MEDITATION

So often meditation is taught as a technique that will get you somewhere, usually to an idealized state of being in which everything, including you, will then be all right. This can create tension from striving as well as a sense of failure and self-blame when these perfect states are not achieved or able to be sustained. Often it is the very effort that is getting in the way and much of your actual experience is discounted.

I teach a gentle, easy approach to meditation that supports an exploration of your inner world and increases awareness. You learn how to allow your unique experience to unfold naturally, not judging anything as unacceptable or mundane. Meditating in this way you will find that calm, tranquil states arise without the use of technique, and qualities such as acceptance, compassion, equanimity, patience, honesty, kindness, and friendliness towards self and others are slowly developed over time.

Through recollecting and/or journaling afterwards you have the opportunity to report on your sittings as a way of cultivating greater awareness and understanding. In groups or retreats you can learn from hearing others' experiences as well as from gentle inquiry by a teacher. Right now I am only working with students individually in person or via email and phone. See Contact below. The teaching is offered on a donation basis.

A booklet I have written, Sitting with Ease: Guidelines to Meditation, that explains this approach to meditation can be downloaded here.