Burlington Mindfulness Practice Community
Zoom meeting Burlington, ON, Canada

I've been thinking about how I'm feeling more focused and happy lately, in good measure because of my meditation practice. I had gotten away from it, and so, like a child, I folded a piece of paper to make the right 'graph', six days a week for three weeks (no need to meditate at home on Mondays, since I meditate with this group then), and I actually draw myself a star in the box when I do sit and meditate for 20 minutes. It's freaking magic. In a week, I've already come t...o look forward to it, and I'm more focused, more aware of when I'm starting to move away from awareness, being awake, to forgetfulness, to old habit energy. Procrastination, when I looked at it for me at this point, is a combination of fear and lack of motivation. Interesting. It seems to have less power over me now that I've been able to see what it's made of; how I don't want to live in reaction to fear. It feels like I understand lack of motivation comes from a sense of loneliness, of being alone. I can look at that, and once I do, I really know I am NOT alone. I have amazing friends and family, for which I am very grateful. My goal is to live my life as Ginny Megin as fully as I can. See more

Dawn Braid's skating school collaborated this year with our parent organization, Mood Disorders Society of Canada and adopted the Elephant in the Room anti-sti...gma campaign. The little blue anti-stigma Elephant was placed prominently on the skating jerseys of hockey players from the NHL, Ontario Hockey League, and the Lausanne Hockey Club (of the Swiss National Hockey League) who enrolled in her program. The Elephant in the Room campaign works by eliminating the #stigma associated with #mentalillness. Seeing the Elephant signifies that this person supports #mentalhealth and here’ is a safe place to talk about mental illness and issues without feeling thought less of, judged or fear of stigmatization. Supporting these conversations is the single best thing ANYONE can do for someone with a mental health issue. Special thanks also to Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Jankowski, Sean Monahan (Calgary Flames), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Conor Timmins (Colorado Avalanche), and Josh Jooris (Lausanne HC in Switzerland) who are pictured here, proudly wear their jersey supporting the EITR anti-stigma program.

We meet Monday mornings, currently at 9 AM (which may change to 10:30 in the fall). We continue to meet on holiday Mondays for those of us who are in town. If this is something you've thought about doing, please contact me, pm, or email, and I can forward a welcoming information sheet for you. It's a great way to kick off a holiday Monday. Just saying. No traffic from Hamilton either!

What is essential is to train to sit quietly and mindfully. The more you train yourself, the more you can reach the deeper aspect of what you are thinking and feeling. You might think:"I'm bored." "This is stupid." "I need to do something else right this minute." There may be old habits and old stories that are creating those thoughts and those feelings. What is getting in the way of your being able to experience the present moment? Keep breathing. Keep sitting. This is the practice. Thich Nhat Hahn