Create an Oasis
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “oasis” as “a pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult or hectic place or situation.” So, my yoga mat or meditation cushion is an oasis.
I’ve found it helpful to create additional peaceful places. One is my pillow, at bedtime. As an oasis, my pillow is a place where my mind is not permitted to work or to worry. If my mind wishes to be active, it must choose pleasant or neutral things.
A walk can be an oasis. Thich Nhat Hanh describes mindful walking, whereby you “make a contract” with a particular distance you walk every day, such as a staircase or a hallway. “Vow that when you walk that distance every step will be solid and mindful; otherwise you will go back and do it again. He advises, “Walk with your feet, not with your head.”
My workday provides many opportunities to practice this. I walk to and from my office to various destinations throughout the day. Since I began practicing, I find that I feel the solid Earth beneath my feet, stand taller, and breathe more deeply as I walk. Walking becomes a brief respite from the day’s demands.
In the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, we are told, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” The monks at Plum Village in France treat the sound of a bell as an invitation to stop whatever they are doing, relax, and enjoy a several mindful breaths. We can create such an oasis from any “bell” we hear, such as phone’s ringtone or the bell to change classes at school. Every time a bell rings, we can spend a few moments enjoying our wings.
I’ve found it helpful to create additional peaceful places. One is my pillow, at bedtime. As an oasis, my pillow is a place where my mind is not permitted to work or to worry. If my mind wishes to be active, it must choose pleasant or neutral things.
A walk can be an oasis. Thich Nhat Hanh describes mindful walking, whereby you “make a contract” with a particular distance you walk every day, such as a staircase or a hallway. “Vow that when you walk that distance every step will be solid and mindful; otherwise you will go back and do it again. He advises, “Walk with your feet, not with your head.”
My workday provides many opportunities to practice this. I walk to and from my office to various destinations throughout the day. Since I began practicing, I find that I feel the solid Earth beneath my feet, stand taller, and breathe more deeply as I walk. Walking becomes a brief respite from the day’s demands.
In the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, we are told, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” The monks at Plum Village in France treat the sound of a bell as an invitation to stop whatever they are doing, relax, and enjoy a several mindful breaths. We can create such an oasis from any “bell” we hear, such as phone’s ringtone or the bell to change classes at school. Every time a bell rings, we can spend a few moments enjoying our wings.
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