Maitri workshop: Green

The last colour we experienced during the Maitri workshop last weekend was GREEN. This time we had to lie on our backs in a particular position for about 20 minutes. It was quite an active pose, maybe that's why I had a lot of thoughts. I was away on vacation for a short while, then came back with my awareness to the room. I noticed the GREEN became less intense after a while until I realized I didn't like this colour, it was ugly. The flexing of the feet made my legs grow tired and that feeling crawled into my lower belly.

When I took off my glasses the world was purple for a short while. Going outside I didn't know where to go to. I really walked aimlessly up and down the street very slowly, that took me about 20 minutes. I was calm and quiet, I felt at peace with the world.

I felt the need for nature: green plants, trees and flowers. So I was looking for that in the street. The street felt narrow, but looking up I experienced space.

The funny thing was that I noticed myself reflected in windows and cars more than ever and as you can see I even took a few selfies. So I guess I was at peace with myself, too.

About the colour
GREEN - karma (Sanskrit, meaning action) - air (element)
There are many ways to experience action: slow like a tree and fast like a runner. Action always has a purpose, a certain measure of efficiency, productivity and competitiveness.
The over-the-top side of GREEN: competition leads to control, keeping an eye on each other. Our whole society is built on that. The Buddhist idea of a chain reaction is that it is hard to stop. In relation to yourself: look in what way you are a product of your own habitual patterns. It is interesting to try to do something about those patterns, that makes your life more exciting (but not always easy). Fear is behind habitual patterns, sometimes well hidden. We like to keep our habitual patterns, because when we act out of habit we know exactly what is going to happen.

The wisdom of GREEN is the wisdom of creative acting. You are not acting defensively, but you are working on delivering a good product. You are in total contact with the situation and the timing of how things work. You identify yourself with what you are doing, you become one with it and that gives a lot less friction. Radna (yellow) are your recourses to come into action. Internal and external resources: "How could I use this the best way, in which way do I bloom the best?" You can grow like a tree, slowly and by itself. That is the natural way of things. To get there we need to relax.

Now I know why I felt relaxed and one with all during the walk: that is the natural way, it is the effect of GREEN.