I meditated with a group for the first time today.
We met at a local park, sat in the grass, did 15 minutes of quiet sitting, 15 minutes of quiet walking or continued sitting (most kept sitting), and finished with another 15 minutes of quiet sitting.
Then, after everybody came out of their practice, the group spent 15 minutes discussing a topic.
Before we began, I asked one gentlemen what brought him to the group and he said he had a hard time meditating alone.
Which struck me because what is a meditation group, but a group of people who are practicing being alone… together?
There’s that element of connection during the discussion portion, but for 45 minutes, it’s just you. And if being with you is hard for you, for any duration of time, it’s as good an indicator as any that inner work is needed.
I don’t say this from a place of judgment, but from a place of compassion.
Because of all the company you keep in your life, there should be no better company than the company you keep with yourself. And the more you improve the company you keep with yourself, ironically, the better the rest of the company you keep will become, too.
Some questions to reflect on: (1) Have you ever considered practicing being alone? (2) Have you ever considered practicing being alone, in a group? (3) What, if anything, is coming up that’s preventing you from starting a practice like this?
P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.