English
Every Sunday at 19h on the nose a group of my friends get together in the apartment of S., a respected specialist in meditation who once lived in India. One day, I too sat upon the coloured blankets on the floor, inhaled the sweet smell of incense, heard the sound of silence and began to meditate.
My friends had mentioned that it would be a good idea to wear something white as the colour represents purity. “And blue?” Certainly they said, it’s a symbol of peace. And brown? That’s okay too, as long as it’s a colour of something in the natural world. But you shouldn’t wear black because it doesn’t let the energy flow. So I arrived dressed in white from head to toe, like a bride without her prince. They also advised me that it was best to fast for at least three hours beforehand, because it could interfere with the meditation. I was very hungry afterwards; in fact, I had a craving for junk food.
The day that I went, S. announced that we were entering in the ninth moon of the eagle, the animal that symbolizes perception and vision. They pinned coloured plaques to the wall, changed some up and tacked up black drawings. I didn’t understand anything but I heard the waves of meditation and began to relax, forgetting everything beyond the walls. Everyone was seated on the floor in silence and incense wafted through the air. Suddenly strange sounds could be heard, the dynamic meditation session had begun.
Eyes closed and seated on the floor, I began to breathe through my stomach, not, as s. repeated in a voice that appeared to have come from the depths of a temple. I concentrated on my breathing until S. told us to begin the first breathing exercise which consisted in breathing through the nose forcefully with the mouth closed. For almost 10 minutes, the sound of our breathing resonated in rhythm and sometimes a cry could be heard. Sometimes meditation stirs up deeply held energies, and can provoke laughter or tears. Nothing happened to me, but I felt like I do after exercising, light and relaxed.
Osho Meditation
Once again we began with the abdominal breathing and to finish up, we did an exercise where we exhaled instead of inhaled. Instead of stuffed up noses we heard guttural noises which emanated from the throat. Try breathing out without opening your mouth, and you’ll see how it makes you think of cavemen grunting. We did a few stretches for are arms and neck, said “aum” three times and with a triumphant “Ooooooooooooh” S. invited us to return to our senses a tour own rhythm.
We got together in a circle around some cards that had been spread face up. We each took one. S. advised us to keep our eyes closed if it helped us to concentrate. I did so, and left in silence. We didn’t discuss the significance of the cards, but I was interested in their symbolism afterwards. We pictured a fire in the middle of the circle we formed, and threw the card into it. S. served us a hot Chai with spices soy milk. “Meditation is a bit like being in the psychologist’s office, it’s a very intimate environment”, mused S. as we left.
And it’s true, it was an hour of my life that I could stop worrying about what I felt, and focus on the trouble spots in my body. I left the session feeling incredibly at peace. My friends had all felt something different, as the meditation allows you focus on yourself and meditate on the aspects of your life and personality that you choose and banish your negative energies. I invite you to try this experience. Meditation has become more popular, and I’m sure it won’t be that hard to find a group, Buddhist centre or Hindu temple. I don’t know whether I will go back next Sunday. But I have friends who meditate everyday!
Another way of escaping the chaos of your daily life is to organize a getaway in an enchanting place, full of magic and good vibes. The French Capital Paris is a good bet, and it you rent comfortable, affordable apartments in Paris, your relaxation is sure to be complete.
