Synopsis "Stay Connected: Meditation, Mindfulness and Naikan to promote Effective Living"
"Hear; see; smell; touch and taste all that you encounter." "Get Connected" included a brief introduction and explanation of meditation, mindfulness and Naikan. It was written for persons relatively new to the Buddhist principles of meditation and provided basic information and principles. It provided definitions of each and guidelines for practice. It challenged you to use them in your daily life. This second effort is an expansion of Get Connected written for those more experienced with meditation as well as novices. You are again encouraged to use all your senses, sight, touch, smell, sound and taste, in observing and assessing what you are experiencing. In addition to advanced principles and practices of meditation and mindfulness, Stay Connected includes a section on the history of Naikan, as well as details on it's principles and practices. As always, I encourage you to be skeptical, yet open; curious, yet cautious about forgiveness, mindfulness and the intense self-reflective process of Naikan. Developed in Japan in the early twentieth century, Naikan enhances your ability to focus on past and present relationships. It combines meditation and mindfulness with the answers to three questions: what gifts have i received from another person, what gifts have I given them and what trouble have I caused them. The answers to these questions will prompt new, long ignored memories of these past relationships. New awareness is developed which allows for significant positive thoughts and feelings regarding past, present and future relationships and life challenges. While all of these efforts are usually practiced in isolation, I believe that the sharing of thoughts, feelings and insights are powerful tools. In my work, I have added group discussion and person-to-person interaction to the experience, further enhancing the quality of the experience, As I have always stated, it is anticipated that your curiosity will open you to additional involvement. You will be astonishing! You will not be disappointed! As in all my programs, your participation may well be a life changing experience. No lie!
