Weekly Support Notes

How are the 3+ minutes of sitting going for you?
In this weekly support letter we offer you a bit of inspiration/wisdom as well as some questions to reflect on and an opportunity to draw your body awareness from the cushion into every moment of your waking life! Share your challenges and insights with us right here!

While our intentions are important, this quote from Larry Rosenberg cautions us about goals...

"It is important to emphasize, in discussing the art of meditation
(and the practice as you continue becomes an art, with many subtle nuances), that you shouldn't start out with some idea of gaining. This is the deepest paradox in all of meditation: we want to get somewhere -- we wouldn't have taken up the practice if we didn't - but the way to get there is just to be fully here. The way to get from point A to point B is really to be at A. When we (meditate) in the hope of becoming something better, we are compromising our connection to the present, which is all we ever have."

So, in this practice, we are asked to hold an apparent contradiction -
the willful effort of showing up with our best intention and the letting go of all expectation...but this week just for 3 minutes!!!

REFLECTION
In our first meeting we asked the question "Why Bother?" Pause for a moment to reflect on this...in your journal or on the blog

• What about meditation is of interest to you?
• What motivates you to engage in this practice?
• What is your intention?
• What will bring you back to your cushion or chair even when your resistance is high?

MINDFULNESS IN DAILY LIFE
As we begin a seated practice, it is important to remember that meditation is in service to an awakening in our daily life. In focusing on bodily sensations this week, look for physical sensations in all the "between" moments of your life. Whenever you notice, ask yourself what sensations are present and feel them: the warm water in the shower, foot sliding into a sock, hot coffee on the tongue, hand reaching for the brass doorknob, derriere on the car seat, fingers on the keyboard, etc. Mindfulness is about intimacy with the present moment - allow yourself the luxury of really feeling what it's like to be an animal body. Don't worry-- it's not about being there in every moment! Even remembering to notice just a few times a day will begin to strengthen the continuity of your practice.

Post or comment with any questions, concerns, challenges etc and we will do our best to support you.

Each time you notice that you've wandered off is a celebration, an opportunity to begin again...

Jenn & Rebecca

Home Practice February 8 - February 21, 2010

“Keep it simple, and stick to the present moment.”

~Ajahn Chah

If you are new to meditation, a daily practice can seem daunting if not impossible. We invite you to simply put a toe in the water by practicing for 3 minutes a day. This commitment to just a few minutes a day will have a deeper impact in the long run than sitting occasionally for a longer period of time.

• Find a quiet space and carve out the 3 minutes away from distractions or interruptions. Use a watch or set a timer so you can drop into the exploration without worrying about how long you’ve been sitting.
• Find your “seat”—comfortable, upright and alert. Like royalty!
• Take a deep centering breath, settling into the moment just as it is.
• Scan the body (head, shoulders, etc), staying alert to whatever sensations are present. Feel yourself as a physical body. If you are lost or not sure where to place your attention, direct your focus to the physical sensations of breath.
• Explore strong physical sensations and/or the desire to move with kindness. We are looking to cultivate stillness but if you need to move, do so with interest and curiosity, paying attention to the changing sensations before, during and after.
• You may wish to end the sitting with a bell, a small bow to your practice or an ”om”.

If you already have a regular practice, look for one small way you might deepen or expand your practice.

Reflecting: Many people find journaling or keeping track of their experiences to be a helpful tool in building a practice. We encourage you to keep a notebook next to your chair or cushion as well, consider sharing your experiences or questions on this blog.

Support Letters: At the end of each week we will send, via email, a short note in service of your practice. We may pose a question for you, remind you of helpful hints or suggest ways to deepen your practice. The letter is intended as a support—use it this way! It is not meant to be an additional burden.

Intention & Overview

In this series of classes we aim to:

• Uncover some of the mysteries of mindfulness meditation practices
• Provide a 
roadmap 
for 
negotiating
 common
 obstacles
 and
 pitfalls
• Introduce 
a 
variety
 of 
complementary 
and 
supportive
 practices 
to
 build 
concentration 
and 
connection
• Create 
a
 supportive
 community 
for
 sustaining 
practice 
over 
time
• Offer 
techniques 
to
 strengthen 
presence 
in 
daily 
life
 activities 
and
 relationships.




Class 
Practice



Each class
 will 
include
 a
 combination
 of 
seated
 and
 walking
 meditation,

concentration 
practices 
and
 breathwork.





Week
1
(Feb
7):
 Mindfulness 
of 
Body

Week
2
(Feb
21):
 Mindfulness
 of
 Breath

Week
3
(Mar
14):
 Mindfulness
 of
 Emotion

Week
4
(Mar
21):
 Mindfulness 
of
 Thoughts

Week
5
(Apr
11):
 Open
 Awareness

Week
6
(Apr
18):
 Deepening 
the 
Practice



Home 
Practice

We will skillfully build a practice with the goal of reaching:

• A 
daily 
½ 
hour
 seated
 meditation 
practice
• Greater 
mindfulness 
and
 presence 
in 
daily 
life
 activities

Being is Action

An excerpt from the writings of Thich nhat Hanh:

"Look at the tree in the front yard. The tree doesn’t seem to be doing anything. It stands there, vigorous, fresh, and beautiful, and everyone profits from it. That’s the miracle of being. If a tree were less than a tree, all of us would be in trouble. But if a tree is just a real tree, then there’s hope and joy. That’s why if you can be yourself, that is already action. Action is based on non-action; action is being."

Build Awareness

Present Moment, Beautiful Moment

Breathing in i smile, breathing out a beautiful moment :-)

Starting Again, and Again, and Again...

Well, when you read the instructions for the prosperity challenge it asks that when you miss a day you go back to the beginning and start again. So, today i start yet again sitting with "lavish, unending abundance...that is the reality of me" It sure is tough to change outlook/perspective and to truly broaden my own belief in abundance far beyond the dollar. Being surrounded by and in a world that worships financial success, where money is the dominant ( and many times the only) currency; one must be vigilant in a multitude of practices...acceptance, contentment is only one, while living in present moment time, another, we must build strength, courage, commitment in self worth and invite the abundance of love into our hearts. I am sitting with these thoughts today looking inside to see what i see and giving abundance and prosperity a continued chance. love love love