Meditation Class, Take 2

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In January, I started a meditation class, but stopped when I realized that I was going to have to miss two night classes and the day-long meditation practice. Today, I started again--this time in a class with quite a few more people, a good range of ages and professions. Quite a few are already meditation practitioners, and a couple of them work as either social workers or therapists. We also have one scientist and someone interested in researching meditation. I didn't say much today, realizing that I always feel compelled to come up with something funny or insightful or confessional. Wish I could write more about the class members, but confidentiality was emphasized, so I won't. I can mention that the 8-week class is held by the Penn Program for Mindfulness, if you are so inclined to join in.

We did a 25 minute body scan meditation and I very nearly tipped over the edge into sleep. Like, I could feel that moment happen where your brain starts doing nonsensical things, such as thinking about Native Americans (this thought popped into my pre-REM mind today, Oh, I wonder if the NA made it back to their teepees? It seemed related to a dream I had recently, but that too escaped me when I tried to snap out of it).

I like the teacher a lot. He wore a suit and spoke like an every day, normal person--not someone who was going to tell us to take out our crystals and rub them on our chakras (the word chakra always reminds me of a pin my friend Jennifer had in high school that read "My karma ran over my dogma"). But he has also been practicing meditation for 30 + years, so he may be trying to trick us into being mindful. I'm on to him.

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