By Lindsey Smith
Week two and my first post. I began daily meditations about 2 1/2 months ago and it is now my favorite topic of conversation. The benefits have been astounding given the short period of time, and I am so grateful for the space it has opened up in my day to day and in my body. I’m excited to be a part of this challenge, and to share and deepen this practice with this amazing community!
Last night, motivated by the impending snow, I put on my sneakers and headed out for a run around the perimeter of Prospect Park. Running is my oldest and dearest practice. I did it before I had awareness of my breath, before the harmony of mind, body & spirit blew my mind open, and before I could sit with myself for even a moment. Then the other day it occurred to me that long distance running was a kind of meditation for me, one where I could escape my head, get into my body, and feel the present moment. My best runs happen when I’m focusing on the now, enjoying the groove that sets one foot in front of the other over and over again for miles.
So last night, feeling a little tired and a bit in my head during the run, I started applying some meditation techniques to get into a better space. Do you know the sidewalk that hugs Prospect Park on the West & Southwest sides? I was there last night and began to focus first on my breath, to ground me, and then on gratitude. I looked at the scene around me- the beautiful street lights that line the entire path, illuminating not only where my foot would land next, but also the trees that loom just above and behind the light. These trees that welcome you to the lifeline to nature that is Prospect Park. I felt grateful to live here, grateful to have a healthy, mobile body, and grateful for the love and home I was running back to. Very quickly my mood shifted, I felt lighter in my body and I was really enjoying the run. On my final stretch home, a delivery person on his bike stopped to ask me for directions. After looking at the food order, I did my best to explain that the road we were on was the right one, but that it was bisected by the train tracks and he needed to be on the other side. The interaction was short, simple and somewhat humorous, but gave me a burst of good energy. Those small moments of connection with strangers can ground me into the present and I’m grateful that they do. I finished the run, came home and felt refreshed and spirited.
Meditation is helping me appreciate the present more, not only by being more aware of it, but by realizing the control I have over how I experience each moment. Ultimately we don’t have control over a lot of things, but being grounded in the present is serving me so much more than focusing on the thoughts, fears, and scenarios playing in my head.
Brooklyn Yoga School 