Does anyone have a daily meditation practice? Would anyone like one but needs motivation?

[mangolassi]

Ooh, I feel all shy

I am agnostic and generally confused about spiritual things, but after recovering from a bout of pnd found a great book - The Mindful Way Through Depression. It has a programme of daily meditation, and I've tried in the past, but it's soooo hard to stick to with no support.

The meditation style in the book is 'western insight' - basically vipassana with the Buddhism taken out - but it would be great to have a thread for anyone trying to get started with daily practice, whatever kind of meditation appeals. Even better if there's anyone who actually has a daily practice already

yes, good vibes from me too justabout (it's peanutbrittle by the way, long story involving different laptops and inability to sign in have led me to a new name...)hope all is well tomorrow

I never did get to anything for buddha day - I did some mindful gardening with two small children instead. And grinned ruefully but mindfully at my plight. A lot.

I have managed to visit the international buddhist film festival at the barbican though and saw two wionderful films - there were some great discussions and a lovely buzz about the place too, very invigorating

I even got to go to my FWBO meditation session n thursday AS WELL, so this has been nice week for me.

pinkfluffy - that approach sounds about right to me - don't push it and something may well emerge that speaks to you

I hope I am not ignoring anything - I haven't been here for a while but am so tired now I can't quite reread the thread

I hope you are all well and enjoying each day as it comes. MangoL I did love the image of you in the cafe with the bells next door. I love the bells. TNH says some very simple but interesting things about the role of bells in our lives. I've a new found desire to go and buy myself a beautiful sounding one for my house. Maybe I could call the kids to dinner with it instead of shrieking like a maniac every day.

much love . X

hello girls

great to hear from you all. i have been having a sad time of it these past few days, but am trying to keep in mind the buddhist teachings and to take one step back from my emotions and label them as they arise, and try not to judge them, just be with them and remember they will pass, they are impermanent as is everything else. i've been reading a lot on the illusion of self, such a difficult concept especially for us self-bound westerners!! it's what put me off pursuing buddhism more persistently a few years ago when i first became interested. now it seems much less of a barrier, for some reason...still a tricky concept but not an impossible one to aim to try to chip away at with my limited understanding, in time surely it will become clearer . it now seems far easier to intuitively believe that we are all connected and linked and part of a wider 'One' self, or being, or essence. i feel that strongly in my meditation group at times, or at quakers.

on a different note - it's worth looking at a site called tricycle.com - the new york buddhist review - it's excellent. i subscribed to their online version this weekend, it was 24 dollars for a year, which i consider good value, esp as you then get unlimited access to 15 years' worth of archives. there is tons of good stuff on there - articles, meditation tips and you can get something called 'daily dharma' delivered to your email inbox which i am really enjoying. just a thought!

hugs to you all, back soon xxx

ps on the subject of bells - a woman who comes to our meditation group brings along a fantastic modern version of a 'bell of mindfulness' - it's an aid to meditation which you can apparently buy online. it's a rather beautiful pyramid of smooth pale wood, which houses within a little bell - you can pre-programme this to sound at the beginning and end of your meditation, and if you so wish, at regular intervals throughout it too - it acts as a bell of mindfulness to bring you back to the 'now', i guess. we have it set to 10 min-intervals and try to meditate for 40 mins. when she forgets to bring it we really miss it!

katie

am sorry to hear of your sadness but glad you are finding the strength and peace to be with it and let it pass

I agree that the idea of non-self is one of the most difficult for us westerners to deal with - although maybe this is something that everyone, not just westerners, finds difficult? no idea. I don't know enough about non-western culture or tradition to know how deeply ingrained a sense of self is there. Anyway, that's a disgression. For me I come to a sort of brink of potentiality in terms of appreciating what a non-self existence could be but then all my defence mechanisms well honed over the years come screaming into place to save me. It's an interesting journey.

