Far Away

I am a member of the Open Heart Project, created by the kind and wise Susan Piver “to make it really, really easy to learn to meditate, find support for an ongoing practice, and connect with a community of like-minded practitioners who seek to live with wisdom, compassion, and courage.” Susan offers both a Basic and Member option for the program, and every Monday morning, Susan sends those of us who are Members a video that discusses our theme for the week (the above picture is of this morning’s talk). We also have access (as do those involved at the Basic level) to an archive of wisdom and meditation instruction videos of varying lengths.

Every day I practice with a teacher and a sangha that is far away. Each morning, I sit at my writing desk, go to Susan’s website or open one of her emails, lean my phone against my little shrine, and hit “play.” The distance between us is only physical, geographic, because Susan and the Open Heart Project are actually quite close to me, a constant presence, a very real community. Every morning we practice together, each moment we offer each other support in our practice (on and off the cushion), and we are connected even though “they” are far away.