an adventure of the mind...

Good Morning,

Last week I realized while I've been building up my physical adventure muscle, my mind has been getting flabby. I have it relatively easy here over-indulging in Audio Dharma talks with nothing to challenge my own understanding but the occasional poke in the nose from Miss Mitty (the poopy-pawed anti-meditator) kitty. : )

So, WWBTGD? (What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do?)

I went on-line and found a Vipassana meditation and discussion group that meets once a week. I'd like to share a new adventure...the search for Sangha!!!, which basically means Buddhist community.

As you might imagine, Kansas is noooo Red Woods City, CA (home of Buddha teacher Gil). Instead of practicing within one's own building (such as the Insight Meditation Center), this Vipassana meditation is held in a room in a friendly church (see photo above).

It was a typical Buddhist meeting. 30 min. meditation, then 1hr. for a reading and peer-lead discussion.

My hopes of microphone audiences and floor with knee to knee zafus quickly vanished as soon as I entered the room.

Two middle-aged couples, "the regulars" sat quietly in hard backed chairs and said hello. A small but dedicated group I learned they've been meeting for 15 years. "Sometimes the group is larger" the woman said, “there are two others that come.”

That makes six. And plenty of available seating.

Instruction I received included to watch the breath wherever it enters the body. As soon as the mind wanders (which will be frequent and often) keep coming back to the breath. “Let thoughts come and go like passing train cars,” she said “notice them but don’t hop on…”

A bearded man with very flexible ankles sitting in full lotus nodded in agreement. He shifted and adjusted his zafu cushion striking a pose that suggested a bad back and closed his eyes.

I chose a seat hoping to help balance out the room (the moment seemed very Feng shui) and closed my eyes too.

Here’s my first thought…

I don’t understand exactly why people do this…I can achieve pain and deeper levels of concentration while running and it at least seems productive…

Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!! Gary assigned "the bell of mindfulness" struck it three times…I dropped the thought and settled into the breath.

Wow that clock is loud. I wonder why they have a tick tock clock in a meditation room.

What the heck am I going to say about “my meditation” after the bell rings?...

Man I shouldn’t have eaten that bean dip.

What was the deal with those machine sculptures at the museum anyway?


How long was that? Are we done yet?

After 30 minutes I’d achieved a different kind of success. I made it 30 minutes on the cushion without falling asleep, checking my watch or leaving the room to use the restroom.

When I opened my eyes it became clear to me that I had also come seeking a greater purpose.

I chose this group for its goal: How to take the practice off the cushion and implement it in daily life. In other words, as Melanie the night’s appointed leader described it--How can we experience what we know of deep peace while in the messiness of living?

I love life. I love its complexities. I loved this question.

Unfortunately, the problem I learned in my Sangha discussion group is that there’s no pause button. No paper and pencil handy to jot down a thought to come back to…

I sat and listened as Melanie, a seemingly nice, intelligent middle-aged woman recounted her latest visit up to Minnesota to see her mother in a nursing home. Visibly reflective, she struggled through what to do about the latest problem...

“What can I say to a 300lbs. woman with Alzheimer’s who panics when she's in the Hoyer lift?”



This is an assistive device that allows patients in hospitals and nursing homes to be transferred between a bed and a chair using hydraulic power.

"What images can I give her?"

She looked directly into my eyes and our hearts connected. After a quick in breath I raised my eyebrows until my forehead puckered, put my hand a top my head and nervously pushed my ball cap down a little lower. “Oh, wow” I wanted something wise to say. Somehow it became lost in a minor detail given at the beginning of her mother’s story… “we went down to the dining hall with her…the only thing the ONLY thing she will eat now is bacon.”

Wise speech. I wanted so badly to practice wise speech but it had left me. What images might she use with a 300lbs. woman with dementia who only responds to bacon… to help diffuse the situation...that is kind?

When one sits with a Sangha you can’t help but ask what’s my role? What can I contribute to this group? I racked my counselor brain and the only suggestion I could come up with...

Use the flight of fancy to your advantage. Seize this brief window of opportunity to connect with the crazy.

Here are a few images she could work with...

Mom you are at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day and you are leading the parade help us land this thing!

Look mom the umpa lumpa's are here (nurse assistants) and they’re gonna help us get back home. Your job is to click your heals 3 times! Our job it to sit back and do what you say!

Her mother still thinks we are fighting WWII. Frame it as a military surveillance mission!...

General MacArthur just called…once we get you up there he wants to hear your thoughts on what you can see. You’re helping us win this war!

And, this one I’m saving for my mom (who will never tip the scale quite that heavy...)

Mom when the sling starts to feel snug around you pretend you’re a pretty mermaid. You’re going to be free in a moment floating back out to sea.

WWBTGD? As many of you know, when I find myself stuck in a tough spot I like to ask the question...What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do? I smiled a gentle "wow that's tough" and let the moment go.

What did I learn from my first Vipassana meditation and discussion group adventure? In short, Buddhism isn't a religion of faith it’s an invitation to try it out for yourself and I did! Meditation can produce surprising results...when practiced among Sangha and provides the tools to develop the mind muscle. I'm going back in there tomorrow to adventure on!

Weed it out Wednesday,

Amanda

p.s. sorry Monday Morning News took a long weekend : )