new year and such

Last night I made it to the POC meditation session at the East Bay Meditation Center. Ostensibly I am trying to go as much as possible, but truthfully, Thursday at 7pm conflicts with free cheese at the Hidden Vine, and then again there has been all this time spent self flogging when I was supposed to be writing the applications, and well that meant no mindfulness and no wine. What a drag.

In any case, last night, I made it there with two friends in tow... and was welcomed once again into the safe space just blocks down from where frustration had turned to vandalism the night before. Inside behind the shades, with candles lit and soft music, it was ALMOST difficult to notice the sirens and the police cars zooming by...almost.

After sitting for a while our short dharma talk was followed by a little intention writing and then sharing in small groups. It was a lovely experience to have the accountability to actually write the intentions (something I swear I have been trying to do for weeks) and then speak them in safety. I forget when I am not around the meditators, many of whom are actually practicing Buddhists, how honestly accepting they are ... you speak and put yourself out there and they bow in thanks for the sharing. It is a wonderful feeling... something I need to remember when I am choosing wine over meditating next week.

Then this morning I am not writing my applications and instead catching up on my dailyOm and found this. It reminded me to write the intentions here even though I haven't finished Mondo Beyondo -- I promise to finish this evening and then post...

For now, I chose to keep the intentions short and sweet and, hopefully, something I can accomplish in a year:

compassion -- this time starting by approaching myself with compassion and then extending it to others (more on this later)

openness to the present -- particularly finding balance between PLANNING and being OPEN!

Happy ninth day of the new year... it just keeps on coming.