Alignment .

Some wise man or woman said that spiritual fitness is just as necessary as physical fitness; just as your body benefits from a good hike up a mountain or a swim in a lake, your spiritual self needs rigorous and thoughtful care as well. We all come from different cultural backgrounds, and religious disciplines. I've always admired those who have deep faith and belief, although I don't prescribe to an organized religion myself. I find myself constantly seeking to deepen my sense of spirituality, and lately, I really mean it. My mind needs a rest and my spirit needs to start doing some fire hydrants.

Yesterday, I went to the Shambala Center for Meditation on 22nd and 6th avenue for an hour long introduction in meditation. The form of meditation taught here is called 'peaceful abiding'. It is what it sounds like. Focusing the mind on the breath, acknowledging your thoughts and letting them go. Our instructor said that we all have an innate "primordial sanity"; a stillness that exists within us if we can quiet ourselves enough to listen to it.

I'm not going to say that this was a particularly enjoyable experience. It was sort of like taking a vitamin; totally good for me in every way, but a little dry. Imagine me, instead of the buddha above, sitting on a pile of snakes hissing and rattling away, while I'm trying to focus on my breath! I couldn't have been more distracted. I guess no one said stillness was an easy thing to find. Anyway, I'm holding myself to a new challenge: 10 minutes of meditation a day. You could do it to, and then we could meet in Nirvana for a drank!

Click here for more info on this welcoming center of calm.