MINDFULNESS 8: FAITH-SPECIFIC CONTEXT

 

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the final session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

 

Our topic this evening is "The Faith-Specific Context", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group. The emphasis this evening is on establishing and maintaining our own practice.

To start, Kevin leads us through discussion of "object-based meditation"; that is, meditation on the body (breath, heartbeat, physical sensations), a mantra or visual objects (such as a mandala). This leads into talking about "just sitting", the style of meditation practised in Soto Zen.

The phrase "monkey mind" is used several times, meaning the tendency of the mind to run off if left unattended. When we're meditating and a thought arises naturally, we may notice it, but not engage with it. The same goes for any sensory stimulation.

One of the basic aspects of practising meditation is sitting comfortably - in a chair, on the floor, on a small individual bench (padded or unpadded), using cushions of different size and shape. We should be able to relax into a comfortable position - upright, but not "fiercely upright". We should not be trying to make a martyr of ourselves, physically.

We rearrange the seating, dim the lights (I'm designated "light monitor") then sit together in silence for fifteen minutes. Kevin starts and ends this period of group meditation by lightly tapping a brass bowl; the first ring signifies the start of the period of meditation, the second, a quarter of an hour later, its end. It's an unusual thing to do, just being with people rather than having to do something with them.

As the session - and the course - come to an end, we're encouraged to consider establishing our own practice, if we don't have one already. We're encouraged to find the opportunity to meditate regularly, either on our own as individuals or with others in a group - either an existing one or one that we might be able to form in our own community of belief.

Barbara Butler (Executive Secretary of Christians Aware) expresses our collective thanks to Ian and Kevin for having led us through this fascinating journey over these eight sessions. For those of us who've taken these first steps together, we're aware that the journey has only just begun.

 

 

MINDFULNESS 7: POINTING BEYOND THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the seventh session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "Pointing Beyond Thoughts and Feelings", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group. It turns out to be the most overtly Buddhist of all the sessions so far.

We begin with a short period of guided meditation, in which we are able to relax physically and reflect mentally on the themes of the first six sessions. Then, in small groups, we're asked to discuss the question "What is the purpose of religion - or faith?" As usual, we come up with a variety of answers, which reflect both the positive and the negative: 

"It gives a sense of belonging"

"It gives a narrative that you can be part of"

"It provides a sense of mutual obligation"

"It provides a framework for human searching and longing"

"It offers transcendence above the self"

"It can offer hope for something beyond this life"

"It can provide membership of a worshipping community"

"It can offer the chance to become sanctified"

"It can help to integrate and interpret"

"It makes us think"

"It helps one understand oneself"

"It can stunt and distort"

"It can provide social control"

"It provides a source of authority"

"It can provide one with the means of 'individuating'"

"It can lead to the loss of ego as one's dominant function"

"It offers the opportunity to grow in holiness"

"It can engender feelings of satisfaction - or dissatisfaction"

"It can transform the experience of suffering"

"It can give feelings of guilt"

"It can lead to loss of a sens of self-worth"

"It can be a source of power greater than oneself"

"It is a pull from eternity"

Kevin leads us through a quarter of an hour or so, where he explains how the practice of mindfulness can be mapped on to Buddhism. Clearly, Buddhism is a very diverse way of thinking and being, so he has to be pretty general in doing this. However, it's definitely useful and interesting. He then takes on the (even more) difficult task of organising us to look at how to map mindfulness and meditation on to our own belief system and practices. Considering that the group this evening is made up of eight Christians (of various denomination), four Buddhists, two Hindus, one Bahá'í  one Humanist and one Unitarian, a few of the groups are a bit pik'n'mix. But once again, it's a useful and interesting exercise, which allows us to share with each other and learn from each other.

In our discussion, I recall that for a few years when I lived in Oakham, I was involved in a monthly meeting of the Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer, which I found very beneficial. I would love to get back into that practice.

MINDFULNESS 6: BELIEFS & VALUES

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the sixth  session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "Beliefs and Values", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group.

We consider how our beliefs and values can form goggles that stop us from seeing things as they really are - which could be good or bad, all things considered. After all, as T.S. Eliot famously said, "Human kind cannot bear very much reality." Our beliefs and values can, of course, prevent us from seeing, acknowledging or appreciating other beliefs and values as well as (arguably) other people who hold them.

Having listened to Alexei Sayle speaking earlier today (as part of De Montfort University's Cultural eXchanges programme) about his childhood being raised in a strictly Communist household, I find this a "join-the-dots" moment here.

