Good morning! Welcome to the DKos Sangha weekly open thread.
This is an open thread for members of the DKos Sangha and others who are interested in discussions concerning how we integrate our progressive political activism into our spiritual practice. If you have observations about the political discourse of the week, or about practice, or about anything else related to walking a spiritual path through the political world, if you wish to share, or if you seek support, or if you simply want to say hello, please do; this space is for you.
If you would like to write a diary for the DKos Sangha, please let me know.
If you care nothing for spiritual practice and only wish to denigrate and disparage, please do so elsewhere, and respect that this is a community diary for the DKos Sangha.
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It's Saturday night, late; and I was about to head to bed, but in the quiet of the evening, the sound of the crickets was coming through an open window, and I sat listening, just being with that sound, heard so often, and always so familiar. It is the time of year when the crickets are really loud, and in a quiet rural area like this, the sound fills the space.
So, in the stillness, the sound of crickets can be one's experience; thoughts fall away, and there's just this sound. No separation; just the sound of crickets.
Recently I ran across something a teacher said, that everyone experiences these moments when thoughts fall away and there's just present experience, but that most people don't have any reference for the experience.
But there are some for whom the experience opens a window upon a way of being that seems familiar and yet somehow out of reach. When separation falls away, when the stream of thoughts fall away, the experience of just being present with a sunset, the sound of rain in the forest, the warmth of a fire on a cold night, can have a quality of naturalness, a familiarity so close that it feels like home, like finally finding that place within that feels right, that place that usually seems missing, sought for, but never felt, until now.
There is nothing else here other than this.
Our conditioning covers over this presence that is always here. The thoughts arise and weave their stories, and separation falls like a curtain over the window into that place that felt like home. And with separation comes the dis-ease, the agitation, restlessness, dissatisfaction, all of the effects that generally leave us searching for something other than what we're feeling right now.
But what is searched for, ultimately, is right here. There are of course experiences to be found outside ourselves that bring a temporary feeling of satisfaction; but only temporary, soon to be replaced by conditioning with more needs, more wants, more searching for the next thing. And with that kind of searching invariably comes disappointment, frustration, impatience, annoyance, and of course anger.
But when the curtain is lifted, when we're just present with what is, there is no agitation, no dis-ease. There's only this. The sunset, the sound of rain, the warmth of a fire, crickets.
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As you are reading these words, take a moment and notice the breath. Just notice, no commentary.
Just notice its movement, how it's moving through the body. Just be with the breath for a few moments.
Notice the movement in the chest, the body moving with the breath. Just be with that movement for a moment or two.
Be with the body, as it is moving, contracting, expanding. Just experience that movement.
For as long as you like. No thoughts, no commentary, no judgment.
Just being this experience of movement within awareness.
This experience of just being present with what is.
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Namaste
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You are welcome to join us each week in our Monday night group meditation here at DKos Sangha. This online group meditation is hosted by Ooooh, and the diary is posted at 7:00 Eastern. So that we are able to be together for as many here at Daily Kos as wish to participate, the meditation period runs from 7:30 to 10:00 Eastern. This group sitting is open to beginners and advanced, and is not restricted to any particular traditions or practices. It is not expected that you sit for the entire period; sit for as long as you like, when you like. The idea is that we are here together; supporting each other, holding space for each other.
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Enjoy your day!
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