Playwork for this week (click here for Word document): Jamal asks us to practice the following meditation at least three times during the week. This is a Buddhist meditation technique which focuses on the breath, using the following steps:
1. Gently close your eyes and focus on your nostrils. Concentrate on your breathing – gently noticing your breath going in, going out.
2. As thoughts float in, this is natural, let them come, then let them go, compassionately.
3. Focus on “the breath within in the breath.”
4. If negative imaginary scenarios arise, repeat to yourself gently, “Neti, neti,” “Not real, not real,” or “delete, delete.”
5. Finally, focus on the heart. Remember that the Divine heart is within the human heart. Gently, with feeling, with persistence, tell your heart, “I love you,” or “I am willing to love you.” No matter how awkward this feels, repeat it to yourself again and again. “I love you,” “I love you.”
As we contemplate the verses this week, we can continue to ask ourselves the following questions. If we keep a journal, we might want to reflect upon these questions:
o When did we first become an authentic seeker?
o When did we become “early waking grievers”?
o What have been the “passing sights” in our lives, which have caused us to ask deeper questions?
o In our lives, what are we attached to? (Ask this question with compassionate awareness, not with judgment.)
o What are our biases, presuppositions, and constructs?
o What is our eight-fold path?
o What are our aspirations? Are we looking for the real gem? If so, where are we looking for it?
Please bring a journal to class so that we can use it during our class sessions. We may also want to begin reading the chapter on Buddhism from the book, World Religions by Huston Smith, or other readings on Buddhism.
Verses for Contemplation
“I was sleeping, and being comforted by a cool breeze,
when suddenly, a gray dove from a thicket sang and sobbed with longing,
and reminded me of my own passion.
I had been away from my own soul for so long, so late-sleeping
but that dove’s crying woke me, and made me cry.
Praise to all early-waking grievers!” ~Adi b. ar-Riqa
“Something missing in my heart tonight
has made my eyes so soft,
my voice so tender,
my need for God absolutely clear.” ~Hafiz
“I shall cry to Thee, and cry to Thee, and cry to Thee, and cry to Thee,
until the milk of thy loving-kindness boils over.” ~Rumi
“If just a drop of the wine of vision could rinse your eyes,
everywhere you look you would weep with wonder.” ~Rumi
“Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment – chop wood, carry water.” ~Buddhist saying
“He or she who tastes, knows.” ~Sufi saying
“Health, contentment, and trust are your greatest possessions.
But your greatest joy is freedom.” ~Buddha
“From joy we have come,
by joy we shall be sustained,
unto joy we shall return.” ~Hindu saying
“We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.” ~ Prophet Muhammad
“Move from a knowledge of the tongue to a knowledge of the heart.” ~Prophet Muhammad
“The heart never falsified what it saw.” [Qur’an: 53:11]
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