This is our 36th week of On-Line Meditation.
Although like the rest of us the Carmelite Centre is winding down they do have a couple of zoom offerings during December. Go to thecarmelitecentremelbourne.org as there may very well be something of interest for you there. It seems that if things continue to improve we may have the opportunity of meeting again in the Malone Room at the Carmelite Centre from February, 2021. I’ll keep you posted….
Usually we break after Christmas until school resumes however this year we will have no meditation on Thursdays 24 & 31st of December and resume with this on line version on Thursday 7th January until we are advised when it is safe to resume face-to-face meditation.
Tonight’s Reflection…
You all know that I am a big fan of the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh. Some of you have heard my stories about him many times. So it’s no surprise that tonight I would like to quote from his book, “Calm Ease, Smile Breathe”. (Pub: Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA.) He describes meditation and mindfulness in this way.
“There are many conditions for happiness within us and around us, but without mindfulness, we often overlook our opportunity to be in touch with them. We all have a tendency to be forgetful. We are alive, but we forget that we are alive. We walk, and we don’t know that we’re walking. We breathe, and we’re not aware that we’re breathing. This forgetfulness is an old habit. With our practice of meditation and mindfulness we can learn a new habit. We learn a way of truly relaxing and becoming present. When we practice mindful breathing in our daily life, it gives us an opportunity to go back to the present moment, to the calm and peace that are already in us.
Practising meditation and mindfulness, we generate the kind of energy that can touch the wonders of life. Instead of rushing past the beauty around us, we’re nourished by it. With meditation and mindfulness we can touch the strong oaks and pines, the lush grass, the bright flowers, and be nourished by all the beautiful manifestations of life around us.”
And now let’s meditate in the fashion that you are accustomed. You might like to dedicate this meditation practice to those affected by the pandemic or you might have some other worthy intention.
(Meditate for up to 20 minutes.)
As we go about our daily activities I hope that by our attention, our awareness in the present, we will find joy in the midst of the losses brought about during this pandemic.
Peter