by Gaye Oxford
Two years ago, I wanted to take a painting workshop with a teacher whose techniques I admire but whose workshop was at the same time as my annual meditation retreat with Richard Miller. Though difficult, I decided to forgo the yoga retreat and sign up for the painting workshop.
Two years ago, I wanted to take a painting workshop with a teacher whose techniques I admire but whose workshop was at the same time as my annual meditation retreat with Richard Miller. Though difficult, I decided to forgo the yoga retreat and sign up for the painting workshop.
Autumn has such an insistent call for me to move to inner reflection. As I drove into the Alberta foothills, mountains looming, I really hoped that I had made the right choice for the start of my seasonal inward migration.
The visiting artist requested that each morning we begin our painting day with an outdoor meditation. We put on our coats, boots, gloves and hats and went out into the forest wilderness to sit. It was not a comfortable sitting. The center was in an animal corridor and we had been made well aware we shouldn’t go alone or too far from the lodge as moose, bear and cougar were plentiful and traveling constantly at that time of year. Still, I found myself moving deeper into the forest to be away from the other painters and distant from the building.
For the next 5 days I returned to my spot and sat with rustles, deep grey enveloping fog, and grasses, branches and snow transformed by sparkling fat hoar frost flakes. One very special morning, I was kindly joined by a huge great horned owl and a gentle young fox.
I sat with my enormous fear of wild things in those forest sittings. In the studio, as I sat with the clamor of my ego chatter, I eventually found moments of spaciousness when I didn’t unconsciously give over to the chronic mental din.
The workshop reminded me that when we make the intention to be present to what thoughts and sensations arrive — not get hooked and lost in our unconscious, endless, winding stories — then we are in meditation retreat even if it’s called a painting workshop or the everyday moment to moment.
Gaye Oxford
CYA-E-RYT500
Gaye Oxford facilitates yoga and painting exploration classes in Edmonton, Alberta.
CYA-E-RYT500
Gaye Oxford facilitates yoga and painting exploration classes in Edmonton, Alberta.