Received my invitation and it worked, as you see. Thank you and sorry you had to send it twice, Dale.
Mary, oh my big mouth, I didn't mean to imply that you were being neocolonialist, only to cast aspersions on the Greenwich Meridien mystique in general. Sorry!!
I'm so glad Reggie is feeling better.
Like Lorianne, I spent the weekend staring at words - in my case copyediting several chapters of a phd thesis - and took brief meditation breaks from time to time, which worked well.
Feeling happy to be here on this cold, bright Monday morning.
I sat today. Nice to be back in my space, my candle and incense were lodged in my suitcase for the tour as I couldn't get hold of matches!
Was reading a chapter of Alan Wallace and following a meditation on feelings. I couldn't seem to locate them at will like that. I followed his instructions and imagined a happy and a sad memory to invoke and then observe my feelings, but couldn't feel anything! It wasn't till I hear the cat cry in one ear (massive overwhelming love feeling) and a speeding car in the other (grrrrr) in the other simultaneously that my feelings came back to life. I am a bit embarassed by this but where else to ask for advice...?
thank you all for your appreciation of the banner. I love it's soft and subtle energy.
I am actually looking forward to having a bit of a spiritual practice this christmas to counterbalance the eating and drinking. Especially since I won't get my 'In the Bleak mid-winter' fix.
An actor has to access feelings much the same way, Ruth. My experience is that it gets easier with practice. The memory of a situation evokes the memory of a feeling, and by trying it on, one can eventually imagine the feeling into existence. Sometimes it takes a little probing and exploring. For me, remembering the surrounding sensory particulars helps, too (how did the light look, what was the texture or smell, etc. — when I felt that way).
Missed sitting this morning. Aiming for this evening.
I haven't sat yet today, but...my KSC grades are submitted (whew), so the worst of my fall term grading is over. (I still have 2 online classes that run through Friday...but that grading load won't be as daunting.)
Jean, if you were anywhere near me, we'd go margarita-swilling as a non-meditative way of erasing all thoughts of grading & copyediting! :-)
Reggie continues to do well: everything he's consumed yesterday & today has stayed down, so here's hoping it was a temporary (albeit nearly weeklong!) thing.
I plan to sit tonight...but right now, I'm taking myself out to lunch, and then I'm going shopping. :-)
Sat this morning. I am really feeling though that I would like to find a local class/centre where I can go maybe once a week. I think I need the support to reach longer meditation sessions than my standard 15 minutes. I don't seem to have the willpower to do it on my own.
Is it "better" to meditate for longer or are short sessions just as valid?
I've never meditated on emotions, so I can't help you there, Ruth. Sounds hard to me!
Mary, I don't think there's a simple answer. I generally think that it's good to gently push the boundaries every once in a while, whatever they are, and just see how it goes. Try sitting for half an hour just once, without any intention of "taking it up" or "making it policy" -- just see what it's like. Some people have a clear sense of their meditation deteriorating as they sit longer, others of it deepening -- you don't know ahead of time. (Actually, you never know ahead of time, you can only guess, but your guess about something you haven't done before will be particularly wild.)
I'd be careful here because it sounds like you're responding to some sense that you really *should* sit longer, and that sense might be troublesome. An experienced teacher from a solid tradition could probably give you good individualized advice, but absent that I think the only thing to rely on is experimentation.
Having said that -- I've garnered a huge amount of support and inspiration from my center. Also a fair amount of exasperation and discouragement. It's been well worth it, for me, on the balance, but again I'd keep an experimental attitude. Sometimes the "fit" with a center is just not right, so if you have time and access, shopping a little can be a good idea.
A follow-up question for you, Dale. Granted it's a very individual decision, but do you have any thoughts on "shopping" for a center, how one would go about it, things to do, ask, look or watch out for?
Mary, I'd echo what Dale said. Sitting for longer periods isn't "better" than sitting for short periods; it's just different.
In my experience, sitting with a group is powerful not because of the *time* element but because of the *group* element: for me, sitting with a group is like plugging into a communal power source where *everyone's* energy fuels the practice. Because of that energy, I sometimes (not always) sense my awareness "ripening" during the longer sittings, which often feels different from the sort of homogenous short sittings I do at home.
This all being said, though, I don't currently/regularly sit with a group (apart from this one!) I occasionally drive to one of the Zen Centers in my school, but otherwise I'm a lone Buddha meditating in my own residential hermitage. :-)
More than length of sitting sessions, what I think is most importance is meditation frequency. In my experience, it's "better (i.e. more personally helpful) to sit a little bit every day vs. sitting for longer sessions once a week. Maybe other folks have stronger spiritual "batteries"...but as for me, I need frequent re-charging. :-)
Well, I know what I'd look for, Moose. I'd look for something that was authorized by an old established tradition, with a teacher from a generally accepted "lineage," as opposed to someone who just set up on their own, or a very recent sect.
I'd look first at centers that primarily cater to Westerners -- immigrant Buddhist churches are not always very open to Westerners and often are more immigrant mutual-aid societies than places where meditation is much taught or practiced.
