Just Getting on the Schedule: Yes, there's a schedule and technology to help track each bus' moves to the minute, but still, the bus is on its schedule, not mine, and adjusting myself to that schedule is a change. Not being in the drivers seat moves me one more welcome degree away from the center of the universe.
Driver Practice: Watching the attentive eyes of the drivers take in the road, the periphery, the doors, and the passengers, around and around, over and over. Just maneuvering these mammoth beasts throughout town is a remarkable skill. Some of the drivers are anxious and cranky, some of them are incredibly cheerful and open. Appreciating their training not just in the technical aspect of the job, but in how each of their personalities and their millions of interactions with the passengers sets a tone on their bus that is palpable.
Love Bus: Metta Practice is perfect for the bus. My friend Gensho and I spent an afternoon practicing Metta on MAX, the light rail train (see Lovingkindness to the MAX). The bus is a rolling metal tube hurtling people through town, and it can be filled with a powerful heart-wish for each and all the beings on it to be free from fear and anxiety, to be at ease, to be deeply happy.
Bodhisattva Detective: The bus can call up images of human suffering, and suffering is certainly there, but the bus can also be full of moments of human grace. People moving aside to share a seat, people giving genuine attention to relative strangers talking about the health and lives of their families, the young African American man who jumped off the bus to take the hand of the blind woman and escort her all the way into her doctor's office (she was having some difficulty navigating the corner, and the driver was trying to verbally help her for some time). It's easier to find these Bodhisattvas when you're looking for them.
Body Scan: This can be difficult, as the bus is full of so many distractions. So there's always the option to sit down and cue up a body scan meditation on the iPod. What if we all did this?
Body Scan: This can be difficult, as the bus is full of so many distractions. So there's always the option to sit down and cue up a body scan meditation on the iPod. What if we all did this?
This is my preliminary list. I hope to add more practices. Anyone else have their own Mindful Bus Practices? Or anything similar?
*apologies to Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Center for Mindfulness
5 comments:
I love this! Loving Kindness practice on public transport is something I used to do, it helped withstand the difficulties of traveling by bus. How wonderful you are untethered from your car and able to commute easily by bus to your new work!
Wonderful! Here are a couple more practices (I do them in my car because there are no buses out my way):
When the bus stops (does a bell ring to cue the driver?), bring your attention to your breathing. You can do that at a red light too.
At a left or right turn (pick a different one each day), keep your attention on the breath for the length of the turn.
Wonderful indeed! Thanks, Tay. And Genju, great additions to the list. Thanks for making the bus a mindful place!
"Love bus"
Love that! I rode the bus quite often when I lived in Seattle, but now that I'm out in the sticks, it's actually cheaper to drive since I only have to go 7 miles each way. However, if we ever do move back to Seattle (maybe PDX...???) public transit will definitely be a top option.
I wasn't a dharma practitioner in my bus riding days, but I remember this gentleman that would sit in the front of one of the buses I took with a giant pocket full of change that he carried just in case someone came up short.
Metta.
Thank you all for your Metta-Bus-Love!
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