Knowing the Body as Body
Based on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
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Posts Tagged ‘retreat’
One Day Meditation Retreat with Master Ji Ru
In About our center, Meditation on January 30, 2012 at 4:11 am
Follow Up: Meditation Changes Your Brain Structure
In Meditation on January 31, 2011 at 3:14 amInteresting Posting from O, The Oprah Magazine March 19, 2010: Learn to Meditate
In Meditation, Uncategorized on January 31, 2011 at 2:58 amfrom the website O, The Oprah Magazine March 19, 2010: Learn to Meditate
This article appeared online back in March and my bad for not finding it sooner. One thing about meditation, is it doesn’t make me feel much like surfing the web a lot. But it’s important to see what people are up to in your own field… SO…
1. Hooray to all the well-known who are bringing attention to wonderful things like meditation practice.
2. On the other hand, Danger Will Robinson! Caution anyhow. Sometimes, those good intentions lead to a over-reduction of practices to simplicity in-extremis.
Of course, if we make stress-reduction practices seem too difficult no one will want to do them. Still, it behooves us to describe things with a bit depth and offer additional direction that will truly help guide those seeking more than the quick fix-of-the-week and then onto something else.
I’m just saying. Here is the article as I found it online. The link above will take you directly Oprah’s website which is full of info on every subject under the sun.
Taking time to sit in silence every day can help you develop focus—and discover purpose—in your life.
Find a quiet, comfortable spot where you won’t be interrupted. Sit in your favorite chair, on a porch swing, on a rock by a river. Lie back in a warm bath, if you’d like, or on a blanket on the grass. If your eyes are open, focus softly on whatever is a few feet in front of you, your gaze, if you’re sitting, slightly down. The idea is to just be still for a few minutes. Be with yourself.
Try to concentrate on your breath—breathing in and breathing out (nothing special, don’t change the way you breathe). You might even want to say those words to yourself at first: “Breathing in, breathing out.” After a while, let the words go. When you find your mind wandering, notice the thoughts—don’t judge them—and let them go. Do this by coming back to your breath.
That’s meditation—simply being there with yourself for a few minutes every day, getting to know your own mind.
Under the article, there’s a place for readers to respond. Awesome, right?
Here is what one reader said, that prompted me to write this blog entry, that you are now reading:
Can it be that simple? I am secretly depressed and have been for years, can I really help myself be meditating in this way for a few minutes a day? I’ve tried it before. Perhaps I didn’t try for long enough…
I decided, uncharacteristically to write back. I just felt that this reader was sounding like they were out there, feeling kinda bad, because like, “I tried it and if it’s that simple how come I don’t feel better yet,” or something like that. I don’t want to put words into the mouth (or pen) of reader Harris 497.
Harris497, The answer to your question, “can it be that simple?” is both yes and no. As a meditation teacher, I’d say that yes, in the beginning, when you first have the seed of an idea to try sitting meditation, it is that easy. Sit down, focus on the breath and when thoughts come along, don’t hold on to them, don’t judge any aspect of your experience and let everything go. Just sit. Just breath. And just be aware that you are sitting there breathing.
On the other hand, as a set of instructions for really developing a daily meditation practice that can seriously help you reduce your suffering, it won’t get you very far.
I don’t know where you live so I can’t make any direct recommendations but in general I suggest this: find a good meditation teacher where ever you do live. If you’re in the Chicago area I could make suggestions. A good guide is an important part of having long term success for establishing real peace of mind.
There are lots of teachers out there. Find one. Some wonderful and some, not so much. Be careful. Choose mindfully and don’t get taken in by any hype. Make a selection that feels right to you.
If you’d like to discuss this, I can be reached through my site and I’m happy to offer what I can. www.calmchicago.org We’re located in Chicago in Chinatown. I know of teachers, who know other teachers, around the country, so if you are not local, maybe I Can help you make some connections. Wishing you all the best in your quest.
What do you think?
PS. Let’s look at this one line for a sec…
That’s meditation—simply being there with yourself for a few minutes every day, getting to know your own mind.
Especially this last bit, “getting to know your own mind.” Getting to know your own mind means, we learn how the mind works and we do this by long careful practice of observing the tiny, micron slices of experience, of action that are the processes through which or by which the mind operates. And that, while not rocket science, in that anyone can learn to do it, is not something that simply happens with a few minutes of even daily sitting and breathing. It takes determination, patience and guidance and that’s just for starters. It’s an amazing, life changing journey that can be a huge benefit to yourself and to all around you and I wish everyone would do it. It’s changed my life! And I see how it benefits others and makes all of life more peaceful, it does take time and attention. And kindness, compassion to ourselves. One of the great amazing things is, that as we go through the process, the whole world becomes more peaceful. How awesome is that?!
#8 Reason to get ready for World Tai Chi and Qigong Day ….
In About our center, Tai Chi, Taiji on January 30, 2011 at 9:43 pm#8 Reason to get ready for World Tai Chi and Qigong Day ….
Nothing is closer to our life than the breath. Think about it.
No breath – No life. It’s that simple. Want to have a good life? – Cultivate good breath.
Tai chi and qigong are ways of getting in close touch with your breath, cultivating a healthy awareness of it.
Constrained breath leaves us tied to the ground
When we know what’s up with the breath, we have a pretty good idea of how the rest of the body and mind are doing.
When the breath suffers so does the rest of us. But when we gently pay attention to the breath, making it stronger, our bodies and minds become stronger and healthier too.
