My Meditation Chops

Image credit: http://axtschmiede.com/meditation-2/

I’m a half decent meditator. I know this quantitatively. 

In December, 2014, I attended a digital health trade show and purchased a headband which tracks brainwaves while meditating. Then it gives you an EEG style reading after you’re done, including a score. So if you’re me, you can get all competitive about it. 

A couple Fridays ago, I met this very large party of Buddhists drinking at the Rubin Museum happy hour. One of them was also a vegan wearing a shirt with a giant fluorescent green Under Armor logo emblazoned across the front of it. It vibrated my eyeballs, this logo. I would not have expected a vegan Buddhist to sport such a large area of fluorescence. That’s one stereotype debunked.

Anyway, subsequent to two bourbon on the rocks, generously poured, I decided to become a Buddhist. Then I read up on it.

Buddhists are all about not suffering. Because not suffering is a synonym for happiness. And how you avoid suffering is to quit craving things. You stop with the expectations already, because if you don’t have something, you want it, and if you have it, you worry about losing it. The idea is that you regard everything as impermanent and unnecessary.

I get the drift. But I have to tell you, I like my things. I like to put on my purple robe in the morning and furry slippers with memory soles. I like to swan about the house carrying my new ember mug that keeps my tea at a constant temperature. (Tom got it for me for valentines day because he's romantic like that.) Then I like to change into daywear and log everything in the app I use to amortize my wardrobe. I find this whole process very pleasing. 

I wonder if this kind of possession obsession is kosher with the Buddhists. Probably not.