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LEARN TO MEDITATE
We have three meditation sessions each week where a meditation instructor is on duty and can get you started meditating. These are:
Sunday mornings 9:30 to 12:00
Monday evenings 6:00 to 7:00
Wednesday nights 7:00 to 8:00
If any of these times work for you, you can just show up any time during the time periods noted, ask for meditation instruction, and join the group meditating.
"On Meditation:
In the fundamental sense, Buddhist meditation does not involve meditating on anything. You simply arouse your sense of wakefulness and hold an excellent posture. You hold up your head and shoulders and sit cross-legged. Then very simply, you relate to the basic notion of body, speech and mind, and you focus your awareness in some way, usually using the breath. You are breathing out and in, and you just experience that breathing very naturally. Your breath is not considered either holy or evil; it is just breath.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
Shrine Room Etiquette
People new to meditation often wonder what the etiquette is for a shrine room. The general rule is to show basic respect for the environment, as well as having consideration for the other practitioners. Some more specific guidelines are included below:
- Please leave your shoes in the coat room as you enter the Center. Be sure to bring any valuables inside with you, however.
- As a show of respect, you will see others bowing toward the shrine as they enter and leave the room.
- Talking is generally allowed before and after meditation. Once the candles have been lit on the shrine, talking wanes and folks settle on their meditation cushions.
- We begin our meditation sessions with a ringing of the gong and chants (chant books are provided). If you arrive late and the chants are still going on, please just wait outside the shrine room until the chants are completed. For late arrivers, enter quietly and settle on any available cushion. If you bring your own cushion, set it up behind other meditators to minimize any disturbance.
- Participating in the chants is optional. If you don't wish to chant, just sit and begin your meditation.
- Water bottles (ie, containers with lids that can be closed to prevent spillage are the best) are allowed in the shrine room.
- Rest rooms are just around the corner from the shrine room. If possible, please wait until walking meditation to use the rest rooms.
- If you are coming for a teaching or other event that follows a scheduled meditation, please wait outside until the meditation is over. This will minimize the disturbance for the practitioners.
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