Touching the Earth

Today’s mediation started a little later in the day than I originally planned, but yet it seemed like the perfect time for that day.

I had just read some of Pema Chodron’s comments on how truly having compassion for ourselves, being “soft and nonjudgmental” in our meditations, we can bring forth true honesty in our approach to ourselves. In turn, seeing ourselves with eyes open allows us to “grow up”. Pema always seems to ring a bell in me, today the sound of that bell resonated right into my meditation.

The reading seemed to ease my meditation.

It is not that I usually need to ease my way to sitting on the mat, but as of late I have had lots to think about. I actually have the great opportunity to really take a whiff of the “Stinky Stuff“ that has accumulated in me.

It may seem an obvious thing, but being kind to myself is not always the first thing I think of when I am looking inward.

Today, I decided to change my mediation a little bit Every now and again, I am reminded of the Heart Sutra and how much it has helped me relearn compassion. I will at times decided to use the Heart Sutra as a way of helping me in my meditation practice. And today, as I recited the Heart Sutra, flashes of “Not the Best of Me” sprung up like split second commercials rushing past me in theater of my mind.

Mediation was quite productive today.

As I sat, I heard my “evil” kitty talking. He was mewing away a small paragraph, speaking little kitty words like he does. I recited the Sutra and felt comfortable in placing my left hand down softly to the ground. My fingers gently touching the floor. Sometimes my kitties will come sit next to me while I meditate, and I thought that if my commentator was uncomfortable, it may bring him comfort to invite him close with a touch to the floor.

My goofy stopped mewing, but the feeling of the cool wood floor to my fingertips suddenly brought me present. Like a clear shot, I felt awake and aware. I felt peace.

Now, I doubt that this exact experience will happen again for me in such an natural and organic way, and I am not going to make it part of my meditation practice. I wouldn’t even recommend it except as a way perhaps to gently quiet a pet. But I must say, much like a bolt of lightning, I gained some insight to the story of the Buddha touching the Earth.

Brief History on the Buddha’s Pose:

When the Buddha is depicted touching the ground (or the Earth), it is representative of a story of the Buddha. It is a story where Buddha “battles” Mara. Mara is a representation of “delusion” in the form of a demon like being. His name actually means delusion. When Buddha was faced with this Mara character it is said that he only needed to touch the ground with his finger tips to bring the goddess of earth to his rescue. At this point in the story, the Buddha, firmly grounded in reality and free from threats of delusion attained enlightenment.

The author of this blog has no desire to become a Buddha.