The OM Zone

I’m not a Buddhist and I eat bacon. Sometimes, I swear like a drunken sailor. I have no aspirations of enlightenment. But I do meditate. At times, I practice mindfulness. Not always successfully. I’ve been doing yoga since the age of sixteen and teaching it for roughly six years.

But, ironically, I feel closest to tranquility with a pen in my hand, completely and totally engrossed in the art of storytelling. Yoga can be considered a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual discipline. In my mind, artistic expression can be all of these things as well. Alright, maybe not “physical,” but it can be. Often, my best, most creative ideas emerge on the mat or while out for a walk or when I am engaging in the weirdly ridiculous routine of treadmill-running while listening to audiobooks (yup, that’s right. I listen to audiobooks while running).

So how do you find the ever-elusive OM zone? It might be a creative sweet spot or a meditative one. I think we all need an activity or a discipline that we can turn to to cultivate peace and for me yoga is just one of many ways to get into my spiritual grove. Below is a list of some possibilities for cultivating peace that help me (when I’m not PMS-ing or in self-pity mode). Maybe, they can help you too as you pursue your own path to wholeness.

1. Writing

2. Yoga

3. Reading

4. Going for a walk or a run

5. Journaling (while, technically, this is a form of writing, for me telling stories is a very different experience than telling the truth)

6. Listening to music

7. Dancing like no one is watching

8. Taking a hot shower

9. Watching TV (yes, this is mindless, but oh so necessary at times)

10. A hot cup of tea

11. Connecting with someone I love

12. Prayer