Mindfulness Meditation Podcast - Mindfulness Meditation 11/02/2016 with Kimberly Brown

Episode Date: January 4, 2017

Every Wednesday, the Rubin Museum of Art presents a meditation session led by a prominent meditation teacher from the New York area. This podcast is a recording of the weekly practice. If you would like to attend in person, please visit our website at RubinMuseum.org/meditation to learn more. Presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg and the Interdependence Project. Kimberly Brown led this meditation session on November 2, 2016.

Welcome to the Mindfulness Meditation Podcast. I'm your host, Dawn Eshelman. Every Wednesday at the Rubin Museum of Art in Chelsea, we present a meditation session led by a prominent meditation teacher from the New York area. This podcast is a recording of our weekly practice. If you would like to join us in person, please visit our website at rubinmuseum.org slash meditation. We are proud to be partnering with Sharon Salzberg and the teachers from the Interdependence Project. In the description for each episode, you will find information about the theme for that week's session, including an image of a related artwork chosen from the Rubin Museum's permanent collection.

And now, please enjoy your practice. Kimberly Brown is the executive director, as I mentioned, of the Interdependence Project and a graduate of its meditation teacher training program. She leads mindfulness and compassion classes, workshops, and retreats for groups and individuals in New York City. Kim studies American and Tibetan Buddhism and practices loving-kindness meditation. Her teaching methods integrate depth psychology, compassion training, and traditional Buddhist techniques as a means to help everyone reconnect to their inherent clarity and openness. Please welcome her back, Kimberly Brown. her back, Kimberly Brown.

Hi! It's so nice to be back, and it's really great to see many of you again. I think, is anyone here for the first time? Oh gosh, great! Oh. Okay, so wow, this election.

If you're feeling like me and many of the people I know, the past six months have been really unsettling, very disturbing. We've seen our politicians and our political parties behaving very badly, saying malicious, unkind things. There have been lies and pettiness. We've also seen our fellow citizens behaving dangerously, violently, expressing racism and hatred and misogyny. I have found it really shocking and have felt somewhat discouraged through this. So this theme today, keeping calm during election week, this bodhisattva is the representation of keeping calm. And keeping calm is an aspect of wisdom,

of understanding. The bodhisattva is said to be a being. In this case, it seems to be a human being that have chosen to work with their mind and their heart to understand our deep connection and responsibility for each other and to help others also come to that recognition. When I first started studying meditation and Buddhism around a decade ago you know some of my teachers are very devout Buddhists and they would say things like

you know Kim if you're in trouble you can just call on the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas and they'll help you and I was like hmm so sure about that and one of my teachers even said, Kim, they'll come because it's their job. They signed up for it. But, you know, I'm not a mystical person, and I don't even consider myself a spiritual person, right? So then, about five years ago, I was in a really difficult time in my life.

One of my parents was dying, and I didn't have a job. I had had a breakup and was living alone and feeling very lonely. And at this time in my life, I really had so much distress. My mind was very wild. I was very sad, very anxious. And I didn't really know how to get out of that, despite my meditation practice. I went to a doctor's appointment on the Upper West Side.

And on my way there in the subway, I got lost. I took the wrong train. I got off and got out. I was on the street. And I remember thinking, wow, I'm really sunk. I don't know what else to do. I really had such a sense of despair. And I thought, all right, well, I'll try.

So I said to myself, all right, well, I'll try. So I said to myself, all right, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, if you could hear me, I am really suffering and I really could use your help. I'm really struggling. Please help me. I was on 86th Street. I didn't say it out loud. say it out loud. So then I went on my way and I stopped at a food vendor, food cart, and I got a coffee. And the man who was the vendor at this cart was extremely kind. And he must have noticed I was struggling because he asked me to take care of myself. I think he offered me some fruit or something. I was very touched. And then I got to my doctor, who really listened and heard me and helped me. I left that office, and an old childhood friend called me from Chicago.

And she was extremely loving. Then I got on the subway, and someone gave me a seat. Then I got on the subway, and someone gave me a seat. So, you know, this continued, and I had a deep, deep recognition and understanding that bodhisattvas do exist. They're here. They're in our hearts. Each one of us have the capacity and the ability to develop our kindness, to develop our wisdom and our understanding so that we can benefit ourselves and others. And it's happening

all around us all the time. We just miss it, okay, because we notice, you know, the negative things, we notice the negative things. You're being in this room today and taking the time to work with your mind and your heart suggests that you are choosing the path of the bodhisattva. And that means everyone to your right, to your left, back and front is a bodhisattva. And one of the reasons it's important to recognize that is because we do have a lot of problems that we need to work on.

They're real. We're not ignoring that. And in order to solve them, we need to have confidence in ourselves and in each other that we can do this together. We need to really remember it. One way to start to notice this, to develop this view of understanding that each one of us can develop and be bodhisattvas, and many are, is to start to recognize small goodnesses. You'll hear Sharon Salzberg talk about mindfulness of the good. This is being really truly aware

of when you do something of benefit. Now something of benefit is a thought, a spoken word, and an action. Okay? So the next time you are thinking, wishing someone to have something good happen to them, like, oh I hope she gets an A on her test. Noticing that, okay? Noticing that that was a beneficial action. The next time you're working and it's late and you're tired, and you notice you're tired and you stop working and go to bed, understanding and being mindful that that was a beneficial action.

