I’ve been practicing what I’m calling ‘no rules’ meditation lately.
Here’s what I mean:
- No countdown timer set;
- No restriction on where I practice;
- No set time of day;
- No particular teacher or program;
- Perhaps most importantly, no ‘gaining idea‘.*
Now, what actually happens is that I typically still practice early in the morning as usual, seated with upright posture in the cross-legged position, and sometimes use a guided practice.
Ironically, the above list is a list of rules, simply stated in the negative.
However these rules are aimed at breaking down the more traditional rules that seem to have been limiting my practice.
Because something else is happening, in addition to what is typically happening in the morning:
I am also practicing in many other ways, at many other times, in many other places, positions, and situations, for various durations.
This ‘extra, unbounded’ practice may occur anywhere, anytime, even in the middle of a conversation.
In fact, I’m fairly certain that it is supposed to … or perhaps it would be better to state that meditation practice – the practice of getting in touch with the way things really are – is all that there is, anywhere, anytime.
It may just be a question of whether we choose to see it, or ignore it.
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*I am not claiming to have eliminated all gaining ideas – this is extremely challenging to do! However, they can be stripped away, little by little, one at a time.
Matt Fried 