Meditation: Searching for the Ox

Why the ox? Well, look at it, it's right there, in plain sight.

When you start meditating, you're looking for something. And what you're looking for is probably not meditation. That is, you don't want it to be. There's the part about how you're not going to be good at it, and how it's going to be painful, but almost certainly it's a means to an end.

And then you sit down and it's entirely different than you thought. So here is what I've noticed that I think might be helpful, a simple beginning:

Meditation is not hard to learn. Getting started is as simple as sitting down and noticing how it is for you. You don't have to sit in a certain way, although if you start to love it and want to do it more, it may help to figure out how to get comfortable so your body isn't bothering you.

So try that for 5 minutes and see how it goes. Just sit there and notice what your mind does, what your body does, what the air is like on your face, what the sounds are around you. If you love it, try it for 5 more minutes. Don't try and do it right or do it well. Just sit there and notice. And if you care to, try asking yourself this question: "Is anything missing from this moment?" Do this every day for a week and see how it goes.

Rachel Boughton
www. santarosazen.org