We had a sweet meditation class this morning. The subject was shyness. I asked the eight women in the room if any of them were shy. Most said they were shy when they were younger but are not scared now.
Several, including Laurie, above photograph, is a regular in the class. She said she is still sometimes shy but had made good friends at the Mansion. We talked about the advantages of shyness – learning to listen to people.
We talked about the need to accept ourselves as we are. Shy people are often good listeners; they make the world quieter and calmer.
The meditation class has taken hold. We have a full house every week, and the class members say they often meditate now, helping them be calm and feel grounded. Most meditate in the morning; others say they meditate when they feel agitated or fearful.
Most of the attendees are repeaters; there were two new people today. One was a new resident who insisted on working on her drawing while we met. I said that was okay with me; art is a meditation in itself.
(Zinnia visits with her friend Peggy at the Mansion, they are good friends.)
I hope the Men’s Group takes hold the same way as the meditation class. I think the odds are 50-50. When I suggested to the men that we meditate, two or three got up and left the room. But a couple of friendships were started, and several asked for help. That is a good sign.
The female residents at the Mansion seem drawn to meditation, it is often so hard for men to open up.
A drawing class here is billed as a meditation class. One goes into “the zone” in both.
I love that look of bliss on Zinnia’s face as Peggy scratches her head.
When my niece was young she was shy and she heard people call her that. She thought they said she was shiny and would tell people she was shiny. I have always thought of the two words together and think of shy people as those who shine.
Oprah discerned after doing hundreds of interviews, what people really wanted is: Do you really see me? Do I matter?Fred Rogers importantly said, ” Love is at the root of everything.–Love or the lack of it.” Your holding up of the refugees & the elderly are enabling often unthought of people to be seen and to be loved. I thank you for sharing your life unflinchingly. –It is a kind of love, I think, to shine a light on what worries & disturbs & to say–this too is OK.– It’s just being human, & if it can be mentioned, it can be dealt with.