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Many many thanks to David.

Here at Calm Chicago I have come to see that we are just not trendy. And that is totally okay with me.

There are so many entities and groups and networks of one kind or another all professing to make your life better, greener, more fulfilling and so on. But the problem is, I think they miss the point.

So much of all that talk is still about:Chasing pleasure – having better skin, becoming a beautiful eco-fashionista (or fashionisto), driving the right adorable “green” vehicle, finding the true inner you, and on and on.

Avoiding pain – Anti-aging, anti-depressant, anti-fattening, blah blah blah for the dating and social networking crowd of “like-minded” individuals who have better skin, are beautiful eco-fashionistas (or fashionistos), drive the right adorable “green” vehicles and are self-realized in search of a partner who is has already found their true inner self and will see your own true inner you (phew!)…you get the idea.

It just seems to me that we are finding more and more ways to be wickedly clever about how we consume. It’s  like we want to consume just as much as ever but without any of the guilt. But that’s like trying to eat the chocolate bar without actually admitting to eating the chocolate bar and wishing that all the fat and calories existed only in myth. And we want to look good, smell pretty, save the world and have great press opps while we do it and we want to be happy, truly happy.

But consider for yourself. As long as we stay tied to Chasing and Avoiding, we’ll continue to place the power for our own happiness in someone else’s hands. This is a notion that depends on the belief that our happiness really comes from outside us. Somewhere. Somehow. And so we can tricked into running around attempting to buy it, rent it and so forth.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying we can’t or ought not enjoy nice things, or that perfumes are bad, or even cute cars. I get that. Totally.

I’m only suggesting that it’s best for us not to confuse real happiness with the passing pleasure we can find and enjoy in external objects or stimulations, no matter how charming or no matter how many of our friends say it’s the coolest thing since the invention of bamboo clothing.

What we offer here at Calm Chicago is against the trend. So, I invite to come in. See what we’re up to. Study and train here for a while and form your own opinion. Consider it a challenge if you like.

We offer a simple concept. Happiness and peace come from the inside. They arise from discovering our own quiet mind. (Which is there, waiting for us, just behind all that stuff we just bought.)

So come in and learn to breathe deeply. Invigorate the body. Plunge into the peace we find when we bring the body and mind together (maybe for the very first time – that’s okay). We offer guidance down this path. There’s nothing to buy. Just a simple concept. Try it out and see what yuor own experience tells you.

July 25th is our next mini-retreat. Call it your own one day adventure into genuine peace and happiness.

And yes, we’ll even be happy to sell you a t-shirt. They help support our center. We just won’t pwomise you the shirt will make you happy. We’ll only say you’re getting a really cool t-shirt.

I’d like to let everyone know that I had no idea what she was going to say observing us. I’m so pleased that her experience attending classes with the assignment she had to really study what was going on makes for a wonderful clear report about the many benefits of taiji and meditation. I think I like it even more because she had no prior experience and came to it fresh.

Here is the full text of Audrey’s study.  Ethnographic Study of Calm Chicago by Audrey Maddox

There is so much out there about meditation…and patience. And at some point, it all becomes a lot of talking. I find this is true when I teach here in Chicago. There is no replacement for your own sitting experience. My teacher says it’s best to keep things simple and teach with a lot of silence. So whenever I hear myself talking for more than a few minutes I feel a deep urge to hush up already.

At the end of this, throw all these words in the trash and go sit. And then see for yourself. Have your own experience. All I ask is that you don’t make up your mind too fast. Play with patience for a long time. And then see what your experience shows you to be true.

This will be short.

Okay. When we sit we need to have patience.

In my own experience on what I might unwisely call a bad day of sitting. Bad day? What? Truth be told, there is no bad day of sitting. There is only practice. All that matters is that we do it. Mind wanders. Mind doesn’t wander. Whatever. In the beginning, this is a hard concept. When we are new to this crazy thing, meditation. When we sit and sit and wonder, “So, what’s supposed to happen?” And we look around and wonder, how does everyone here sit so still? Argh.

So how does patience come in? Maybe (especially) on a so-called “bad” day. The mind feels pulled this way and that. The body aches. Or itches. Or sounds outside make us curious. We wonder, when will the bell ring to say this session is over. You name it. One of my worst challenges is the feeling of being too hot. That nearly drives me mad. What I notice is that the more I allow my mind to be pulled, the worse I feel. Hmmm … curious.

Lately, that feeling occurs less often. When I sit, I try to just watch the feeling of “hotness,” and take it with patience, as it is, with no judgement.

So, close to the end now. What’s the connection between patience when meditating and patience in everyday life?

I think the more we practice being patient with hot or cold or pains in the body (or whatever…the 10,00 things that seem to suddenly POP up) when we do sitting meditation the more we can begin to work with patience off the cushion or bench or chair.

I guess, it’s this simple. The body in meditation can be a pretty intense mirror. If we can learn to sit and just observe and not wiggle around or scratch or leap up screaming… then maybe we are a little less likely to flip someone off on the highway while driving to work. Or whatever. You know what drives you crazy during your day.

The point is…it’s no good if all the meditation is only for the time we sit on the cushion. It has to work for everyday too. Not all at once. But slowly. Piece by piece. Moment by moment. We can build our patience one minute at a time. One breath at a time.

But don’t take my word for it. Try it out for yourself.

Thank goodness practice teaches us that change is a fact of life. As conditions shift so can the center without any fuss or muss.

To allow all students the chance to deal with their own variable timetables, the center has updated the schedule of classes so that everyone will have the best chance to make it in for all the various classes here, even if they have to work late at the office some days.

You’ll also see updated pricing for private lessons for students who become member of the center. Now, instead of hour-long sessions being $60, members can take one-on-one classes for just $45!

The whole point is to be flexible, accessible and be of benefit. Let us know what you think.