Breath slow and steady and strong, like the ocean. in ... out ...in... out
So, World Tai Chi & Qigong Day? Sounds like a slam dunk to me.
#9 Reason to get ready for World Tai Chi and Qigong Day ….
In About our center, Tai Chi, Taiji on January 29, 2011 at 4:38 pm#9 Reason to get ready for World Tai Chi and Qigong Day ….
because it’ll be so much fun to participate in a world-wide celebration involving more than 60 countries and millions of people, all joyfully, peacefully breathing together all at the same time!
Tai Chi is more fun in a group!
Yin and Yang: Not Just Ideas About Balance and Change
In About our center, Meditation, Peace, Stress reduction on January 28, 2011 at 4:31 amPlease say hello to the center’s two fish, Yin & Yang.
Meet Yin and Yang, the center's two calm fish. They remind us daily that everything changes.
They have a pretty pleasant environment with lots of plants around. We’d love to have more plants, so we can really freshen the air in the center as much as possible without chemicals. Many thanks to Vincent for all the plants you see here. They were a gift in our prior location and in the move had to be re-potted and trimmed up some. Moving plants in -4 degrees weather is not ideal for the delicate house plants but they seem to be bouncing back.
We love a lot of plants at Calm Chicago. Makes the air clean and healthy.
So, if you have some plants you’d like to donate, they’ll be gratefully received. We get a pretty good amount of indirect light from the south.
We’ll be adding a jade plant soon. Lovely for the center because the soft, round green leaves are beautiful and grow only very slowly. This is how we develop our own practices in tai chi (or taiji), qigong and meditation…slowly, breath by breath.
Thanks so much to our teachers, family, friends and students for all your support. I am ever grateful. Together we make the city more peaceful and less stressed. I bow to you all for your efforts and dedication.
The center will be offering lots of wonderful new seminars this year. We hope you’ll join us as much as you can. Please let us know what you’d like to see offered that would really be of benefit to lots of people. We may not respond to every single idea but we’ll gratefully receive them all.
Many thanks, Hillary and Matt
The central yin and yang in our logo, symbolic of two fish, constantly moving, swimming, going up-coming down.
New Calm Chicago Pages Make it Easier for You to Find What You Want for Tai Chi, Meditation and Qigong
In Uncategorized on January 23, 2011 at 2:03 pmI just realized that the one page I started this blog with is no longer a tenable option. Looking for posts on what interests you is like looking through a mountain of paper. I’m thinking – not so much!
So, with the new year, it’s time to learn more about how to construct a more user-friendly blog. I hope this helps. Please let me know what you think. I’d love to get your input so the blog can be more useful.
thanks, wishing peace and happiness to everyone,
hillary
Calm Chicago Has a New Address
In About our center, Tai Chi, Taiji on January 22, 2011 at 5:49 am
We have a great new location in Chinatown Square. We owe many thanks to Dr. Richard Li, an excellent chiropractor who’s sharing the space with us. (So, if you need some tuina massage or an adjustment, we got you covered!)
2155 s china place unit b (above t-mobile)
Walking distance to the Red Line, Cermak and Archer buses, parking lots.
Check out our new class schedule.
We also have FREE classes to get everyone ready for World Tai Chi Day on Saturday, April 30th. Join us!
Drop by any time to see what we’re up to. Just call ahead since we’re not there 24/7!
Tai Chi Student’s Flash of Insight
In Mindfulness, Tai Chi, Taiji on January 22, 2011 at 5:32 am
A student had a major epiphany the other day. She emailed me afterwards. Check it out. So awesome. We’d been working on Tai chi stepping.
Thanks for the one-on-one session today. I tried to be mindful of things being empty and full–just during lunch hour–and there’s a lot, like maybe everything. Things have to be empty before they can be full, and vice versa. Wow–new concepts to consider!
How I Simplify My Life with Breathing
In Meditation, Stress Management, Stress reduction, Tai Chi on January 18, 2011 at 12:19 amThis Complicated World
The world is a pretty complicated place. So, the last thing I want is to make it more complicated that necessary. How about you?
Antidote? Simplify
For years, one of the things I’ve sought after, is a way to make things simpler. To reduce all those bummer, stressed out feelings that come from too much complication. I love tai chi, qigong and meditation because amongst their many fine qualities, one stands out day after day. That is the demand they make for me to maintain a close, sharp attention to the breath.
Why Does The Breath Matter?
Without the breath coming in and out, I’m just a dead body. The breath is so close to my life. It provides one of the keys of life; Oxygen. I can go a while without eating. I might get hungry but I’ll live. I might get a head ache, but I’ll live. On the other hand, I can’t hold my breath very long. Even magicians on tv or in Vegas, can only hold their breath so long. Within a few short minutes - no breathing? No living. End of story.
Breathing Means - Pay Attention Right Now
Paying strict attention to the breath keeps me firmly engaged in the present moment. When I can train my mind single-pointedly to observe the breath, I stay right here in this moment, letting go of worry about the past or future. After all, I’d never try to hold on to any one single breath. It’s a fool’s errand. It’s the nature of the breath to arise, peak and fade away. Each one after the next. Each one slightly different. Long. Short. Ragged or steady and so on.
And, when I stay right here, life gets a lot simpler.
Want to learn more? Come to classes at Calm Chicago. We even have some FREE classes right now as we gear up for World Tai Chi Day, Saturday, April 30 – 10 am in Chinatown Square!
