Labyrinth of the Ear
Date: April 18 Wed
Mileage: 9.5 (Bleriot)
April mileage: 127.5
Year to date: 738.5
After a nice commute today I added an even better experience this evening, one including more miles on the Bleriot and adding some much-needed meditation too. The wife's church (I'm sorry but I just can't include myself in as a bona fide member anymore) sponsoring a picnic and Labyrinth service this evening on the grounds of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I took some Sunday a.m. pics there a month or so ago. They have a Labyrinth on the grounds. Apparently, as we learned tonight, most if not all religious traditions have some experience with labyrinths. No, they're not mazes in which to get lost. They're circuitous paths. I learned that tonight. They discussed lots of symbolism and imagery relating to moving towards the center of Christ or something like that. Or that's what the reading/handout discusses. I used the opportunity to practice walking meditation in the Buddhist sense. After hemming&hawing at the start I transitioned into a good 4 steps-per-breath for me, counting 1-10-1-10 etc. I really hit a groove halfway through and had one of my better meditative sessions. I also varied the size of my steps as I've read in some meditation literature, first taking normal steps, then small steps after a while, large steps a little later, small steps, large steps and finishing up with normal steps. After the labyrinth I sat for perhaps 10 more minutes of sitting meditation. At the end I came to the conclusion that I had either had some kind of meditative "high", or that the constant turning of the labyrinth made me dizzy. I'll believe the 2nd, but I was very in the zone for those 30 minutes or so. AND I snuck almost 10 more miles back in of riding, moving across the park and back. Damn good use of the evening. And it's reinvigorated my need to practice my meditation, the 8-Fold Path and the 5 Precepts. When I return to those principles I feel more positive. That's the point, right?
Mileage: 9.5 (Bleriot)
April mileage: 127.5
Year to date: 738.5
After a nice commute today I added an even better experience this evening, one including more miles on the Bleriot and adding some much-needed meditation too. The wife's church (I'm sorry but I just can't include myself in as a bona fide member anymore) sponsoring a picnic and Labyrinth service this evening on the grounds of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I took some Sunday a.m. pics there a month or so ago. They have a Labyrinth on the grounds. Apparently, as we learned tonight, most if not all religious traditions have some experience with labyrinths. No, they're not mazes in which to get lost. They're circuitous paths. I learned that tonight. They discussed lots of symbolism and imagery relating to moving towards the center of Christ or something like that. Or that's what the reading/handout discusses. I used the opportunity to practice walking meditation in the Buddhist sense. After hemming&hawing at the start I transitioned into a good 4 steps-per-breath for me, counting 1-10-1-10 etc. I really hit a groove halfway through and had one of my better meditative sessions. I also varied the size of my steps as I've read in some meditation literature, first taking normal steps, then small steps after a while, large steps a little later, small steps, large steps and finishing up with normal steps. After the labyrinth I sat for perhaps 10 more minutes of sitting meditation. At the end I came to the conclusion that I had either had some kind of meditative "high", or that the constant turning of the labyrinth made me dizzy. I'll believe the 2nd, but I was very in the zone for those 30 minutes or so. AND I snuck almost 10 more miles back in of riding, moving across the park and back. Damn good use of the evening. And it's reinvigorated my need to practice my meditation, the 8-Fold Path and the 5 Precepts. When I return to those principles I feel more positive. That's the point, right?
Comments
It is nice to see meditation being relieved out of the living rooms and being tried out on the streets. Cycling and walking are not only the best forms of meditation, but more effective than sitting meditation. I too practice cycling meditation everyday and have started to record my observations on my blog: http://bikingbuddha.blogspot.com.