Just came across this site ... better late than never, eh? I've been struggling with my "meds" lately, and this morning, running late, only did my minimum 5 minute, as well.
But I love the community growing here, and I hope this goes on and re-cycles another 100 days. Thanks for the idea and reminder.
Hello Howard, great to see you here! Yes, if you read the comments from the past week or so you will see that we are indeed planning to continue beyond the initial 100 days. So you are not late, you very welcome, and hope you'll come back and share your experiences. You'll also see that we have had some discussions, which may be of interest to you, about habituating pets to respect our meditation time :-)
Yesterday I was too busy to sit...but today I sat for about 10 minutes before walking a traveling labyrinth that's visiting KSC today. (Some of you might remember me blogging about this same labyrinth last November.)
It's funny how a round piece of *cloth* with a squiggly design can completely transform a place. I was in a rush when I entered the room...and I left feeling grounded & refreshed, not rushing *right now.*
Lorianne, you remind me that it's almost a year since I walked a labyrinth - I attended the candle-lit Winter Solstice labyrinth walk hosted by the owners of the only full-sized canvas labyrinth in London, in an old and wonderful Unitarian chapel. It was really beautiful and peaceful. Have put a note in my diary to go again this year.
Hi Howard. How nice to have someone new on Day 86!!! And it's definitely not too late.
My week has improved as it went along, but I've been a bit disturbed at how easily I can still be knocked of centre by difficult people, etc. If it hadn't been for this little group I am not sure I would have meditated at all - and I'm trying not to be judgemental about the quality of my 5-minute sessions this week. Anyway, things are looking up again.
Beth - thank you for the thought that the breath is always there, that I can always return to it. I have carried that with me today.
Sat half an hour last night, a very "rich-feeling" sit. I'm still a bit mystified as to where my resistance to sitting comes from -- it's not like I ever get up from it feeling lousy or thinking I've wasted my time. Just pure mulishness, I think.
In Korean Zen, some folks think that lazy monks get reincarnated as dogs...so maybe this Buddhist dog was a monk in a previous life! Either that, or he's gratefully to be a pet in a Buddhist temple rather than an inhabitant of a Korean dog meat farm.
sat for 10 minutes only till disturbed by someone who i think has unconscious desires to slow my spiritual growth ...! anyway we had a laugh about it, which we needed!
Hello everyone, hello Howard! Back in town. Wasn't able to find a quiet place to sit the last two days (15 people snowed in in a house so I didn't feel good about monopolizing the bathroom either) but I did snatch 5 minutes here and there, focus on the breath periodically, and at night going to sleep. I've developed what I affectionately call my "Buddha Bubble" — a bubble I imagine encompassing myself for a moment to allow me to focus inward in a very distractable situation... which then pops/fades once I'm focused on the breath so that I'm back in the world again yet still focused on breath (I hope that description makes sense). It's just a way for me to momentarily reach for an internal place of sanctuary while I launch my attention on the breath... in those moments I can, while still being in a busy environment. It was very useful these last two days.
Dale, I think I know what you mean about mulishness. Enjoyed the dog photo, Lorianne (I'll be surprised if mine learns to do that, though!).
loved the dog and the buddha bubble, or the dog in the buddha bubble! thanks lorraine and moose. i think i need to develop a good bubble of my own which could replace the armour I put up when I feel my 'space' invaded. Thank you for the reminder (again, how many times...?) that it comes from within.
could someone sane (ie one of you) explain to me the labyrinth thing?
ps couldn't resist word verif. for a light dutch sitting: airsjt
13 Comments:
Just came across this site ... better late than never, eh? I've been struggling with my "meds" lately, and this morning, running late, only did my minimum 5 minute, as well.
But I love the community growing here, and I hope this goes on and re-cycles another 100 days. Thanks for the idea and reminder.
Welcome, Howard!
Wait a minute... are you by any chance the Howard who worked at a we-try-harder database company in Portland a few years ago? If so, doubly welcome!
Hello Howard, great to see you here! Yes, if you read the comments from the past week or so you will see that we are indeed planning to continue beyond the initial 100 days. So you are not late, you very welcome, and hope you'll come back and share your experiences. You'll also see that we have had some discussions, which may be of interest to you, about habituating pets to respect our meditation time :-)
Welcome, Howard: it's great to have you here!
Yesterday I was too busy to sit...but today I sat for about 10 minutes before walking a traveling labyrinth that's visiting KSC today. (Some of you might remember me blogging about this same labyrinth last November.)
It's funny how a round piece of *cloth* with a squiggly design can completely transform a place. I was in a rush when I entered the room...and I left feeling grounded & refreshed, not rushing *right now.*
Lorianne, you remind me that it's almost a year since I walked a labyrinth - I attended the candle-lit Winter Solstice labyrinth walk hosted by the owners of the only full-sized canvas labyrinth in London, in an old and wonderful Unitarian chapel. It was really beautiful and peaceful. Have put a note in my diary to go again this year.
Sat this morning for 15 minutes.
Hi Howard. How nice to have someone new on Day 86!!! And it's definitely not too late.
My week has improved as it went along, but I've been a bit disturbed at how easily I can still be knocked of centre by difficult people, etc. If it hadn't been for this little group I am not sure I would have meditated at all - and I'm trying not to be judgemental about the quality of my 5-minute sessions this week. Anyway, things are looking up again.
Beth - thank you for the thought that the breath is always there, that I can always return to it. I have carried that with me today.
Sat half an hour last night, a very "rich-feeling" sit. I'm still a bit mystified as to where my resistance to sitting comes from -- it's not like I ever get up from it feeling lousy or thinking I've wasted my time. Just pure mulishness, I think.
btw, this is a follow-up to Jean's comment about acclimating pets to practice:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200509/200509150008.html
In Korean Zen, some folks think that lazy monks get reincarnated as dogs...so maybe this Buddhist dog was a monk in a previous life! Either that, or he's gratefully to be a pet in a Buddhist temple rather than an inhabitant of a Korean dog meat farm.
oooops, that link was too long. Here's a TinyURL:
http://tinyurl.com/8y3nb
welcome howard!!
i hope the community will grow and grow!
sat for 10 minutes only till disturbed by someone who i think has unconscious desires to slow my spiritual growth ...! anyway we had a laugh about it, which we needed!
Thank you everyone for your kind words; I'm very grateful. Ruth, I think you are right, and I'll continue checking in on occassion.
Hello everyone, hello Howard! Back in town. Wasn't able to find a quiet place to sit the last two days (15 people snowed in in a house so I didn't feel good about monopolizing the bathroom either) but I did snatch 5 minutes here and there, focus on the breath periodically, and at night going to sleep. I've developed what I affectionately call my "Buddha Bubble" — a bubble I imagine encompassing myself for a moment to allow me to focus inward in a very distractable situation... which then pops/fades once I'm focused on the breath so that I'm back in the world again yet still focused on breath (I hope that description makes sense). It's just a way for me to momentarily reach for an internal place of sanctuary while I launch my attention on the breath... in those moments I can, while still being in a busy environment. It was very useful these last two days.
Dale, I think I know what you mean about mulishness. Enjoyed the dog photo, Lorianne (I'll be surprised if mine learns to do that, though!).
loved the dog and the buddha bubble, or the dog in the buddha bubble! thanks lorraine and moose. i think i need to develop a good bubble of my own which could replace the armour I put up when I feel my 'space' invaded. Thank you for the reminder (again, how many times...?) that it comes from within.
could someone sane (ie one of you) explain to me the labyrinth thing?
ps couldn't resist word verif. for a light dutch sitting: airsjt
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