Mindfulness!

“In the heart of the city”

In the middle of a noisy city, where cars honked and the noise of people filled the air, a small, serene park was nestled. This park had long been–amidst the city’s chaos and endless activity–a miraculous oasis to many. But to Maya, a young woman whose spirit seemed older than her years, and who had hair as black as a raven’s wing, it held an almost religious significance.

Each day as the sun’s first rays painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, Maya would walk over to her favorite bench. Closing her eyes upon it, she’d sink into meditation. When Maya meditated, the world around her grew a little softer: the once-overwhelming noise would recede to a distant hum. And for her, any external chaos simply didn’t exist–it was a world within that could never be disturbed.

It was one afternoon, a curious onlooker named Leo, drawn by her serene presence, approached her “What are you sitting here for hours, with your face seemingly lost in deep thought?”

The slightest suggestion of anger showed itself in Maya’s eyes, which she opened at this moment and fixed on his with a perfectly tranquil expression. “No, I’m not lost,” came the gentle reply. “Actually, I meditate to find myself.”

Leo was partial to her words and perspective, and so he decided to keep her company the coming day. To be sure, he struggled in the beginning. His mind was always swimming, and the noises of the city grew louder still. However, through Maya’s encouragement and teaching, he gradually learned to center himself on the breath, taking each inhalation as a grounding and each exhalation as an object of focus for his concentrative exercise.

Days turned into weeks, and Leo began to sense that a change was coming over him. No longer was the mountain of his worries such a burden–nor so clouded did the world appear. The chirping birds in the park and the rustling leaves, even the far off noises of the city, now converged in a melodious symphony that resonated with his newly gained inner tranquility.

One peaceful morning, as they completed their meditation, Leo turned to Maya with a look of extreme gratitude. “You’ve revealed to me a world I never knew existed. A world of peace hidden within the chaos.”

One knowledgeable nod; Maya’s eyes were that of ancient wisdom. “Meditation does not change the world outside us. It changes our perceptions in it.”

Thus, in the never-ending noise of the city, two souls found tranquility with each mindful breath.