A Moment of Peace on a Railway Platform

Photo by mikemellinger

Every one of us has spent countless hours on the platform waiting for the train. And I'm guessing that most of us get frustrated whenever we hear the delay announcement. It actually sucks a lot—especially if we have an urgent engagement like a private lesson. But when that happens, we can do little to influence the train to arrive on time. So, we can instead focus on something more positive.

Something positive, like making ourselves feel more relaxed. I'm no zazen master, but my lungs (and some qigong practice) have taught me how good focused breathing can feel on a busy afternoon. Try it.

Inhale a good dose of fresh air (if that's possible in a Japanese metropolis) into your lungs, and release it into your surroundings. The idea is to focus on the entire breathing action. And I don't know if this will make any sense, but try to prolong the action of breathing inside your mind while dismissing any other thoughts. Feel how every breath of air you take refreshes your whole body.

Na zdorov'e.