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TUESDAY NIGHT MINDFULNESS GROUP
I've compiled these pages for the wonderful four years Tuesday Night Mindfulness Group has inspired and uplifted the weary and frustrated hearts of Las Vegas Valley. Whether they be travelers or residents, they've seemed to have found a peaceful refuge in our little circle. We began meeting in May 2004 in Green Valley at Laura's home. Laura and I had met at the Lotus in the Desert Group which practices in the Vipassana, Spirit Rock style. We were both enthusiastic about starting a group in the tradition of our teacher, The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. After about nine months Laura moved, and the group was put into the stewardship of Florentine, and met at her house in North Las Vegas. After a few months I stepped in and brought the group to the Pink House in Las Vegas where it has been meeting since May of 2005. We have had several waves of practitioners coming through. Some met with us occasionally, some consistently for several years. Some were residents of Southern Nevada, others were visitors from other countries, other states, and other worlds I suppose. The most inspiring aspect of Tuesday Nights for me was it's practice of Deep Listening. This practice of Deep Listening begins with ourselves, listening deeply to our desires, our aspirations, and considering what direction we choose in our lives. Having a space and a place to come to take refuge in ourselves, and the community on the path of healing and transformation is very important for the health of the individual, the planet, and the society. If you have participated in Tuesday Nights and would like to contribute to this survey please contact me. I'd enjoy hearing from you. May you be healthy, happy and free. When asked some questions about Tuesday Nights this is what a few Tuesday Night Goers, Courtney, Linda and Bev had to say. How were Tuesday Nights helpful for you? It was helpful for me in that it brought me back to my self, my true self. I felt that I was in an atmosphere of acceptance. And I was able to lend my voice through singing and just through talking. To bless others and also to bless myself. Blessed to hear the teaching, and hear what was on other people's heart. Differenet views on the teachings and of life itself. To hear other people's thoughts. You know you're not alone. How did Tuesday Night Meetings make you feel? Clear. I always left the Group nights feeling very connected to myself. There was a clarity that is sufferingly lost in the day to day doldrums of the 9-to-5. It made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. A gammit of emotions. Sometimes I was very peaceful, clam and happy. Sometimes if someone shared something it might break my heart. Sometimes I had an issue that was my issues that I might have left maybe disappointed or maybe angry, but I realized it was my stuff that was coming out. Mostly, I felt at peace, and loved very much. How often did you attend Tueday Night Meetings? Every week for several months in 2006. Sadly, not since then. Almost every single time with rare exception. In the last couple years, about three-fourths of the time. I'd come regularly for awhile then wouldn't come. Was there anything that made it challenging for you to attend? Unfortunately, I have moved to the other side of town and it's rather inconvenient for me to make it anymore. Generally not. It was here in my own home. It was very easy...all of a sudden I'm in my own zone and people start coming here to this most beautiful activity. I worked. Came home tired, and just wanted to go home and relax, but often thought, "It's good for me to go there, because it gives me energy too." Had you any experience with mindfulness meditation or of Thich Nhat Hanh prior to attending one of our meetings? I'd practiced meditation alone for many years, but Tuesday Nights was my introduction to mindfulness meditation. Off and on for many years I had studied mostly in the Vipassana style. Had done retreats, never had a strong practice of meditation on my own, but a strong interest in self-awareness, awakening, and mindfulness work. Had never met Thich Nhat Hanh. Read some books of his, and was very very attracted to his presence. Everyone had heard of "Please Call Me By My True Names" before in our peace dance circles, the poem was recited on several occassions. Read a lot of and listened to CDs of Thich Nhat Hanh. I meditated on my own. What did you like best about the Tuesday Night Gatherings? The feeling of "letting it all go." The sense of acceptance, of support, of the very open expression of oneself in a group environment, the giving of yourself and receiving of others. And the beauty in allowing others to give themselves to you. Deep listening and Brian's Chanting. It was also fun to see who was going to show up. Sometimes the cats would come in and that was a special treat too. I like to meditate, but I don't always have the discipline to. It was just all so great. It really was. It all blended together. The initial chanting was needed at first to center. Brian's voice, the bell. The company of everyone around, their presence. We sit for a little bit. It fit together all so well. Can't say i liked anything better. You just kinda have to have them all. What would you have liked to be different? You never want something to be different, cause you get so comfortable with it. I would have liked for us to have the incense song more, and I really liked the chanting. In your own words, describe your experience with Tuesday Night Mindfulness Group. Meeting with a group of people who really only want to come together to share deep care, and deep love of ourselves, and each other...To have this time in silence, in sitting and walking is such a beautiful treat. It slows us down...it's all about the opening of the heart. You show up and you may be in any kind of state of mind, you instantly feel the spaciousness of the house, and the love of the people hosting the group. It's always so peaceful. You get your mat all ready. You sit down and you prepare yourself to hear the invitation of the bell, and the chanting, and then all of a sudden it seems most of the time a smile came to my lips. I just wanted to smile, not grin. There's just a loving presence, I'll call God, that can be almost immediately felt there. And that was always really lovely for me. I can't say that I could hold onto (that God presence) for the whole twenty minutes we sat...there are thoughts, and the sights outside are so beautiful. It's always a time to just stop really thinking and worrying your mind, it's more like thoughts come and you can pass through them for the most part. And then the walking meditation. I liked that too because I could get up and stretch. Also because we were all on the same path. In life it's always like that. Someone comes before you, someone comes behind you, and you all teach each other. You go around in a circle, it's really peaceful I really like that part. The sharing, it's always special what people say, the ideas they had, the struggle they had, the beautiful insights they had. You don't have to respond, you just love them trhough it, or they love you through it. Totally non-judgmental. It's very peaceful, and a very loving place to be. I always left with more energy, and with more love than I came with. I always left singing in the car with the songs or chants we would sing. Thank you. Anything else? Now's your chance! I would encourage anybody who just has a little thought in their mind that it's something that they want to experience, that they follow that little feeling, becasue it will probably bless them. "Deep
listening is about healing and transforming whatever suffering is in
our heart and store-consciousness. If we listen deeply
enough to what is being said, our understanding will transcend words."
-Read "Deep Listening" by Brian Kimmel DEEP LISTENING
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