"Meditation," according to Clark Strand, a former Buddhist monk, "is not something we get. It's not something that comes to us as the result of effort over time, but rather something that we have to begin with, if we can only summon enough clarity to see it. To meditate is to return to our natural state, the condition of wakeful simplicity that exists when distractions have fallen away." The author of Seeds from a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey goes against the American grain by suggesting that counting the breath, coming back to where you are, and being in the present moment have nothing to do with self-improvement, inner peace, or making the world a better place
In fact, Strand suggests regarding meditation as a hobby, an activity practiced simply for itself. Using illustrative material from his own life, the author discusses gurus, the basics on getting started, and setting up "a present moment group." Strand's accessible and poetic writing style makes this reframing of meditation very appealing.
