For four Tuesday’s this month at Tibet House NY, Sharon Salzberg led a full-house in group meditation then spoke on a related topic. The series was called Intro to Meditation but it was quickly apparent that this series might more aptly be named Adventures in Meditation. Or, Follow Your Breath, with Sharon. Sharon’s way of teaching is instructional in the most engaging and endearing way. In listening to her, you not only learn meditation technique, you learned she is a New Yorker and acts like it. You learned that she travels a lot, lives in a sub-let and is still mystified by things she speaks on expertly and practices daily. It’s this awe, after 45 years of being a devout meditator that makes listening to her so inspiring. She teaches through stories. One of my favorites that she told was of studying with a renowned meditation teacher in Burma (now Myanmar). After her practice, she would meet the teacher and tell him what she experienced and felt. His response each time was, “Did you note it?” Her response was, “Huh. I’m not sure this guy is as good as everyone says.” But in listening, we all knew this story would have a happy ending and Sharon told us that it clicked for her when she realized that these were lessons in mindfulness. She was being taught how to be mindful in her own practice – noting feelings and sensations and then letting them go is mindfulness in action. There was nothing more to explain. “Noted.” Stay mindful. Be kindful.