I would love one of those bells you describe for my meditation. When I googled bell of mindfulness oddly enough it didn't led me to anywhere to buy one although I did find some lovely sites to read

I quite fancy getting a "manual" bell too which we can "invite to sound" I think the kids would like that - although I have visions of me shrieking like a banshee around the house as it incessantly chimes at one of other of their hands...maybe not quite what we need...

love to you all

brilliant news ! thought not about the overwrought and exhausted bit - poor you - feet up and cup of tea - now!

forgot to say thanks to everyone for your insights on what to do wrt the psychotherapy - of course, it is a blessing that there is a gap now. I can follow some of my other approaches in that gap with the knowledge that the therapy will still be there and available in 6 months or so. In the meantime I have contacted a Human Givens counsellor (thanks Katie) and will probably also sign up for the mindfulness based anti-depression course or whatever it is called at the London Buddhist Centre in Sept/Oct - I often find that time of year difficult and so it will be a good one to have to look forward to

Over this period I hope to be able to start to cut back on my anti-d medication and see if I can get back on an even keel without the drugs. Will need to talk to my gp about that though and unfortunately my lovely GP is on sabbatical so I will be dealing with a new one...comes recommended by the previous one though so that's helpful

thanks to you all, it is really with the help of this thread and the insightful people on it, along with the links and recommendations given that I am feeling at all able to even think about reducing my meds and approaching the rest of my life in a more positive way...gush gush gush...(apologies!)

hello everyone - justa, that is wonderful news, i am so glad
peanut - it's great that you are feeling so much more positive. i am so pleased. as you know i am a bit of a weedy girl on the emotional front and prone to outbursts of gushing too so feel free to emote - you are amongst friend
so glad you are going to explore the HG approach - i hope it's helpful - keep us posted, won't you. i've sent my form and deposit off to taraloka by the way - i so wish i could come in july too. i looked again (longingly) at the too-crowded diary page for that weekend today, and it says 'm's 40th - glitz and glamour theme - YIKES'. that's my best friend from school. her local mates are organising this - i am basically appalled at the prospect. any sort of theme but ESPECIALLY that one strikes fear into my these-days country bumpkin heart! i cannot tell you how much i would rather be coming to taraloka with you for some serene meditative time instead!!
had more to say but must get back to cooking tea etc etc etc etc etc xxxxx

thanks for the open invitation to emote...one you all might come to regret

am hoping to leave work for the day shortly so a very quick one to share this link to TNH manual - apparantly his order is the community of interbeing (sounds very trekkie to me - sorry!) and they have a small presence in UK...this manual looks wonderful ...I love his hugging meditation, it's one I've even managed to introduce to DH. My resident sceptic.

Metta

Justa..... delighted to read your excellent news. Many congrats. I'm soooo pleased for you.

RE: gushing - have just done a lovely meditation. in spite of suffering from monkey mind I feel v rested and gushing!
.

BTW does anyone know of any buddhist retreats teh last weekend of July - DH (the resident sceptic) is away so I was thinking I could go off on a quick retreat. Was thinking of Taraloka's open day (July 25th) Any takers?

Must also away to cook some supper. x

peanut,forgot to tell you i was in touch recently with a member of the 'community of interbeing' (WHAT a name! what the f*ck were they thinking?! could it sound any more like a weird cult?) here in the boonies, and he was lovely! but they only meet about twice a year - a little less often than i need as far as local buddhist support goes - thanks for the link i will check it out later after the PTA meeting

fluffy - going to mallorca that day or would definitely have been interested in the taraloka open day in july - pity! i am destined to miss all retreat opportunites until the autumn it seems - apart from the urban retreat pb - i am definitely up for that and will see what the worcester FWBO branch has to say about it when i go tomorrow - will of course report back(!) x

I agree wholeheartedly with you Katie re: interbeings. It just sounds so bonkers. I've looked at the link (thank you PB) but just couldn't begin to imagine how I was going to get DD to eat her microwaved fish pie in a mindful way. As for hugging meditation I think if I tried that out on DH he would have me committed.
Re: Retreats - Mallorca sounds a great idea! However I think I'll have to be satisfied with the FWBO urban retreat. I signed up via the Facebook thing - is there anything else I need to do.

