alfresco meditation

lobster

Yesterday I meditated in the open air. Quite near to me is a common, there is a secluded bit partially fenced off. Inside is a small area used by local drinkers, possibly to get drunk. Few cans about. Ivy covered trees and a dried grass drinking area. It might be the modern Western equivalent of a charnel ground . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charnel_ground
( . . . must be a daka/tantrika fetish . . .)
I was visited by a shy wren and chirpy robin whilst sitting in this alcove . . .
around me early city sounds
Also kept my eyes open - been meditating with eyes closed lately . . .
Normally when meditating outside, a secluded bench and a relaxed version of the 'Egyptian pose' prevails
http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair

Do you meditate alfresco ever? Graveyard? Bench? Bus stop?

lamaramadingdong

Lots. I have a log that I sit on in my back 40. Too buggy in the summer, but I use it a bunch the other three seasons.

Takuan

I've meditated on the bus in the past. People shoot me weird looks, but it's metropolitan public transportation... everyones a little weird. lol

federica

"When am I not Meditating?".....

lobster

federica said:

"When am I not Meditating?".....

I hope that is true.

When I meditated full time, formal sitting was no different to 'normal' activity.
I just remembered my teacher did once attend a formal public sitting with me. I never saw so much mindful fidgeting from him, in my life. Others were confirmed in their 'advanced' stillness, I nearly burst out laughing several times . . .

Fun times.
:wave:

Dakini

It seems I got some of my best results when I meditated in my back yard full of cedar trees. Instead of focussing on the breath, I'd focus on the sound of the wind in the trees. very nice. Nice fragrance, too.

how

@Lobster
Zen Buddhists tend to try to make their practice one unending meditation period.
Sometimes, with such a practice, it's near impossible to find a place that's not alfresco.

Kundo

I can't meditate with my eyes open no matter how I try,. I have meditated in past jobs in courtyards. People just referred to me as that "hippie Buddha chick"

Currently I am blessed to be near the water and I go down to the end of the pier and sit and meditate. No matter what time of day it is, people just naturally seem to disperse when I go down there and I have the pier to myself (awesomesauce) and the fish usually come by to say hi after I'm finished (they look like koi fish except they're brown)

In metta,
Raven

lobster

Moving from static to ever present mindfulness as @how suggests is not always a priority but of course it can be . . . zen or no-zen . . .

I love the listening to the wind meditation and the carp arriving meditation . . . maybe I will keep returning the attention to the breath as I go about my days daze gaze . . . :wave:

misterCope

I've always really enjoyed meditating on a beach. You don't need a cushion, just move sand around where you need it. You can feel the sun on your face and hear the ocean moving in and out. It's like listening to the world breathe.

Nevermind

federica said:

"When am I not Meditating?".....

now

Nevermind

I've meditated on the beach also. Calming ocean sounds and cool sea breezes! oh yeah.