Fat Tuesday
On Sunday I spent time talking with my friend Greg about, among other things, meditation and the fine art of conscious breathing. I’ve been listening to a book on cd, “Eat, Pray, Love” and the writer/narrator made me aware of the most beautiful mantra. (Scroll down if this is too kooky for you). So’ham. Translated from Sanskrit it means, “I am that.” Learned yogis and gurus claim that it is the most natural mantra because it is already within each of us. It is not a mantra associated with Eastern or Western religion, it is linked to our breathing. Think about it: During breathing we inhale air and exhale air. If you closely observe your breathing process, you will find that as your breath goes out and comes in, it produces two tiny sounds of syllables. The breath goes out with the sound ' so' and comes in with the sound 'ham'.
I became interested in the concept of mantra during a yoga class when I chanted Om for the first time. Life is a chaotic, confusing, exciting adventure, but we seldom take time to slow down and think about our place within it. Sometimes I feel as if I’m floating down a river without a paddle, unable to control the flow or direction of my journey. Perhaps it is within moments of this meditation, when the mind is quiet, that I can determine where it is that I desire to be.
Austin this weekend was beautiful as usual. Aly and I went on a cooking spree: maple walnut tapioca pudding, pineapple lime sorbet, ginger pear upside down cake, poached salmon, carrot soufflé, and fresh greens harvested from the garden. The next day, under Aly’s tutelage, we planted butter crunch lettuce (Manda’s favorite), Strawberries, and cabbage.
