This summer, we’ve been grateful to have the assistance of a dedicated volunteer, Ms. Alyssa Barba, who has been canvassing NYC and checking out the various meditation centers.  She’s participated in the sittings of 6 different centers, and the number is growing!  We’re going to be posting her reviews soon. They aren’t evaluative (unless something really bad or weird happened), but descriptive. This way, you can find a place that best matches your interests, values, and familiarity with meditation.

In keeping with our commitment to be as objective and unbiased as possible, we received no compensation for any of the reviews, and nobody even knew that she was attending with the intention of writing about her experiences.  As a result, her opinion has not been affected by any special treatment.  These days, many of us bloggers (UM, too) have been approached by people offering goods, services, or cash for favorable posts or “shout outs”.  We don’t accept any of these offers, and we’ll let you know if there’s any potential conflict of interest.

Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.

While doing some long stretches of meditation last week, my mind had ample time to roam and resist the simple instruction to focus on the breath.  At one point, feeling particularly ragged, I noticed this particular question had arisen.  Though tempting, I resisted my inclination to answer it and briefly admired the trickster quality of such thinking.  It was an open invitation to ruminate–and take myself further from mindful attention on my breathing–in the guise of analyzing mindfulness.  What sneaky brains we have!  Rather than devoting more time on the cushion to consider this question, I acknowledged its emergence and my resultant admiration, then returned my attention to the breath.  Afterwards, a shimmer of pride and a quirky smile came to my face as I congratulated myself on not falling into this “thought trap.”  Whoops!  That was more thinking, too.  Rats.  Oh, well.  Back to the breath…

So, I just returned from a meditation retreat in upstate New York.  The serene setting and wonderful teachings helped me unwind a little bit and learn more about the nature of the mind.  My next few posts will include reflections based on the retreat and my reintegration into the city.

For starters, I thought folks might be interested in learning what happens during a meditation retreat.  Not surprisingly, the focus is on meditation, though its structure and content will vary depending on the orientation of the center and teachers.  This retreat was led by Buddhist teachers–Jack Kornfield, Trudy Goodman, and Shauna Shapiro–who focused on vipassana meditation.  This meditation is focused on cultivating mindfulness through awareness of the breath.  They also taught us meditations to promote loving-kindness, joy, compassion, and equanimity (a.k.a., the brahma-viharas).  I estimate that there were about 200 participants.

Our daily schedule was as follows:

• Meditation (7-8 am)
• Breakfast (8 – 9 am)
• Meditation (9 – noon)
• Lunch and free time (noon – 2:30 pm)
• Meditation (2:30 – 5 pm)
• Dinner and free time (5 – 7:30 pm)
• Meditation (7:30 – 9 pm)

Before you get intimidated (or enticed) by the 9 hours of meditation time, I should mention that it includes explicit meditation (seated and walking), presentations by the teachers (sometimes with Q&A), and opportunities to meet in small groups.  Typically, any particular hour would have 20 minutes of presentation or discussion, 20 minutes of seated meditation, and 20 minutes of walking meditation.

Personally, I welcomed the opportunity to rededicate myself more intensively to meditation, though it was certainly not easy.  The first two days, my shoulders spasmed frequently as I slowly relaxed.  My knees and back ached during the seated meditations.  I used my own cushion (zafu) in order to sit on the floor, but others meditated by sitting in chairs or even lying down.  Of course, my mind also took a couple days in order to quite down.  Initially, I worried over the world that I left behind.  This was the first time in 5 years that I truly “unplugged” by denying myself access to e-mail, computers, internet, and phone.  And, I imagined what might be happening as I was away.  Fortunately, these thoughts dissipated, and I had an opportunity to witness other aspects of my mind.  I realized that–like most of us–my thoughts generally fell into a few categories, like different T.V. channels.  There were a variety of shows and episodes, but thematically most of the “programs” were surprisingly consistent.  So, I decided to group them, and gave them numbers.  So far, I only have three mental channels, and I try to notice whenever my thoughts reflect them.  Earlier today, I was immersed in thinking about something when suddenly I told myself:  Channel One!

Jack Kornfield reflected on how boring it would be for others if they were privvy to most of our day-to-day thoughts.  He wondered what would happen if tiny speakers were hooked into our brains, broadcasting our thoughts to the people around us.  Can you imagine?

While there are many things that I learned from the retreat, I find myself needing more time for reflection.  As an experience, the retreat was a little like Thanksgiving dinner.  There are many different things to try–or experiences to be had–with little time to digest them fully.  Given how fast things were moving (we were introduced to over a dozen different meditations over the 5 days), I felt myself getting a little woozy and logi.  I wish that I could have paused the retreat at various points as I considered and immersed myself in different experiences.  However, I now can return to the areas that were meaningful and important for me.

