Mindfulness, Meditation and Me

MINDFUL AWARENESS can be defined as paying attention to present moment experiences with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be with what is. It is an excellent antidote to the stresses of modern times. It invites us to stop, breathe, observe, and connect with one's inner experience.

- Diana Winston, Director for Mindfulness Education at UCLA MARC / The Mindful Awareness Research Center/Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology

Sounds painful, doesn't it?

All that paining (oops, I mean paying) attention?

In an attempt to build my meditation muscle and tone down my snark impulse...

I participated in a one-day mindful meditation workshop.

It included guided instruction, lecture, and exercises (of the non-plank sort, thank God).

The theme was "forgiveness."

By the end of the day, I was able to forgive them for offering lukewarm green tea and tap water... and calling that "refreshments."

Mindful Observation: Grown adults will CRY upon hearing there is NO coffee.

I forgave them for charging 12 bucks for the parking. I forgave them for making me bring a mindful lunch of baby carrots and mediocre hummus. I even forgave them for forcing us all to do a "walking meditation" which resembled a Zombie Apocalypse and freaked out stray college students in the hallway. The expressions of "WTF?" were priceless. Expect litigation.