Namaste Readers,
I finally established a consistent meeting time with Runner J to work on his MA thesis ( every Tuesday and Thursday nites ). Putting academics aside, I never could predict what stories Runner J would share.
When I entered the "consulting room" in the English Department, music from vespers played from Runner J's notebook ( usually we'd sample the Pinoy music I've recently acquired ). He told me that he'd been neglecting the running part of his exercise regime. As a result, he was tired and not his energetic self ( he'd been awake since 6am ). So he started telling me about "quieting" so he could focus.
According to him, one couldn't just go straight to meditation ( it's too deep into the [un]consciousness ). Quieting is like a gradual step that eases one into a meditative state. During quieting, one empties one's mind while thinking about the senses ( both internal and external senses ). [Oh contradiction!]. I asked him to clarify. The 5 senses could be felt and imagined by hearing one's breathing, seeing blood cells cursing through one's veins, feeling the palpitation of one's heart et. al..
It's amazing what one thinks about after "emptying" one's mind: Alpha waves achieved through calm sleep; light waves bouncing off aluminum; reflective and absorbent colors; World War II history ( how the current University campus used to be a Japanese arsenal camp, and also was bought by a Jesuit ); American Architecture designed with geography and climate factored in; seasonal food and their purpose ( such as Basil best grown with Tomatoes, acting as natural insect repellent; seasonal sickness' connection with seasonal food as remedy ); fertigation ( fertilization plus irrigation ); effects of mass production...
I finally established a consistent meeting time with Runner J to work on his MA thesis ( every Tuesday and Thursday nites ). Putting academics aside, I never could predict what stories Runner J would share.
When I entered the "consulting room" in the English Department, music from vespers played from Runner J's notebook ( usually we'd sample the Pinoy music I've recently acquired ). He told me that he'd been neglecting the running part of his exercise regime. As a result, he was tired and not his energetic self ( he'd been awake since 6am ). So he started telling me about "quieting" so he could focus.
According to him, one couldn't just go straight to meditation ( it's too deep into the [un]consciousness ). Quieting is like a gradual step that eases one into a meditative state. During quieting, one empties one's mind while thinking about the senses ( both internal and external senses ). [Oh contradiction!]. I asked him to clarify. The 5 senses could be felt and imagined by hearing one's breathing, seeing blood cells cursing through one's veins, feeling the palpitation of one's heart et. al..
It's amazing what one thinks about after "emptying" one's mind: Alpha waves achieved through calm sleep; light waves bouncing off aluminum; reflective and absorbent colors; World War II history ( how the current University campus used to be a Japanese arsenal camp, and also was bought by a Jesuit ); American Architecture designed with geography and climate factored in; seasonal food and their purpose ( such as Basil best grown with Tomatoes, acting as natural insect repellent; seasonal sickness' connection with seasonal food as remedy ); fertigation ( fertilization plus irrigation ); effects of mass production...
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