NYC walks: Nature, beauty, & peace

Numerous artists will be opening their studios this weekend in Gowanus, Brooklyn, infamous for its polluted canal--a once-rundown, low-rent neighborhood that's on the upswing now that it has attracted a thriving community of artists. Judging from the online pictures, there's a ton of topnotch, authentic art here--smaller, less glitzy, and more personal than the blockbusters in Chelsea and Uptown. Time and energy permitting, we may walk at the end of the day in Prospect Park.

DISTANCE: About 2-4 miles, depending on whether we visit Park Slope and Prospect Park

ENDING TIME: Around 5 PM. But you can leave earlier, of course.

LUNCH: Bring your own. We'll eat at around 2:40, in a nearby park. Consider bringing a snack to tide you over until lunch if you wish.

COST: $1, to help cover Meetup's $360 annual organizer fee.

TRANSPORTATION: F or G train to Smith and 9th St.

This meeting is for everyone who wants to learn how to meditate, especially those who think they can't meditate because they can't stop their mind from thinking--a common misconception. If you're willing to be open and aware, you can meditate, regardless of how much or how little you're thinking.
I will emphasize a simple awareness method, but I'll also describe the other two common techniques, mantra and breath watching, in case you feel more comfortable with those.
We will start with a short 15 minute meditation, then progress to 20 minutes. After each session we will discuss our experiences and any questions that may arise.
COST: Free.
MY QUALIFICATIONS: I have been meditating daily for about fifty years. I attended a weekly Sufi meditation group for 24 years and a Buddhist one for 3 years, àlthough my approach will be primarily secular. And I wrote an article for the Berkley Wellness Letter about myths that discourage people from meditating.

We'll visit several beautiful churches, including a serene all-white chapel; two tranquil pocket parks with impressive waterfalls; some lovely indoor spaces; and virtually all the lavish art--over 40 works, by far the city's largest display of public art--in Rockefeller Center, most of which I'll bet you've never seen or understood before, no matter how often you've visited this familiar spot. Special treat: A bizarre scene on the rear wall of St. Patrick's Cathedral!

LUNCH: Bring your own. We'll eat in a pocket park, starting at around 2:30 PM. So eat a big breakfast or bring a snack to tide you over till then.

ENDING TIME: Around 4 PM, but you can leave earlier, of course.

COST: $1 to help cover Meetup's $360 annual oranizer fee.............

TRANSPORTATION: N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6 to 59th St. or F, E, M to 53rd St.; or 4, 5 6 to 59th St. Please google MTA service changes for weekend changes on your subway lines.