A Room Without a View
In the group that I help lead on the “outside,” we sit for 30 minutes facing the wall, keeping our spines erect and our eyes open. Following sitting meditation, we walk slowly and deliberately (“knowing we are walking,” in the words of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh) for several more minutes. Room 322 in the jail doesn’t lend itself to much movement, and we usually sit in a circle facing each other. I do ask the participants to check whether their eyes are open or closed, but don’t direct them to do it a certain way. A few minutes of “real-time” meditation teaches more than all the instruction I can offer.
My own history with meditation began 40 years ago with Transcendental Meditation, and for many years I was, in my wife’s words, a spiritual dilettante. (I took that as a compliment!) Whichever technique I was using, I was often aware of a common theme, that somehow I was doing it wrong. Discovering Soto’s non-judgmental approach in the early 1990s was a huge relief. I had stumbled into the Kannon Do Soto Zen center in Mountain View, Calif., and after sitting for 30 or 40 minutes once a day, I decided to try the longer three-sit Saturday morning program. After the first two sits, I looked for my teacher, Les Kaye. It was work period, and he was sweeping the steps.
“Those two sits were just awful,” I said. “My mind was all over the place, so I think I’ll skip the third period.”
He put down his broom and smiled at me. “There’s no such thing as a bad meditation,” he said.
Encouraged, I stayed. An hour later, I was tying my shoes when he came by. “Thanks for your support,” I said. “I’m glad I stayed. That last sit was really good.”
He smiled again, and said, “There’s no such thing as a good meditation.”
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on the cover
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Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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FOUR Comments
Comment / By Donna Slepack / July 22, 12:41 p.m.
Truly inspiring. A potent model described with clarity, simplicity, and compassion.
Comment / By Barbara Madaras / July 23, 8:54 a.m.
Sharing practice is so different from “leading” practice. Thank you, Barry.
Comment / By Diana / July 23, 3:46 p.m.
A thousand thank yous to Barry and the Arcata Zen Group, my son is in that photo, this practice is the light inside the dark.
Comment / By Judith Pearson / Aug. 1, 2:03 p.m.
I think Diana’s comment truly says it all. Thank you, Barry, for taking all of us on the outside inside with your compassionate, informative article.