Meditation and Mosquito Bites

images3.jpg I didn’t expect to, but totally dug this book. I’m jealous of it on multiple levels–the writing is exquisite, the jokes are funny, and the epiphany seems really — and dude, I’m in DIRE need of epiphanies. Someone in my office was like “oh yeah, she writes exactly the way I write, like the way I talk.” And I didn’t mean to be totally snotty, but this co-worker is a numbers employees and I don’t like when people dismiss hard-to-do feats, said “Yeah, she writes exactly the way I do to, if I could finish a book of complicated themes and sophisticated structure with a conversational tone.”

It’s going to make a great movie, which is what I’m sure lots of people were thinking, b/c it just got bought up to be a feature starring Julia Roberts. One of the aspects that’s interesting about the book is there’s an extensive description on the experience of meditation, which interesting, b/c I don’t really meditate but I think about meditating frequently, as in “I really should start thinking about meditating.” But it was interesting b/c even reading about meditating made me feel calmer. I heard about a friend’s marriage falling apart and took it in stride, when I would normally start obsessing overtime on what happened and if it was infectious. Meditation bubble. Nice.

But for me to actually commit to a meditation routine is another story. I don’t know when I’ll actually decided to commit to it. The author cites the distraction of getting twenty mosquito bites in a meditation cave in India, and how she just thought, for the first time, to ignore it and let it go. And soon enough, those bites became part of her lesson, to not give too much importance on a feeling that would pass. She started to notice that the bugs went away and her bites were annoying, but also were unnoticeable. That would never work with me. As anyone who has ever lived with me can attest, I’m like DISTURBINGLY allergic mosquito nibbles and swell up to the size of a tennis ball around landing areas and proceed to get very cranky.

9 Replies to “Meditation and Mosquito Bites”

  1. I just opened up this book this morning on the train! It’s due back at the library on Monday, so I gotta read and read. I’m happy to hear that you endorse the book cuz so far I’m a wee bit annoyed at the narrator/writer.

  2. I think the jokes are funny it, and I liked the jezebel article Christine posted above — though Jezebel makes fun of the selfhelp editor who hated the journey.

    I dunno, nk, i hope you like. I found it very easy to get lost in, but I am also admittedly much more woo-woo as I age than others, so I love when people go ape and throw everything out the window. I also dig stories about people who make radically different life choices than Iw ould. Some kids are just born to globe trot and others, like myself, never leave the Bermuda triangle otherwise known as the tri-state area.

  3. I’m turning in the book late to the library because I haven’t finished it. Just getting to India now. Do you agree, though, that NYC’s one word is ACHIEVE? I have been thinking about that and what it means to me. I want to be a globe trotter. Either the basketball kind or the travel kind.

  4. what was the word for l.a.? success? yeah, i can see how nyc is achieve, especially in the theater community. i feel like people are SO driven and working every moment they can to strive for some gigantic, massive level of recognition. does it not fit for you? it’s definitely not how i live my nyc life anymore, but i think i have been in achieve mode.

  5. I am still getting through the book. I must say that I am enjoying the meditation part too. Very much so actually. I’m thinking of putting meditation on my shortlist of activities to undertake. haha. I don’t know how they will do the India part in the movie, though. The things that Liz was experiencing while meditating.. how do you show that cinematically? Also, Julia Roberts?! That seems totally miscasting. And isn’t she a tad old? She’s not a big name but I could see Judy Greer doing very well in a role like this: neurotic and funny. Or if it had to be an A-list name, maybe Naomi Watts. But Julia Roberts? uhh.

  6. i think the meditation scene with julia roberts will be just like the scene in ratatouille when the main character describes scents and flavor. they play jazz in the background and then paint swirlies in the background as she feels stuff. but doens’t the book make mediation sound so appealing? i literally felt more chilled out reading that part. YES, i think julia roberts is a little late to play this part, but hey, if she got a little tucked up here and there, she can play like my daughter

  7. YES! The book really makes meditation so appealing. I’ve never thought I needed it because it seemed so new agey hooey. But I’m reading the book, and like you said, I do feel calm and compassionate. And it forces me into the present. My coworker practices meditation, but sometimes he annoys me when he talks about it because it still sounds new agey hooey and he can still be an ego driven ass. Does David practice meditation? Any books to recommend? Okay, I can see how they can capture that in the movie like Ratatouille but you can only do that once in the movie. What about the rest of the whole sections in the Ashram in India? The chanting? The silence?

  8. yes david practice meditation twice a day and he’s a much more happier, more easy going, and nicer person than i am!!! he practically wants me to try it….there are books. i think there’s something called “meditation in a new york minute” or something for those of us too bonkers with stress to actually take the time to do. i think if you film it you can film the cave and the sound of dripping water or something and you can show it goign quickly, and then when you master meditaiton, it would be like matrix slow. the matrix, in a way, has to do with meditaition

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