padme h\u016b\u1e43<\/em><\/a>. The text has been interpreted in various ways. I\u2019ve often used it as the focus of meditation and the fact that it\u2019s in Sanskrit helps me to focus.<\/p>\n While you can meditate almost anytime, it\u2019s ideal to spend 20 minutes or so when you first get up in the morning.<\/p>\n Thich Nhat Hanh and others also encourage mindfulness breaks throughout the day when you bring your attention back to the present moment and notice your breathing. These may last a minute or longer depending on your situation. These are good times to recite the gatha<\/em> above.<\/p>\n There are many books on meditation that can be helpful or supportive of your practice. I especially admire the work of Thich Nhat Hanh<\/a>, who speaks from a Buddhist perspective, but to a Western audience. One doesn\u2019t have to know or accept Buddhist teaching to benefit from his teaching on meditation.<\/p>\n![\"Full](\"http:\/\/byronleonard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Lotus-position-03.jpg\")
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\nBreathing out I smile.
\nDwelling in the present moment,
\nI know this is a wonderful moment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n