Theme/Mantra: “What/Who must I look AT today? (rather than AWAY)
Reading:
Like they Say by Robert Creeley
Underneath the tree on some
soft grass I sat, I
watched two happy
woodpeckers be dis-
turbed by my presence. And
why not. I thought to
myself. Why
not.
Meditation:
When you settle into your meditation space, take a few cleansing breaths.
Ask yourself, “What/Who do I avoid looking at?”
(Perhaps nothing?)
If answers come, sit with each one, and ask yourself, “why?”
Homeless people you pass on the street?
People paying with food stamps at the grocery store?
Politicians when they are speaking?
Your neighbor as they pull in the driveway?
Explore what is going on in your heart and mind as you consider each one.
This is not an exercise of judgement, so try hard to not feel critical of yourself in this exercise.
But rather seek to understand your actions.
Sit with that understanding.
Breathe cleansing breaths as you say to yourself, “To all that has been, thank you. To all that will be, Yes!” (quote from Dag Hammerskjold).
Physical Movement:
Neck Rolls and Spinal Twist
Sit with your back straight, head upright.
Exhale and drop your head forward with your chin toward your chest.
Slowly roll your right ear over your right shoulder.
Hold for a few breaths, until you feel the left side of your neck release.
Slowly drop your chin toward your chest again.
Roll your left ear over your left shoulder.
Hold, until the right side of your neck releases.
Repeat once on both sides.
Work hard to maintain steady breathing, and keep your pace of rolling slow and intentional.
Now sit erect, with your legs extended.
Fold your left leg into half butterfly position.
Cross your right foot over your left thigh about midway between knee and hip.
Inhale and bring your left arm around the outside of your right knee.
Grasp your right knee.
Exhale and rotate your trunk to the right.
Keep your shoulders level to one another.
Place your right palm behind you on the floor.
Turn your head and gaze over your right shoulder.
Hold for one full minute.
Release and then repeat on the other side, holding for a full minute.
Reflection:
We sometimes choose to look away from things. From People. In certain situations. Each of us has different reasons and different things we can watch. I struggle to look at people embarrassing themselves. And I can’t watch violence- even when I know the violence is not real (like in movies). There are a number of reasons for this, but it does make for difficult decisions on movie selections on family movie nights.
I can’t listen to most politicians. I can read what they say, but I can’t look at them as they speak- particularly when they speak BS (and no matter what side of the aisle you are on, many politicians fit this description). Others have trouble looking at people who are in pain. Who are homeless, or moving through the last stages of life. Maybe they can't look at their life partners anymore.
Sometimes we struggle to look AT because we are afraid of what we will reveal about ourselves. If we look at the other, then the other is also looking at us, and OMG what will they see? What indeed.
The Indigo Girls song certainly places shame in the midst of things. I wonder how you interpret this song. Shame on who for what? Who is going unseen? The immigrant? The Queer? The window washers? I am challenged to sit with my discomforts in looking AT- not to hold shame- but to be aware of my prejudices. The sources of my discomforts.
So that I might be like Robert Creeley- with a clear conscience- not concerned with the disturbance he creates for the woodpeckers. And why not? Why shouldn’t they be disturbed?
Song: Shame on You by Indigo Girls
Lyrics:
My friends they wash the windows
And they shine in the sun
They tell me wake up early in the morning sometime
See what a beautiful job we've done
I say let's put on some tunes
Sing a long and do little all day
Go down to the riverside take off our shoes
And wash these sins away
And the river said
La la la it said shame on you
And the river said
La la la it said shame on you
I go down to Chicano City park
Cause it makes me feel so fine
And when the weeds go down you can see up close
In the dead of the winter time
But when the summer comes everything's in bloom
And you wouldn't know it's there
And the white folks like to pretend it's not
But their music's in the air
And you can hear 'em singing
La la la they said shame on you
You can feel em dancing
La la la they said shame on you
My friend Tanner she says you know
Me and Jesus we're of the same heart
The only thing that keeps us distant
Is that I keep fuckin' up
I said come on down to Chicano City park
And wash your blues away
The beautiful ladies walk right by
You know i never know what to say
And they'll be singing
Ooo la la la la la la la la shame on you
And they'll be dancing
Ooo la la la they said shame on you
Shame on you
Let's go road block trippin in the middle of the night
Up in Gainesville town
There'll be blue lights flashin down the long dirt road
When they ask me to step out
They say we've been looking for illegal immigrants
Can we check your car?
I say you know it's funny
I think we were on the same boat back in 1694
And I said
Ooo la la la la la la la la shame on you
They'll be dancing
La la la i said shame on you
I said
Ooo la la la la la la la la la la shame on you
Shame on you la la
La la la la la shame on you
I said
I said
La la la shame on you
I'll be dancing
And they'll be singing
La la la i said shame on you
Shame on you
Road block trippin in the middle of the night
Gainesville town
Blue lights flashin down the long dirt road
Until Tomorrow- Peace