Enjoy PTA in a mindful way of course!

yes...bonkers name BONKERS! what the hell were they thinking? The FWBO may be headed by someone far less inspiring (to my uninitiated unenlightened mind that is) but at least they don't sound like nutters! Still, I like TNH's approach so much I may just have to swallow it and call my local contact (apparantly just down the road...)

yes, awaiting your update from worcester with great interest...

awh PFS I would love to meet up at taraloka but it is just too far for me to get to for one day...also I doubt I'd get a freedom pass again so soon after my retreat there - are you sure you can't get away w/e of 5th July???

In the meantime you MUST do the hugging thing - don't tell him it's a meditation - just hang onto him for at least 20 seconds to start with...I find once the 20 seconds point is past a sort of melting thing happens...I had read this and started to practise it with DH (unbeknowns to him - he is my passive victim in such matters - evil cackle) before I came across TNH take on the whole thing...I now find my (previously totally non-tactile) DH sometimes reaching out of his own accord for a hug...(well, he did it once anyway )

I've signed up for urban retreat on FB too - off to see if I can figure out who yu are now PFS...

.

yes yes yes [applauds justabout furiously] I think that really does make sense. Thank you for putting it so eloquently. THANK YOU!

It's what I sort of thought I was feeling when I wrote about the potentiality of "escaping" the self but couldn't quite grasp my(non)self or hope to convey.

yes that is beautifully put justa, you eloquent philosopher you. i loved what you wrote. i am SO VERY BORED with my own self today that i would willingly give it up - any takers?
...scurries back to continue emptying dishwasher, while simultaneously worrying about attitude-laden DD/ruminating over uncertain work future/wondering how Significant Ex is getting on on his honeymoon etc...i'm sure this is just what TNH means when he talks about mindfulness in one's everyday tasks

hope you feeling better today Katie

haven't managed any "proper" sitting meditation since last week but am really working on the everyday mindfulness. Had a lovely early five minutes in my newly renovated (it only took us 13 months to do it...ahem) tiny garden, breathing in, breathing out, being with the plants, examining each one, enjoying their growth (and the fact that I haven't managed to kill any yet, keep your fingers crossed - I am not notorious for my green thumbs!)
it set me up for another day of sitting in front of a computer screen dealing with underresourced software projects and stressed out engineers. Oh yes. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.

metta

Ooohh I love Star Trek So the idea of interbeing is quite appealing!

Rev great news - lots of congratulations from me.

I also struggle a lot with the idea of giving up my 'ego', but funnily enough I know that that is the way forward for me and one that will lead to some kind of happiness - now I just have to start upon that path which is another matter entirely.

As I have mentioned before my dh is Indian and in their family (and probably culture although I don't want to make sweeping generalizations) the self is not as important as the whole if you see what I mean. It is a concept and practicality that I have struggled with, but after reading rev's wonderful take on it I can see it in a new way.

Not much meditation going on here either - I have been busy shifting house and entertaining relatives, but I have decided to spend the next month or so 'just being' instead of worring about my life/health/job/family/weight etc. I don't think I have ever done it and it will be a challenge, but worth it I think.

hi girls! xxx

louie that's very interesting. how other cultures view the self really intrigues me - it does seem to me that we in the west are particularly 'handicapped' when it comes to discarding the self, since it looms so large in our culture and in our upbringing. i think the key to happiness is definitely to try to break away from that obsession, just as you say. i would love to know whether mango finds it's a very different experience living in a society in which the majority of people are raised as buddhists - do everyday interactions with people feel different mango? tell us, do

your garden sounds a total delight peanut - that mindful being-with-your-plants sounds wonderful! i managed to pot a few plants last week, the first bit of gardening i've done in years which isn't destructive (weeding etc) - surprising how satisfying it was - beats cooking (my personal nemesis) any day!!

i went to the worcester FWBO last night - a pleasure. lovely, lovely people. a nice led meditation for 40 mins, tea and chat, and a talk about the 'red buddha' (amitabha. news to me that buddhas could be coloured, but hey). the meditation focussed a lot on visualisation, which i have realised i am not very good at, but i still enjoyed. i do much better with body awareness and breath mindfulness meditations in general.