If one is hostage to one's beliefs and values, then one is powerless before - or under - them. I'd link that back into a point made at last week's session: Once we become aware of how we think, we become more aware that we can be the author of what we think. This reminds me of a phrase summarising an important aspect of Buddhist belief and practice that Dharmavidya David Brazier gave me when I was writing the Council of Faith's Buddhist leaflet: "that mind can be cultivated". But what if one's beliefs and values are of the sort that don't permit change ... well, let's leave that sort of double-bind for the moment, shall we?

To start with, we were each given a page with reflective and inspirational short passages, some no more than a sentence long, some overtly religious, others spiritual, some others more of a humanist nature. All of them are shown below:

"There will never be any more perfection than there is now. Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now. ... Why should I wish to see God better than this day?" (Walt Whitman)

"Paradise is still upon earth, and only because of our self-thinking and self-willing we do not see and hear God." (Jacob Boehme)

"It is eternity now. I am in the midst of it. It is about me in the sunshine; I am in it, as the butterfly floats in the light-laded air. Nothing has to come; it is now. Now is eternity; now is the immortal life." (Richard Jeffries)

"Better keep yourself clean and bright: you are the window through which you must see the world." (George Bernard Shaw)

"Truly my soul is silently waiting for God." (Eckhart)

"In the true silence of the flesh, and in the pure Stillness of Spirit. ... Tasting the hidden life, the hidden manna in the heart." (Isaac Pennington)

"Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity." (Thomas Carlyle)

"Go, sweep out the chamber of your heart.
Make it ready to be the dwelling-place of the Beloved.
When you depart out, He will enter in.
In you, void of yourself, will He display His beauty."
(Marmud Shabistara)

"God be in my head
And in my understanding
God be in my eyes
And in my looking
God be in my mouth
And in my speaking
God be in my heart
And in my thinking
God be at my end
And at my departing.
(Walford Davies)

"When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself." (Shunryu Suzuki)

Consideration of these gave rise to interesting reflections. Some describe the passages as being richer in feeling than they are in logical thought; some say the passages were struggling to say something rational, but still something worth trying to say; others speak about the extracts conveying something of acceptance and appreciation of the moment; but then there's something more, something of awe, of wonder - something of which we've all surely had some experience.

We undertake an exercise to help each of us identify our core values and get the chance to talk about these. We also discuss the difference between mindfulness and other terms that are bandied about in these contexts (e.g. concentration, contemplation, meditation). We're going to pick this up again next week.

Ian Grayling, who's been leading these sessions, isn't entirely happy at how it's gone this evening. He wonders aloud if he's not been as good as he could have been at communicating what he's wanted us to do. I don't think he should be so hard on himself, and tell him so in front of the group. Each week we've gone deeper into this topic and have dealt with increasingly subtle areas. Digging into our core values and central beliefs is a bit more demanding than closing our eyes, sitting quietly and thinking about what me might be hearing.

MINDFULNESS 5: THINKING & FEELING

After a one-week break for half term, I'm back at ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the fifth session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "Thinking and Feeling", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group.

We begin with a quick recap of the course so far, in small groups. We share our varied experiences, listen to diverse understanding and appreciations of what has happened in the previous five sessions. One of the most interesting, from my point of view (or perhaps, one suited to my taste) is how the practice of mindfulness brings an enhanced awareness of the body, an acceptance of the physical. It's not an attempt to deny our bodily nature or flee the material world. We spoke about how mindfulness may be seen as a state of reverence toward creation and our place in it. This appears to sum up our first four sessions and offers a bridge into the second part of the course. So far, we've been trying to be mindful of the world around us, mediated by our senses. Now we're going to begin to look within.

Ian asks us to consider how we think: "What is the stuff of thought?" Why is it so hard to express in terms that are comprehensible or meaningful to ourselves or to other people the nature of our constant experience of thinking?

Is it visualising - seeing images inside our head? Is it hearing a voice or voices? Is that voice our own, someone else's or does it vary? Do ideas exist independent of words? Are they in a place that is somehow pre-langauge? If so, then by what means do we access them? Do different people think in different "sensory modalities" - an internalised version of the senses that mediate our external experiences? Is it all random and uncontrollable?

We try a number of thought experiments, imagining some everyday sensory experiences. While some of those present appear to be reacting as if they are undergoing those experiences inside their heads, to me they are felt at arm's length. It's not too hard to imagine my favourite song (the one that leaps up, unbidden, is XTC's "Life Begins at the Hop" - never miss an opportunity to plug XTC!) or to see a nice garden, but I can't feel the taste of lemon juice, the touch of sandpaper on my skin or the smell of freshly cut grass. This leads us back to something we discussed at the last session, how the senses of taste, touch and smell or invasive, how they take place inside the body, as distinct from sight and hearing, which show us things that are "out there". Other interesting questions arise from this exercises: when you imagine a piece of music in your head, are you the performer or are you listening to a performance? Are you originating something or remembering something - and what's the difference between the two?

