Shinzen Young, whose Unified Mindfulness System is my attention training toolset of choice, often talks about his happiest thought being a marriage of science and contemplative practice where (I’m paraphrasing) the two, working together, could alter the course of human history for the better. I share that happiest thought with him.
Shinzen thinks big, and I love that about him. This type of thinking has led him, instead of pushing one type of meditation, to identify the core skills underlying meditation, and to create a system where developing those skills is the focus. Instead of just teaching students how to meditate, he wants to unlock the secrets of the mind in order to improve methods, extend the reach, and ultimately improve human well-being in a massive way. What are the building blocks of an enlightened personality? He wants to understand them, and to measure and see them at work in a lab. And to do this, he aims to be as inclusive as possible, and to spread the practice beyond what any single tradition, religion, spirituality or organization could offer.
With that same goal in mind, one of my other happiest thoughts is to create a facility dedicated to this type of broad vision for attention training. Like a gymnasium for the mind, people would come to learn, to be a part of a community, and most importantly to practice. We would invite the best teachers from all traditions to come share and collaborate, to host retreats, and to offer instruction.
I plan to call this unique meditation center the “Peace & Quiet Club.”
I have a website, and am currently seeking investors to open the first club in Los Angeles. Contact me if you’re interested in helping me make this happen.