back soon, hope you all have a really good day X

ps i found some great buddhist books for kids in my local library - my kids are slightly more interested in the buddha now that they know he kicked ass (NOT their phrase, i hasten to reassure you ) with that bandit who cut off people's fingers to string round his neck!! there were other such stories, definitely appealed to my blood-thirsty little boy. they can now recite the 'four sights' seen by siddartha before he set out from his palace on the journey that led to his awakening and understand it a bit more.
my DD was getting a bit het up that i was the only person interested in buddhism she had ever heard of (sigh - another downside of having moved to a farflung bit of rural england!) but was interested to hear about the buddhist meeting, i made sure to tell her i felt a bit shy (bcs i know she would have)and that there was tea and chocolate biscuits to try to get her to relate to the whole experience a bit more. i think she already feels i am a bit odd to go to quakers every week - why do i have to add buddhism to my portfolio, why can't i be normal?!

rev - so sorry to hear about your DS - hope he is feeling better now. Good to hear the meditation helped. This thread really is a bit of a lifeline eh? it is so helpful to hear other folks thoughts and experiences...

Louie - lovely to hear from you - am fascinated by your insights into another culture/way of "being"...I can't quite grasp how it must be to be raised in a less self-centred culture but it's so interesting - would love to hear more

your approach of just being for a month or so sounds liek a good one...I've been doing it fairly wholeheartedly for a bit now (well, in fits and starts, you know the way...) and I am starting to see decisions and routes forward forming without the level of angsting and agonising I am so familiar with - what a revelation

How is your advice from the naturalist panning out - any help with the sugar cravings? I was suffering with some of those lately - time of month - it's not pleasant...although I seem to have weaned myself onto very very dark chocolate now (85%) and it is hard to eat too much of that in one go, it gives the sweet hit, but not too much so...anyway, I ramble

Katie - I laughed too about your DD. I told you about mine the other night, standing on teh doorstep in her pjs as I went off to my meditation class, shouting down the street after me..."let me come too...I can be a little buddhist..." it made me laugh...

Can you share the names of teh buddhist kids books you found? Id like to get some for my two - they get all the christian stories at school (non-denominational state school but christianity figures highly) which is fine but I would like to offer another side to the coin, especially one that speaks more to me...I noticed the FWBO centre in Bethnal Green offers tours for school kids so I may well suggest it to DDs school for next term - I bet they'd find it fascinating...

delighted you went to FWBO and found it useful - their meditation guidance is great I think

I have tracked down a local Interbeing group () so will be rambling off to check them out one of these days...wearing my best vulcan hairdo you'll be glad to hear (all the guys at work accuse me of using Startrek as a hairstyle guide!)

I've now paid my deposit on two retreats at taraloka and am looking forward to both very much - if anyone else fancies joining in I'll be there on the loving kindness retreat from July 3rd to 5th and the introductory buddhist weekend (with the lovely Katie) in Sept 18th -20th...

I've arranged a session next week with a human givens counsellor so that should be interesting - I have to say I find their claims that all will be dealt with in a couple of sessions quite hard to believe but I will approach it with an open mind, especially as my guru Katie recommends the approach so highly

I will tell you more about my garden some day, for now I am enjoying it so omuch, am treating it as a mini retreat for 5-10 mins whenever I get the chance at the moment...cup of herbal tea in hand, sit down, breathe, touch a plant, breathe...

love to you all

peanut - you do realise you are my human guinea-pig on the HG front - i may recommend them highly on the basis of my theoretical knowledge of them through their excellent seminars,but i have yet to know anyone personally who has seen an Actual HG Therapist in the Flesh - i feel like i should offer to give you a full refund if you think it's all a load of cobblers!! apologies in advance my (gullible) friend!!

rev - argh! sympathy +++ to you. my little boy had the same aged 2 and ended up in hospital for 6 days, latterly on intensive care - i will never forget driving him to the hospital through the back streets of leeds on my own (left DH behind to babysit DD - doctors don't think of calling 999) convinced he was going to stop breathing in the back seat at any moment. eek. big hugs to you and to your by-now-recovering-we-trust little one xxx