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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Why Meditate? Pema Chodron’s Thoughts


Aloha Everyone,
As we study meditation together, it is inevitable that you would want to know “Why meditate?”  I hope Pema Chodron’s explanation will help you understand the reason for meditation.  Pema Chodron is a resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Caper Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Westerners.
Source: The Pocket Pema Chodron
Author:  Pema Chodron
Why meditate? (Entry 6)
Why do we meditate?  That is a question we’ll be wise to ask.  Why would we ever bother to spend time along with ourselves?  First of all, it is helpful to understand that meditation is not just about feeling good.  To think that this is why we meditate is to set ourselves up for failure.  We’ll assume we  are doing it wrong almost every time we sit down even the most settled mediator experience psychological and physical pain.  Meditation takes us just as we are, with our confusion and our sanity.  This complete acceptance of ourselves as we are is called maitri, or unconditional friendliness, a simple, direct relationship with the way we are.
Namaste — Cathi

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