San Rafael Meditation

Much research has shown that meditation is one of the very best ways to cultivate the brain states of self-awareness, calm and inner peace, lovingkindness, mindfulness, and happiness – as well as strengthen the immune system and nurture other health benefits.

So if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and are interested in meditation, please consider the Wednesday evening gathering in San Rafael that I lead (with occasional guest teachers). There are usually several dozen people, with a nice mixture of seasoned meditators and people with less experience, all in an atmosphere that is friendly and focused. Newcomers are always welcome.

“Early-bird” meditation begins at 6:45 pm with formal instruction at 7:00, break at 7:30, and talk and discussion from 7:40 – 8:30. We meet in the large front room at Falkirk Mansion at 1408 Mission Avenue, and you can park in Falkirk’s lot (at the corner of Mission and E Street). It’s really fine to come after 6:45 – any meditation is better than none at all! – but please: if you arrive after we begin meditating, come up the stairs quietly (which are next to the front room) and find a chair in the large hallway outside the front room to support the silence of others. (If you like to sit on a cushion on the floor, please bring that, and there is room in the front.)

Our approach is gently Buddhist – though you certainly don’t need to be “Buddhist” to come and get value, nor do you need any prior experience with meditation. While our “home base” is the Vipassana tradition, we’re respectful, friendly, and inclusive toward Zen and Tibetan approaches.

These teachings are offered freely, at no charge. And if you like, you may wish to participate in the age-old practice of generosity through making an offering – called “dana” – to defray the costs of the sitting group and support its teacher.

I began meditating in 1974 and have trained in several traditions. Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California is a spiritual home for me; it is grounded in the Theravadan (vipassana) wing of Buddhism, based on the original teachings of the Buddha, yet it has a refreshing openness to other influences, including psychology and neuroscience.

I’ve taught meditation for many years, and have also graduated from Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader program. I have found meditation to be for mental health what aerobic exercise is for physical health: a fantastic support. My major teachers have included Christina Feldman and Gil Fronsdal, with an emphasis on wholeheartedness and steadiness of mind in the trenches of householder life.

For more information, you could listen to a recent talk or look through some related writings. Also check out the Facebook group, “San Rafael Meditation,”  for updates, ridesharing, and other information.

In 2010, we will focus on the vital skill of steadying the mind – which is a great resource in everyday life (in meetings, in school, talking with your partner, observing your own reactions), as well as one of the three pillars of practice in Buddhism (the other two are virtue and wisdom). We will draw on the practical methods taught in one of the most famous teachings of the Buddha, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (the Satipatthana Sutta), using the best book I know on the subject, Satipatthana, as well as the chapters on attention in my own book, Buddha’s Brain. You can also find the Satipatthana Sutta on-line or listen to my friend and teacher, Sally Clough Armstrong, reading it out loud.

One of the best ways to support regular meditation is to participate in a regular sitting group. I hope you will join us!