Bunnies and New Beginnings

Happy Easter to you all!

To Christians this is the most important festival of the year, celebrating the resurrection of Christ. As such, it is the most powerful symbol of new beginnings.

The timing of the Easter Festival is no accident, with many pointing out that it falls around the Equinox when many traditions celebrate the arrival of Spring. The association with bunnies and eggs, strong symbols of fertility and re-birth underline the message that this is a time to consider how we begin again.

For me, I always remember at this time the teaching given by Sharon Salzberg, when she points out how 'beginning again' is the true art of meditation. Here's what she has to say:

The moment you realize you’ve been distracted is the magic moment. It’s a chance to be really different, to try a new response. Rather than tell yourself you’re weak or undisciplined, or give up in frustration, simply let go and begin again. In fact, instead of chastising yourself, you might thank yourself for recognizing that you’ve been distracted, and for returning to your breath. This act of beginning again is the essential art of the meditation practice.

Every time you find yourself speculating about the future, replaying the past, or getting wrapped up in self-criticism, shepherd your attention back to the actual sensations of the breath. If it helps restore concentration, mentally say “in” and “out” with each breath, as suggested earlier.) Our practice is to let go gently and return to focusing on the breath. Note the word “gently.” We gently acknowledge and release distractions, and gently forgive ourselves for having wandered. With great kindness to ourselves, we once more return our attention to the breath.

If you have to let go of distractions and begin again thousands of times, fine. That’s not a roadblock to the practice—that is the practice. That’s life: starting over, one breath at a time.

(Click here for the full teaching)

So this Easter remember to Begin Again - not just once, but as often as you need to. Recognize that the realization that you have to begin again is a magic moment, and celebrate it as such!


The following fully guided meditation allows us to experience the magic of beginning again.



If the embedded audio player above doesn't work for you, please click here.

Bunny Postcard from 1907 by ItsLassieTime
Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5521909

It's Really Easy to Love Everyone...

...it's that guy at work who's hard!

Or the woman on the cellphone weaving between lanes. Or the rabid political commentator. Or the Facebook 'friend' who posts all those terrible jokes. Or the family member who is making your life miserable...

One of the ways that true Loving-kindness or 'Metta' differs from empty affirmations is that it is real and specific. It's not just declaring that you 'love all beings'. That's easy. Anyone can pay lip service to an abstract idea of universal love and fellowship.

It's the specific people who make it hard. That is why our core practice - Metta Bhavana or the 'cultivation of love' is highly specific. We bring real people from our daily lives to mind, and we practice offering them unconditional love.

For most of us that is really hard. But it is that very difficulty that makes the practice worthwhile. It is a true practice, and ongoing commitment to growing our ability to love all beings bit by bit.

In the attached meditation we practice generating loving-kindness for all the people you will meet or interact with in the next few days. It starts with a short introduction then a fully guided 30 minute metta meditation.

If the embedded audio player above doesn't work for you, please click here.

photo credit: Crowded streets of Harajuku, Tokyo via photopin (license)

Metta Meditation Cancelled Today, January 3rd 2016

Hi all, when I woke this morning the forecast was showing it warming a bit this evening. However, that has now been revised and it looks like it may be nasty, so I'm cancelling tonight's group just in case.

Please stay warm and safe, and have a great week.

    Metta, Chris.

Metta Letter: Forget the New Year Resolutions and Do Nothing Now!

If you are not on the 'Metta Letter' mailing list you can read the latest tiny newsletter by clicking here. You can also subscribe to future mailings here. I promise to keep them short, interesting and infrequent!

Just Sitting: Doing Nothing for the Holidays

What is the best gift you can give yourself for the Holidays?

The holidays are, for many of us, a mixed experience. There is joy and friendship, coupled with stress and good old fashioned consumerism. Striking a balance can be hard.

And then there's the question of what can you give yourself?

I often refer to meditation as a 'gift' you can give yourself. There is an apocryphal story of a meditation teacher who was asked how often you should meditate. His answer was simple: "Once a day, unless you are busy, in which case twice a day."

So this holiday be sure to give yourself the gift of doing noting - as often as you need it!

The following audio is a short introduction to 'Just Sitting' meditation, together with a fully guided 30 minute sit.


If the embedded audio player above doesn't work for you, please click here.

photo credit: Creepy Santa via photopin (license)