Bodhipaksa
Feb 05, 2011
Window onto meditation

That’s two friends of mine, Mike and Suvarnaprabha (also known as our very own Auntie Suvanna) meditating in a shop window on San Francisco’s bustling Valencia St.
They were just two of thirty-two people from the San Francisco Buddhist Center and the wider Buddhist community who spent a couple of weekends last month meditating in public.
Suvarnaprabha said, “For me, the experience of sitting was completely different than I thought it would be. That is, I thought the ‘being looked at’ part would be more prominent. I became deeply absorbed, just hearing the sounds of the city–cars passing, high heels clicking, dogs barking, conversations… and noticing the response in my body. There was incredible peace sitting in that window, somehow interspersed with moments of fear and wonder.”
She was also surprised by how many people thought they were statues!
Check out Suvarnaprabha’s blog for some of the hilarious comments made by passers-by.
My favorite?
“Is she breathing?”
“No, people don’t breathe when they meditate.”


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