I'm including a note below that I sent around to friends and families. My first meditation teacher Shinzen Young has some very modern approaches to reaching out to people using technology to make teaching more easily available. As well as helping us cope with moment toexperience of being alive (emotionally, mentally, physically, energetically), one of his specialties is helping people cope with physical pain. What goes on inside our heads and our relationship to our bodies from moment to moment is THE MOST important health and survival consideration of all. Helen, I've likely recommended him to you more than once already but since I just sent this note along with a letter from Shinzen along to my personal friends and loved ones, I thought I'd post it for you too!



"I’m sending this to you because I thought you might be interested in ‘test driving’ some meditation techniques (mindfulness meditation) that have been very helpful to me and continue to enhance my life and my concentration and peace and insights. Some of you I’ve spoken to about meditation (some of you already have a practice) and some of you I’d love to speak to but have not done so yet. This teacher introduced me to a powerful approach to meditation back in 2002 and I’ve stayed in touch with him and his teachings intermittently since. His website is www.shinzen.org and information about his home courses is at http://www.shinzen.org/MeditationTraining/ If you go to the site, be sur e to take a look at Five Ways to Know Yourself. It's a brief intro to some of the terms he uses when guiding mediations.



I just received this letter from Shinzen about his innovative approach to staying in touch with his students and connecting with new ones. He’s been doing this to some degree for a while but is now enhancing his offerings. I’ve attended his retreats as well as participated in the phone ones.



His approach is secular (greatly welcoming to people of all faith perspectives) and somewhat modern. He’s participated in a fair bit of intellectual and academic investigations into the science of the mind and expansion of consciousness so he tends to take a fairly precise and technical approach to the work. This does not mean he does not saturate it with love, just that he is making it very specific and very accessible by people with different personality types and faiths.



His dharma talks are based mostly on micro psychological approaches to living in peace more than specifically about Buddhist doctrine (though it’s largely sourced from the Buddha’s core teachings about meditation techniques to help one find inner peace.) He’s an ex university professor of comparative religion, physics and math and he speaks four languages so his talks are also usually quite rich in related ways.



These phone sessions are a beautiful way to connect with the meditative energy of many people across the globe. In this manner I have sat ‘global retreats’ with more than sixty five people all from their own homes. The energy is palpable, similar in some ways to a retreat where you’re all in the same room. He is now providing an introductory retreat by phone so that even those who have not previously sat with him using his methods can join in.



His instruction is very term specific and detailed in procedure. I find his methods unique and fun to use, offering great penetration potential for a wandering mind and that they support concentration, inner awareness, insight, equanimity and relaxation. He changes his teachings on a regular basis to keep us ‘stretching’ our concentration powers. I’ve been using other methods for a while but his new approach is especially delightful and I’ll be joining in on the intro retreat myself to become more familiar with it.



If you’ve been curious about ways to introduce greater calm and concentration through meditation or if you’ve wondered about mindfulness meditation, you might be interested in this opportunity for an introduction. Traditionally, Buddhist teachings are offered free of charge and the community supports the teacher through donations.



Vipassana Support Institute, his organization sponsors hundreds of students to attend retreats each year who do not have the means through scholarship and this is where the bulk of the fees for retreats go. Shinzen’s modest lifestyle and his travel expenses to go to retreats is also covered. He works seven days a week, sometimes on call 24 hours a day, committed to guiding people through their spiritual journeys. There are scholarships available for the phone retreats as well for those without the means to pay for the teachings.



Love,



TLC"




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"Dear Fellow Meditators,



I have a dream. My dream is that every person in the world who is ready to take up the practice of Mindfulness should be able to do so regardless of where they live, what their family, social or work responsibilities are, or what their financial situation may be. So I’m very excited to let you know that in essence this is now possible!



I have initiated a conference call-based Home Practice Program that offers both introductory classes and ongoing monthly mini retreats. These classes and retreats require a very short time commitment (just 4 hours) and as the name implies, can be accessed from your home or most anywhere else in the world you may be. Basically all that’s needed is access to a telephone and the desire to practice.



Most of the mini retreats are based on the 5 Ways, my latest formulation of Mindfulness (see the attached article). Each mini retreat involves guided practice, self practice, group discussion and a chance for one-on-one private interviews with me, just like an onsite retreat.



People who have not previously done programs with me can take a 4-hour introductory class that will give them everything they need to participate in mini retreats from that time on. These programs always take place on the 2nd weekend of each month, with classes offered several time during the year.



There will be two Introductory Classes this month, February 9th and 10th, 2008. The next one after that will be on May 10, 2008.



The introductory classes are suitable for all levels, from people who have never meditated or even looked within themselves to experienced practitioners who may be interested in learning the 5 Ways. So if you know anyone you think is ready to learn a Mindful Awareness Practice, please tell them about the classes coming up in February and May.



There is a nominal registration fee for these programs, but my goal is to make introductory instruction and monthly support available to anyone regardless of their life circumstances. We’ve set aside a bursary of partial and even full scholarships available, so expense should not be an issue for anyone.





Everything you need can be found at www.BasicMindfulness.org.
In dhamma and metta,



Shinzen"