I'd look for place that was "transparent" in its finances and governance. It shouldn't be hard to find out where the money (if there is any) comes from and where it goes.
I'd look for a place where asking challenging questions feels comfortable, or, even better, encouraged.
I'd pay a lot of attention to my emotional responses to the place and the people. (Bear in mind though that there's frequently a zealous new convert or two who may be very enthusiastic and may not have any idea what they're talking about; they probably aren't representative, and likely enough they won't be there the second time you come :->) What you want to get a sense of is the old guard. In them, and in the teacher, I'd look for people who are grounded and cheerful and content to be ordinary.
I don't know, this all feels so general that I don't know if it will be any help... and I can easily think of good centers that lack one or more of these qualities.
What I wouldn't pay much attention to is whether they're Zen or Tibetan or Theravadan or whatever (I don't even know what the subdivisions of Hindus & so forth are.) In my experience the teacher & the culture of the old hands makes the character of a center. What tradition they hail from isn't nearly so important.
I couldn't agree more with everything Dale says about finding a group or centre. Mary, I'll email you or talk to you sometime about places I know in London and England. Having said which, though, as you know, I haven't found the right place for me, except for Gaia House in Devon, whose teachers hold monthly day retreats in North London but nothing more frequent. I've just started contacts with a group new to me, and will say more about this in a while when I've got to know them. My experience of sitting with a group is very like Lorianne's.
Mary, I'm approaching this as a Christian, not a Buddhist, so I wanted to add my perspective too. I've sat with Buddhist groups, mainly in a Tibetan center, and with another informal group of Buddhists who got together once a week in someone's home. Zen centers feel a little more comfortable to me, but that's neither here nor there. My experience of sitting with a group is like what the others describe, but I never felt comfortable going regularly or "joining". Likewise, I don't feel entirely comfortable with Christian contemplative practice, especially when it is focussed on Jesus. Ideally, I'd connect with other people who have experience (and feet in) both traditions. "Going it alone" has been OK for me, although I remain part of a church community. However,without the company of similar people - Thomas Merton has been a particular help to me - I'm not sure I would have been able to navigate this in-between path. Reading and thinking deeply about books by Buddhist teachers has been a big part of the process for me, but I have not read tons of them - it's been more that I have found particular people who spoke to me, and read and re-read their books. "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki is one.
Also - "be careful of your 'shoulds'!" 15 minutes may be the perfect length of time for you right now.
11 Comments:
Received my invitation and it worked, as you see. Thank you and sorry you had to send it twice, Dale.
Mary, oh my big mouth, I didn't mean to imply that you were being neocolonialist, only to cast aspersions on the Greenwich Meridien mystique in general. Sorry!!
I'm so glad Reggie is feeling better.
Like Lorianne, I spent the weekend staring at words - in my case copyediting several chapters of a phd thesis - and took brief meditation breaks from time to time, which worked well.
Feeling happy to be here on this cold, bright Monday morning.
I sat today. Nice to be back in my space, my candle and incense were lodged in my suitcase for the tour as I couldn't get hold of matches!
Was reading a chapter of Alan Wallace and following a meditation on feelings. I couldn't seem to locate them at will like that. I followed his instructions and imagined a happy and a sad memory to invoke and then observe my feelings, but couldn't feel anything! It wasn't till I hear the cat cry in one ear (massive overwhelming love feeling) and a speeding car in the other (grrrrr) in the other simultaneously that my feelings came back to life. I am a bit embarassed by this but where else to ask for advice...?
thank you all for your appreciation of the banner. I love it's soft and subtle energy.
I am actually looking forward to having a bit of a spiritual practice this christmas to counterbalance the eating and drinking. Especially since I won't get my 'In the Bleak mid-winter' fix.
An actor has to access feelings much the same way, Ruth. My experience is that it gets easier with practice. The memory of a situation evokes the memory of a feeling, and by trying it on, one can eventually imagine the feeling into existence. Sometimes it takes a little probing and exploring. For me, remembering the surrounding sensory particulars helps, too (how did the light look, what was the texture or smell, etc. — when I felt that way).
Missed sitting this morning. Aiming for this evening.
I haven't sat yet today, but...my KSC grades are submitted (whew), so the worst of my fall term grading is over. (I still have 2 online classes that run through Friday...but that grading load won't be as daunting.)
Jean, if you were anywhere near me, we'd go margarita-swilling as a non-meditative way of erasing all thoughts of grading & copyediting! :-)
Reggie continues to do well: everything he's consumed yesterday & today has stayed down, so here's hoping it was a temporary (albeit nearly weeklong!) thing.
I plan to sit tonight...but right now, I'm taking myself out to lunch, and then I'm going shopping. :-)
Sat this morning. I am really feeling though that I would like to find a local class/centre where I can go maybe once a week. I think I need the support to reach longer meditation sessions than my standard 15 minutes. I don't seem to have the willpower to do it on my own.
