Regard all experiences as dreams.

Photo by Ellen Barcel

I recently discovered a new form of graffiti called yarn bombing. Colorful knitted or crocheted blocks of yarn are used to cover public objects, such as trees, statues and posts. It made me think of what happens in my mind when I meditate. First, I am completely focused on the breath; thoughts may float by, but I don’t get snagged by any of them. But then “Something Important” passes through my head – usually a thought about the past or the future. I take that thought and start crocheting madly around it, forming a colorful story that is usually filled with emotional energy. Eventually I recognize I’m not following my breath, and I snap back into the present moment. I suddenly realize what felt so real during my discursive thought was only a mental creation. Waking up from those thoughts and feelings are, as the second slogan states, like waking up from a dream. Knitting such stories, whether in meditation or during daily activities, leaves very few gaps of space to see from a larger perspective. Yet seeing them as vibrant, imaginative fantasies reminds me that what I create in my mind does not necessarily make them real. 

For more information on the second slogan, go here.