Week 1
Way Of Awareness – Class 1 (9/11/25) – Home Practice
I will arrive at 6:50 pm on the day of our practice group in case you have any questions and, of course, there will also be Q & A during the class as well.
- Gratitude Practice. Text or e-mail your buddies from class 3 things you are grateful for each day. Can be anything.
- Sitting practice: Try sitting for a minimum of 5-10 minutes per day (more if you are able). It is helpful to find a quiet space or room, a consistent time, and a chair or cushion that best supports your sitting practice. It is helpful to use a timer (if using your phone, place it a distance away from where you are sitting) Please practice your meditation in silence (if you use an app-try using it only a couple times a week).
- Experiment with different postures and meditation supports – a cushion, a chair, or a bench. Find what works best for your body to help develop an alert and easeful posture. One that supports your attention to the present moment experience of the body/breath or body/touch points or body/sounds.
- Bring an attitude of kindness, curiosity and interest into your sitting practice.
As you meditate, begin by settling into the body. Aware of sitting (and the sensations such as the body making contact with the sofa, bed, mat, the floor, or your sitting bones on the cushion or chair). Then gently bring the attention to rest on the breathing either at the nostrils, the chest area or the abdomen (pick just one place- the easiest for you to feel the sensations of the breath). Using the breath as an anchor. Feel the sensations of breathing. You can also use touch points- hands, feet, sitting bones, lips as your anchor. Simply receive the sensations. Or you can use sounds as your anchor. Sounds near or far, all around you, spaces between sounds, tone, pitch, length, loudness. Simply listen- Please choose just one anchor, breath, touch points, or sounds. Stick with the one that is the easiest for you, as your anchor.
- This practice is a practice of remembering, so when your mind wanders and you notice it wandering or you wake up from the story/trance you are in. Simply…
Delight that you are awake, ground in the body and gently, escort the attention back to the breath, the touch points or the sounds – whichever is your anchor. The anchor is a place you return to when the story pops. Please let go of any judgments about returning to opening to the anchor. Every time you bring your attention back to the present moment, you are developing mindfulness.
- Ask yourself everyday-What keeps you from paying attention in your life? From living more fully? What keeps you from living here in the present?
- HAVE FUN!
Week 2
Way Of Awareness – Class 2 (9/18/25) – Home Practice
There will be no class on 10/2/25. Class will resume on 10/9/25. Use these practices till then. I will arrive at 6:50 pm on the day of our practice group- in case you have any questions.
- Gratitude Practice. Text or e-mail your buddies from class 3 things you are grateful for each day.
- Sitting practice: Try sitting for a minimum of 5-10 minutes per day. (more if you are able) Please practice your meditation in silence.When you are sitting, rest your attention on the felt sensations of breathing. When you notice the mind has wandered gently bring the attention back to the experience of your anchor-EITHER touch points, sounds, breath.
If a strong physical sensation makes it difficult for you to stay with the touch points, sounds, breath, bring your awareness to this new predominant experience and sense or feel the physical experience. Simply allow it to be there. Drop whatever comments or evaluations you may have about the experience and get to know the experience directly. Is the experience pleasant, or unpleasant? What are the actual sensations of these physical sensations? (heat, cold, tingling, tightness, pulling, hardness etc.). Are there any edges? Is it changing? Once a sensation is no longer calling your attention or has disappeared, return to or open your anchor Touch points, sounds, breathing. The “goal” is not to sit without pain. Some sittings you may have joy, calm, others discomfort, pain-In meditation & life get about equal measure- We are not trying to minimize, get rid of, ignore, run away from pain- because if you do you may spend ½ of your life running away! Better to learn how to RELATE to pleasure and/or pain with compassion, tenderness, understanding.
- Walking meditation: Practice walking meditation at least once during the day as you move through the world. Simply, find a pace that gives you a sense of ease as you walk. Let your attention settle on the base of your feet. Feel the contact with the ground.
- In the midst of your regular daily activities: Dedicate two 5-minute periods during the week to being mindful of your body. Notice your shoulders, stomach, face or hands. If you find tension in any of these places open, soften and bring in some ease if possible.
- This practice is a practice of remembering, so when your mind wanders and you notice it wandering or you wake up from the story/trance you are in. Delight that you are awake, ground in the body and gently, simply escort the attention back to whatever you are doing. Every time you bring your attention back to the present moment, you are developing mindfulness.
- Please practice–beginners mind – to find your way to a quieter mind is to start a new, a fresh, to begin again to open your heart & to be here, in this present moment, over & over. To let go of the stories, agendas, opinions, views, bias, projections, conclusions-to begin again!
- ***For 10/2-through 10/9/25 Please Engage in a daily activity with Mindfulness-a simple, routine activity commit to integrating mindfulness into that activity every day. Such as: brushing one’s teeth, taking a shower, riding your bicycle. This practice in addition to your daily formal sitting-standing-walking-gratitude practices is designed to bring mindfulness into your daily life.***
- HAVE FUN!