The Waves and the Stillness

During periods of uncertainty, times of deviations from plans made, moments rich with emotion... Lake Meditation comes to the rescue.  

In Lake Meditation (accredited to Jon Kabatt-Zin), we acknowledge that the mirror-like surface of a lake reflects what is around and above it when conditions are calm.  At other times, conditions may cause the surface of the lake to be choppy, covered with white caps even.  

Whatever is going on on the surface of the lake, the depths of the lake remain still, with, at most, small, gentle movements, undulations.

Lake Meditation allows us to connect with and sense into the reality of both the surface and the depths of our lake.  Not only do we learn to access our inner stillness and grace, we also get more comfortable with allowing the surface of our lake to be turbulent.

For example, a challenge in our life may be causing us discomfort.  Rather than trying to make the surface of our lake be calm, or judging ourselves for the waves that are there, we can acknowledge that having a surface that responds to conditions is part of being a lake.  We can pause and sense into what is going on.  Maybe by resting in observation, we notice that this challenge is causing us deep discomfort - suffering.  We remember Frank Ostaseski's line (from his amazing book, The Five Invitations), that pain + resistance = suffering, and we realize that we are resisting the reality of the current situation.  And then we remember that this moment is this moment because of millions upon millions of moments before it, and for this moment to be any different, the past would have had to be different.  But the past is already the past and a fact, making this moment a fact, so we loosen into it a bit, letting go of the energy we were using to fight it.  And maybe we also remember that we have felt resistance to other moments that have, like this one, been facts already, and over time the resistance only kept us from seeing the possibility those moments contained.  So maybe we make an intention to try to be open to the possibilities that will be contained in this moment, even if we can't see them now.

And maybe we also notice that we're resisting the pain that this challenge in our life is causing us, that there is a sadness associated with the challenge we're facing.  Remembering that having waves is part of being a lake, we take a breath and open a bit, and sit with the sadness, noticing that it's not our sadness but the sadness, because sadness is a human condition, felt by everyone at some time.  So we allow the surface to by choppy, knowing that conditions will change and the surface of our lake will be calm again at some point.  

And we remind ourselves that there is stillness and wisdom at our core.  That we are both the surface of the lake and its still depths.  And we rest in the allowing of both.

We hope you can join us this week as we get in touch with the stillness at our core and the waves on our lake.

May all being everywhere without exception allow the waves, and feel the peace,
Your CMP Family

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