I am realising that, as a musician, sound is not only my biggest distraction but also my easiest way in to being fully present. I wonder if for the body worker it is physical sensation, or for the psychotherapist, the realm of emotion??
I read a wonderful book once called 'multiple intelligences' by howard gardner in which he talked about teaching children maths, science, language, whatever, in the way each child individually understood the world (aural, numerical, spatial etc); could it be similar in meditation?
Happy and Peaceful new Year to all of you and may we all keep sitting for many hundreds to come.
Thank you above all, dale, for starting us off and inspiring us.
Great to see you here, Leslee! It will be fun starting over with some new faces along with the regulars. :-)
Does anyone have any special practice plans for New Year's Eve and/or Day? In my Zen school, there's a tradition of doing midnight practice on New Year's Eve: it's supposed to be a particularly auspicious time to get one's dharma energy flowing.
Since I don't have any wild party plans for tonight, I'm planning to do some extra meditation practice. If my upstairs neighbor isn't around, I plan to chant; if she's here, I'll sit instead.
Lorianne: that sounds a good idea. I had an attack of rebellion this morning and refused to sit so this is a good way of making it up. After a busy social week I am hunkering down at home this evening. Sitting at midnight is a lovely thing to do. Thank you!!!
Thanks for the warm welcome. (I thought the comment I left here was after the one left at the previous post, which is why it starts, "Oh, and..."!)
I'm going to a party, which will require driving home late some 45 minutes or so in the snow. Ick. But I'll be careful. Happy and peaceful New Year to you all.
Our practice plan for the New Year is always the same ... at dusk, we walk down to the beach with friends and thermos of tea ... oy, what's the plural of thermos? thermi?
We build a small bonfire, then each of us says a few words and throws into the fire something we want to leave behind or abandon (an item, an idea, an attitude, a behavior} ... sometimes it's an actual thing, like a pack of cigarettes or a cupcake, more often it's a symbol. Last year G made a stick figure to represent a person with whom she'd had an unhealthy relationship
Sitting on logs, we drink our tea and watch the fire die down. Back at the house, we'll have a light meal and a glass of wine.
Back at home, I'll sit zazen for two periods with kinhin (walking meditation) in between, some bows and quiet chants
I'm making something nice for dinner, and we'll be going out to a party around 9:00 pm. Last year we got home around 4:00 am (!!) -uncharacteristically - completely sober but jazzed on conversation. Tonight we have every intention of coming home much earlier so we can get up and go to church tomorrow morning. I'd just as soon stay home tonight, but my husband is looking forward to the social interaction - and, funny thing, this is a party of mostly Montreal bloggers.
Leslee - it's great to have you here with us to start off the new year!
Welcome Leslee, and Roy... glad to have you among us.
There's a pressure on New Year's Eve that other evenings don't have. I'd like it to be a normal evening, but it never is. There's always a pallor to it that I can't explain. It reminds me of the Aztecs, who, at this time of year, waited fearfully for the new year to begin, because it might not. Time might stop. The universe could dissipate into darkness, emptiness.
At midnight there's lots of hooting and cheering, even on years I've been a recluse and stayed home I can hear the happy banging of pots on the streets, honking of horns. As it should be. By midnight we will have made it to another year.
I am planning on going out to a drumming party, but haven't showered yet (spent the day on photos for my mother to take on her trip to SA), and I may end up staying in and meditating through the midnight hour. We'll see...
I'd like to wish all of you a beautiful New Year's, and to say how grateful I am for this space, Dale, this group, this aid to my practice, and it's made a difference in my life. I'm fairly disciplined about my daily meditation practice; it's most wonderful to be able to share in the process of meditating, even if our practices differ.
Many blessings, great auspiciousness for next year. Tomorrow is a new year!
We were out to a party but now back at home, just us three, to celebrate with a bit o'bubbly cider in the quiet of our home, together. Happy New Year to you all!
13 Comments:
I just sat for the last time in 2005, 20 minutes.
I am realising that, as a musician, sound is not only my biggest distraction but also my easiest way in to being fully present. I wonder if for the body worker it is physical sensation, or for the psychotherapist, the realm of emotion??
I read a wonderful book once called 'multiple intelligences' by howard gardner in which he talked about teaching children maths, science, language, whatever, in the way each child individually understood the world (aural, numerical, spatial etc); could it be similar in meditation?