Arguably, there are only two ways in which people can think: through "internalised senses" and verbally. Once we become aware of how we think, we become more aware that we can be the author of what we think. This reminds me of that phrase in the Council of Faith's Buddhist leaflet: "that mind can be cultivated".

We're asked to go back into the small groups in which we started the evening and to make a list of as many emotions as we can. We come up with 34. Ian starts to make a list of some of these on the flipchart (no more than half a dozen though) under two columns: "good" and "bad". But that's too simplistic, too value-laden (deliberately on his part, I'm sure). We plump for a list of emotions that we like to have and emotions that we wouldn't like to have. But there's general agreement that we can't have the former without experiencing the latter. That would be like never being able to experience the pleasure, contentment of satisfaction of eating if we hadn't known hunger or emptiness.

We spend the last quarter hour or so considering the triune model of the brain, which we touched on at the end of session four: the reptilian part, which deals with the basic functions of life, is rigid and compulsive; the limbic, shared by all mammals, which deals with memories and emotions, is the basis of value judgements in humans and has unconscious influence over behaviour; and the neo-cortex, which deals with language, thought and imagination and is the seat of planning and intentional behaviour and problem solving.

I know it's still winter so I probably shouldn't complain, but I must say it's bloomin' freezing tonight! I'm wearing two jumpers, that's how cold it is. The walk from my house to Clarendon Park Road and back is crisp!

MINDFULNESS 4: THE OTHER SENSES

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the fourth session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "The Other Senses", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group (in what Ian describes as a "job lot").

Ian shows us two "calming techniques" using accupressure which we can apply ourselves, on our wrists, then our hands. He wonders aloud if these techniques actually work or if it's just the practice of doing something mindfully that brings a sense of calm.

We are each asked to pick a single raisin from a tub that is passed around the room. We hold it between thumb and forefinger and roll it around. How does it feel? Then hold it up to our noses. How does it smell? Then place it against our lips: how does that feel? Pop it in our mouths, roll it around on your tongue - but don't chew it! How does that feel? Start chewing, but don't swallow it until you feel compelled to.

Later we try standing perfectly still. This is rather like our attempt to be completely silent last week. When we're trying to be silent we hear stuff going on inside our bodies and inside our heads. When we try to stand still, we feel our body making adjustments to our position as our brain checks and fixes our balance.

MINDFULNESS 3: LISTENING

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the second session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "Listening", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group.

We begin with a guided meditation, helping us recognise the difference between being tense and being relaxed. We finish up with quiet listening and consider if the room is really silent when no one is speaking. It's not, of course, but it's interesting how many different sounds people can hear, either outside (the clock on the wall ticking, fluorescent lights humming, traffic in the distance) or inside (their own heartbeat, the rush of blood in the ears, the effects of tinnitus).

From week one, we've been becoming familiar with the Mandarin Chinese symbol for the verb, "to listen". It includes the symbol not only for the ears (which we'd expect for listening) but also for the eyes, for undivided attention, for the heart and for the whole person. Listening requires more than just hearing. Tonight we practise some of the skills needed for using the ears and eyes in giving undivided attention - including dialogue, paraphrasing, open questions, empathy. These aren't anything new or startling of course, but the brief experience of practice in small groups tonight is instructive and worthwhile. Listening demonstrates respect; empathy demonstrates compassion; giving the speaker your undivided attention draws the heart into the process. We come to the conclusion that listening and getting it wrong is better than not listening and still getting it wrong!

It's a four mile round trip to Christchurch from my place, on foot. I enjoy the walk (even on a freezing cold evening like this one) and enjoy listening to Ian Dury on the way there. But after having done this session on listening, I find that I walk all the way back without benefit of iPod - not intentionally, but that's unusual for me to do three quarters of an hour in silence. I guess whatever we were doing had some kind of effect ...

MINDFULNESS 2: SEEING

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the second session in the course, "Mindfulness". This eight-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware (as part of its Faith Awareness programme) in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Our topic this evening is "Seeing", facilitated by Ian Grayling and Kevin Commons, from the Serene Reflection Group.

