This evening we have a short (less than 5 minutes) video from Pema Chodron that is the first in a series of 5 short videos entitled “Getting Unstuck-Breaking Your Habitual Patterns.” In this particular video Chodron talks about her own busy mind, and also what it feels like to sit in the presence of someone who has the power to stay, or be totally present. She confesses that while she has gotten much better at meditation, she has a very busy mind which is rarely ever silent. This is something I sometimes notice in my own experience of meditation, there can be deep, deep stillness, silence and peace, and yet on the surface the mind continues to churn. Her admission make it easier to release my frustration over it and accept my own imperfect condition. :-)
Good evening and welcome to Monday Group Meditation. We will be sitting from 8:00 to 10:30 PM Eastern Time. It is not necessary to sit for the entire extended time, which is set up to make it convenient for people in four North American Time Zones; sit for as long as you like and when it is most convenient for you. Monday Group Meditation is open to everyone, believers and non-believers, who are interested in gathering in silence. If you are new to meditation and would like to try it for yourself, Mindful Nature gave a good description of one way to meditate in an earlier diary, copied and pasted below:
"It is a matter of focusing attention mostly. In many traditions, the idea is to sit and focus on the rising and falling of the breath. Not controlling it, but sitting in a relaxed fashion and merely observing experiences of breathing, sounds, etc. Be aware of your thoughts, but don't engage in them. When your mind wanders (it will, often), then return to focus on breath and repeat."
Note: You are also welcome to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:00AM for the Dkos Sangha Open Threads which are hosted by davehouck.