How to Approach Meditation

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How to Approach Meditation

On Tue, 26 January, 2016 - 05:19

Dhammalata

Meditation is so in the Zeitgeist

I was talking to one of our senior English order members yesterday. He’s been teaching mindfulness as part of his livelihood for some time now and was telling me that it’s become so big in the UK now that one of the universities is now accrediting mindfulness teachers. It is being used by a raft of practitioners including corporate trainers, health care workers, psychologists and anyone who cares to hang out a shingle so to speak.

And then yesterday evening the focus of Men’s Study Group at the Sydney Buddhist Centre was meditation practice; what’s going on in our practice, what helps us and general discussion around that area.

No one seems to argue that mindfulness training (meditation) is exceedingly effective and good for us but even still many of us find it a challenge to really integrate it into our lives. Our habits and busy schedules often win out and the opportunity to ground ourselves, savour our lives and be present in an increasingly full and joyful way mostly eludes us.

So here are a few of the thoughts that came up in my small group:

* Meditate first thing in the day - prioritise it in front of all the other things so that you make sure it happens
* You don’t have to be slavish about going through all the stages of the practice - just do what you can
* Have a place where you meditate and bring things to it to make it attractive and special (flowers, photographs, gifts you’ve been given, a verse or quote that’s inspired you)
* Do the practices that seem to be a good fit with you
* Meditate with others when you can as it helps support continuity of practice

Hope you can make meditation this week:

Thursday 7 - 8.30
Sunday 8 - 8.50

And there is a retreat on this weekend which I have been asked to co-lead with another Sydney Woman Order Member so if you feel like joining us please book yourself in or email me for more details

Vijayaloka Retreat Centre - just 40 minutes from Sydney

You can click on this link for booking details

http://www.sydneybuddhistcentre.org.au/payment_retreat.php?item=Intro%20…

Much metta
Dharmalata and Padmadakini

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