Sensibilty Sitting

What can I say? I'm a fool for witty titles.

Today was the day. Clinic interviews. 8am. As usual, I prepared myself for a typical day's work in DC, but instead made my way over to the Center for Family Services for the initial step in my practicum journey. The interview went extremely well, and I look forward to beginning my time of service at the CFS. This post, however, is not about the interview. It pertains to my experiences prior to.

Arriving about 10 minutes early, I sat quietly in a chair for a time of presence and meditation before the meeting. I placed my feet flat upon the ground and folded my hands in my lap, and began to focus on my breathing. Doing a body scan, I noticed that my eyes were still quite heavy from the 5am alarm, my shoulders ached from tossing in bed all night, and my mind still held the cloud that is typically remedied with a cup of coffee. As I then moved into understanding my present state of emotion, I noticed that I was incredibly calm yet anxious to begin the interview and continue on with my day.

It took a great deal of focus to begin to bring myself into the present moment, and I can contribute most (if not all) to the feeling of tiredness that I possessed. In an attempt to hopefully energize myself a bit, I did a few minutes of alternate nostril breathing, and followed with some deep breaths with a focus on filling my entire abdomen from the belly up. When completed, I performed another body scan to find that the cloud had lifted significantly, and my eyes were significantly more focused. Shortly thereafter, the interview began, and I was primed to provide a better self for consideration.

The act of sitting has become one of the more substantial practices that I've begun to incorporate into my practice of mindfulness. It may even be one of the most effective because it's something I don't typically get to do in the course of a work day. Even if the practice is just a couple minutes long, I find myself moving in the direction of locating the cadence of my breath, completing a body scan, and then presenting myself in submission to the moment. In nearly 90% of the time, I have come away relaxed or rejuvenated to continue onward in my day.

Another practice that I've begun to utilize is that which I call "Sacred Sitting."


But that is for another time...