Introductory Waking Up Guided Meditation & Discussion

[Rescheduled to 6/7 due to rain] Waking Up is a non-religious, non-ritualistic meditation practice that explores the nature of consciousness through mindfulness and awareness.

For this first session we will meditate for 20 minutes using the Waking Up app, followed by 10 minutes of slow walking. Then we will use the remaining time to introduce ourselves and discuss everyone's ideas for the future direction of the meetup and what everyone wants to achieve.

Schedule:
09:45~10:00 Meet at Yoyogi Park west entrance near Yoyogi kamizonocho
(代々木神園町) bus stop (near the parking lot) and walk to the meditation spot.
10:00-10:10 Prepare for meditation.
10:10~10:30 Guided meditation from Waking Up
10:30~10:40 Slow walking
10:40~11:120 Introductions and discussions
11:20~11:30 Optional: Walk to Alishan Park for coffee or vegan lunch.

Notes on Meditation:
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. You can wear any clothes you wish, including jeans, but most people prefer to wear smooth, loose-fitting clothes that won't risk any discomfort.

We will sit on the ground, on a cushion (optional). Sit with a strait posture in the back and head. For our meeting spot in the grass, it might be helpful to buy a "Zabuton" or meditation cushion, available on Amazon or other stores for approximately JPY5,000. I regret that I am not able to carry an extras to lend out. As we will sit on dirt or grass, a picnic sheet from Daiso is highly recommended. Daiso also sells small sitting cushions that might prove useful.

You can meditate with eyes open or closed. You can rest your hands face up or face down in a comfortable position on your legs or lap or together near your stomach. For the slow walk there is also no right or wrong way, but I can teach you a style of slow walking that would be useful when attending a Zazen session.