When you're at work and someone wants to share their food with you, tell you a joke, lend you a hand, each one of those are beneficial actions. And the next time you're in the subway or on a bus, put your phone away for 10 minutes and really just look around you. You will see so many kindnesses. Someone will gently move over so you can get by. Another person will catch someone's eye and smile. People hold the door for each other

and give each other seats all the time. And these are happening probably 100 to 1, maybe 1,000 to one, to every negative interaction. So really reminding yourself of that and knowing that we have the potential, each one of us, to understand our deep and great connection and our responsibility together. Another practice we can use this week to keep calm, it's a very radical practice. It is turning off your television and your computer and your phone. Practice this every day for at least 10 minutes.

Try it, right? At least 10 minutes. Try it, right? At least 10 minutes. Just give it a try. Also, you know, one way to do is put your phone down and go for a walk. Just be with yourself. That helps stop this steady stream of negative, fearful things. If you're really feeling in great distress, we'll practice this together, some mindfulness of body practice.

If you're like me, it kind of goes like this. My husband's watching the television, and we have it on the news, and it says something about the opposing candidate, and I think, oh, my God, what if this candidate wins? And then my mind starts to really go wild about what the Supreme Court's going to look like, about the environment, about, oh my God, taxes. It goes, okay?

But we're right here right now. No one's won this election yet. As far as I know, President Obama is still the president. Okay? So my work is to return to the present, to what's real, right? And the best way to do that is through my body, to hear the sounds happening right now, to feel the sensations on my feet right now. Okay?

And this takes also a sense of trust. The trust is that whatever happens next week, I and you and we will meet this with wisdom and compassion. Okay? How do I know this? Because we have done it many times in our lives. Each one of us have been in really difficult spots. Okay?

So let's practice this together for a little bit. Everyone, take a comfortable seat. But don't get too comfortable because you might fall asleep. Okay? And if you are feeling sleepy today today keep your eyes open and or stand up okay that's an appropriate way to meditate let's begin with our eyes closed and just noticing that you're here you're here at the Rubin Museum feeling your feet on the floor.

Noticing the sounds around you. And taking a moment to allow your intention to arise. Whatever brought you here today. Whatever motivated you to come and want to sit in this room and work with your heart and your mind. Allow that to be present and really appreciate it. And recognize for a moment all of the beings and people that have enabled you to be here today. And that is, wow, so many that they're not countable.

It started when your mom was pregnant. People helped her. When you were born, medical people helped you, very likely. Maybe family and friends were there. When you were young, teachers, fellow students, your family, friends, neighbors, strangers, people helped you up, taught you things, listened to you. Strangers returned lost items to you. There were probably people who prayed for you. Strangers returned lost items to you. There were probably people who prayed for you and

people who gave you directions when you were lost, cheered you on, gave you a seat. That continued throughout your life to this moment. Many, many beings and people supporting you today. Right here, right now, everyone in this room is supporting you. And this will continue throughout your lifetime. Bringing your attention to the soles of your feet, having the experience of your feet on the floor. of your hands, feeling your seat, relaxing your belly, bringing your attention to the

center of your chest, noticing your shoulder blades, gently feeling your forehead and your jaw, allowing sound to enter your ears. Noticing where your mind is, noticing if any thoughts are arising, if you're worrying, and just coming back, gathering your attention to the soles of your feet, feeling your seat, bringing your attention to your belly, to the center of your chest,

your heart center, gently noticing your forehead and your cheeks and your jaw, allowing sound to enter your ears. the practice is coming back to the present over and over again wherever you are coming back feeling your feet noticing the palms of your hands feeling your belly the center of your chest your shoulder blades allowing sound to enter your ears. Thank you. If you're planning or remembering, simply noticing that, gently returning to the feeling of your feet and your hands, your belly, your heart center, noticing your forehead, your cheeks, your jaw,

allowing sound to enter your ears. Resting in this moment. Bringing your attention to the soles of your feet and resting your attention there. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59, 52, 53, 53, 56, 57, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, 53, Thank you. If you've moved your attention from your feet, noticing that, kindly gathering your attention Thank you. One of the things words for meditation is familiarity in the sense of friendship, of becoming familiar with your experience. And so, with friendliness, noticing your feet, the palms of your hands, your belly, the center of your chest, your belly, the center of your chest, noticing your shoulder blades in the back of your head, your forehead, your cheeks, your jaw, resting in sound. If you're falling asleep, gently opening your eyes, gazing in front of you. If you're having a conversation with someone in your mind, telling a story, remembering something that happened, just noticing that kindly and choosing to move your attention the physical sensation of your feet, feeling your seat, cheeks and jaw. Våldskapitalet Takk for ating med. And taking a moment to offer loving kindness to yourself, may I be safe, may I be free from suffering, may I be happy. May I be safe, may I be free from suffering,

may I be happy. May I be safe, may I be free from suffering, may I be happy. Taking a moment to offer that to yourself silently. May I be safe. May I be free from suffering. May I be happy. Taking a moment to offer this loving kindness to each other. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy.

Everyone in this room, may we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. may we be happy. May we be safe, may we be free from suffering, And taking a moment to offer this loving kindness to all Americans, everyone in the United States who are affected by this election, are part of this election, whether they're for your candidate or not. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy. May we be safe. May we be free from suffering. May we be happy. And just taking a moment to offer that.

So you're giving all Americans a gift. Thank you. Bringing your attention back to your feet. In a moment, you'll hear the bell ring. Please stay still until you can no longer hear it. And at that time, if you'd like, you can join me in offering a bow to yourself in gratitude for your work here today. Thanks, everyone. Thank you, everyone. That concludes this week's practice. If you'd like to attend in person,

please check out our website, rubinmuseum.org slash meditation to learn more. Sessions are free to Rubin Museum members, just one of the many benefits of membership. Thank you for listening. Have a mindful day.