Daily Affirmation: Hong Sau

I have become committed to practicing the daily affirmation of meditation. This decision led me to the Introduction to Meditation class at Ananda of Portland.

When I had practiced, or rather attempted, meditation in the past, it was without structure, a sort of free form battle with my own mind. I would watch my breath, count, sit by the stream in my mind, try to be silent and typically windup frustrated. It was very much like the description on pages 134 – 136 in Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love.

The introduction class I took taught the Hong-Sau meditation technique. While I admit that I am in the early stages of simply making sure that I sit in my meditation chair two times each day, no matter what happens while I am there, I feel promise with this path.

There are three things that appeals to me about Hong-Sau. First, it is an affirmation. It is Sanskrit for “I am spirit.” Hence, meditation has become my daily affirmation: the moments in the day where I remind myself that whatever I see around me and whatever is going on inside…I am spirit. Second, the technique gives your mind 3 things to do during the meditation. It had you move your index finger, watch your breath and silently repeat “Hong-Sau.” I think that my brain is happier when it has multiple tasks. Lastly, it specifies a way to sit and ritual which my down to earth personality craves. I was a math major in college because it was all about having a specific, determined process to follow.

I do have moments where I feel larger than my body and where I catch the still soft sound of the energy vibrating within me. However, I have a long way to go, but I am encouraged. Hong-Sau.

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