#34

I've had a couple good rolls with sitting meditation, getting to the point where I was sitting every day for more than a year at a time. But I always eventually fail to keep up the practice, despite the fact I'm much calmer and more focused when meditating regularly.

Reggie Ray's approach intrigues me. He's an expert not only in Tibetan yogic techniques, but also knows Jung and psychoanalytic theory and shamanic traditions. He advocates using meditation to open awareness of our bodies, which we ignore far too often. The first meditation practice on his CD set starts by focusing the awareness on the big toe. There's a lot of sensation and energy in the toe and unless I bang it on something or it gets trod on I typically shut it out completely. Ray says the entire body is full of sensation and energy which is vital to our health, but that we cut it off to avoid sensory overload and distraction from doing our daily Facebook and Twitter duties. I need to develop the discipline to do this regularly, particularly given Ray's last chapters, which read like The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, or that Alex Grey Tool video.

I know I carry stress and negative energy in my body tissue. Tai Chi, regular massage, and exercise help, but I need to bring this material to consciousness instead of sublimating saidsame. Especially given the fact that school starts soon.

bon voyage!