Do you meditate?

You probably are thinking of meditation as something that you learn by attending some classes, or by reading some books; where you sit cross legged, with your eyes closed, trying hard to calm down your mind.

No. Meditation is not just that. You can turn anything you do throughout the day into meditation. In fact, you can be meditating all the time!

When I water my plants I carefully watch around the plant to see if the soil is too dry or is it too wet. I water accordingly. I feel the plants gracefully swaying as if to say “thank you”. I talk to them and gently pat on their back.

When I dig a hole in the ground for a new plant, I enjoy the feel of the fresh moist soil as I dig it out. I take in the aroma. I observe the tiny creatures hiding beneath, and gently lift and set them aside so that I don’t harm them.

Whenever I get some time, I engage myself in carving. I carve wood since wood carving demands the most concentration. A small lack of focus can result in a mistake that is hard to correct. My carving subjects are normally monk figures. My friend tells me that the figures I carve, though not perfect, have a serene look on their face. Since you are carving monks, your mind gets filled with serene thoughts and that serenity in turn gets reflected in the pieces you make.

I was reading Tipitakas (ancient Buddhist texts). One of them describes the last days of Buddha. Buddha went through severe illness as the end approached. But even at that stage, it is said, Buddha was calmly observing each stage of the approaching death, the feelings they created, the last moments of his life. And that is meditation!