SUBWAY MEDITATION

An organization called Buddhist Insights is encouraging New Yorkers to meditate in public places. They’ve meditated in a factory, out on a sidewalk, and now in the subway. Led by monk Bhante Suddhaso, participants were told to send thoughts of love and peace to loved ones and to those also down in the subway. “This practice is one of bringing up a feeling of unconditional love, and good will,” Suddhaso explained. “You can meditate anywhere regardless of how quiet or how loud it is. It’s just sound. It’s only a problem if you make it a problem.” A few riders have actually joined in. Others were pleased by what they saw. Commuter Jacob Herman said, “We can all stand to be a little happier, and it’s great that they’re doing this I think – and it certainly made my day happier.”
* Each session of subway meditation ends the same way: a bow to Bhante Suddhaso, and then everybody says, “Hey, where’s my wallet?”
* One subway conductor tried it, and ran through five stops.
* Crap! I just got the hang of that newfangled “mindfulness”, and now they want me to go back to the “empty your mind” stuff.
* Subway meditation is easy. You just block out the train noise and focus on, say, the trickling of water as bums urinate in the tunnels.
* This would be easier if it was an app.
* Good thing New Yorkers are so receptive to ideas like this.
* New Yorkers – brimming over with thoughts of love and peace to share.
* I can hear them now: “Yo, where’s the temple at, hot shot?”
* I think the Buddhist Insights people should ponder this idea a little longer.
* When I ride the subway I’m too busy trying to stay alive to meditate.
* Look, if you’re meditating in a factory, one sound you’ll have to tune out is your boss telling you to get back to work.