Upcoming Events:
Jennifer’s Meditation Groups:
Sundays 10:00 to 11:30 at our new location, Yoga Downtown
#3-505 23rd Street East, near the Medical Arts Building just off Spadina
There’s lots of street parking Sunday mornings. The parking lot at the west end of the building, near the entrance to Yoga Downtown is reserved 24-7 so you risk being towed if you park there.
Mondays, 11:15 to 12:00, in the Multifaith Room, 4th Floor, Royal University Hospital
Drop In Mindfulness Meditation Practice Group- Everyone is Welcome!
For more information call Jennifer, 652-7663
Other Meditation Groups:
Insight Meditation Group: Contact: Jeanne Corrigal jeannecorrigal@sasktel.net. Meditation and discussion Sunday nights from 7:30 to 9:00 at Renew Yoga. Metta practice the last Sunday of each month.
Community of Mindful Living: Thich Nhat Hanh Zen Mindfulness Practice: Contact Emer O’Hagan, emer.ohagan@usask.ca. Weekly mindfulness meditation practice Monday nights 7:00 at the Unitarian Church.
Saskatoon Cha’an Meditation Group: Contact Simon or Doris Shum at 955-9288 shums@sasktel.net
Silent Illumination method taught by Dharma Drum Mountain http//www.chan1.org/ Meditation and discussion Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 to 9:00 pm
University of Saskatchewan Meditation Group – 20 minute meditation followed by tea and discussion. Tuesdays, 11:45 am to 12:45 PM on campus. For information contact Donna Lindsay at: donna.lindsay@usask.ca
For more information about groups and retreats, check out our website: www.saskatooninsight.com.
Metta or Lovingkindness Practice
Metta, which can be translated from Pali as friendliness or lovingkindness, is the first of the brahma viharas, the “heavenly abodes”. The others, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, grow out of metta, which supports and extends these states.
Metta is one of the most important Buddhist practices. Most simply, it is the heartfelt wish for the wellbeing of ourselves and others. When describing metta, the Buddha used the analogy of the care a mother gives her only child. It is the softening of the heart that allows us to feel empathy with the happiness and sorrow of the world.
Metta practice is the cultivation of our capacity for lovingkindness- it does not involve positive thinking or the imposition of a positive attitude. Rather, we meditate on our intentions, however weak or strong they may be.
In doing metta practice, we gently repeat phrases that are meaningful in terms of what we wish, first for ourselves and then for others. Some traditional phrases are:
May I be safe and protected from inner and outer harm.
May I be peaceful and happy.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I live with ease and grace.
We can alter the phrases to express what is truly significant for you.
We then extend these loving wishes to:
* a respected, beloved person- such as an elder or spiritual teacher
* a dearly beloved person, partner, spouse, child
* a neutral person- someone for whom you have no special feelings
* a challenging person
* all beings