Waiting

On a retreat last week we spoke about waiting at the beginning of meditation. Waiting in terms of not doing anything but just resting with the breath and seeing what happen. I found it a really useful and helpful means of moving into meditation and now back home it reminds me of Shamatha, a Buddhist type of meditation, usually translated as stopping and calming and often a precursor to Vipashyana, looking deeply or insight. It's not a case of waiting for anything, as that seems to imply one is lacking something but just waiting, something we can find very hard to do in a fast-moving, driven society.
I have written a couple of poems about waiting which I share with you here.

Where is the waiting?

In the depths of sinking
at the end of each out-breath,
in the peak of rising
at the end of each in-breath,
in the undulating space
between in-breath and out-breath,
in the seemingly ever-growing stillness
as the mind falls quiet,
in the oneness that emanates
from this community of lovers,
in the meditating heart.
© 16 Feb 15

And what does it mean to wait?

To rest

to be completely at peace

ready

empty

ready to receive

ready to hear.

Taking the force and push

out of actions

letting things unfold

in their own way.

Stopping running, planning 

looking forward.

And what does it mean to wait?

being here now

available

making friends with the present moment

ready to receive

ready to hear

the whisperings of the heart.

© 17 Feb 15