Roller coaster meditations
This #thankyouthursday, I am grateful for roller coaster meditations.
As in, meditating while riding an actual roller coaster.
I have the great fortune of living less than 30 minutes from a sizable theme park, so we have season passes and visit frequently.
Because our toddler is not tall enough for most of the rides, my partner and I take turns, which means when I am on a roller coaster, I am either by myself or seated next to a stranger.
This weekend I was seated next to a stranger when I got the idea to try something I’d read about—some celebrity recommending roller coasters as a form of meditation.
If I could remember where I read that I’d share a link, but I don’t, so instead I’ll point out that in 2020, the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park made a similar suggestion (albeit for a different reason).
In any case, this weekend I decided to “scream inside my heart” because the stranger next to me had declared their intention to do a lot of arm waving and yelling, and I thought it would be fun to stay perfectly still and quiet as a contrast.
And it was!
Probably it helped that I’d ridden the roller coaster before, so I knew what to expect. Still, even when you are expecting high-speed plunges, it’s challenging to keep your mouth shut.
But I did!
It was interesting to notice how intensely I could feel my enjoyment, how clearly I could sense my surroundings.
I’ve understood for a long time that it’s possible to meditate anywhere, but summoning mindfulness while your eyes are watering from hurtling down a twisting track? Definitely a new experience.
One that I’ll be happy to repeat.
Love > fear,
Christina