In June I took some time to sit for a while at my first 10 day vipassana meditation course, where I took a journey into the depths of my mind. Then I walked for a while into the depths of the Grand Canyon. Each experience was truly revealing. You can really only understand the future and present if you totally understand the past. Just as the bedrock of the Earth is revealed as you approach the Colorado River (the lowest layer in the Grand Canyon is the Vishnu schist which is nearly 2 billion years old, or 40% of the age of the Earth), memories from my childhood surfaced during vipassana which reminded me what it was like to feel as a child, with no ego interfering with a pure enjoyment and experience of life. I realized I have to let go of the past to be able to enjoy the present moment. And all of the feelings I dream of having in the future are accessible in the present too if I let them in.
The North Kaibab trail took me into a geological time capsule, and back out to the North Rim and the present moment. Similarly, vipassana led to me to the origins of myself and delivered me back to the present, but now with a set of tools and experiences to help me really live again. It would be a shame to be somewhere as beautiful and magnificent as the Grand Canyon, only to be distracted by your phone or trivial matters. Life is the same way; it’s a beautiful place deserving of our full attention and focus. I’m so grateful for my vipassana experience, which helped me get back on the path to this state of mind. I’ve always felt present in the Grand Canyon, but now I have the tools to take that with me everywhere. A new journey I can’t wait to experience 🙂 If you’re interested in taking a vipassana course visit dhamma.org
