I never thought that words I wrote on a slip of paper and dropped into a suggestion box would somehow enlighten me.!
The senior center I’ve attended for the past two years has agreed to hire a teacher, or what I would call a “guru,“ to show seniors how to meditate at the Upper Merion Senior Citizen Center.
Five or six people had signed up for further information at the facility and a librarian from the local library who teaches meditation has contacted someone to come to the center near King of Prussia, PA, and guide us. It will start on the third Wednesday of September, according to the Center’s president who arranged it all.
Meditation Taught to me at a Veterans Clinic
I have been meditating for more than 15 years after learning about mindfulness meditation from a psychologist teaching veterans with PTSD how to calm the mind and relax in the present moment. It has been extremely beneficial, particularly in small groups like the ones I had gathered with at the Center for Contemporary Mysticism. We would open ourselves to guided meditation and then discuss the experiences afterward. (We still do it by phone on Wednesday mornings!)
I believe that there are several seniors like myself who could also appreciate the calming effect that meditation can provide once they learn how to focus on the “Nothing.”
“Nothing” or “Emptiness” is the goal that my Buddhist friends try to achieve whenever they sit and focus on their breath and let their thoughts and worries drift away. Now let me drift away as I finish writing this Blog post and get some meditation under my belt.
Namaste!
Meditation is a skill seniors as well as others would definitely benefit from. It is so grounding and at a time of such uncertanty.
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Grounding can be so poweful and open ourselves to such an uplifting of spirits if we just let things go.
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I think it is a wonderful suggestion. Meditation truly does soothe our central nervous system. ❤️
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Sounds like you have done som soothing of your own central nervous system. I hope to bnring this up with my group when we meet at the senior center. Thanks!
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😊I have. I hope your group will hear the benefits. And, I hope you have a very happy day.
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The following messages were exchanged on Facebook:
Cindy King-Webb
I do miss the meditation place called “SIT” that existed in Lafayette Hill for 2 years. It’s unfortunate that meditation isn’t much more commonplace in this area. People oftentimes around here do not seem to have good, healthy coping skills. I still would love to explore the Center with you![😊]()
Michael J Contos
Lorna Byrne, who has been speaking to angels all of her life, will appear on ZOOM at the center on Sept. 29th which is incidentally, the celebration day for Michael the Archangel.
Check out my blog that mentions the Center!
Cindy King-Webb
I am.![☺️]()
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I work at the senior center in Arkansas where I live it’s so much fun and I do anything and everything that’s available for me to assist with! I passed out meals on Wheels I’ve been learning computer things for the office I involve myself in exercise classes sometimes I work the front desk I love greeting everyone everyday they call me the hugger giggle giggle I performed in the talent show every single day there’s something new to be a part of and I absolutely have joy running over each day from my being! When we do chair yoga we turn the lights down we do breathing exercises for the first few minutes and then we do some yoga poses that can be done from a sitting position in the chairs to make sure that it’s safe for everyone! We have anywhere from 15 to 25 seniors that come each time we have the class! We also do ageless Grace and peppy strength training!
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You are contributing to the well being both in body and in mind as well as spirit for so many people including yourself. It’s a delight to read of your activities and I look forward someday to a book o rmagazine article you might write about your adventrures in the home state of one of my favorite presidents, Bill Clinton!
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🙏 thank You for your kindness 😊 it’s amazing to be somewhere that I absolutely love everything I do each day it truly is a blessing and I am eternally grateful! And who knows one day I may do exactly that! Giggle Giggle I like to imagine me riding something that reaches so many people not just because I wrote it but because of the feeling I’m able to put into it and share with others! Thanks for the thoughts!
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Love This! We do chair yoga at the senior center I work at!!! And we finally have a pretty big class when we do it!
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Please tell me more Nikki. Where is the center and what type of work do you do?
We have exercises and other activities but this will be the first for meditation and I think a lot of us seniors will have fun simply relaxing and being in the present moment.
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I love this! Ever since I experienced a series of panic attacks a few years ago, I’ve delved into yogic meditation. My daughter introduced me to it, through her guru (now mine as well): Sadhguru.
Getting into it has greatly relieved my anxieties to the point where I was able to get off the meds my doc gave me.
So cool to read your experiences here, Michael!
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Glad to hear your daughter showed you the way to enlightenment! Meditation should be shown to children in school for just a few minutes a day to get them to relax and focus on nothing for a while before worrying about the next test or the homework they forgot to turn in. Call it a grateful moment or a way of announcing to the teacher that you are “present!”
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That’s Sadhguru’s opinion as well (and my own). This needs to start early. Anything to keep kids from developing into constantly stressed adults.
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This sounds amazing! Thank you for the reminder that sometimes all you need to do is ASK. 💕
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What was that Buddhist, Jewish or Christian saying?
“ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!”
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Hahahaha! Yes! 🤗💕
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