BE PRESENT
XREF
P U R P O
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While driving to work one day I arrived at the office parking lot, only to realize I did not remember anything about my drive! This is a common example of “mindlessness,” or “going on auto pilot.” In our modern, busy lives. It’s easy to lose awareness of the present moment as we become lost in our efforts to juggle work, finances, and other conflic•ng demands. Our life’s are easily distracted usually examining past events and trying to an•cipate the future. Becoming more aware of our thoughts, feelings and sensa•ons may not sound like an obviously helpful thing to do, however learning to do this in a way that suspends judgment and self-cri•cism can have an incredibly posi•ve impact on our lives.
I first learned about mindfulness medita•on through my English professor in college. A•er prac•cing in class and on my own •me I saw the many benefits mindfulness medita•on can bring. Mindfulness helps us recognize and step away from habitual, o•en unconscious emo•onal and physiological reac•ons to everyday events. Prac•cing mindfulness allows us to be fully present in our life and work, and improve our quality of life.
D E S T I N AT I O N
A•er prac•cing mindfulness medita•on for over a year my desire is to take it to the next level and see the origin of medita•on. Traveling seventy-nine thousand miles to Thailand. I will travel to three ci•es, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Phuket. My goal is to document the contrast between the remote medita•on sites and the busy city. My journey begins in north Thailand in the city of Chiang Mai, here I will visit temples such as Wat Chedi Luang, and par•cipate in medita•on. Moving south my second des•na•on is the city capital, Bangkok. In Bangkok I will document/observe how people who live in this modern city use medita•on to center themselves, and par•cipate in their tradi•ons.
My last des•na•on is even further south in the city of Phuket. Here I will take part in a 4-day medita•on retreat. The Dharana (single focus) Medita•on Center provides mindfulness medita•on training in a secluded landscape away from the noisy city.
Example of a typical schedule at Dharana 6:00 Morning Medita•on Teaching. 9:00 Breakfast Time 9:30 First Medita•on Period. Prac•ce on your own and deepen your prac•cal understanding of the morning teachings. 12:00 Lunch 12:30 Second Medita•on Period 3:00 Daily Yoga Class 4:00 Ques•ons and Answers 6:00 Dinner 7:30 Third Medita•on Period
D O C U M E N TAT I O N Travel with me through social media, I will post daily photos on Instagram. Upon my return I will share a video of my journey, and also share •ps on how to prac•ce mindfulness.
Mindfulness medita•on is unique in that it is not directed toward ge!ng us to be different from how we already are. Instead, it helps us become aware of what is already true moment by moment. We could say that it teaches us how to be uncondi•onally present; that is, it helps us be present with whatever is happening, no ma#er what it is.
THANK YOU