#1 use for my ipod

"Oh, I see you have been listening to your ipod. What are you listening to? " asks my husband.

"Nothing" I reply.

huh?

"Yes. I am literally listening to silence." I added.

He looked surprised, so I continued "I am listening to a podcast from Treeleaf which has a 20 minute, 30 minutes, and one hour silent meditation segments."

"You're the only person I know who has over a thousand songs and uses their ipod to listen to silence." He says shaking his head.

How To Meditate III - Walking Meditation

I have been asked about walking meditation, but found this video which explains it beautifully. If you find this helpful and want to know more about yuttadhammo .

Enjoy the earth as you walk, and remember to watch your breath and smile.

Fire Within

There are times when I meditate late at night, the warmth of my house with its fireplace burning, gives me such comfort and wraps around me like a security blanket. My thoughts come and go, and finally there is silence.

Other times it feels like I'm floating and disconnected. My thoughts flowing and never stopping. Feeling at times like I'm isolated (not in a bad way) as though I am the only person in the entire world, a solitary being. But then there are times I feel like I am briefly connected to everything, and everyone.

I know I've had a successful meditation when happiness is my world. Happiness is an illusion, but, what an illusion.

As Easy as Breathing…

...or is it? Last fall, I decided to host a 'breathing party’ for some friends after being gifted a book from author Sat Hari Kaur Khalsa, a very dear friend. The book “The Ins and Outs of Breathing” is absolutely the best book on breathing I’ve ever read. Well, honestly, it is the only book I’ve read on the subject. Nonetheless, if you breathe, it is a must have book!

The beginning of the book has the reader observe their breathing. I thought how could I not be breathing perfectly, as a mediator, surely I know how to breathe. But much to my surprise, I was a reverse breather. I wasn't aware there is a incorrect way of breathing, isn’t it something we do naturally? Sadly, for some of us it is not so natural and we have to retrain ourselves to breath correctly. After practicing proper breathing as directed in the book for about two and half weeks, one day, I had the best experience while mediating . It was like transcending time and space. I attributed that amazing moment to observing my breath.

I decided to share the book with some of my friends. To maximize the understanding and benefit, I thought if I could convince Sat Hari to do a workshop in my home to teach us the basics of breathing it would make it that much simpler. And we could have fun doing it! she agreed!

I was telling someone about it, and she said I’ll call you after your workshop, how long can it take to teach someone to breathe anyway? Would you believe, two and half hours into the class and we only touch on the very basic techniques of breathing. I really must have a follow up class soon.