A New Meditation

Here we go again, another non-post. Am trying hard, honest… trying to keep some thread of continuity/quality for you here. My excuses are lame, at best… a great summer, special guests rolling through, a lot of activities, a new special lady friend… I know, you’re saying with all that going on, there must be tons of stuff to write about and share. Well…… you’re right. There are. And in that light, let’s put the shoe on the other foot for a moment. Have you had time to write Aunt Emma this summer? Hmm?? Have you??? Too busy???? Yeah. Me too.

Busyness, activity, outdoor fun all breed a great summer. It’s energy-consuming, too, and sometimes we just fade at the end of a great day, or exciting week, and aren’t able to do the little things at the end of the day that we planned. Especially if we’re older. And I am older.

I care about my new blog, I care about my weekly posts, and I care about the people who read it. The Sagebrush Chronicles is from the high country, above the din, above the urban pollution, far removed from the daily strife of city life. Can I not share with you at least a little bit of the Northwest Rocky Mountains every week somehow? Can’t I??

Some would say “No, evidently not.” And those “some” would be wrong. I’ll find a way, by god. And this week’s “way” is in the form of a momentary realization of a major stress relief product you’re all aware of – meditation.

Yes, meditation. Now don’t freak out. It’s not your usual heady, serious “Ooommm” routine you might be used to reading about. It’s not ethereal, esoteric, biodegradable or spiritually upscale-able.   You don’t need to tell any of your friends about it, you don’t need to bow to it on Sunday, you don’t need to face the East and sit in an uncomfortable position… none of that. This is The New Meditation.

I know several of you do it already. K. sits in her beautiful back yard next to the pool, sipping wine and enjoying her flowers. T. goes sailing whenever he can and drinks an occasional IPA… D. loves to grill the most wonderfully tantalizing yummies in his back yard with a few good friends and a few Tecates.  R. takes his wife to their remote cabin in the mountains for an occasional weekend of quiet and peacefulness. We all know what to do, really… it’s more a matter of getting our minds settled down so we can catch our breath and review a bit, and simply ‘be.’

It’s easy. Just set a time for yourself to do something that makes you happy, contented, relaxed… something you can enjoy that is stress-free. Too simple?  Exactly. No need to close your eyes, stop breathing, clear your mind of all thought… none of that. We can’t begin to do that stuff anyway. We’re Americans, living in America. Who do we know who can do that crap?? And if they can, they’re weird…  or retired.

Yes, I’m retired. Yes, I meditate. Yes, I do it in a number of ways. And yes, I want to share the very easiest way with you. And yes, I think you’re going to really like this version of meditation, whether you choose to call it a meditation or not. And why not… it’s so damned easy…

Okay. Here’s what you do. (You’re gonna love this…) Decide to do something you really enjoy, something that is fairly simple, something that doesn’t take too much energy or time. I mean, you could go camping, for instance, which would be energy & time consuming, then do your New Meditation there, of course… the idea is “what to do when you get settled in your temporary environment…”

And here’s what works for me. Usually around 6 p.m. I pour myself a Jameson’s on the rocks. Yeah, I know… drugs. You don’t need a Jameson’s for this, it just happens to be what I like. Then I pull my deck chair into the shade, bring out the peanuts, put on some of my favorite music, set my drink and myself down, and breathe a great big sigh. Yes. Aaahhh. A sip of my drink, the view off my front porch, the music, and yes… the peanuts.

I shell the peanuts and eat them, one at a time. Another sip of my drink, the music and the warm evening summer air… and then it occurs to me –  I am so lucky. I Am So Damn Lucky. Nirvana.

Sometimes my eyes get wet, it can be such a good meditation. It is so very sweet, to be happy, contented, at peace, for even a little while. Why can we not do this for ourselves more often? A little special time for ourself and our loved one, to put the cares of this insane world aside and let our hearts fill, for a moment, with the good things that we have, the good people that we are, the good things that we share.

Am fairly sure I’m preaching to the choir here. I hope so. I hope that this post is a total waste of your time, that you already have better ways of turning off the madness than I. And of course you’re welcome to share them here. Several of you already have. And I can guess a couple. Obviously you can substitute your cheese and crackers for my peanuts, your glass of wine for my Jameson’s, and maybe some peace and quiet instead of music… you know what works for you by now, right? The idea is to bring it all WAY down, down to what resides within us, the quality that has always abided there. Let’s get back in touch with it, let’s find a way to feel it again, and perhaps even manifest it. What do you say? Let’s have a Jameson’s, eat a peanut or two, smell the evening air, and let our hearts breathe of freedom, of joy and of contentment. For just a little while.

Steve Hulse