meditation

Part of Moose Man (see previous post) is workshops put on by participants.  they ranged from disco dancing, to shamanism, to bondage, to yoga or DJ basics.  I did a workshop on basic Buddhist meditation.

I thought I'd put up my (rough) notes...

Basics of meditation:
-let go of your thoughts
               -not about *not* thinking, but being mindful and letting go
-no judgment!  gentleness.  re. yourself.
-when a thought comes, think of it as a bubble, touch it with a feather, and pop it.  go back to your anchor-your breath
-if you get lingering feelings regarding that thought(s) -anxiety, anger,fear,frustration, over stimulation, distractedness- rest with that feeling.  don't push it away, don't run. (I used the analogy of meeting a bear...you never run from a bear.  you face it)
-The basics of Buddhas teachings is about about letting of your story line (this  thing happened, so I'm this, that thing happened so I'm that) and about opening, relaxing, leaning into what IS
-we're not in a movie-there is no plot-it doesn't matter if our life is a 'good story'.  what matters is *right now*
-'rest in the uncertainty of the present moment' (Pema Chodron)
-as it is about letting go of your story line, meditation is not about a goal
-meditation shouldn't be about becoming a better person...or about an end.  it's a life long practice
-not about throwing things away, but befriending what you are now.

"Sitting Meditation gives us a way to move closer to our thoughts and emotions and to get in touch with our bodies.  it is a method of cultivating unconditional freindlyness towards ourselves and for parting the curtain of indefference that distances us from the suffering of others.  it is our vehicle for learning to be a truly loving person" -Pema Chodron

I went through the postures of meditation.  here is a video of Pema going though seated meditation.

We talked about breathing with your diaphragm. 

I lead everyone in being aware of your body.  feeling your body with out thinking about it (like Pema goes though in the linked video above)

I guided everyone though a loving-kindness meditation.  (I used the 16th mp3 as a guide)  (I forgot a handful of stuff now that i'm listening again!)

Then we did a silent meditation for 10 minutes.