Tuesday Night Meditation Sits

The Auckland Sphere Group have a meditation sits on at 7.30pm on Tuesdays in Westmere. At each meditation we go through a different form of Metta or Mindfulness meditation, and explore the strength and support of meditating in a group.

“Metta means the embrace of the friend, as in mitta, kalyanamitta” - Lama Karma Chime Shore

These meditations are suitable for beginners to advance, and build a foundation of calm, kindness, openess and clarity in daily life. Sitting in a group allows a shared experience of these qualities, the opportunity to grow and question what Metta/Loving Kindness and Mindfulness really means and feels like within the body and its impact on situations when interacting with others. It is a wonderful feeling to rest in.

“Metta means to soften, to melt, to mix” - Lama Mark Webber

The meditations explored are tried and true, and can provide a much needed relief from stressful hectic lives, body pain, emotional suffering and confusion. They can also provide the strength and energy to explore the mysteries of life, and be the gateway to tremendous joy.

To quote from the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche - “Why do Loving Kindness practice? Because it is Bliss!”. If you are having trouble finding the time to meditate in your daily life, coming along can help strengthen your practice.

Mindfulness practice strengthens our ability to engage with our lives in a healthy and skillful manner. Mindfulness helps us to see things as they are, clearly and compassionately. Mindfulness develops and nurtures our humanity. Mindfulness Meditation practices are taught to help with grounding, concentration, focus, kindness and calm.

“The cultivation of a meaningful peace can be understood as the human enlightenment project. According to traditional Dharma, this means cultivating mindfulness, the humane in us. This is the central idea of the Dharma. The teachings here are created to serve mindfulness. For this reason, the Buddha devised reflections and exercises that are intended as universally helpful practice. Within this view, the foundations of mindfulness might be thought of as mental health. In this case, mental health is the first priority of mindfulness practice.” Lama Karma Chime Shore

http://www.aucklandsphere.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Metta-lilly.jpg

If you have been meditating for ages, come and hangout with people of like minds.

The meditation sits are led by Janet Eades (http://www.aucklandsphere.org/janet-eades/), Eileen Burton and Mira Riddiford (http://www.aucklandsphere.org/mira-riddiford/) (who have around a century of experience of meditation between them).