Leather to Cover the Earth

Where could I possibly find enough leather
To cover the surface of the thorny earth?
Yet leather on the soles of my shoes
Is as good as covering the entire earth

Likewise it is not possible for me
To restrain the external course of things
But if could I restrain this mind of mine
Why would I need to restrain all else?

- Shantideva

There is no way to shut out the noise of the world. We are bombarded by it daily on all sides. Here on Martha’s Vineyard, the summer season is a perfect example -- traffic, construction noise, crowds of people, something happening every minute, every day, and every night. And, let’s face it, some of that we like.

Shantideva points out the futility of trying to cover this thorny world with leather, and yet we can wear shoes. He compares that to trying to control the many little and no-so-little aggravations of life. Hopeless, really. Yet is it possible to change the way we experience life, so that it’s not so aggravating?  In the second verse above Shantideva’s words are translated, “But if I could restrain this mind of mine…” Maybe it should say re-train instead of restrain.

Meditation is the most effective way to put leather on your feet. In effect, meditation is a way of retraining your mind, so that the aggravations of the world lose their power over you. Nothing is going to eliminate the traffic jams, the rude people, or the unintended, unkind remark, but meditation can take the sting out, make rude people seem almost human, make traffic jams bearable, even relaxing. Hard to believe?

I’m here to say it’s true, but by all means find out for yourself. There are several options, three listed below. If you want to learn how to meditate, come to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and take Dr. Elliott Dacher’s 8-week class in meditation as several hundred islanders already have. You owe it to yourself to give it a try.

If you are already an experienced meditator and want to develop your practice further, you can contact the Hospital to see whether the Practice Enhancement Group or the Meditation Practice Group might be more appropriate for you. The Practice Enhancement Group meets four times for three and a half hours each session and has a rigorous set of work assignments. A more relaxed option is the Meditation Practice Group which meets weekly on Thursdays and is open to both experienced meditators and beginners alike.

Whichever option is best for you, please remember the thorns are not going away. You are going to have to find some shoes to put on your feet sooner or later, or continually suffer the consequences.

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Meditation Classes – Fall, 2012

The Practice of Optimal Health and Human Flourishing

Meditation, Mind Training, and the Inner Life

Elliott S. Dacher, M.D.

All humans desire an enduring happiness, optimal health, and freedom from suffering. Is this possible? Can we learn to be fully happy and healthy? The answer given by wise healers throughout time and across diverse cultures is a resounding yes! But first we must learn how to accomplish this one step at a time. We must become skillful in living our own lives. Join hundreds of other Vineyarders who have taken this course.

Dates:    Wednesday Evening – first session, September 26, 2012

              Each class is held weekly for 8 consecutive weeks

Time:      6:00 to 8:15 PM

Cost:      $170 (includes book & practice CD

Location: Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Medical Staff Library

Contact:  508 862-1940, MVHmeditation@partners.org

Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment and each class will be limited to 24 participants.

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Practice Enhancement Group

Practice and Training For Past Participants

In this four session course we will continue to explore the third level of meditation, using selected readings (handed out in class) from the Flight of the Garuda written by Shabkar and translated by Keith Dowman. We will simultaneously deepen our work with the Lojong slogans, progressively touching into subtler levels of understanding and practice. The wisdom teachings of the third stage of meditation and the mind training practice of Lojong will provide a balanced approach to ongoing practice.

Dates & Time: Saturdays 9:00am - 12:30pm

September 22, October 27, November 3, December 8, 2012

Contact:   508 862-1940, MVHmeditation@partners.org

Location: Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Southside Conference Room

Cost:  $100

Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment and each class will be limited to 24 participants.

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Meditation Practice Group

Thursdays, Time: 6 pm - 8 pm

Location: MVH Medical Library

We are resuming our Meditation Practice Group after a brief summer hiatus and will continue reading and discussing Pema Chodron’s Start Where You Are.

The first session will be September 27. We will meet weekly, but come when you can. Anyone may join the Meditation Practice Group regardless of experience, beginners welcome. There is no fee for participation.

Our sessions will consist of an opening 10-minute meditation, a round-the-room sharing of our practices, discussion of readings, and a closing 10-minute meditation. During the round-the-room sharing, we will not invite cross talk, but we do invite lively interaction in the discussion of the reading selections.

We base our discussions on Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chodron. Paperback / Shambhala Classics / 176 pages / 6 x 9 / ISBN 978-1-57062-839-9 / September 2001 / About $15 on Amazon and readily available through the local bookstores.

Beginners and those who are new to the Meditation Practice Group may read Chapters 1 & 2 and the Appendix to get an introduction.

Please contact Michael West with any questions, 774-563-1231 or m@mwest.com