Open Eyes
Day 80. Air Baltic’s Boeing 737.
The day began with zazen in stereo, a peaceful sitting meditation next to my friend. We sat on the beach by the Sea of Marmara, accompanied only by the occasional Turk on her way to a morning dip. Ramadan ended today and the air felt as light as the meditation. My experience with the silent practice has mostly been solitary, except from when I do it on the plane, or the bus, or walking in the city, only I’m alone then, too. Deliberately meditating together feels strongly supportive, like we create a joint power field to support our individual focus.
Breathing in and out, finding a rhythm that touches the inside, or reaches out to the outside. The waves came, and they went, and now I’m in the air. Only I feel more grounded than ever.
When Ramadan ends, you reach out to your family, offering food and love. Then you turn to your neighbors. Then your community. And then. And then everybody reaches out to you.
Perhaps the joint power field is always there. All we have to do is close our eyes and remember. And then open them, again.
Bayram Olsun!
