Sustaining a Practice

It's 10:30pm, I'm tired, and I am so wishing I hadn't waited until now to write this email! It's going to be a short one.

Tomorrow we will have our monthly Still Water orientation for newcomers at 6:30pm. Beginners, seasoned practitioners, and everyone in between are most welcome.

And during our dharma discussion at 8pm, I'd like to invite you into a conversation about sustaining a practice - the joy, gratitude, frustration, anxiety, acceptance, self-judgment, and whatever else comes up as we try to nurture a lifelong mindfulness practice. What works for you and what doesn't. How your body, mind, and heart work together -- or at cross-purposes. Think of it as "open mike" for anyone who wants to share.

See you then!

Warmly,
Peter Cook

We have to go back to our society with the intention to rebuild society and enrich its life by offering the appropriate therapies for its illnesses. I would like to offer an exercise that can help to do this. It is called Touching the Earth.

In each of us, there are many kinds of ideas, notions, attachments, and discrimination. This practice involves bowing down and touching the Earth, emptying ourselves, and surrendering to Earth.

You touch the Earth with your forehead, your two hands, your two feet, and you surrender to your true nature, accepting any form of life your true nature offers you. Surrender your pride, hopes, ideas, fears, and notions. Empty yourself of all resentment you feel toward anyone. Surrender everything, and empty yourself completely. To do this is the best way to replenish yourself. If you do not exhale and empty your lungs, how can fresh air enter?

Thich Nhat Hanh