Amita Schmidt

Buddhist Meditation Teacher

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August 12, 2017 by Amita Schmidt

Prayer or Despair?

In difficult times, choose prayer instead of despair.  Despair and fear lead to a freeze response in the body. Prayer unfreezes the heart and moves us towards connected action.

The immediacy of the world problems are our teacher now.  Many years ago during a retreat, my teacher Matt Flickstein asked me to carry a knife 24/7 for a week. I had to carry it on the toilet, in the shower, meditating, making food, brushing my teeth, at the dinner table, talking to others, and in bed all night while sleeping.  He told me, “Death can come at any moment. The knife will make sure you do not forget this.”  Carrying the knife made it clear that each moment could be my last, and reminded me to pray, be mindful, and express gratitude constantly that week.

In the weeks after I put the knife down, I soon forgot the fierce necessity of prayer and mindfulness.  Now, with nuclear and environmental destruction so immediate, all of us have a knife by our side.  It is not something we can “put away.”  The knife is here while we are on the toilet, making love, at the dinner table, or in the shower.  Rather than creating fear or despair, this can create a fierce reminder to be mindful, love and connect 24/7.   Prayer or despair?

 

 

 

Filed Under: General, Spiritual Tagged With: anxiety, Buddhism, depression, love, mindfulness, prayer, war, world

October 30, 2016 by Amita Schmidt

The Love Sign

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Today was an usual day.  It began at 6am creating a “Love” sign to take with me to public places as part of a new lovingkindness practice.

I figured why not put meditation into action? So for today I held a Love Sign in public places.  Why “Love?” Well, it doesn’t require anything of the seer, it can be a noun or a verb, and more importantly it’s something that’s good for me to practice.

Throughout the day I sat in three different places: La Perouse Bay Nature Reserve, on a bench in front of the local swimming pool, and at the Maui Mall shopping plaza. Within minutes of holding the Love Sign it received lots of smiles and happy eyes.  Also, a local young dad flashed me a shaka, a tattooed girl blaring music and angrily shouting stopped to smile, a very old woman gave me $5, and another woman gave me candy. Additionally, I made friends with a homeless (x16 years) Gulf war combat veteran, Dann, who was picking up cans for recycling.  In our conversation he was sane, sober, and truly wise.  I asked Dann, “If you had a sign to hold, what would it be?”  He thought for awhile and then said “Respect.” He explained that as a homeless person he is judged by others, and people don’t take the time to see or respect him for who he is. If I hadn’t been holding the Love Sign, I too would have been one of those people who judged him and didn’t take the time to see him.

The best thing about holding the Love Sign is it forces me to embody love. It’s impossible to judge others when I am holding the Love Sign, and impossible to be sad or angry.  Good practice I figure.  Plus it’s always humbling to sit in public holding a sign.

Last but not least, when I stopped holding the Love Sign I felt I was still holding it in my heart.  And when I imagine I am always holding the Love Sign it has wonderful effects.  Everyone becomes family.

Filed Under: General, Spiritual Tagged With: kindness, love, mindfulness, spirituality

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