Music

Very early into my study of Buddhism, my friend found a book for me written by a woman named Geri Larkin who was a Zen priest. I enjoyed it. It was funny and thoughtful, but it didn’t really teach me much about the fundamentals of Buddhism. She spoke of mindfulness more than anything else. One of the mindfulness practices she engaged in was driving without the radio, keeping her mind fully engaged with the act of driving. I tried this and for about a year the radio in my car stayed off.

I’m not entirely sure if I was any more mindful in my driving, but when I finally turned the radio back on, I was much more mindful of the music. Since I don’t have the money to purchase CD’s or download music, my car radio is about my only source or new music. I realized how much I had missed this simple source of beauty in my life. I rarely drive my car, but when I do it is often to go to Omaha, about 50 miles away. I don’t mind the long drive hardly at all because I get to look forward to the beauty of the music.

The presence beauty is a strong motivation to be mindful; the trick is to see the beauty in everything.