Meditation for Thursday 18th November 2021
An acquaintance of mine, Michael Mc Girr has just released his latest book “Ideas to Save Your Life: Philosophy for Wisdom, Solace and Pleasure.”
It’s a book about philosophy but told with numerous anecdotes many of which are humorous including this one which I intend to pass on to my favourite barista.
A café offers nine types of coffee.
Make that twenty-seven if you consider each type was available in three sizes.
One hundred and thirty five if you factor in the availability of five types of milk.
Two hundred and seventy when you had to choose between takeaways and sitting down.
This wonderful story is told to illustrate that too much choice can undermine our freedom which is found in simplicity of living and it’s this simplicity that nourishes our health and well-being.
We take holidays often to re-create ourselves. We recognise the benefits of stopping and allowing ourselves to smell the roses. For some these times are the only occasions in a busy life schedule when we allow ourselves the gift of living simply. Gratitude is often a starting point to simplicity. When we look around and acknowledge what we have even if in material terms it doesn’t amount to much and in health terms we could be doing better, the mere fact that we are grateful for what we have is humbling and leads us down the path to simplicity.
Meditation is an important tool towards achieving simplicity. It makes us more grateful and gives us the perspective to not get caught up in the complexity of choice. Each time we practice it offers us a simple way to re-create ourselves and indeed when combined with mindfulness acts that punctuate our day is a great way to aid our spiritual and physical well-being……. Let me finish with some lyrics from a Tony Bennett song…..
Some find it pleasant dining on pheasant
Those things roll off my knife
Just serve me tomatoes and mashed potatoes
Give me the simple life.
Now let’s meditate in the way in which you are accustomed……..
MEDITATION
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