Open-eyed Awareness
Photograph by Iwan Gabovitch
With the onset of being a pound heavier, it occurred to me to join our local community gym – it is free after all. My partner has already been a member for a few weeks. So today, I rode over with him, presented identification, had my picture taken, and filled out the application. But alas, I cannot play until everything is processed. I sat on a bench and waited for my partner to finish his workout.
But I decided to make that time useful. I picked an unobtrusive spot to gaze at (not at the weight lifters, not at the information desk and not at the door). Then I made myself comfortable, yet also as unnoticeable as I could. I worked on an awareness meditation for ten minutes. I let the sounds of bouncing basketballs, the enthusiastic yells of children playing, and the huff and puffs of the weight lifters relax me. Eventually the sounds all melded together. People passed by me. The light through the door shifted, but all in all a productive and peaceful meditation.