Entering a full-bodied meditation practise

"People often say about mystics, that they're holding some kind of repressed sexuality. But maybe it's the exact opposite. I think society's obsession with the erotic is due to a suppressed mysticism." - words recently told to me by a Buddhist monk, who is teaching me once a week.

In reality, meditation is a hugely sensual practise. Not sexual, sensual. And the intimacy possible between us human beings is vast, deep and unbounded, of which sex is just one dimension.

One way to keep meditation practise alive is to show up with the whole self, experience the deep intimacy, sensuality and tingling aliveness of meditation. Training the brain is a huge part of what happens, but if you treat the practise as simply 'brain-training', it's unlikely to be a sustainable practise, lasting long into life. I am learning to jump, full-bodied, into my contemplative practise.

Part of this is seeing the practise as deep and intimate time with the being you are closest to: yourself. Every biological system needs feedback to remain evolving, alive, flexible and adaptive. I think so often we cut off the feedback coming from our own very selves: How does it feel to be you right now? What is your intuition telling you? What are the signs something is wrong? What are the subtleties that you have failed to notice? Who's there?

These were part of my teachings and learnings yesterday. And part of these teachings, is sharing them onwards. Facebook, blogs, the internet are all part of our modern day sangha! I am being taught weekly by an ordained Buddhist monk. Grateful for the ancient wisdom peppered into modern day life.

On the side of all this doing and building, I am working to reverse the effects of suppressed mysticism. And I have a feeling the two may work together...