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Hello!
Thank you for your interest in self-awareness and creating personal peace. I hope you enjoy this newsletter and feel free to forward it to your friends using the link on the right.
After the article below you'll find the calendar of classes, upcoming retreats and events, and some special offers I hope you enjoy.
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Endangered Silence: Finding Quietude
It's 4:00 a.m. and I get up out of bed and walk out behind my house. All is still and quiet and in my mind, life is perfect.
The wilderness behind my home is an endless dark void contrasting with the carpet of stars that sparkle deeply and clearly into the infinite sky. The moon is nowhere to be seen. There is no breeze. The trees stand as silent and unmoving as the red rocks. It is almost as though I can hear the silence, it is palpable and refreshing. And as I walk back into the house, I can hear my breath and bare feet step slowly over the cool ground. I feel connected to and supported by everything. The sky is on my side. So is everything else.
I love this early morning before the jeeps start to crawl through the forests, or the helicopters hover above. In this moment it all comes back to me, the first time that I feel and expanded sensation of peace. I can remember the Buddhist meditation training center where I'd spend days and days in silence and meditation in a tiny cabin in the middle of a National Forest. But the life of an average American is much different than the life I lived in the monastic environment.
Americans and perhaps most cultures in the modern world, value getting things done quickly and filling every moment with a wide variety of sensual stimuli: music from your iPod, a friend's voice or text message on the cell phone, the videos, audios, and written word on the internet, the programs you play back on your TiVo, the music from the radio in your car, the words from the newspaper, or the images in the magazines in your dentist's office. There is no end to the noise and distraction we deal with.
An Entire Day in Front of the Television?
If you think I am making this 'noise thing' up, let's take a look at what's going on in America's living rooms. According to Nielsen Media Research, half of our homes have three or more TVs, and at least one of those sets is on for an average of 8 hours and 11 minutes every day!
The average American watches TV for 4 hours and 34 minutes every day - so in one week, the typical American has spent over one entire day sitting in front of the tube. In a year, that amounts to well over two months!
We can hardly hear ourselves think, never mind make thoughtful choices in our lives. Scientific research claims that we have close to 60,000 thoughts each day. Most are relentless musings of the past as well as our future desires. The magic of the present moment is where stillness and silence converge - the "gap" between our thoughts. And being in the silence and in the present moment is a rare experience these days unless you make room for it.
Silencing the Din
As a remedy to the constant noise and distraction, some people practice mindfulness, a discipline of being fully attentive while doing just one thing. It's the opposite of multitasking, a habit which a growing body of scientific research shows can actually make you less efficient, increases stress, diminishes perceived control, and may cause physical discomfort such as stomach aches and headaches along with memory loss and lack of creativity.
Mindfulness practices help to to train the awareness to be present for what is actually going on rather than having our attention on ideas or notions of what is going on. And yes, mindfulness practices can be frustrating for some, because they want to 'get 'er done', and slowing down is a big challenge. Let's see how you do. I invite you to try this mindfulness eating exercise - you'll slowly eat a piece of fruit without conversation, radio, television or reading: - Read this first then,
- Turn off the telephone, radio, move away from your computer
- Choose a piece of fruit, and sit down, in silence.
- Experience the fruit with your sense. What does it feel like? How heavy is it? is it cold? Warm? bumpy, smooth, wet?
- Look at it closely, see the way the light reflect on its shape.
- Smell it, Then begin to eat it with your full attention on peeling, breaking open, biting into, and slowly chew it.
- Do it with your eyes open, then eyes closed. Notice how the taste changes, and hear the sound of the fruit as you eat it.
- Taste it, hear it.
- Open your eyes, look at it again, and repeat.
- Take your time.
Ok, now go find the piece of fruit and try it, now. Here and now.
After, please read more tips on creating quietude.
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Learn to Meditate
Want to reduce stress, feel better, find your inner peace, or feel more connected to everyone and everything? You can with meditation. Even if you've never tried it before, you'll find meditation is easy to learn and to do if you are taught correctly. Once you take a class with the Sedona Meditation Training Company you'll have everything you need to meditate on your own. Here are upcoming meditation programs in Sedona and Phoenix. Everyday Meditation Class: Learn how to meditate in as little as 2 hours. Instruction with Sarah McLean. $145 per person (rates go up June 1.) Reduced rates for seniors, students and veterans. Or, set up a private class at a convenient time and place for you. Find out more here. To register for the Everyday Meditation class or to set up a private appointment contact (928)204-0067. Or click here. - In Phoenix, Saturday, April 30th, 2:00 - 4:30 pm at Storm Wisdom in Phoenix.
- In Sedona, Sunday, May 15th, 2:00 - 4:30 pm. Held in a private meditation studio in the Broken Arrow area. Next class is offered August 13 or by private appointment. Click here for more info.
