I Am a Mountain

Several years ago, I became aware of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mountain meditation. I had been taking a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction class taught by him (MBSR is the longest-running, most-studied meditation series in the US, originated at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center for patients with chronic pain) and was also exploring some of the books he’s written on meditation (Full Catastrophe Living, Wherever You Go There You Are and Mindfulness for Beginners are some of my favorites). I came across Mountain meditation and decided to work it into my repertoire for a while - to take it for a test ride of sorts.

In Mountain Meditation, you envision yourself as a mountain, strong and solid, even during turbulent weather, the changing seasons, people’s varying responses to you, etc. More than just envisioning it, you bring a felt sense of actually being a mountain into the body.

A few weeks after I added it to my practice, I was standing in my kitchen when my phone rang. My father was calling from the emergency room to tell me that he and my mother had been in a very serious car accident. Reflexively, I found myself taking the shape of a mountain, placing one hand on the kitchen counter, while holding the phone in the other, feeling my head as the top of the mountain, my arm as the side of the mountain, and my feet grounded in bedrock, the base of the mountain.

To this day, I can still remember how strong and steady I felt in that moment as the Mountain meditation practice kicked in. I was able to be fully present as my father explained from all the way across the country that my mom might need to be moved to a trauma hospital, and that he himself was in the hospital being treated for his injuries. In those moments on the phone with him, I was able to listen to him and give him the steadiness and connection that he needed, and take in the important information he needed to share without slipping into the “What ifs” and “Who did this!?” thoughts. There was a deep sense of caring, and also a profound understanding that I was able to abide what life was sending our way.

From that day on, Mountain Meditation has held a regular spot in my meditation rotation. Others, too, have shared stories of how Mountain meditation was the practice that hooked them on meditation, and of how “I am a mountain!” has become a rallying cry in tough times.

So, we invite you to take it for a test drive, if you haven’t already. Below is a link to a guided version of the practice from our website (click on the image of the mountain) and also a link to a shorter version for young adults (suitable for anyone young at heart : )). And as always, we owe a deep bow of gratitude to Jon Kabat-Zinn for helping us connect with the mountain that each of us has inside.

Inviting you to join us for any, many or all of our weekly live mindfulness sessions. All are offered freely, made possible by your donations.

With love,

Your CMP family