As you enter your 8th week: As we say, “The rest of your life,”–what supports your ongoing practice? How and what has been helpful in keeping up the practice and how have you made it your own? Feel free to share about both public group offerings you have attended and found useful and also how you manage to fit formal practice in to your daily life, on your own.
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Hi Lynn and all.
I’ve been thinking about this topic. It is a challenge to practice daily in a formal sense, on my own. Two challenges I can name right now are (1) thinking of practice as something on the “to do” list, and (2) I am literally on my own-no other practicing in my home, workplace or even within 50 miles that I know of.
I build in time for practice by getting up early enough to sit before getting ready for work. Even so, I sometimes resist the cushion. I organize my work schedule in such a way that allows me to attend a yoga practice at least twice a week. I participate in an online sangha (via Insight Meditation Community of Washington- imcw.org) that meets twice a month. We sit and talk together via a Google group. I attend a zen practice group occasionally (it’s 50 miles away) where we sit, walk and talk together. Developing relationships with the practitioners in these groups keeps me interested and involved.
I listen to talks on Dharmaseed.org a few times a week and these are an ongoing inspiration to practice. I often practice with Tara Brach’s guided meditations which are included on her talks on dharmaseed and her website. I attend day long and longer retreats whenever possible and these invigorate the practice. As I write this I see clearly how valuable, motivating, and inspiring connection and practice with others actually are for me. I shall continue “beginning again.” Thanks for the topic!
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Hi Lynn.
i do not quit remember the periode following my 8 class but I do remember that after my first retreat I understood the Jon sentence : it is only went you have touch how you life depend on your practice that find out a way to get up early to practice …or something like that. …
Thank you for this home.
Thank you Lynn.
Emmanuel from France
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I love hearing about how people continue to practice. Sometimes in my classes I’ll admit that if participants fall in love with one practice, then I feel I’ve done my job. I do think that there is often a tipping point when we sense that we, our life, is just better with practice. Not because we get out of difficulties or our challenges shift–not at all, but because there is some sense of stability amidst the change, some place to come home to, some holding environment that practice offers. I know I certainly feel this way. It doesn’t even mean we don’t struggle with our own resistance to practice… but something does give way… we surrender to what is beneficial (rather than just pleasant). And we know the truth of this “companion” of practice. Thank you, Laurie, and Emmanuel. So lovely to see you both here. At home!
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I’ve come to realize that I am more of an “all or nothing” kind of person than I thought. I noticed that I was all into practicing while enrolled in the 8 week classs, but had a hard time keeping up with it on my own. I would catch myself thinking, " I dont have time today for a full 45 minutes." And skip my practice all together, when I really had time for a 10 minute sit. I’m grateful that I am noticing this and now can work with it. In stead of skipping, I now take at least 5 minutes every day to sit and breath.
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I went to the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction about two years ago. At the time I was very motivated and had many ambitions on becoming a Teacher in Mindfulness. But school and work have all gotten in the way of my practice in to many occasions. I am very happy for this forum and believe it has given me the strength and desire to continue my practice at home. I have been practicing again and hope it sticks tis time around.
Hello Henry. I know you posted quite awhile back, but I am touched by your refreshed intentions. I’m curious: Has your practice stuck around? And if not–do you have a sense of why that is? And what does “practice” mean for you? Many years ago, when I was having dinner with a friend who also meditated we were talking about things that got in the way. I was bemoaning a particular dry patch in practice: Antsy, fidgety, mind all over the place, which didn’t make me stop practicing entirely, but certainly caused me a lot of consternation and often shortened my practice time. My friend looked at me with so much love in her eyes and said, “Lynn, when will you understand that you are just someone who practices! It’ll come and go sometimes–like anything else in life–but it’ll always be around.” It was so forgiving and while I certainly wasn’t practicing to acquire a new identity, the fact that she had seen and held me over many years in this light–the light of being a meditator–this opened me to the possibility of seeing myself in this same generous light.
And plus–it is great to have someone to talk to about the dry patches, the rough spots, the slog-throughs that we all face. I hope this forum can be at least some of that for you–and for all of us.
Thanks, Henry.
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Lynn,
I have my ups and downs as you mention when it comes to practice. But very much enjoy the experience of practice when I do practice. Three weeks ago I was able to go to the Monday night Mindfulness class offered at the Stress Reduction Center. Thank God for this opportunity and this community. This to me is like a booster to my daily practice and much needed motivation when going through this rough patches. I greatly appreciate your response and always like to talk with others who also practice mindfulness. Since I live very far from the Stress Reduction Center this is one of my only ways to stay in touch with others who share in the practice of Mindfulness. This is why I am grateful for this community and everything it has to offer. Again Thank You for your response.
Henry
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