Using Lenten Season to Create a Good Habit
40-days of something good
So, initially, yesterday, I was going to write about it, but then the picture of my Yoga Therapy books showed up, so I put this off a day.
Ash Wednesday, yesterday, began the traditional 40-day period of preparation and reflection leading up to Easter. Like anyone who has grown up around Catholics or in the Catholic tradition, there is always the involvement of giving up something for Lent. Even though I am not a Catholic nor a practicing Christian, I do have a fairly good education on how Lent works. That it's meant to be a time to deepen your relationship with god. As I see us all as Divine, I don’t see any of this as a bad thing. Then I thought: why do people have to give up something? Why can’t they start something new every day? Something good. This got me thinking further: prayer is a key part of Lent. Prayer is a reflective practice, like meditation. In prayer you talk to God, in meditation we listen. Thinking more, I have been very off balance lately with the wintry weather and Ray having surgery, and I have neglected many things for myself out of necessity. Now that we are into March, at least the worst is over. One of the things I haven’t been able to do and truly need to do is my meditation practice. Lent seems like an ideal time to get back to it and even improve what I was doing before. So, I started late yesterday afternoon and set aside 20 minutes in the late morning to meditate. As a meditation teacher, I am well versed in the majority of meditation techniques, so I decided because my head has been literally all over the place lately that I would begin with Japa and use my favorite and original mala, which I use for the mantra Om Mani, Padme Hum. My favorite mantra, honestly, and one I remember learning as a child. It's used in Buddhism for meditation, healing, and spiritual development. All of which I feel I need after the last 8 weeks. So, for 40 days, I plan on making at least 20 minutes of japa daily. My goal is actually 2 20 minute practices a day. The second one doesn’t need to be japa, but until I can get my head back on track, it may be. Stay tuned, and I’ll let you know how it goes.
For the record:
Om mani padme hum" is a six-syllable mantra that translates to "praise to the jewel in the lotus". It's a well-known mantra in Tibetan Buddhism and is used for meditation, healing, and spiritual development.
Meaning of the syllables
Om: Represents generosity, which purifies ego and pride
Ma: Represents ethics, which purifies jealousy
Ni: Represents patience, which purifies excessive desire and passion
Pad: Represents diligence, which purifies prejudice and ignorance
Me: Represents renunciation, which purifies greed and possessiveness
Hum: Represents wisdom, which purifies hatred and aggression
Significance of the mantra
The mantra is an invocation of Avalokiteshvara, who is considered the Protector from danger. It's believed that reciting the mantra will protect the practitioner from all dangers.
The symbolism of the lotus
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes the human mind's potential for enlightenment. It's also seen as a symbol of purity because it can grow from murky waters without staining.
Om mani padme hum - Wikipedia
The literal meaning in English has been expressed as "praise to the jewel in the lotus" or as a declarative aspiration, possibly ...
-Wikipedia