Millennial Meditation

The last couple weeks I took a trip back home to Trinidad. Usually when I go, I feel like I am busier than when I am in Toronto. There are so many things to do. On top of seeing all my friends and reconnecting with family, I also help manage my family home and business. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but trying to pack everything into 2 weeks is not often possible. I always feel like I need more time. I try to visit every 6 to 8 months but ideally I would like to squeeze in one more visit per year. It’s not easy to do this as my husband isn’t always happy to see me traipse off on a plane away from him. He is not fond of travelling at all and I actually love the whole experience of travelling (even if it is back to my own country).

My last 2 weeks were so wonderful. The sun was there to greet me and the Caribbean has its messy, make shift, ad-hock, casual feel to it that you don’t get in the perfectly urban planned big city. The roads are narrow, winding and full of potholes, the odd coloured houses are inconsistently woven in and out of the streets almost like fine tapestry. The corner shop with the old lady selling her candy is littered with school kids on their way home and you can always hear some Caribbean tunes coming from somewhere in the distance. The skies are blue, the air is heavy with moisture and the yellow sun blazes down on everything. Where are my sunglasses? I always feel great.

Caribbean islands always have a laid back slow vibe. Everything is done in due time, no rush and no problem. It is a complete juxtaposition from what I experience in Toronto where the rat race is always on. It reminds me that slowing down and letting go has its benefits. Being busy in the Caribbean is fun whereas being busy in North America is stressful. It is difficult to express in words, but easier to feel.

More recently I have been trying to do daily meditation. I have to admit, meditation is something that I am terrible at. My mind always wonders, but I have goals of trying to do 5 to 10 minutes in the morning. The funny thing is, trying to meditate in Toronto for 5 minutes has been so difficult for me, however, 10 minutes in Trinidad was rather easy. It really isn’t about sitting down and closing eyes but more about being mindful and present in the moment. I went to the beach during my trip and with effortless release my mind was able to settle and experience the present. The sounds of the waves, the warmth of the sun on my skin, the wind messing my hair and the sand exfoliating my feet were not just sensations of the physical body but also extended to sensations in the mind. Many feelings came to being – appreciation, comfort, peace and so many more. I am guessing this is what meditation is all about. Living in the moment and finding that connection to the now and being content with it.

I’ve often heard people profess that the current generation “The Millennials” are disconnected from reality. Being a part of this generation (on the cusp of the tail end), I often face the stereotypes of being selfish, entitled, lazy, clueless about life and vapid. Even I sometimes think these things about the twenty somethings that prance around the malls constantly taking selfies. It is kind of true, we are more connected through technology than we’ve ever been, but also more disconnected from each other. In Toronto every day I see people walking around on phones, with headphones in going places and not interacting with each other. I too am guilty of this with my head buried messaging in my phone. My trip to Trinidad highlighted it even more. Perhaps the Caribbean technology has not reached optimal convenience as yet, or maybe it is just the culture, but people still chat with each other constantly. In lines at the banks, waiting to pay your utility bills, in the grocery stores, just on the streets someone always has something to say to you. It is like a comradery of sorts amongst the people. I miss this kind of connection living in Toronto. I guess this is why I decided to take up meditation. It is my small attempt to not only build my personal connection to the moment, but also scaffold a connection to my new life and the people within it. Mindfulness helps me become centred and calm and happy. I meet more people during this state and pick up on subtle emotional queues of even strangers. I become more open to others and less closed off from the world. I perform better at my tasks and life is overall just more enjoyable. I can only see positive impacts of it. It is easier for me to live this way in the Caribbean than in Toronto, however, it is possible anywhere with some effort. With practice I am hopeful to eventually be able to complete more than just 5 to 10 minutes a day of meditation, and also include mindfulness in my everyday way of living.

I always eagerly look forward to my brief trips to the roots of my life in Trinidad even if only to take a quick jaunt to the beach and revive my resolve. Trips back home remind me of who I am and who I’ve always wanted to be. It is a reconnection of spirit and a jump back in time to my younger self. I am flooded with moments of reminiscence and euphoria. Yet, I always am equally happy to return to my Toronto home. I live an exciting double life, because even though my soul lies in Trinidad, my heart is with my husband in Toronto. What better contrast of life is there to awaken an appreciation of two sides of living? Meditation teaches me to enjoy the present whichever country I am in, and also recognize that the best time of my glorious life is always right now.