I have been to many meetings in the last week - planning meetings, study meetings, discussion meetings, even a meditation meeting - with different groups of people. As I have mentioned, our district and chapter are working to have more meaningful meetings. We believe everyone should have an opportunity to speak and we are trying new ways to accomplish that. Most people don't like to be put on the spot, "Bob, what so you think about that?" Then Bob is stuck agreeing or disagreeing when he probably didn't care. But first, let's look at the meetings I attended this week.
Last Sunday we had a district discussion meeting. We had a plan, a somewhat loose plan, but a plan. After chanting, the district leader pulled out something different than the plan and started off. Now, I've been through so much in SGI that this was no problem for me, but the older Japanese women were lost. They had studied for this meeting and now it was different. But we survived and had a good meeting where almost everyone shared their goal for this year.
Tuesday, I went to a sitting meditation meeting with my friend. Two weeks earlier she went to a SGI study meeting with me, so it was my turn to hold up my side of the deal. We went to a church in Los Altos, CA. We were at bit late and the meditation had already started. I sat in a chair, it was so quiet. As I looked around I noticed most of the people were older than me. There were a few in their 30's & 40's, but the majority were over 60. It reminded me of Santa Cruz. Anyway, the object of this meditation was to not think. I tried to concentrate on a dot on a quilt behind the leader. I was not good at this. I longed to go next door to the 12 step program. They were having fun! After 30 minutes of this, the leader started talking - in that monotone, low voice that put me to sleep. The others were eating it up - really into this. She talked about intent before meditating. What do you do to get ready to meditate. I thought that was important for all of us. I'll probably bring that up at a meeting sometime. What I disliked the most was not interacting with the others. OK, I confess, I didn't like being quiet for 90 minutes. It took two days to fully wake up.
Friday it was a WD leaders meeting. Again with the goals. This time it was a list of anything we wanted to accomplish in our lives.
Saturday night I went to a district meeting in another chapter with my district leader. I had seen these members before, but had only met the leaders. I always think our district meetings are uninspiring, but OMG, I now have a huge appreciation for our district. The meeting was poorly planned and no one was prepared. At least 20 minutes consisted of reading out of the Living Buddhism magazine or another publication. I noticed my district leader was looking at the bird, I was, too. Then we started in. There is no better way to shake up a meeting than to have us show up. The members enjoyed the conversation going on between their chapter MD, my district WD leader and me. Actual discussion with dissenting views. We had a good time. I don't think the other district leader liked it, she snapped at me when I thought I was being polite and kind.
Sunday was chapter gosho study. This meeting was well planned - down to the minute. Everything went well including the YD puppet show about a cherry tree. It did go a bit long, but we'll fix that for next time. After the meeting, our group leader asked how the other district meeting went. The district leader kinda smiled and said we wouldn't go back. I bet we get invited back by at least some of the members at that meeting. We know how to liven up a meeting.
Here is what I have learned about meetings in the last week:
Have a good plan
Have goals
Be prepared
Get everyone involved especially young people and new members
Leave time for people to talk
The goals are more important than the plan
Lighten up, it's just a meeting
Don't read, interpret, make it personal
Do something different
After so many meetings, I think the first 3 are very important. The plan shouldn't be fill in the blanks, though. Try something different. Have everyone write something down - a goal or determination or something from the presentation - and then share. The goals can be simple - everyone speaks - or challenging - 3 guests or no one falls asleep. Being prepared means reading the material before the meeting. Practice your presentation, either out loud or in your head. DON"T READ it at the meeting, present it.
Another great idea:
Meet somewhere new - outside, coffee shop, skating rink, bar, museum, special event.
Have any other ideas? Let's talk.
Posted by nt at January 26, 2009 10:15 AMSounds good. I like your ideas about making meetings better. I'd like to know how you make out with different places for the meetings.
But I'm from Santa Cruz and didn't get this:
"There were a few in their 30's & 40's, but the majority were over 60. It reminded me of Santa Cruz."
I'll grant you Santa Cruz needs more Youth Division but I don't think the majority of us are over 60. Although all that partying does age you faster.
I started this reply last night, but never completed it. I thought I removed that Santa Cruz comment. I wasn't referring to the age of the participants, but the "look". There is a Santa Cruz look - sorta Dead-Head/hippie grown up. When hippies grow up, do they move to Los Altos?
