December 10, 2009
Take your ‘eyes’ on a walk in the still of the night, under the moon and stars and, experience the ‘refreshing of the mind’. Besides the open eyes just watching, feel the movement of the feet hitting the road, the scent of the early morning night air, the feel of the cold night and, the sounds in the still, quiet air. Let go of thoughts and be in awareness of the surrounding environment. Seeing the stars above allow the feeling of walking somewhere out there in space but, on solid ground.
Taking my 4am, 4 mile walk on this cold, crisp December morning, I was aware of the happenings all around as I briskly walked up and down the hill roads among occasional homes and, walking between 200 foot fir trees reaching quietly into the starlit dark blue sky. I heard a lone coyote howl on one far off hill and, another from the other side respond.
As I approached the cliffs over the Puget Sound waters, I heard the gentle lapping of the waves into the shore. In the distance, was the sound of a slow, clanging buoy as I saw the intermittent turn of the light from the ‘light house’.
Being the watcher, with nothing to do but move ahead, one goes on a meditation walk where one just follows the senses with nothing but the experience of them. As I walked, I could smell the frigid night air among giant fir and cedar trees that had no movement, like in a picture. The big dipper and little one hung in the sky accompanying the quarter moon in the east. The occasional smell of wood burning in a fireplace permeated the senses. Walking in the moonlight on a cold, December early morning night is a celebration of the senses beyond imagination
Meditation can take many forms. Walking, jogging, or running can be a ‘multi-task less’ method. Being free of the chatter of the mind while experiencing glimpses on what the many ‘eye’s of the being meet is a surreal experience to sooth the soul. Meditation is both ‘freeing’ and, free!
Arhata
