the oatmeal meditation.
on quiet and still-dark weekend mornings, i stand alone at the stove and take the time to cook steel cut oats. my stove is old and emits a gentle hum when turned on. the twenty-three minutes of stirring engage just enough physical activity to distract me into stillness. the steam breaks loose hard emotions like anxiety, anger, shame and pulls them away and out the vent. i breathe in the scent of cinammon, honey and vanilla and am replenished with a sense of boldness and warmth.
i add walnuts and dried berries (lately i'm into goji berries...have you tried these?) and my hands surround the warm fullness of the bowl. with each lift of the spoon, i am nourished, filled, loved.
grace in a bowl.
seriously, it's the closest thing i have to a regular meditation practice.
