It makes great sense these days to use public transport or car pool for purposes of conserving energy. We see this being promoted heavily all around us. However, I rediscovered using the public transport for several other personal reasons that for the moment beat everything else. But of course, for these uses to surface, you must put away your ipod, and any other mobile digital devices, into the deep recesses of your hand bag or pant pocket. And decide not to indulge them until you get down from the bus. Now for some fun!
Uses
#1 Travelling in that bus through the traffic-ridden roads of Chennai, I realised that all my tasks will have to wait. No matter how many tasks I have lined up for the day, I cannot move from my position of sitting or standing. The only task is to stand or sit comfortably. One is forced to stay with the only task that is possible in that bus then - this is great practice for staying in this moment, and staying with the people who are with one at that moment. If it is traffic time and the bus is crowded, you can be sure that flash points are lower, irritation levels are higher and everyone just wants to get home. Or office. So for self to stay comfortable, the others around will also have to be comfortable to some extent. For instance, people may like orange marmalade to be spread out, but not you and your bags on their laps and into their shoulders. Your neighbour may not enjoy your hair flying into their face and nose, unless of course you are his or her lover which puts hair and orange marmalade in a completely different realm altogether.
#2 Deciding that there is no better task than leaning on the pole comfortably and just being, was the best thing I could have done for my breath. It is most fashionable these days to enroll for hatha yoga or a weight reduction yoga programme or any of the numerous yoga courses advertised. For those who don't have time because they have to leave home by 7 a.m. and travel in public transport in order to reach their work place by 9, the bus is the best bet to practice some praanayama. Close your eyes, and watch your breath. Just be with it, as you take in air, and as you breathe out. You will feel your breath deepening and lengthening. Continue breathing in and out. A sudden waft of typical Chennai may assault your inhalation as the garbage lorry hurtles by; watch the stink as it hits you and then as it fades away. Similarly, watch that puff of exhaust fumes, the fragrance of jasmine flowers, sweat or any of the miscellaneous smells of travelling chennai as they pass by. They will pass, your breath will stay. Of course, with all this deep breathing, you may fall asleep. Which takes us to the next use.
#3 Ah, blissful sleep! What one wouldn't give for those forty winks after which one is refreshed and awakened! If you've been burning the midnight oil studying, or are stressed at work, and / or going to write an exam that morning, or haven't managed to get requisite sleep for some reason or another, this is the best time to fill up your sleep quota. In fact, it is highly recommended if you are going to write an exam, nothing that you study at this point will really matter - what will matter is how clear headed you are when you sit in the exam hall, and how gathered your faculties are. And if you have been poring over your books through the night, then sleep you must. Nothing like the motion of the bus to put one to sleep. Surrender your all to the bus driver, who's ishvara for the moment, and become lolly and noddy. The neighbour may understand this phenomenon if he or she is a regular in buses, and forgive you your trespass. Else, she may herself be noddy to your lolly. Enjoy!
#4 I nodded off a bit in the middle of my breath-watching, and got up rejuvenated in less than 15 minutes. Being just where I was, completely aware of my breath, relaxed yet alert of everything around me, my attention automatically drew into me, and who and what I am at that point - I can hear the conversation of the two teenage girls in the seat in front of mine, and my mind is responding in a certain way. Watching my response, what am I feeling then? What am I thinking? Watching the feeling, watching the thought. Just watching, the origin of that thought suddenly flashed in, and its associated experience (our minds have thoughts that are actually our opinions, or assumptions or labels and stereotypes and so on which are actually conditioned by our life's experiences and resulting emotions, fears etc. Hence much of the time, our thoughts about others are actually everything to do with us, rather than about them). I hereby declare that you could make the bus ride one of the best spaces in which to watch the patterns of your life, the patterns in your mind and become aware of your self deeply. Which will obviously have its impact on your awareness of others.
#5 I stayed with the insight that emerged, and its consequent excitement, watched the excitement and its origin (but of course!). When I looked around at that point, the bus was crowded with ideas. There were numerous bundles of experiences-thoughts-responses in many shapes and sizes, clothed outwardly in different colours and cuts, and in constant action / motion - talking to each other, exclaiming, checking their phones every 2 minutes, smiling, shifting from one leg to another, tching, adjusting their pallu or duppatta, looking out and waiting for their stop to get off, whispering and giggling, whistling, looking into the neighbour's mobile phone, screaming at someone to move, daydreaming, nodding off(!), sightseeing out of the window, catching my eye... adding more experience-thought-response on to the basic bundle reinforcing patterns, even as I saw. The bus is an artist's idea-heaven, artist in the broadest sense possible. Just look on, without forgetting to look at your looking (that is, being aware of any judgments, any thoughts that you may have), to get fresh ideas on just about anything under the sun and beyond!
Which brings me back full circle to simply staying here and now, with the people and experiences of this moment. I got off the bus to a whole new world, all so fresh and shiny that I could almost see dew drops glistening everywhere. And it hadn't even rained! What just a ride in your local bus can do.
