On November 6 & 7, the Buddhist-inspired Interdependence Project (which creates this blog for your education and/or amusement) will be hosting our largest
fundraiser and event to date in the form of a 24- hour Meditation Marathon in the
window displays of ABC Carpet & Home, a wonderful and sustainable store in New York City.
We are aiming to raise funds for our non-profit organization to develop as a true
community center, develop a radio show, and develop our activism
projects in the coming year. We also need additional support to continue providing great
classes, events and projects for the upcoming year, and expand the
scope of our transformative community.
So
far, about 90 people have signed up to participate. Three of us, myself
included, are meditating for 24 hours straight! So why do we practice meditation?
That’s a great question to ask yourself before you do it around the clock on one of the busiest streets in the world. Every week for the next six weeks leading up to
the event, we will share with you five answers to that questions from
marathon participants. If you like an answer, please consider making a donation in support of the meditator who wrote it (many thanks to the
Any amount is appreciated, and it helps our little nonprofit with a big
heart tremendously. The donation is deductible to the full extent of
the law.
Here are this week’s top five reasons we sit:
1. “I meditate because Alan Grayson, Kanye West, and Joe Wilson don’t (yet?)”
-participant Ethan Nichtern
2. “I sit because I want to be that cool meditation dude who everyone admires. Mr.
meditation. That’s me.”
-participant Jon Rubinstein
3. “I sit because it doesn’t
cost me anything, and I can stay in my PJs.
-participant Judi Hark
4. “I sit because the alternative is worse – a very insidious and special kind of insanity”
-participant Paul Bennett
5. “I sit because Church, punk rock, Hare Krsna, Reiki, sex, whiskey, rock ‘n roll,
romance, 12-step, and buying stuff just didn’t work out.“
-participant Ralph De La Rosa
Please Do Donate on behalf of one of the above participants at this link.
And tell us, why do you meditate? Or why don’t you? Sit Down, Rise Up, Ladies and Gentlemen
posted October 2, 2009 at 10:26 am
i sit because i vowed to sit at least 10 minutes a day until at least next wednesday.
posted October 2, 2009 at 10:34 am
meditation project sounds wonderful!
and best of luck to all the participants!
I did a 24 hour meditation once…was definitely a worthwhile experience!
I meditate to seek Enlightenment, nirvana, moksha, siddi…
and to surrender my life to the divine
gassho
posted October 2, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I sit because, often, when I do, the answers come, which they don’t do when I’m in other positions. Sitting can mean sitting on the couch at home, with the TV off, of course, but also sitting in the car 160 km. (= 100 miles) on my way to work.
I like Ralph dela Rosa’s reasons. It’s all part of the search for answers. Thanks for the smile that brought me!
posted October 3, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Sitting helps me drop my greedy, deluded “quest” and lets me notice what just is. When I neglect to sit, I quickly revert to a way of seeing characterized by self-important delusion. It hurts.
posted October 5, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I sit cause there ain’t no answers on the outside. The space between the thoughts, that’s the truth.