The Little Book of Being -- A Reading & Practice Group

[Note on location: It turns out the Audubon Center is closed on Sundays, so we're looking for an alternative location. See discussion in comments below for a discussion on location choice.]

See book description here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40630089-little-book-of-being

This will be the first in a new series of reading and practice group gatherings focusing on Diana Winston's excellent book, The Little Book of Being. It's a book which places mindfulness practice in a wider container than most, by emphasizing that there are actually a a spectrum of awareness practices in which there are various kinds and types of mindfulness as practice, not just one.

At the far left side of this spectrum sits focused awareness practice, in which we seek to sustain mindful awareness of, for example, our breathing (often narrowly located around our nostrils, for example). In the center of the spectrum is flexible awareness practice, in which we allow our awareness to shift or widen its focus in specific ways while remaining mindful. And at the right end of the spectrum is what Diana Winston calls natural awareness practice, "... which is not commonly included in classical mindfulness meditation," according to Winston.

"Natural awareness practice is usually effortless and objectless, emphasizing awareness of awareness. With natural awareness practice, we don't have to try so hard. Our mind tends to rest in a place of ease, and awareness tends to happen on its own. Typically, attention is broad and it doesn't focus on objects." (From the book)

Awareness of awareness, at first glance, appears rather pedestrian, because we may encounter this as nothing more than an idea. But becoming experientially aware of awareness itself is actually a profound, vivid and rather exciting process of discovery which may cause you to say "Wow!" That mindfulness practice can actually be effortless is another discovery which may lead to a joyful enthusiasm.

The ideas and explorations in this book will useful to anyone exploring embodied Mindfulness practices, but especially those who may be soon returning to MOSI practice after a long hiatus of classes and sesssions. The spectrum of awareness practices is a fundamental insight within the very heart of MOSI (pronounced moh-zee, acronym for mindfulness oriented somatic inquiry).

MOSI and MSI folk have previously offered a series of gatherings around this book and we're very happy to be offering this series again.

Our gatherings will be casual, friendly and welcoming.

Please read up to, and through, chapter 8 prior to this gathering. That is only 35 pages.

These gatherings have no fee.

This group will be facilitated by James Martin & Kevin Williams.

We will meet at the Audubon Center parking lot and walk a short distance to the pavilion (shade structure) and sit there for book discussion and practice.

We're setting this first session well ahead of time so everyone will have ample time to acquire the book and read the first eight chapters. If you'd like to order the book in a group order for cost savings, let us know in the comments below.

Bring drinking water or some other thirst quencher.

Questions are welcome in the comments below.