This I Believe...the Beauty of Personal Meditation
Like most human beings, i derive identity and purpose from the pursuit of my own pleasure; inversely, I discover pleasure from finding a purpose in this chaotic world. Through the years the platforms for my expression and entertainment have changed and evolved, but one thing has always remained the same: my attraction to the manifestation and the expression of the human spirit. From my earliest days of drawing families of imaginary cat-people in composition books and playing chess to more recent experiences hula hooping at festivals and spending hours upon hours painting to the point of complete exhaustion, I have noticed a common thread. I believe that activities that induce meditative states make up the sole purpose of my life. Whether this activity be mentally or physically stimulating, I find a different beauty in each outlet of my creative soul. First of all, I am a dance major, meaning I must constantly harness the physical aspect of my existence. When I dance in an academic setting, I am pushed to achieve physical focus to the point of meditation on a daily basis in order to maintain the proper technique and ability to emote while I dance in classes and rehearsals. On the other end of the spectrum, when I dance at festivals, I am filled with the wild thrill of moving in any way I feel natural. I can dance to my favorite bands or even bands I have never heard of before, and feel a deeply intense spiritual and physical release that gives me so much freedom and connection to others around me, the music, and to the earth. In relation to dancing, when I hula hoop, I feel myself delve into another level of experience where I find amazing pleasure in the present moment and in feeling the energy of the music playing. Interpreting that feeling while incorporating more and more advanced tricks into my routine is a way for me to stay in touch with my mind, body, and spirit. Another activity I enjoy is painting, which brings me feelings of enlightenment I can hardly express. After painting for an hour or so, I find myself in a trancelike state of concentration, transferring my thoughts and feelings onto a canvas and feeling the smooth melting feeling of the brush swirling around. On the whole, my life revolves around passion, dedication, and living in the present moment. The only way I can fully live my life is to keep myself creating, focusing, and harnessing my skills of communication with myself and with others through my artistic outlets and in random everyday moments.