©Urban Dandy Ltd
@tomhcharles
Urban Dandy
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©Urban Dandy Ltd
@tomhcharles
2017 untitled #1
©Urban Dandy Ltd
@tomhcharles
Urban Dandy Meditation #2
Urban Dandy Meditation #2 was on 29th March 2018 in Notting Hill. You should have come.
A new venture, aimed at people from North Kensington and further afield to engage in the practice of transcendental meditation and to stimulate discussion and creativity.
The theme for the second Urban Dandy meditation event was ‘What is freedom?’
Within this broad theme, the class considered the question ‘What kind of freedom is experienced in transcendental meditation?’
The group discussed the tightrope of being in the world, grappling with a plethora of pressures and seeking truth, whilst simultaneously not being fully of this world, and the resulting question – ‘If I’m not of this world, what am I of?’
“I”
All participants reported that meditation facilitated a letting go, including of conventional understandings of the concept “I.”
This concept “I” can represent habitual roles, identity via nationality, religion, social class, political affiliation/non-affiliation, a strong identification with physical appearance, opinions, resentments, or taking a view of oneself as superior/inferior to others…
A human tendency is to spend energy looking for recognition and affirmation by playing any number of roles based on these identities, both consciously and subconsciously. We can deploy our energies fending off threats to these identities…
However, if these roles are seen for what they really are – habitual thought patterns – this energy is released and can be directed to benefit the whole person.
Patterns
In meditation, socially constructed identifications become more noticeably insufficient and, over time, distance is established between them and the observer – the identifications start to be viewed as patterns created by the mind rather than absolute truths.
Underneath the choppy waves of these thoughts and beliefs is a deep ocean of stillness. In meditation, this ocean is accessed and experienced directly by letting go of expectations and letting go of reliance on thought as a way of knowing oneself.
This is what transcendental meditation offers access to…it is experiential, not intellectual, making it subtle, powerful and effective.
An experience of freedom in Notting Hill…but it didn’t stay in the building, a drop of it traveled with each participant into the night…
By Tom Charles
@tomhcharles
Thanks to AC
Art by Angel Lewis
Urban Dandy Meditation – 29th March
Exodus for the Soul
I seek a burning bush
deep inside this internal wilderness
blazing sun the canvas
upon which vultures circle
over dry bleached skulls
of the eternal lost
who’s spirits are forever imprisoned
in this arid haunt of demons and jackals
Oh! Lazarus salve my tongue
with just one drop of your tears
as slowly I wander amongst these ever-changing dunes
crawling over rocks that were once thrown
by men without pity or grace
along with memories of scorpion-like words
that once pierced my heart…
Yet still no ignited shrub
giving purpose – offering hope
to a man who’s fist clenches time’s sand
which slowly seeps through his fingers
like his dreams
blown into heavenly halls
by divine life-giving breath
my mind boiling like mutton
a feast for an old toothless lion
who has only his roar!
Like Moses searching for the promised land
that flows with milk and honey
always eluding me
Darkness falls – I play games with the stars
that have shone on greater men
in the distance I spy a dancing flame
surely it doth burn so bright
bringing light into the hidden places
where only the bravest soul dare venture…
©M.C. Bolton, February 2018
Urban Dandy Meditation #1
Urban Dandy Meditation #1 was on 15th February 2018.
A new venture, aimed at people from our community and further afield to engage in the practice of transcendental meditation and to stimulate discussion and creativity.
A theme of ‘Who are we, really?’ guided us through the hour – the class were told:
Urban Dandy’s writers look at context, we explain things, point out pertinent detail, tell the truth and discern. But, Urban Dandy is for the whole human, which means we’re interested in looking beyond context. If we let go of this role of journalist, poet, or whatever label we could pin to ourselves, what remains?
Discomfort might be one thing…
The class was led into the first few minutes of meditation practice, Continue reading
