Life is a pond with all activity rippling across its surface. Patience is waiting on the edge of the pond until the water calms. This can and often is difficult, even for those practiced at it. In the modern world, we are taught to be dynamic and engaged. Sitting there though allows us to see the whole pond, not just the ripples that surround us. This gives a chance to understand not only the movement but the stillness.
Artists use negative space to express emotion and meaning. The calmness in life is that negative space, the point where “nothing” is happening and the world is simply being. Like artists, these negative spaces can be created by setting aside time and a place to create that calm. A small space, away from the world. Within that space, we can take a break and watch as the clouds moves or read a book or listen to music.
In pop culture, meditating means candles, strange mantras, and odd sitting positions. While this that can be true, it can also mean walking through a garden or sitting quietly with a child in your arms. Anything that allows you to see the wonder of the world around you and to fill your mind with that thing can allow you to calm yourself and meditate. Finding your path through life is a unique experience and should be filled with marvel. Looking to the past, we learn and then use, modifying to our own world.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
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