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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Sitting on the porch, on an unusually warm February afternoon, sun warming the face, sipping tea. Bare feet freed from winter socks. The sound of the creek; an occasional breeze. And stillness. Just sitting in the sun.
Life unfolds. Everyday is always new, always unexpected.
There is a quiet simplicity in making coffee or tea, dinner, working on projects, arranging the calendar; and in sitting. Taking a moment to sit quietly; being with the trees, the sky, the clouds, the mountains.
Visiting with friends, sharing dinner, sharing satsang, working together, being together; movement within the stillness, love within the stillness.
In the evening, lamplight fills the room; the windows are dark. It is quiet, and still. The lamplight, the room, this body, this mind, all here, in the stillness.
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It's interesting to notice; when we get caught up in the stories of mind, our energy changes. Our breathing changes, our heart rate changes; the face may tense, the body may tense. Sometimes we might notice that we've been holding our breath, quite unconsciously, when we're really caught up in some story being told in the thoughts that move through the mind.
So, we breathe. We come back to center, to now, to the experience of being present here in this space. The body relaxes; tension fades.
As we move deeper into the experience of being present, we have the opportunity to become more intimately aware of the body; how it feels, what it needs, its patterns, its energy. And with this growing awareness, this embodiment, we have the opportunity to become physically healthier.
As each of us travels our own unique path of self-discovery, month by month, week by week, day by day, every aspect of our lives is being transformed. Physically, emotionally, mentally; it is all changing.
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And, since it can't do otherwise, it begins now. With whatever resistance may be arising in this very moment. From where does this reactive pattern come? It's kind of like a mini computer program that starts when someone pushes a button on the keyboard. But when you look at resistance as it arises, you find that it's just thought, and that it's arising within your awareness; within the stillness. You'll notice that when you get caught up in the resistance, sucked into the reactive pattern, the heart rate, the breathing, the body, the energy, it all changes. You're no longer in the stillness; you're no longer here. But you'll also notice that when you don't get caught up in the story, when you notice that the reactive pattern that is arising is only thought and that it is just thoughts arising within awareness, within the stillness, then the stillness isn't lost; you're still right here. And the body relaxes; tension fades.
Just breathing.
Just being; simply breathing, human being.
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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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