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 Meditation develops peace, awareness and insight into the primordial ground of being. All the activities and courses Dido offers are based on a meditation approach. Meditation is a far-reaching tool. It gives a deep vision of who we are in this mysterious universe, and how we can be happy in our lives, all in one.
The ground of being is a state of love - in ourselves, for others, who are the same as ourselves, not separate, and for all nature and things that manifest. There is nothing that does not arise out of this ground of love. We are made of love.
The Tibetan tradition offers a multitude of different approaches. There is something for everyone, and every situation. It is a vast and creative path, through which every moment can transform into clear seeing and wise action.
We feel the benefits right from the start. We have a tool we can help ourselves with. We don't have to rely on any outside person or support. Meditation can be used anywhere, any time, is always with us.
At the beginning we slow down, release stress. We deal with emotional and physical pain better. That opens the way for deeper calm and insight. The world becomes more and more interesting and beautiful.
Meditation is a skill you can learn, like learning to play the violin. We learn to play our mind and body. To play beautiful music, skills need to be used with heart. Living with heart, loving, embracing, being alive, are also part of the skills of meditation. We see our everyday world in a new light.
PERSONAL GROWTH AND MEDITATION
In general, meditation is supposed to be for transcending the sense of a permanent self, and therapy is supposed to be for building up and strengthening the sense of self.
Although those seem opposite aims, there is a lot of co-operation between the two.
It can be important to strengthen the self, while not believing in it as permanent and self-existent. The self is ever-changing; at the same time it needs to be stable, confident and well developed, to provide a basis for insight into its own impermanence.
Both meditation and therapy encourage us to go beyond the limited and narrow ego, that clutches to a tight worldview, to make it feel safe. We grow into a much larger arena, if we are able to live with the depth of ourselves, dark and light, and bring to light and transform our anger, greed and so on. We develop flexible and spontaneous action as well as more compassion and understanding of others.
We can approach therapy using meditation methods, and vice versa. Awareness of how emotions lodge themselves in our body, and how awareness releases these blocks, into flow and positive power, works with the passions in a deep place. This approach underpins all of Dido's work.
CREATIVITY AND MEDITATION
Art, singing and dance have long been used for spiritual practice and ritual. They quickly take us beyond the realm of words, and bring forth the creative life force. Dido uses various arts to deepen other studies, in ritual, or as special studies by themselves. Some of the artwork on this website has been done in this context.
Imagination is a powerful tool for transforming our life. Painting encourages the imagination to flow with natural vigour. Painting mirrors our mind. Through it the depth speaks directly. Learn to read its language, to see what we are in the moment, then use the insight to expand into new places.
Painting can be used for personal growth, communicating and self-expression, developing intuition and spontaneity, awareness of body and senses, and physical and mental healing. Imagination is an important tool for extending ourselves into new dimensions. We can learn to become more creative in daily life. We are a work of art, continually transforming.
The mind of artist and meditator are similar. Tranquil, focused, aware, centred in the moment. Creative work lights up the senses.
This painting for freedom will be equally interesting to skilled artists, and those who have not painted since childhood.
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Singing opens and relaxes the body, and encourages full breathing. With sound, we bring the bodymind into harmony and calm, and so to health. As we tune the mind more finely we contact the rich range of expression we are capable of. Singing can bring out the wisdom and spontaneity in us.
Much singing is about love - of a person, a homeland, or the divine. Hymns and chanting have been part of every spiritual tradition. We will explore the spiritual and meditational aspects of singing.
Everyone has a singing voice, and can overcome the inhibitions of 'I can't sing'. Group singing is powerful, and generates harmony and a sense of union.
We will explore the melody, rhythm and harmony within us through improvisation, and use music from all over the world as source material, to understand how music reflects different mind states.
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ILLNESS AND MEDITATION -
Our society encourages us to push ourselves to achieve, regardless of the stress on our body and spirit.
When we are chronically ill, we need to learn exactly the opposite. This is what the Buddha taught - taking things slowly; looking after ourself with kindness; befriending our body; finding delight and satisfaction in our own company when we are isolated by illness; making space for rest and healing; living with physical pain and depression in a self-caring way; learning to let go of hopes and fears, and find happiness in the present without worrying about future or past; valuing ourselves just as we are, regardless of whether we have achieved great things in the world, or what people think of us.
A group of people with M.E. have been working for many years with Dido in England.
An article by Dido on meditation and chronic illness can found at:
Free your mind - Dido Dunlop explains how learning to relax can improve your quality of life
For further information contact Dido Dunlop at dido@wisebirds.org
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