I Set My WiFi to My Original Face

(and fall flat on it!)

This week I was reading the latest issue of Shambhala Sun and came across an article dealing with some of the meditative obstacles I’ve become familiar with. Shozan Jack Haubner’s “True Confessions from the Cushion” is an honest look at just what goes on as we meditate and brought humility to the fore of my attention. As meditators, we are involved in a very messy game with our own minds, and we set as many traps for ourselves as can be imagined. The moments of clarity are stunning but the long stretches of frustration are stinging. I could immediately relate to the comparison of meditation to internet access.

There are days when deep, focused, fantasy-free meditation comes easy, as though getting in touch with my true self is actually what it is supposed to be –the most natural thing on the planet. From a simple sitting position, I completely plug into the world around me. It’s like being wired for DSL. Other days I sit down and I wait. And I wait and I wait and I wait. Finally I get a connection, but it’s weak and I keep losing it. These are the dial-up days, when meditation is not just trial and error. It’s error after error.
– Shozan Jack Haubner, “True Confessions from the Cushion”

Oh, I’ve suffered the torment of lost spiritual connection and lost internet connections often enough in my life. But when our patience, humility and methods become stronger, the path does develop a sense of ease, even when we stumble and GMail isn’t loading.

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