San FranCelia » Urban Dharma http://www.sanfrancelia.com My San Francisco Life Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:36:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Meditation on the Mind http://www.sanfrancelia.com/2010/02/02/meditation-on-the-mind/ http://www.sanfrancelia.com/2010/02/02/meditation-on-the-mind/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:16:20 +0000 courtney http://www.sanfrancelia.com/?p=473 There are many reasons to be stressed, but none of them is more important than your health.  In my recent state of health flux, I have definitely felt this to the fullest extent, and decided that being healthy needs to encompass not just my body, but my mind, as well (I mean, we all know this, but what do we really do about it?).  All this being said, I’ve been trying to meditate and be super calm, but as you can imagine, this is always a hard prospect.  Determining that I could not do it alone, I decided to pull out the big guns in the form of a meditation class.  I found a great one near where I live in the Richmond District, and best of all, it’s free (donations encouraged, of course).  What a great way to bring everything back to center and create inner peace!  I am a San Franciscan, after all, and you know we’re about the peace.  The class I took is through Urban Dharma and is held at the Cultural Integration Fellowship center on Fulton Street.

As you walk into the center, a sense of calm washes over you.  The people attending are friendly and ready to relax their minds. Good vibes abound.  Once the instructor comes in (we had Gene, who was AMAZING.  What a comforting presence, and a cute smile, to boot…), you set straight to meditating.  It’s guided, so initially, Gene led our breathing.  Then you meditate on your own – take whatever thought comes in and reflect, observe.  An almost trans-like state comes over you as this occurs, and it’s truly empowering.  Taking 30 minutes to feel your body and feel your mind is incredible.  Why we never do this is now beyond me.

After the meditation ended, Gene led a discussion on participant questions, observations, etc.  Being a gifted orator, in my opinion, he brought humor, emotion, and comfort to all aspects of what he taught.  It was truly amazing to hear him clarify questions we all had on how and why to meditate.

This is one of those experiences that I feel blessed to have had.  Best part is, it’s every Friday at 7:30pm, and so I’m able to go back time and time again.  Definitely check it out if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or if you need to find some clarity.  The calm that meditation brings to the mind is a true gift, and thankfully for me, I’ve now opened the box.

Peace and love Xo

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