This Monday March 13, we will meet in person.
See calendar for online and in person schedule here.
Address for the OHMC meditation space:
3812 Northampton St. NW
Washington DC 20015
This Monday night Ellen will facilitate and we will meet in person at our meditation space at 3812 Northampton st NW DC 20015.
In thinking about this week's gathering, I wanted to build on the inspirational and thought-provoking discussions we've had in the last few weeks.
We have been focusing on the concept of "beginning again" and renewal; about intention and awareness, and about our habit energies. These made me think about something I rarely focus on or prioritize in my life: allowing and fostering stillness and space.
This means prioritizing time to give myself stillness, shedding the daily worries, responsibilities and "to do" lists. Creating space to just be or even space to do something that gives me ease and pleasure.
As I reflected on this, I realized that, at least for me, stillness and space are not necessarily the same as sitting on my cushion as I do for a little bit every morning. I'm not sure I even know how to create stillness and space in my life, though I'm sure I really need it.
This brings me back to the issue of cultivating intention and attention mindfully. Our family has gone through -- is still going through -- some very difficult medical challenges, including someone dying of cancer, and I can imagine how giving myself stillness and space, even only to breathe, would help.
Thay has a lot to say on this matter and on Monday we'll watch two very brief videos that I hope will inspire us to focus on stillness and space. Here are a few quotes from Thay:
"Bringing the mind to stillness is easy. You need only to pay attention to one thing. As long as your mind is listening to the rain it is not thinking about anything else. You don’t need to try to still your mind. You need only to relax and continue listening to the rain. The longer you are able to do so, the more still your mind becomes.
Sitting in stillness like this allows us to see things as they truly are. When the body is relaxed and the mind comes to rest, we can see clearly. We become as still and clear as the water in a mountain lake whose tranquil surface reflects the blue sky above, the clouds, and the surrounding rocky peaks just as they are."
— Thich Nhat Hanh, in “The Art of Living
And I really love this one:
“Stillness is the foundation of understanding and insight.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Fight
Some questions to consider for our dharma sharing:
1. Do you make time for stillness in your life? If so, how has it enriched and supported you? If not, how could you intentionally give yourself some stillness?
2. What does it mean to have space in our lives? How can we use spaciousness to be more mindful and aware?
I look forward to seeing you in person on Monday.