A Lesson in Applying Meditation to Real Life

A year or two back, when a buddy and I were super immersing ourselves into Eckart Tolle (Practicing the Power of Now) style behavioral/mental modification (lol), we found ourselves listening to Tolle on our drives to the club, or whatever activity we had going on that day.  A headphone bud in one ear, listening to the radio or talking to each other at the same time.  Even when I was by myself I’d have Tolle on in my headphones, and be listening to music out of my car speakers.  Neither one loud enough to interfere with each other, but Tolle definitely audible enough to listen to what was being said.

It taught me that level of inner stillness and peace, even while being immersed in a “club” environment, i.e. loud club-type music playing in the background, or having a conversation with someone. (It had NOTHING to do with becoming a british hobgoblin with a monotonous voice.. rather with being centered and staying on my own mental flow even when faced with completely contradictory external mental stimuli)

The benefits were huge.

Just tonight I was outside walking around my buddy’s condominium complex, having realized I’d forgotten to take care of something right before I went to sleep.  Walking around outside taking care of business, I realized I’d left my earplugs in (I sleep with earplugs).  Completely alone with my thoughts, my “awareness” of the external realm completely dimmed by my plugs, (and by the sense of my normal sensory experience being out of wack, and therefore of lessened importance) I became more closely aware of my internal thoughts, my sense of being, and my current mental “loops”.  It developed into its own self-actualizing, centering experience for me.

Try it with your regular meditation practices, you might like it.

Just something to think about.. : )