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Mountain Outlaw magazine: Relax . . .
Published
9 years agoon
… Strategies for Successful Meditation
By Megan Mook
Cultivating a successful meditation practice has less to do with actual meditation, and more to do with building a firm but kind-hearted foundation. Much like taking a test, if you stay up all night and skip breakfast, you’re unlikely to do well even if you’re a great test-taker.
Meditation is no different. And, like anything in life, a few simple pointers can reduce stress and make the process more enjoyable.
Although there are numerous meditation techniques, the guidelines are much the same. One of the most common is monitoring the breath. Other practices, such as Metta, include sending wishes of kindness and wellbeing to others. Both techniques reduce stress, increase focus, and create a sense of interconnection.
The techniques often build on themselves, but regardless of where you start, these age-old practices are designed to help move us in the direction of our best selves. The process can be daunting but these strategies can help.
Helpful Hints
Rethink your definition of meditation.
Meditation isn’t about “not thinking;” it’s about cultivating a healthy perspective on our thoughts. During meditation we’re learning to tame and enhance our minds, not stifle and silence them.
Get physical.
Be as healthy as you can by considering what you eat and getting plenty of exercise with adequate recovery time. Research from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School suggests that a consistent sleep schedule significantly increases overall energy, which means when your alarm goes off you’re rested enough to get up and meditate.
Be Nice.
The bottom line is, if you behave in ways that hurt others by lying, stealing or manipulating, for example, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to sit quietly with yourself. Furthermore, you’ll find it difficult to concentrate. If you’re serious about meditating, be kind.
Stop being so busy.
This is our biggest task in the 21st century; ironically, this advice comes from The Stages of Meditation, a text that dates back to 750 A.D. Modern life is busy, but we don’t need to make ourselves even busier. Here are some helpful guidelines:
-Get clear about your goals, and let your decisions reflect them. If your goal is being less busy, narrow your commitments down to the essentials.
-Stop multitasking. “Do one thing at a time – mindfully,” is a classic meditation instruction, yet in this age of social media and email, it can seem like an impossible challenge. The solution? Stop fooling yourself; multitasking makes you feel like you’re getting more done, but in truth you’re being less productive. Try checking emails, social media and texts only during designated times of the day.
The above advice
Tibetan Buddhist lama Dr. Lozang Jamspal underscores this importance by asking, “Without patience, how can one ever meditate well?” Be patient with yourself as you learn to meditate.
Treat yourself like a child who’s trying to learn something exciting and unfamiliar. Expect to get off track – it’s a part of learning, not a sign of failure. Imagine a child learning to ride a bike. You can get frustrated when she falls off or you can pick up her bike, dust off her knees, and give her a loving push. It will take practice for her to learn to be steady, but if she feels loved and supported, she won’t avoid the challenge – and she might even enjoy it along the way.
For the past 15 years, Megan Mook has immersed herself in the study of Buddhist philosophy and meditation, living and studying in monastic communities in the Zen, Theravada, and Tibetan traditions. She holds a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies and teaches meditation and yoga in New York City.
This story was first published in the summer 2015 issue of Mountain Outlaw magazine.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
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14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
Event Details
Trivia from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Waypoint in Town Center. Participation is free, food and beverages available.
Time
(Wednesday) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
The Waypoint
50 Ousel Falls Rd