My busy summer included getting married, buying a home, and starting a new job as a high school science teacher. I live in a suburban neighborhood 10 minutes from Dhamma Delaware, a new Vipassana Meditation Center, and within 30 minutes of Philadelphia and Wilmington. Now I want to discover what Vipassana has to offer society, and figure out how I can help.
Goenka’s organization has perfected the 10-day introductory meditation course for individuals interested in seeking out that experience. What I wonder is if meditation has a place in transforming our society. Sitting 2-hours a day is powerful for serious meditators, but the general public is not going to reach that degree of commitment. Children’s courses encourage kids and teens to sit 10 minutes every morning and evening, and adults in various traditions have witnessed improvement in concentration, stress and anger management, and academics with regular observation of the breathe (see article).
Would introducing Anapana and encouraging groups to sit together for 10 minutes a day show significant results in neighborhoods, businesses, or families? What information or supports would these groups need to inspire their effort? What groups would be most open to exploring meditation. As I’ve reintegrated my life into society, these are the questions that are coming to my mind. I’m not sure exactly if or how I’ll pursue them, but they are intriguing. Time to meditate.
