"Mindfulness and Meditation allow us to open our hearts, relax our bodies, and clear our minds enough to experience the vast, mysterious, sacred reality of life directly. With Practice we come to know for ourselves that eternity is available in each moment.

Your MMM Courtesy Wake Up Call:
Musings on Life and Practice
by a Longtime Student of Meditation
"I think the hippies had it right.  It IS all about Peace and Love.  I came to realize, though,  that this is no mean feat.  Living a life of kindness, clarity, calmness, and compassion takes effort, discipline and patience.  It takes Practice."
                                         -- Lance


A peace and social change activist since college, Lance began meditating and doing yoga in 1969. As a high school student he had been inspired by the living Christian example of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi.

It was clear to him that political activism, like life itself, is fundamentally a spiritual practice.  It involved a cultivation of consciousness as well as taking action.  As the 60's morphed into the 70's, his gaze turned toward the spirituality of Asia where the idea of a "spiritual practice" was highly developed.  Soon, his exploration of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation emerged as his primary Practice.

Over the decades Lance has attended numerous intensive retreats, practiced and worshiped with a number of teachers from various traditions including Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hahn,  Joanna Macy, Steven and Ondrea Levine, Rev. Gyomay Kubose, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, Roshi John Daido Loori, Ganopati Swami and many others.

He resided at Insight Meditation Society for one year as Associate Director, participating in a one month silent retreat there in the early 90's.  A decade later he spent six months in residence at Zen Mountain Monastery.

As well as offering Monday Morning Mindfulness at Community Yoga and Wellness Center he facilitates Mindfulness Circles at the Wildflower Alliance RLC Greenfield Center and the Recover Project, he offers a monthly day-long retreat; Be Still and Know: An Interfaith Day of Mindfulness.

Lance has been involved in a noon half hour meditation vigil with #OMG! (#Occupy Meditation Greenfield!) Monday through Saturday on the Greenfield Town Common since October, 2011

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2 comments:

MaryAnne said...

Wow what a journey! Glad you caught my eye 😋 I Use to be called mellow Mary when I was younger..After having children, moving hear and ther, now I have 2jobs I'm far from that girl... I'm not unhappy, have a loving hubby of 20+ something years 2bright kids all good! Just every now and then I mess up! Long story short.. At the supermarket,didnt have my cash card in my purse to pay..Last I had it was a the petrol station yesterday! Panic! I'm thinking I've left it there. Go to ask.. they don't have.. didn't have time to go home and look had to be back at work. Hubby asleep been on nights so won't phone home! Customer service at the store advise to cancel as a 'contactess.'card. Aargh.. I did this.. and was late for work..once home after getting kids from school before telling hubby, found my card in the trousers I had on yesterday!! I knew it! Lance What's my advice?? Chill the fudge out ? Hope Betsey is doing ok?

Lance Smith said...

Chill the fudge out sounds about right to me. LOL <3