Day 10: Meditation Challenge - Diana Lang, Enlightenment, and a Book Giveaway!

Welcome, to my 28-Meditation Challenge.

If you have joined us late, that is just fine. If you'd like to "officially" join in, simply leave a comment here that says, "I'm in!" and I will add you to the Challenge Roster. Or, send me an e-mail through the Contact Box at my website: awakenedliving.com. You may want to catch up by reading the previous posts. We are glad you are here!

Each day we come here, even if we have not meditated as we'd hoped, we begin again.
Start where you are ...

The Universe has a lovely sense of humor, don't you think?

Years ago, as an editor, I'd received a copy of Opening to Meditation: A Gentle Guided Approach by Diana Lang. I'd been asked to review it. Since the Challenge started, I'd been wondering if I should contact the author and invite her to participate. My inner radar said yes, so I did.

Within a few hours, Diana responded. "It's funny, Jan. Someone just forwarded me your 28 day meditation challenge and I thought to myself, what a good idea! How amazing that you wrote me, and yes, I would be honored to contribute."

I love when things like this happen! Diana didn't know me, I didn't know her, and the Universe (via a blogger) hooked us up. Whoever said the internet was not a spiritual tool?!


Diane is a yoga and meditation teacher from S. California. I'm happy to present a lovely greeting she sent to us about meditation. As you'll read, she challenges a widely held notion of "Nirvana" or enlightenment. I'll be eager to hear your thoughts on this.

Diana is cheering us on. She's also donated a copy of her fabulous book with accompanying CD, Opening to Meditation, to be given away to one lucky commentator. Thank you, Diana!

Read, enjoy, feel her loving support, and if you're feeling lucky or chatty, leave a comment and perhaps you'll be the winner!

Dear good meditators,

I am excited for you about your 28-day meditation challenge. Good for you for taking this on! It can change your life. The opportunity is magnificent and mysterious and powerful and life-changing. All you have to do is do it. I've been teaching meditation for over 30 years now and regularly have the privilege of initiating new meditators and one thing always come up: They feel like they are not doing it right.

So there are many books written about how to "do it" with all sorts of advice that are designed to guide you on your way, and that are wonderfully helpful, though sometimes conflicting. And what I want to tell you for sure is, that it is simple. You just need to show up. With a willing heart. That is all. In that little willingness a world will open to you that you may or may not recognize at the time. But it is still happening. Meditation grows you. Meditation is what we are at our center anyway. It is simply a returning to our selves.

I say this, "Self-Realization is simply realizing the Self". This is a powerful statement. It is so obvious and simple that we almost can't accept it. The state of Nirvana or bliss or enlightenment is simply acceptance—through and through—without exception, in deep understanding. And of course, it is a practice. Which is what you are doing on your challenge.

Meditate every day, in whatever way you will, and watch what unfolds.

Your mind will open.
Your heart will open.
Your world will open.

And it's a whole new world.

There's so much more to say, but these are some of my first thoughts.
I am so proud of you and your inevitable unfolding.

In support,

Diana Lang

Diana Lang is a spiritual teacher and counselor and the director/owner of LifeWorks - Center for Growth in Los Angeles, California. She has been teaching meditation and yoga since 1980 and conducts seminars in the United States and internationally on meditation, body awareness, stress reduction, and relationship development. www.dianalang.com


And, as always, I welcome your thoughts ... especially how you are doing with the Challenge.

Love and blessings,
Jan

Read on ...

From Where I Sit — Day 10, My Meditation Experience

I'll admit yesterday was not a great meditation day for me. Way too many writing deadlines and time at the computer. But, as I am learning, no judgment. Any time spent meditating is good. Useful. I did a little metta in the morning, then some at night, but fell asleep. I was exhausted. But today is another day and I begin again.

Recommended Resources:

Looking for a great, at-home way to learn meditation? Check out the Insight Meditation Kit: A Step-by-Step Course by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein. This boxed kit includes a 230-page workbook with exercises, plus Cds and study cards. Developed by the founders of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, this is an exceptional tool for beginning meditation. Available at amazon.com.

Inspiration:

"...you can work with restlessness by focusing the awareness on a single object such as the breath. Because a restless mind tends to hop from one object to another, this technique produces serenity by declining to feel the feelings of agitation. We can also make the mind more spacious by focusing on sounds or the whole body, for example. By making the container larger, we can often more skillfully hold and be aware of the energy of restlessness."
~Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein, Insight Meditation

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When you are done here, if you'd like a big laugh and an insider's view of what it's like to grow up Mennonite, leave the community, and come back in mid-life, join me at Awakened Living. I've got a special guest there today, too. Rhoda Janzen, author of the runaway hit, Mennonite in a Little Black Dress. And a book giveaway! Oh, by the way, Rhoda meditates. Perhaps that is why she is such a good writer. :-)


Stop on by. The conversation is rolling. I have to say, I haven't laughed this hard in a very long time. Where does she get this stuff?!!!