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MEDITATION

Many books are writtten on the subject. Jokes are made about sitting in the Lotus position. Even TV adds poke fun at Buddhist monks who are meditating. But what is meditation?

There are more than 10,000 definitions of meditation. We don't have space for all of them here. So, I will give you a short definition of my own:

Meditation is paying attention.

At the Meditation Center, we don’t talk about meditation too much. We try to practice it. We provide a space for people to practice what they have read about. To test the theories. To see if it really works.

Our principal practice is Zazen, but we practice other types and modalities, too. Zazen is a formal kind of meditation; sometimes it is called just sitting. Part of Zazen is Walking Meditation; we sometimes call this just walking.

For most other types of meditation:
There is no right or wrong way to meditate
Just be present
And Breathe
Be willing to watch what happens:
without judgement
without trying to change what is happening

YOU DON’T MEDITATE TO GET ENLIGHTENED –YOU MEDITATE BECAUSE YOU ARE ENLIGHTENED.

ZEN BUDDHISM RETREAT, DECEMBER 8-10, 2006

Thirteen men and women from around Connecticut participated in a three-day retreat at Wisdom House in Litchfield, Connecticut. Retreatants spent much of their time in silence but also experienced guided meditations, walking in the labyrinth, Buddhist music, and brief presentations on Zen Buddhism.