The importance of having a meditation practice

I have always held the firm belief that the greatest gift we can give someone is the quality of our attention. The old expression, "look at me when you speak" is not just a need to listen but a profound desire to "be seen" by someone. I now know that the greatest gift I can give myself is that same attention. To look inward and to be seen by the True Source of my light. To take the quality of my attention inward and nourish the space inside. My multi tasking world is loosing the ability to hold that focus of pure attention and with it the calming effect of mindfulness . Living today in a scattered mindless world..often creates the loneliness of isolation and the inability to actually enjoy our own company and to sit in the awareness of those thoughts and to then have the freedom of discernment in choosing to let them go.
This is why I have to meditate..no longer can I feel the peace,stability, and calming presence in the outer hectic world of multi tasking..I have to make the time, create the space in my life for reflection that arises out of a steady mind, a one pointed mind that is cultivated from the consistent effort of my meditation practice. In order for me to see clearly and truly offer my attention to others, I have to look inward and give attention to that essence of being.
Other wise my over active mind starts moving too quickly and instead of listening I am hearing my own thoughts and projecting my own words..I often wonder, do I ever really listen with my ears? Do I ever see with my eyes? What thought of bias is blocking me from the clarity of feeling with true understanding and compassion? Without my daily practice, am I truly present? Am I ever giving that which is most precious..my utmost open and clear Self? If I desire to live in loving kindness and have respect for others who might see differently from me, I have to first clear and remove the biases of my learned mind and hopefully perceive the moment with an open mind. The quality of that moment must be felt and experienced. Too often we are not even present to that moment. The mind is too busy rushing to its next endeavor, the thoughts spinning into anxious future or just too tired to respond at all. To actually breathe into the moment and feel the awareness of my subtle body brings me back into the aliveness of the present. I can slow time down, I can taste the feeling and I can witness how another might be feeling..I always say," I hear your words, but I am listening to your thoughts so I can feel your heart.." This takes practice of sutra 11-33."Vitarka-bandane pratipaksa-bhavanam", Patanjali reminds us to step out of reactive mind and see behind someone else's eyes..to place our attention into the opposite; to see and feel through another's view..when something or someone is causing me agitation, instead of resisting, the teachings offer me the tool of shifting perspective and observe that perhaps someone is seeing through their own bias of their learned story and memory. For me to witness and observe another with true attention and to let go of quick judgement on my thoughts, allows me opportunity in practicing my yoga, cultivating a willingness to see another way.
Krishnamachary would say, "you know your yoga is working when your relationships are improving". For me, its to take life less personally, to enjoy the diversity of viewpoint as a way to grow, to nourish right action from the true listening of the heart..to find peace and serenity in being present. This is why I meditate, and why I feel the most important limbs of yoga to be dharana, dhyana, samadhi. To be able to experince the quality of my attention and to be seen by the Great Source of Presence. In a scattered world, we need this for the Grace of humanity. Without sounding preachy or righteous, I just long for connection as I know we all do!! To taste all of life and be aware of it in others is the gift of Love.
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Location:Sunday morning in the quiet..