Meditating Together
We began meditating together in 2018 and continued for five years. This is what we did.
WHY MEDITATE TOGETHER?
There are many benefits to meditating with others. One is that we find resolve and connection.
WHEN?
Monday at 6:30 AM Eastern (5:30 AM CST; 4:30 MST).
HOW LONG IS THE MEDITATION SESSION?
15 minutes
WHAT WILL HAPPEN
Aspiration* (personal motivation)
Bell
Meditation
Dedication* (think of others)
Bell
EXAMPLES OF GUIDED MEDITATION
From meditation friend, Tim Olmsted, during a recent weekend co-teaching with Pema Chodron. I love what he says about Calm Abiding meditation.
The first principle of meditation is to relax deeply in your body. The second is to contact awareness. The third is to leave it uncontrived. In other words, don’t try to push your experience, hold your mind, or create a certain quality of mind. Simply follow your awareness. Let whatever happens happen. In this way our experience is fresh and authentic.
So now let’s do some meditation practice. Do this with eyes open or closed. I encourage you to breathe naturally without altering your patterns of breath.
The first principle of calming meditation is to relax. Relax. Come into your body, allow yourself to be present with your body. Settle here for a moment.
The second principle after relaxing is to contact awareness. Again, awareness means the lights are on, we know we are here. Meditative awareness is this sense of knowing that you know. For a few moments let everything play--your sights, your sounds, your sensations. Let it be and move through your awareness like an old woman and man watching children playing on the playground. Let’s do that for a few moments.
Remember that we’re not trying to alter or manipulate our experience, change or avoid our state of mind. We’re creating a holding environment to be present, to be seen, known, acknowledged. This is healing. Whatever we find inside in our inner life, we allow it to be and we allow it to pass.
One of the first insights we have, when we go inside our existence, is that everything is moving. The problem is that we take these moving pieces and hold them and build them one on top of the other. We get tighter and tighter and actually if we let go a bit, we see that everything is moving, everything is changing. So we create a holding, inviting environment to be with how we are. This is what it means to be friends with oneself. This is how a friend treats us. We can treat our friend in that friendly way.
This is called calm-abiding or here we could say open awareness. Because awareness is open and free.
And now this knowing quality of mind, this awareness, this mindfulness, let’s give it something to do. Let’s place our mind on something as a kind of touchstone. So we can use any of the senses, sights, sounds, smells, sensations, thoughts, emotions. So let’s use a sound. Just notice whatever sound in your environment and intentionally bring your attention (your knowingness) to that.
Or notice a visual object. We don’t need to focus on the visual object, just use it as a touchstone the way that a ballet dancer would use a ballet bar. To just touch it with part of our awareness and let the rest be free. We’re not trying to hold it. We’re just trying to give it something to balance upon.
Again, if you get carried away or distracted, just come back.
"Keep your spine loosely straight. Relax your muscles. Please be aware of your breath. As it is. Breathing in. Breathing out. Don't worry about quality. The moment you want to be with your breath, you are connected to awareness. The moment you want to be connected with awareness, you are connected with awareness. Don't worry if you're doing it right or wrong. Right is okay. Wrong is okay. And, allow. Allow the bala bala, yada yada (mind's chatter). As long as you remember your breath, you are fine."
From Pema Chodron:
"So just relax as much as you can...with open awareness of whatever arises without trying to change anything.
Feel whatever you're feeling--physical pain, mental wandering, despondency. Not a problem. Just let it be what it is. Feel whatever you're feeling with heart.
Might feel comfortable, no problem. Might feel uncomfortable, no problem. Just let it be what it is. Just as it is, not trying to change anything. Let yourself be as you are.
How is your mind? You like it, you might not like it. Doesn't matter. Just let it be as it is without changing.
Might find yourself criticizing, no problem. Just let it be as it is without trying to change anything. Feeling what you feel, notice what you notice. With heart.
What's happening right now with you? Notice that with heart.
Feeling settled? No problem. Just allow it to be as it is.
Feeling discursive? Mind going crazy? No problem. Just allow it to be as it is. Be kind. Awareness with heart.
Sometimes old memories come up. Just be kind and allow.
Self-criticism? Just listen to that voice and be kind. Allow things to be just as they are without changing.
Open, tender awareness of whatever arises without changing.
Whatever is arising in your mind, just open awareness with heart."
(I noted the words the best I remember.)
WHEN DO I CALL?
Call a few minutes before the session begins (6:30 ET; 5:30 CT; 4:30 MST).
WHAT'S THE CALL NUMBER?
Confirm your interest to participate with Susan (barrettsmb@gmail.com) and she'll send the phone number.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDITATION?
HERE is a wonderful meditation course I've taken and recommend.
THE IMAGE?
Terry took the photo. I put the word "soften" on it. For me, the sky represents the spaciousness of the mind and the clouds are the thoughts, feelings, or sensations arising and dissolving, here and then gone. Like clouds in the sky, everything changes so I will accept whatever happens and make it my friend.
*ASPIRATION
"With boundless compassion and wisdom, I will work for the welfare of all. May we be free of hunger and discord and have joy and a world at peace." -Tergar Online Learning
*DEDICATION
"By the power of this compassionate practice, may suffering be transformed into peace. May the hearts of all beings be open and may wisdom radiate from within." - Tergar Online Learning
