Working Meditation Print E-mail

What is Working Meditation?
Why am I asked to help out?

 

Helping Hands
 
When you participate in a group retreat at Vajrapani Institute, you may be asked to help with various domestic tasks. We call these Working Meditations. They include:

  • Washing dishes after meals
  • Keeping the floors tidy
  • Taking out the trash or compost
  • Preparing tea for the teacher
  • Ringing the bell for session and wake-up times
  • Wiping tables after meals
  • Managing the sound system
  • Other misc. domestic duties

Making work meaningful
Working Meditations have become an integral part of the Varjapani Retreat experience. They help retreatants bring what they learn “on the mat” to what they do “off the mat”. They offer us an opportunity to practice mindfulness through our daily activities by transforming seemingly mundane tasks, such as vacuuming and sweeping, into simple but powerful meditations.


Working Meditations are also a way to enter into the community spirit that is one of the special qualities of Vajrapani. Our tradition emphasizes the practice of cherishing others to bring happiness to ourselves and working meditations are an opportunity to experience the joy of working together and looking after each other.

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