Is it "better" to meditate for longer or are short sessions just as valid?
Jean: don't worry!!!! :-)
I've never meditated on emotions, so I can't help you there, Ruth. Sounds hard to me!
Mary, I don't think there's a simple answer. I generally think that it's good to gently push the boundaries every once in a while, whatever they are, and just see how it goes. Try sitting for half an hour just once, without any intention of "taking it up" or "making it policy" -- just see what it's like. Some people have a clear sense of their meditation deteriorating as they sit longer, others of it deepening -- you don't know ahead of time. (Actually, you never know ahead of time, you can only guess, but your guess about something you haven't done before will be particularly wild.)
I'd be careful here because it sounds like you're responding to some sense that you really *should* sit longer, and that sense might be troublesome. An experienced teacher from a solid tradition could probably give you good individualized advice, but absent that I think the only thing to rely on is experimentation.
Having said that -- I've garnered a huge amount of support and inspiration from my center. Also a fair amount of exasperation and discouragement. It's been well worth it, for me, on the balance, but again I'd keep an experimental attitude. Sometimes the "fit" with a center is just not right, so if you have time and access, shopping a little can be a good idea.
A follow-up question for you, Dale. Granted it's a very individual decision, but do you have any thoughts on "shopping" for a center, how one would go about it, things to do, ask, look or watch out for?
Mary, I'd echo what Dale said. Sitting for longer periods isn't "better" than sitting for short periods; it's just different.
In my experience, sitting with a group is powerful not because of the *time* element but because of the *group* element: for me, sitting with a group is like plugging into a communal power source where *everyone's* energy fuels the practice. Because of that energy, I sometimes (not always) sense my awareness "ripening" during the longer sittings, which often feels different from the sort of homogenous short sittings I do at home.
This all being said, though, I don't currently/regularly sit with a group (apart from this one!) I occasionally drive to one of the Zen Centers in my school, but otherwise I'm a lone Buddha meditating in my own residential hermitage. :-)
More than length of sitting sessions, what I think is most importance is meditation frequency. In my experience, it's "better (i.e. more personally helpful) to sit a little bit every day vs. sitting for longer sessions once a week. Maybe other folks have stronger spiritual "batteries"...but as for me, I need frequent re-charging. :-)
Well, I know what I'd look for, Moose. I'd look for something that was authorized by an old established tradition, with a teacher from a generally accepted "lineage," as opposed to someone who just set up on their own, or a very recent sect.
I'd look first at centers that primarily cater to Westerners -- immigrant Buddhist churches are not always very open to Westerners and often are more immigrant mutual-aid societies than places where meditation is much taught or practiced.
I'd look for place that was "transparent" in its finances and governance. It shouldn't be hard to find out where the money (if there is any) comes from and where it goes.
I'd look for a place where asking challenging questions feels comfortable, or, even better, encouraged.
I'd pay a lot of attention to my emotional responses to the place and the people. (Bear in mind though that there's frequently a zealous new convert or two who may be very enthusiastic and may not have any idea what they're talking about; they probably aren't representative, and likely enough they won't be there the second time you come :->) What you want to get a sense of is the old guard. In them, and in the teacher, I'd look for people who are grounded and cheerful and content to be ordinary.
I don't know, this all feels so general that I don't know if it will be any help... and I can easily think of good centers that lack one or more of these qualities.
What I wouldn't pay much attention to is whether they're Zen or Tibetan or Theravadan or whatever (I don't even know what the subdivisions of Hindus & so forth are.) In my experience the teacher & the culture of the old hands makes the character of a center. What tradition they hail from isn't nearly so important.
I couldn't agree more with everything Dale says about finding a group or centre. Mary, I'll email you or talk to you sometime about places I know in London and England. Having said which, though, as you know, I haven't found the right place for me, except for Gaia House in Devon, whose teachers hold monthly day retreats in North London but nothing more frequent. I've just started contacts with a group new to me, and will say more about this in a while when I've got to know them. My experience of sitting with a group is very like Lorianne's.
Mary, I'm approaching this as a Christian, not a Buddhist, so I wanted to add my perspective too. I've sat with Buddhist groups, mainly in a Tibetan center, and with another informal group of Buddhists who got together once a week in someone's home. Zen centers feel a little more comfortable to me, but that's neither here nor there. My experience of sitting with a group is like what the others describe, but I never felt comfortable going regularly or "joining". Likewise, I don't feel entirely comfortable with Christian contemplative practice, especially when it is focussed on Jesus. Ideally, I'd connect with other people who have experience (and feet in) both traditions. "Going it alone" has been OK for me, although I remain part of a church community. However,without the company of similar people - Thomas Merton has been a particular help to me - I'm not sure I would have been able to navigate this in-between path. Reading and thinking deeply about books by Buddhist teachers has been a big part of the process for me, but I have not read tons of them - it's been more that I have found particular people who spoke to me, and read and re-read their books. "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki is one.
Also - "be careful of your 'shoulds'!" 15 minutes may be the perfect length of time for you right now.
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