27 Sept 2008 - Meeting notes

This is meant to be a summary of what transpired during our meetings for the benefit of people who were unable to make it. It is difficult to capture the many many messages discussed but hopefully these notes can help to jog our memories or even inspire us to change our habits for the better. If I have misunderstood or left out anything, please let me know so that I can correct it. Also, feel free to comment!

Recap of the Three Wondrous Answers
1) What is the best time to do each thing?
2) Who are the most important people to work with?
3) What is the most important thing to do at all times?

This lead to how the story relates to mindfulness. We then discussed the following two questions:
1) What is mindfulness?
2) Why is mindfulness important?

The following notes are a distillation of the discussions we had:
What is mindfulness?
* Being aware (of yourself and your surroundings)
* Perception
* Observation
* "Being" in the moment - bring back your mind to the present
* Present moment, being, enjoying the moment, attending to the present moment

Why is mindfulness important?
* Awareness, understanding of people
* What you put out is what you get back
* Following your bliss
* Being emerged in your vision

====================================

Quotes we went through:

On life's journey
Faith is nourishment,
Virtuous deeds are a shelter
Wisdom is the light by day, and
Right mindfulness is the protection by night

-- Buddha

~~~~~~~

There is only one courage
and that is the courage
to go on dying to the past,
not to collect it,
not to accumulate it,
not to cling to it.

We all cling to the past,
and because we cling
to the past we become
unavailable
to the present.

-- Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Walking in Zen, Sitting in Zen

~~~~~~~

Until
you can understand
that nothing can happen to you,
nothing can ever come to you
or be kept from you,
except in accord
with your state
of consciousness,
you do not have
the key to life.

-- Paul Twitchell. The Flute of God. ECKANKAR

~~~~~~~

You must begin
to trust yourself.

If you do not
then you will forever
be looking to others
to prove your own merit to you,
and you will never be satisfied.

You will always be asking
others what to do,
and at the same time
resenting those
from whom
you seek such aid.

-- Jane Roberts. The Nature of Personal Reality