Meditation One: Among
Practice One: The Art of Lingering
This practice invites you to cultivate the ability to be among—to stay, to stand, to rest in presence, even when discomfort arises. By embracing the art of lingering, you allow understanding to unfold naturally over time, deepening your connection with whatever you seek to understand. The goal is to resist the rush and welcome the richness that comes from remaining with and within the moment.
And yet, in our age of rush, doesn’t lingering sound like a rather suspicious act? Almost like that loathsome word—loitering—something frowned upon, nearly illegal! Indeed, in a world where efficiency is king, lingering may feel like a guilty pleasure. You might hear your inner taskmaster balk at the very suggestion. But don’t we rush too quickly past the places where life is truly lived? Let’s linger on purpose. Take a stand against the rush—and, in doing so, reclaim your right to be present.
1. Create a Space for Lingering
Prepare a Space of Stillness:
Choose a space where you can comfortably sit or stand for an extended period. This could be a quiet room, a bench in a park, or even the edge of a forest. The environment should feel neutral—open to time. You’re not here to rush through the moment, but to settle in and let things unfold.
Symbolic Reminder:
Bring something into the space that symbolizes patience—a slow-burning candle, a smooth stone, or even an hourglass. This object will remind you that time is an ally in this practice, not an enemy.
2. Set the Intention: Extending Your Stay
Statement of Intention:
Silently or aloud, say, “I commit to staying a little longer, even when it feels uncomfortable. I allow myself the time to truly be here, to linger with care.”
Breathing with Time:
Take a few deep breaths. With each inhale, imagine drawing in time—allowing it to expand around you. With each exhale, release any sense of hurry or pressure to move on.
3. Engage: The Practice of Lingering
Stretching Time:
As you sit or stand, commit to staying with your chosen focus for longer than you would naturally. It could be a person, a concept, a feeling, or simply the space you’re in. Allow yourself to linger, even when the urge to move on begins to tug at you.
Observing Without Rush:
As you linger, observe the subtle changes that unfold. Details you hadn’t noticed before will start to emerge—the way light shifts in the room, the way a person’s expression softens, the way your thoughts settle. Give time the opportunity to reveal its layers.
4. Pushing Through Discomfort
Embrace Discomfort:
At some point, you may feel restless, bored, or uncomfortable. Recognize this discomfort without judgment. It’s a natural part of lingering.
Remind yourself that deeper understanding often lies just beyond this threshold.
Stay with the Tension:
If impatience rises, don’t retreat. Stay with it. Use your breath to ground yourself and return to the practice. Tell yourself, “I am here to linger. I am here to let time show me what I would otherwise miss.”
5. Closing the Practice: Lingering Reflections
Gratitude for Time:
End the practice by expressing gratitude for the time you’ve spent lingering.
Silently or aloud, say, “I am grateful for this moment, for the space to linger, and for what has been revealed through patience.”
Journaling Reflections:
Take time to reflect on what you observed during your lingering.
Did staying a little longer reveal anything new or unexpected?
How did the discomfort transform as you stayed with it?
6. Regular Practice:
Building the Habit of Lingering
Daily Lingering:
Incorporate this practice into your daily routine. Each day, find a moment to stretch your presence a little longer—whether in a conversation, during a task, or while observing something in nature. Over time, your ability to linger will deepen, allowing you to access richer layers of understanding and connection.
Meditation Two: Stand
Practice Two: The Stand of Inaction
In a world that pushes us to act, solve, and control, there is a quiet power in standing still—in letting go of the need to shape or fix and allowing ourselves to be shaped instead. This practice is an invitation to rest in that stillness, to stand open, willing to be acted upon. Through this "Stand of Inaction," you will foster a state of presence, submission, and openness, allowing deeper understanding to emerge from the quiet without the interference of force.
1. Prepare Your Space: A Place for Stillness
Create a Quiet Environment:
Choose a space where you can sit or stand undisturbed—a corner of your room, a peaceful spot outside. This space should invite reflection and stillness, free from distractions.
Symbol of Stillness:
Place a simple object in this space that embodies stillness—a stone, a candle yet to be lit, or a small piece of fabric. Let this object remind you of the act of resting, a still center in the midst of motion. Each time you enter this space, let it be a sign of your intention to remain open, receptive, and unhurried.
2. Set the Intention: Embracing Inaction
Statement of Willingness:
Begin by setting your intention to stand in stillness, ready to receive. Silently or aloud, say: “I stand in stillness, free from the need to control or force. I open myself to be changed by what I seek to understand.”
Grounding Breath:
Take several slow, deep breaths, feeling your body ground into the space around you. As you exhale, let go of any impulse to act or control. With each inhale, draw in a sense of calm, inviting a spirit of openness and patience.
3. The Stand of Inaction:
Being, Not Doing:
As you stand or sit, your only task is to be. Resist the urge to fix, solve, or interpret. Simply allow the person, idea, or situation to be as it is. Let your presence be enough, trusting that clarity comes not through control, but through receptivity.
Acknowledge Impulses: Notice when the urge arises to act—to respond, to fix, to assert control. Don’t judge these impulses, but let them pass through like clouds, returning gently to stillness. Stand, present and willing, without acting.
Willingness to Be Changed: As you stand in this space, open yourself to the possibility of being transformed. Imagine yourself like soft clay, ready to be shaped by whatever emerges, rather than forcing shape upon it. Trust that this state of openness will allow insights to arise in their own time.
4. Embodying Submission:
Allowing Transformation Physical Posture:
Adjust your body into a posture of submission and openness. Stand with hands open, palms upward, or sit with a soft, relaxed posture. Let your physical stance mirror the inner stillness and willingness to be acted upon. This gesture is your readiness to receive, to be shaped by what you seek to understand.
Silent Reflection:
Remain in stillness for a set period, simply existing in the presence of the person, concept, or situation. Trust that inaction does not mean passivity, but a deeper form of engagement—a readiness to be open to whatever understanding arises, without forcing it.
5. Closing the Practice:
Reflecting on Inaction Journaling:
After your time of stillness, take a moment to write down your thoughts. What did it feel like to stand without the need to act or control? Did any new insights or feelings emerge as you released the impulse to intervene? How did it feel to be open to change rather than directing it?
Expression of Gratitude:
Close the practice by offering a simple word of gratitude for the stillness, for the insights, and for the opportunity to stand in quiet openness. Silently or aloud, say: “I am grateful for the stillness, for the space to be transformed.”
6. Regular Practice:
Cultivating Inaction Daily Practice:
Set aside a few minutes each day to practice this stand of inaction. Whenever you feel the urge to act or control, return to this state of stillness. Allow yourself to rest in openness, trusting that understanding will emerge in its own time.
Incorporate in Moments of Urgency:
When you feel an urgent need to act or respond, take a breath. Pause. Step into this practice of inaction as a reminder that sometimes, the most profound understanding comes when we release the need to act, and simply let things unfold.