A New Point of View

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Last week, on my first morning home from a silent meditation retreat, I sat down on the deck as the sun was rising. The retreat was over; it had been full, both hard and beautiful. Although not always easy (it is just like life!), retreat allows time to see things from a different point of view. It had been good for me to take a break from the mind of planning, organizing, and arranging everything that needs to be done to be alive in this world.

The first meditation at home carried the momentum of the previous 8 days of intensive practice. By now, a bit more than a week later, my mind has shifted again. Our minds are like that—always shifting. Even so, we do sometimes get stuck with unhelpful, untrue thoughts and opinions. It is extremely useful for a person to occasionally stop, let go of everyday preoccupations, and open up to a new perspective. Maybe your life, health, or finances don't allow for a retreat. You can still pause, maybe with one breath, one yoga practice, or one meditation at a time. Things aren't always as fixed as we think. Remember to let go and consider a new point of view.