Happy and Peaceful new Year to all of you and may we all keep sitting for many hundreds to come.
Thank you above all, dale, for starting us off and inspiring us.
Oh, and sorry you're having a hellish holiday, Dale. Hope the new year brings more heavenly times.
Great to see you here, Leslee! It will be fun starting over with some new faces along with the regulars. :-)
Does anyone have any special practice plans for New Year's Eve and/or Day? In my Zen school, there's a tradition of doing midnight practice on New Year's Eve: it's supposed to be a particularly auspicious time to get one's dharma energy flowing.
Since I don't have any wild party plans for tonight, I'm planning to do some extra meditation practice. If my upstairs neighbor isn't around, I plan to chant; if she's here, I'll sit instead.
Anyone else have special plans?
I'm afraid mine involve champagne, lorraine...
nice to have someone new on board to bring in the new year. Welcome Leslee!
[[Dale]].
Lorianne: that sounds a good idea. I had an attack of rebellion this morning and refused to sit so this is a good way of making it up. After a busy social week I am hunkering down at home this evening. Sitting at midnight is a lovely thing to do. Thank you!!!
Leslee: I'm really glad you're here. :-)
Ruth: Bonne annee!
Thanks for the warm welcome. (I thought the comment I left here was after the one left at the previous post, which is why it starts, "Oh, and..."!)
I'm going to a party, which will require driving home late some 45 minutes or so in the snow. Ick. But I'll be careful. Happy and peaceful New Year to you all.
Thinking of you all tonight and looking forward to starting a new year and a new 100-day commitment tomorrow.
Our practice plan for the New Year is always the same ... at dusk, we walk down to the beach with friends and thermos of tea ... oy, what's the plural of thermos? thermi?
We build a small bonfire, then each of us says a few words and throws into the fire something we want to leave behind or abandon (an item, an idea, an attitude, a behavior} ... sometimes it's an actual thing, like a pack of cigarettes or a cupcake, more often it's a symbol. Last year G made a stick figure to represent a person with whom she'd had an unhealthy relationship
Sitting on logs, we drink our tea and watch the fire die down. Back at the house, we'll have a light meal and a glass of wine.
Back at home, I'll sit zazen for two periods with kinhin (walking meditation) in between, some bows and quiet chants
I'm making something nice for dinner, and we'll be going out to a party around 9:00 pm. Last year we got home around 4:00 am (!!) -uncharacteristically - completely sober but jazzed on conversation. Tonight we have every intention of coming home much earlier so we can get up and go to church tomorrow morning. I'd just as soon stay home tonight, but my husband is looking forward to the social interaction - and, funny thing, this is a party of mostly Montreal bloggers.
Leslee - it's great to have you here with us to start off the new year!
Happy New Year, everyone.
Hi Everyone,
I read about this blog in John's "My Zen Life". I want to restart my practice. I'm hoping this will help.
Thanks to all.
Happy New Year!
Roy.
Welcome Leslee, and Roy... glad to have you among us.
There's a pressure on New Year's Eve that other evenings don't have. I'd like it to be a normal evening, but it never is. There's always a pallor to it that I can't explain. It reminds me of the Aztecs, who, at this time of year, waited fearfully for the new year to begin, because it might not. Time might stop. The universe could dissipate into darkness, emptiness.
At midnight there's lots of hooting and cheering, even on years I've been a recluse and stayed home I can hear the happy banging of pots on the streets, honking of horns. As it should be. By midnight we will have made it to another year.
I am planning on going out to a drumming party, but haven't showered yet (spent the day on photos for my mother to take on her trip to SA), and I may end up staying in and meditating through the midnight hour. We'll see...
I'd like to wish all of you a beautiful New Year's, and to say how grateful I am for this space, Dale, this group, this aid to my practice, and it's made a difference in my life. I'm fairly disciplined about my daily meditation practice; it's most wonderful to be able to share in the process of meditating, even if our practices differ.
Many blessings, great auspiciousness for next year. Tomorrow is a new year!
{{{big hugs}}} Brenda xo
We were out to a party but now back at home, just us three, to celebrate with a bit o'bubbly cider in the quiet of our home, together. Happy New Year to you all!
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