What we understand we see is more than just what enters through the eyes. The brain's need to make sense of things allows it to be tricked into seeing things that might not be what they appear. Often we don't see what is actually there, but try to represent what we think is there - or what we believe should be there. This requires us to look closely, attentively, mindfully. We're given some practical experience in this by Beatte Dehnen, who gets us to do some drawing. I used to draw quite well, but am I ever out of practice! Less overtly "spiritual" content than last week, though we still do a few exercises on our breathing.

I arrive in Clarendon Park a little earlier than I should, so I stop in at Sansome's bar on Queens Road. There I find fliers for a "Faith Discussion Group" that takes place there on Tuesday evenings. "Meet some friendly people for a spiritual based discussion followed by a curry and pub quiz" it says. Right now I have another commitment Tuesday evenings, but I leave my card with the fellow behind the bar and ask him to pass it on to whoever organises this event. I'd like to be kept informed at least.

MINDFULNESS 1: INTRODUCTION

To ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the first session of a new Faith Awareness course, offered by Christians Aware.

 

 

I enjoyed the course I attended at the same venue in the autumn of last year, "Exploring the Diversity of Hinduism". This new course, on "Mindfulness", looks right up my street: a subject in which I've long been interested, with a useful practical bent to it.

 

Of those I meet here this evening, a dozen or so faces are new to me. I'm surprised to recognise only two people from the Hinduism course. I'm more surprised, though, to see that the course tutor is Ian Grayling, who was my mentor on the Professional Certificate in Education with Leicester University several years ago. Ian is currently Executive Director of the East Midlands Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (EMCETT), based at South Leicestershire College. He describes himself this evening as a practising Buddhist, living a contemplative life and adhering to a set of universal values. He says that, as far as he's concerned, mindfulness could be described from the standpoint of psychology, physiology or faith and it would be seen as virtually the same thing from each of these perspectives.

Ian (and his colleague Kevin Commons, also attending) are members of Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group. This course is a joint presentation between that group and Christians Aware.

The course will make use of several delivery techniques, including hands-on activities. The aim will be to promote active and reflective learning in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. More specifically, the programme seeks to enable us to:

• use a range of mindfulness skills in daily life;
• increase our knowledge of ourselves, and awareness of ourselves in relation to others;
• develop a positive attitude to the simple activities of daily life;
• value stillness.

As an ice-breaker, we are asked to write, on a PostIt note, one thing that we'd say about ourselves that helps define who we are - one thing about us that we think other people wouldn't know. Then we had to fold it up tight and throw it on the floor in the middle of the room. Ian unfolded the notes, read them aloud and we had to try and guess who had written each one. Here's a few of them:

"Meditation gave me the insight to manage difficulties at work and eventually led me to move to a new job."

"Through using my senses I can love others more."

"I lead a hectic life; I may appear calm but there is always a tension in me between mental activity and inwardly closing my eyes due to God's presence."

"Love for Africa through being brought up on a farm."

"A retired insurance broker."

"I enjoy riding my bike."

"I love questions, running every morning and being loved."

"I don't think there is one thing only that I am, and being is richness."

"I am silenced by being questioned."

"Searching for inner peace and calmness."

"The fact that I'm an identical twin has affected my life in certain ways."

"I once sang 'Mary's Born [sic] Child' on stage at the age of 4 in a crowded theatre."

"I love teasing."

"I recently found out that I am half an inch taller than I thought I was."

"Quite independent."

"Born in Yorkshire and didn't leave willingly."

 

Can you identify mine from the list above, faithful reader? Since I only know three people attending, I didn't have much chance of matching up the people with the PostIts. A further complication would have arisen from the fact that those who might regard themselves as introverted may have written something about their outward-facing selves and vice versa - since they are meant to be things that we thought others wouldn't know about us. A bit of a double-bluff - even on ourselves! This led us to consider together the many ways of defining who we are and what we are: our occupation; where we were brought up; how we were brought up; our social networks; our family; how other people treat us (especially in childhood, by teachers, parents, siblings); our beliefs and values.

As well as being an introduction to the course, this evening's meeting is devoted to establishing ground rules for the conduct of future sessions. The weeks ahead are laid out as follows:

• Session 2 (25 Jan) Seeing (using perception and drawing exercises)
• Session 3 (1 Feb) Listening (using activities to explore attention and deep listening)
• Session 4 (8 Feb) The Other Senses (using exercises related to the other senses - followed by half term week)
• Session 5 (22 Feb) Thinking and Feeling (material about the three levels of the brain)
• Session 6 (1 Mar) Beliefs and Values (exploring individual perspectives)
• Session 7 (8 Mar) Pointing Beyond Thoughts and Feelings (the place of meditation or contemplation)
• Session 8 (15 Mar) The Faith Specific Context (representing all faiths and none)