Overall, I would recommend a meditation retreat to people who are looking to deepen or reinvigorate their contemplative practice.  Working with the mind and body through meditation is not particularly relaxing, so it’s not for everyone.  Visiting a spa or going on vacation are much more effective ways to unwind quickly, especially if you’re simply looking to take a well-deserved break.

Author note:  I’m in the process of moving over the UM archives from our previous site to this new one.  Regrettably, because I switched platforms, this process is fairly labor intensive (i.e., lots of “cut and paste”).  While I’m keeping most of the posts true to their original publication date, occasionally I’ll repost one as current, like this one.  It was originally here on February 13, 2009, and it received a lot of attention.  It also appears in my Urban Mindfulness book, which will be released a little later this year.  Hope you like it (again).  JSK

Meditating on the subway is probably not ideal, but it sure beats playing Brick Breaker on your Blackberry, messing with your iPhone (or PSP), or skipping a meditation session altogether. It is safer (and easier) to meditate at home or as part of a meditation group, but sometimes we simply don’t have the time. So, here is a simple way to meditate “on the go.”

It is very important to maintain some level of awareness for your safety, however. So, please do not attempt this meditation if it’s crowded or if you notice someone around you who is drunk, acting erratically, or doing anything else that might seem threatening or unpredictable. You don’t want to have your bag or wallet stolen or miss some kind of approaching danger. And, meditation-wise, you can always try again later. So, if it seems unsafe or unwise to meditate for you to meditate on the subway, then don’t do it.

If it is safe, then here are the steps in meditating while standing. The meditation essentially is a version of a “body scan” in which you notice the sensations in your body relative to the movement of the train. In my next post, I’ll provide guidelines on how to meditate when you’re fortunate enough to have a seat.

• Check-in with your environment and people around you to make sure that it’s safe to practice now.
• Turn off your iPod or mp3 player. You might want to continue wearing the earphones however, in order to reduce the likelihood that someone will disturb you, however.
• Gather your belongings close to you in order to ensure that they will be secure during the meditation.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Try to position your feet to be at a 45° angle to the centerline of the train, if possible. This will help you maintain balance as the train moves and stops. If necessary, hold onto a bar or railing.
• Roll your shoulders back and raise your chin up so that your head is level. Adopt a posture that embodies confidence and dignity.
• Lower your gaze to be looking at a window or a nondescript area next to someone seated. You could also look at your hand or arm if you’re holding onto part of the train. Do not look directly at another person. This is the city after all-you don’t want to be starting something! Also, it is helpful to keep your eyes open in order to be sensitive to any possible approaching danger.
• Mentally, rest your attention on the physical feelings in your body in the moving train. Pay particular attention to the sensations in your feet and legs. You might notice the way in which your muscles tense and release in order to help you maintain balance as the subway train accelerates and slows down. Become aware of the shift in your body as the train lurches forward or starts to brake. Maintain your awareness on your physical sensations for the duration of your trip.
• Whenever the train stops at a station, take a moment to check calmly and see if this is your stop. The stops, while disrupting your mindful awareness of your body, are like the sounds of a meditation bell, which invite you to refocus your attention.
• Exit when you reach your destination.
• Once you leave the train and move a safe distance away from the platform, take a moment to reflect on the activity and what you noticed. Proceed with your journey with mindful awareness and deliberate action.

Give this meditation a try and let me (and others) know what you think. Please post suggestions and share your experience in order to help guide us in this endeavor together.

Meditate NYC

Meditation teachers use the analogy of the mountain to describe the experience of solidity and groundedness we strive for in meditation. To help with this, we go on retreats removed from civilization to reduce distractions. Well, in the city, there aren’t many mountains to remind us of our sturdiness. The sheer speed and rhythm, all of the moving things, the number of people, are enough to make us feel like less like a mountain and more like a tumbleweed.

Often the best we can do when stressed or overwhelmed is to retreat to the relative comfort of home, or the office, or even the restroom. When I’m feeling particularly tumbleweedy and tossed around by my active brain, often the best I can do is remember to pay attention to my body, listen to it, not fight the experience. The one thing that we always have is the power of attention and awareness, at all times in the present moment. Here are some steps to solidity when you’re on the go in the city:

• While standing on line or waiting for the walk signal, take a moment or two to stand still on the sidewalk.

• Turn your attention inward.

• Take slow, deep breaths (not if you’re behind a bus of course).

• Pay attention to the bottoms of your feet as they are supported by ground.

• Notice the sounds, sights, and smells of the lively city around you.

• Listen to your mind, perhaps feeling embarrassed that you are standing still while no one else is.

• Congratulations! You have brought the mountain to the meditator.