Active Meditation

R and I arrived in Gili Air yesterday, looking forward to a few days of relaxing on an island with no motor vehicles, diving, snorkelling, and eating freshly caught fish. Unfortunately, the past 24 hours have been pretty awful – rivalled only by our experience in the Dominican Republic last year. The hotel we had was definitely not as advertised – we were promised a refurbished ocean view room with a balcony, and instead our room had moldy floors and looked directly into the loud, very active kitchen. So we rebooked into a cute, 9BR boutique hotel, only to discover that it’s right next to the island’s central mosque. Normally, R and I don’t mind mosques, but the muezzin at this one seems to like to ‘perform’ (there is no other word for it) for at least 90 minutes each prayer time, with an extra one added in at 2:40 am. Really, I intend no disrespect – I lived in both Jordan and Dubai and had no issues with the call to prayer – but this is another level.

This morning, we were so exhausted that we almost skipped the dive we had booked, but then figured we might as well go since we had nothing better to do with our day. I'm so glad we did. It was a balm for my soul. As soon as I descended beneath the surface, breathing slowly, I could feel my entire nervous system relax. The frustration and tiredness I had felt melted away, the tension eased, and the fog in my mind cleared. It was pure bliss. When we emerged, R and I were able to then take a walk and discuss our options with clear heads. (The result? We are leaving tomorrow for Ubud.)

While I regularly meditate, I know many people find ‘traditional’ meditation difficult – too hard to sit still, with too many thoughts swirling around. If you are one of those people, I strongly encourage some form of active meditation, whether it is running, swimming, diving, riding a motorbike (at least, I find that my mind can’t wander when I am riding one!), or anything else that encourages you to just focus on your breath. I don’t smoke cigarettes, but I do occasionally smoke shisha, and I found it has the same effect on me as scuba diving – something about those slow, deep breaths calms me down immediately. I believe active meditation can be a very helpful way to reset, clear your mind, and approach whatever your challenge is with new energy and a new perspective.

The poem I’m sharing this week so perfectly encapsulates the challenges that people face with meditation that it brought a big smile to my face. If you’re going through a tough time and your thoughts won’t stop racing, anything you can do to bring yourself into the present moment should hopefully bring some relief – even if it’s just watching how the clouds cover the sun and almost nothing stirs in the grass. The thoughts will quiet eventually, I promise.

About Friday Pauses

We can all sense how a lack of presence in our daily life affects the quality of our relationships, our ability to form real connections – and yet we struggle to set aside distractions. In my Friday Pauses, I want to encourage us all to do just that – pause for a moment and feel what it’s like to be present by reading a poem.

If you’re new to Friday Pause, here’s what I suggest:

• Minimize or close other screens.
• Put your phone on silent.
• Close your eyes and take a full breath in…and out. Maybe count to four on the inhale and six on the exhale.
• Read the poem below – out loud, if you can. It will slow you down and help you feel the words more.
• Take another deep breath in…and out.
• Resume your day.?