Meditation is a very private thing – some people just use breathing, some people stare at various body parts, some chant.
If you chant, you generally chant a mantra. This can be a sacred text, a meaningless sound, or a phrase given to you by a guru (perhaps for a fee.)
If you grew up in Texas, you might realize that one religion is TexMex food and there are any number of mantras that can be generated using the basics of the cuisine.
One night, when I had lost track of my dogs (yet again!), I decided I needed something easier to remember for a chant. (For the record, the dogs are Bubba [RIP], Ripley [RIP], Sparky [RIP], Flower [RIP], Murphy [RIP], Max [RIP], Katie [RIP], Rocky.)
So, what is more important than pets? Enchiladas. Plus, there weren’t that many I could remember from experience. (I did Google it and there are many religious battles on enchiladas, mostly regional. I was worried about content.)
Here is the Enchilada mantra:
Beef
Cheese
Chicken
Spinach
It’s easy – you can picture them in your mind, so you have something to focus upon and you can get distracted by whether spinach should even count.
That kept me busy for a while, until my mind started wandering – mainly because chanting enchiladas is going to make me think of other TexMex classics.
At that point, I decided that the perfect TexMex mantra would be a combination platter just like in any good TexMex restaurant. I had to make a list, but after that, it’s easy – it’s like any combo platter, just choose three or four items and chant away.
Combo Platter Mantra Ingredients
- Burrito
- Chalupa
- Chimichanga
- Enchilada
- Taco
- Tamale
- (don’t forget the rice & beans)
Last night, my mantra detailed my dinner from the other evening –
Enchilada, Enchilada, Tamale, Taco, Rice and Beans
(It was a very tasty dinner.)
Of course, if you meditate in the morning before you start your day, then thinking about dinner may not make much sense – although it may help you focus. In that case, instead of the Combo Platter Mantra, may I suggest the Breakfast Taco Mantra?
Breakfast Taco Mantra Ingredients
- Bacon
- Bean
- Cheese
- Chorizo
- Egg
- Potato
- Sausage
For a Breakfast Tacos Mantra, just name the ones you order – bean & cheese, egg cheese & potato, chorizo and egg.
Start your meditation sessions with “Howdy!” and end with “Adios.”
OM, Y’all.