Posted by: Nancy at January 27, 2009 04:35 PMHi Nancy,
First, I think you're very brave to take on 90 minutes of silent mindfulness meditation! My own first experience was with a
very kind group who studied with Thich Nhat Hanh.
They chanted with me before we began a 10 minute exercise in
silent meditation. I experienced similar feelings of annoyance after my training in SGI...
always doing something or saying or thinking something toward a goal. (Not that I'm judging anyone else's approach...). But during the 10 minutes I noticed there was a place in the middle
of my constant, busy evaluation which was quiet.
From there I could see in a different way.
I hope you don't judge meditation by how you
felt during what I think was an inappropriate introduction to this valuable addition to our daily practice.
My main practice is chanting and reciting the Lotus Sutra. The few minutes each day when I take
time to pay attention to what lies beneath and between my thoughts and actions
is another tool I can use to live in harmony.
Take care, Patty
Patty,
I do understand why people would be drawn to meditation. In this hectic world, some quiet down time is therapeutic. My main problem is it's effect on my mood. I was low energy for 2 days - tired. That probably tells me something, also.
Nancy,
90 minutes would have done me in as well! Especially without preparation. Yikes!
I don't think there's any proof that meditation and a feeling of lassitude have a direct
relationship. Most of the time I experience a calm
focus. I hope you weren't turned off by that one experience.
This is mainly what I was hoping to communicate. I remember that meditation was highly
'poo-pooed' in the 3o+ years I was an SGI member and I wanted to
say that one can have a vibrant Nichiren Buddhist
practice and meditate...I do.
Take care, Patty
Hi, I just wanted to chime in and support Patty's remarks. From my own experience I can tell you that when you step out from the SGI, there are some adjustments you need to make or get used to. For one thing, much smaller groups. Secondly, a whole different rhythm, slower, quieter. It's hard sometimes to accept serenity, we often have a tendency to fight it.
Most people find it difficult to meditate at first. It's boring, you feel tired. Like anything else it takes a while to get the hang of it, so give it a fair try. When I first went to NSA meetings, my knees hurt. After a while, they didn't.
I doubt seriously that there is any real connection between your meditation experience and feeling tired for two days afterward. I'm not saying you didn't feel that, but I am sure there is something else going on. To kind of restate what I said before, meditation is a practice, that means you have to practice at it before it comes naturally.
I don't know what kind of sitting group you went to, but I have always found it helpful to do some chanting after meditation, or perhaps some tai chi or gigong exercises. They are forms of meditation too, and can help in reviving one's energy levels.
So, as Patty said, don't judge meditation just by one or two experiences.
Posted by: David at January 29, 2009 11:02 PMHi Nancy... Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm going to my first meditation "retreat" here in Des Moines, I'm hoping there are some "Santa Cruz" looking people because I miss that. It's going to last from 8:30am - 4:30pm... the whole idea is to be silent and reach that special place in your self. Silent all day might be a bit difficult for me.... I'm a bit of a talker, that's probably why Greg and I were such good friends. I'll let you know how it goes.
I'm glad you're experiencing other trains of thought, you don't need to jump aboard but it's fun to watch them.
Posted by: Danna at January 30, 2009 04:27 PMNancy:
One of the preliminary obstacles or impediments to concentration in dhyana mediation is sleepiness. I assert that there is a direct relationship between your sleepiness and your attempt at meditation, but there could have been other contributing factors.
As someone who is somewhat experienced with various forms of meditation, this stage is quickly transcended, but is quite natural. If you seriously pursued dhyana meditation, just wait until you strated to hear voices in a very natural stage that induces what I can only describe as "auditory hallucinations."
The further you get, the stranger things can get. Out of body experiences; torrential outpouring of base, carnal, and wicked thoughts from the depths of the unconscious; magnification of the senses; the appearence of seductive light that is not in fact pure or holy in any way, but a distraction that bedazzles one away from the truth or secret of that meditation.
With slient meditation, it is enough to be mindful of the moment - re-reminding yourself to be in that moment until you become that moment. Sounds easy, but it's tough because our conscious mind is exploding with internal chatter. There is value in slient meditation.
Charles
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