The Art of Meditating in Front of My Wounded Tree
Robin B. Zeiger, Ph.D.
I remember from my teen years the refrain, “Have you hugged a tree today?” I have a new refrain, “Have you mediated in front of a tree this morning?” And if I succeed in opening my day with meditation, my world is a better place.
COVID-19 has heralded all types of fears, challenges, struggles and changes. Sometimes I wake up from my active dream life wondering if we are all dreaming a shared nightmare. Yet these crazy times has also birthed something new for me. I have begun to meditate online via Zoom. A bit before 8 a.m. I receive a WhatsApp invite to participate in Morning Meditation with Jordan (link at end of blog). Jordan Polevoy is a talented photographer and compassionate human being. Early on in the current pandemic, possessed by a vision to make the world a better place, he began a free online meditation group six mornings a week (donations accepted and suggested).
As a psychotherapist, I often suggest to my anxious and/or hassled patients to find such a practice (yoga, meditation, gentle movement). Yet, until that moment, I had not taken my own advice. It was the enforced lockdown in our country coupled with my own worries about COVID-19 that prompted me to try. And each morning it helped ground me in a very special way.
These thirty minutes are deeply inspirational. I must confess what I most like is the sound of Jordan’s voice. It is deeply soothing and inspiring. As a psychoanalyst, I am aware how important “voice” becomes. Sometimes when patients are in very deep places in their analysis, the music and cadence of the therapist’s voice, like that of a mother, becomes more important than her/his words.
Although the experience is about thirty minutes, Jordan somehow invites and accompanies the group of on-line meditators to engage in an internal journey. I am not an expert on meditation. However, I know that the practice often focuses on the breath and on becoming more mindful of the moment. Jordan teaches the practice of the breath. But there is much more. He brings his compassion and ethics and empathy to this practice. He often begins with a story or a poem or a piece of music.
We are encouraged to become mindful. This is a practice that helps us to learn to remain in the moment and not become caught up in thoughts of the past or the future. I must admit I am not so good at this. Jordan’s stories and presence often births in me creativity and ideas for writing. Maybe I am not a good meditator in the “official” rules of meditation. But I know I am deeply enriched. I emerge relaxed and grounded.
And sometimes I think I reach for the apex of meditation. I become immersed in the moment and there is nothing else. That too is a wonderful experience.
As a Jungian analyst, I speak again and again about the path of individuation. I think of one of my favorite songs, Frank Sinatra’s My Way. I need to meditate my way in front of my tree.
Why the tree? Recently I have found my meditation spot outside on a favorite rocking chair in front of my tree. This tree has accompanied me through the past several months. At the beginning of the pandemic, the tree was relatively bare. At that time, I dreamt a very scary dream seemingly related to COVID-19 and the world story. I was compelled from inside of myself to create art as a solid core to accompany me. Yet, little by little “she” bloomed again, bringing new life and hope. My tree is now filled with beautiful green leaves. Yet, in the midst of all of this, “she” is also graced by the stumps of removed branches.
Thus, as I begin my morning meditations, I am reminded of the beauty in brokenness.
Today, I was also reminded of something else; the powerful force of synchronicity. Carl Jung spoke of this process of the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection. In example, out of the blue we may think of a long-lost friend the day before she sends an email. We all experience those uncanny coincidences. Sometimes as we become closer to someone or to a group of people, these coincidences seem to occur more often. It is as if the universe “knows” and graces us with some mysterious connectedness.
Today, Jordan spoke about brokenness and the gifts of lack of perfection. He mentioned a line from Leonard Cohen’s famous song, Anthem, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Just yesterday I had been involved with a professional proposal for a conference on brokenness. I had referenced this song. If you have not listened to this song, I highly recommend it.
We are all a part of a global community. Humankind is often more alike and connected than we recognize. We influence and touch one another. We all are party to the collective unconscious that is a repository of experiences and archetypes across time, cultures, and places. Thus, we often intuit and share much of the same “stuff” of life.
It is a strange world right now. There is social distancing. There are less opportunities for in person meetings and gatherings. A year ago, I would never imagined online meditation.
Yet, I have become strangely connected to a “guide” and a group I have never met. And in this connection, synchronicity begins to emerge. Suddenly I have more in common with Jordan and the others than I ever realized.
Sometimes technology is “too much” and too distracting. Yet, I cannot imagine this pandemic without it. And I sorry for those poor people in the world who are very isolated without technology.
I sit in front of my wounded tree. I connect to the pieces deep inside of me. And I am grateful to Jordan and to my group of like-minded individuals who meditate with me. It is possible to touch each other. And I am deeply grateful to my wounded tree that blooms again.
I invite all of you to try and find time meditate. You can try Jordan’s group “live on-line” or pre-recorded.
Morning Meditation with Jordan. There are also many other online options at this moment in time.
Robin B. Zeiger is a practicing Jungian psychoanalyst and a free-lance writer.
She is a member of the:
International Association of Analytical Psychology and the Israel Institute of Jungian Psychology. She can be reached at rbzeiger@yahoo.com.
·