Primordial Sound Meditation in Sedona, Arizona, Saturday, August 13th, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Get your own personal mantra as recommended by Deepak Chopra. Taught by Chopra recommended and certified instructor Sarah McLean (who served as the Chopra Center education director.) Find out more about Primordial Sound Meditation here. Community Meditations: Everyone is invited. No experience necessary! $10. Outside of Sedona or Phoenix? Listen anytime to guided meditations here. Or receive instruction and 3 powerful meditations on the popular CD Meditate. Read more about it here. Check the calendar for updates including meditation retreats and special events. Or call 928.204.0067. |
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Woman Arising! Conference in Sedona
 In the early 90's reading Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés' best-selling book, Women Who Run With the Wolves, was a life-changing experience for many women. And now, almost 20 years later at Woman Arising, Dr Estés unveils her new book in October, Untie the Strong Woman.
We are so excited and fortunate that she'll be sharing it with us in Sedona Arizona!
On October 9 & 10, she and other dynamic, wise, and spiritual women presenters will gather at Sedona's beautiful Enchantment Resort for two days of inspiring dialogues and stories of self-discovery. Joining Clarissa are:
Along with the dialogues and presentations, the weekend includes easy morning meditations,gentle yoga practices, walks in the red rock wilderness, delicious vegetarian lunches, women's wisdom sharing circles, a silent auction, fabulous gifts, opportunities to have your books signed by the authors, and optional spa treatments! It's a weekend not to be missed. Find out more about the Woman Arising event here.
Come a day early and begin the weekend on Saturday, October 8th with an intimate day-long meditation retreat Quiet the Mind & Open the Heart facilitated by actress and advocate Lindsay Wagner Though the dialogues are open only to women, the one day retreat on October 8 is open to men and women. Space is very limited.
The event is sponsored by Sedona Meditation, Heart Wisdom Journeys, The Sanctuary at Sedona, Stone Nation Rising, Sedona artist Victoria Nelson, and Namaste Publishing.
Get the details, visit www.WomanArising.com or call 928.202.7995. Register by June 30 and save almost 50%! Enchantment Resort is offering really reduced rates for participants.
 Enter the sweepstakes to win a pair of tickets for the Woman Arising Dialogues! Simply "Like" us on Facebook and enter the sweepstakes until June 22!
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A Retreat to Open Your Heart
Imagine establishing a sense of unshakable peace and comfort and feeling open, loving, and free. This is how the participants describe their experience of the previous Heart Opening Retreat in Lake Tahoe.
You too can take this journey back into your own enchanting heart center at the Heart Opening Retreat May 5 - 8 that I co-lead with a very inspiring woman, Kathy Zavada from Mount Shasta. Not only is she a phenomenal singer and songwriter (listen to her music here), she's also an insightful and gifted retreat leader.
During this magnificent weekend, you'll be bathed in deeply uplifting music, guided and silent meditations, gentle self-discovery exercises, and nourishing time in nature. You'll rest into the blissful stillness of your own being and experience your heart opening.
It's a totally affordable retreat in one of the most beautiful spots in nature. The Heart Opening Retreat is held at the Zephyr Point Conference Center lakeside in South Lake Tahoe - you can stay right on site! Find out more or sign up here.
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SynchroDestiny with Deepak Chopra in Sedona
May 18 - 22 at Sedona's Enchantment Resort - noted as one of the world's top 100 hotels - surrounded by the majestic red rock formations of Boynton Canyon.
Discover a step-by-step process for becoming aware of the opportunities that most people only see in hindsight. You will learn how to use the universal "laws of intention and attention" to tap into your unlimited potential and create your own "good luck" in every area of your life.
Participants receive training from Deepak Chopra and Chopra Center staff as and are guided on an inspirational exploration of the field of pure potentiality and the universal patterns that shape your life - coincidence, karma, consciousness, and intention.
It's an intensive 5-day retreat which includes deep meditation, heart-opening yoga, and timeless practices for fulfilling your highest human potential. The program also includes:
- Primordial Sound Meditation instruction, including your personal mantra,
- Group meditations
- Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga
- Optional Ayurvedic vegetarian lunches
- Rejoice in your awakening with a special celebration dinner.
Find out more, call the Chopra Center at 760.494.1629 and speak to program consultant, Libby Carstensen. When you you tell them that Sarah McLean sent you Libby will give you an exclusive discount only available from Sedona Meditation. 40 spaces left as of March 21.
mail Libby@chopra.com or call 760.494.1629. See you there!
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I'll leave you with a suggestion from Robert Adams, a great mystic and American spiritual teacher who once lived in Sedona. Here he's describing an experience that is so subtle, beyond words - the transcendence that can happen in meditation. It can't be reached by 'trying' to reach it. True silence really means going deep within yourself to that place where nothing is happening, Where you transcend time and space. You go into a brand new dimension of nothingness. That's where all the power is. That's your real home. That's where you really belong, in deep silence where there is no good or bad, no one trying to achieve anything. Just being, pure being. . . . Silence is the ultimate reality.
In Peace,
Sarah McLean, Director
Sedona Meditation Training & Retreat Co.
Email us info@sedonameditation.com Call us (928) 204-0067 Visit http://www.SedonaMeditation.com
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