Meditation Flash Mobs: Turning Sidewalks Into Holy Places

[sonamdhargey]

In the U.K., a group called Wake Up London is turning the streets into their place of worship. Inspired by the teachings of peace activist and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, Wake Up London started in 2010 as a group of 16-35 year olds focused on practicing awareness and thoughtful living. For the last two years, they have been mobilizing meditation flash mobs, taking over public spaces with a mob of mindfulness.

They've converged on Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, City Hall, and a room in the Victoria & Albert Museum dropping into Buddha-like postures at the sound of a bell, startling passersby and demonstrating that anyone can look inward, even amidst the chaos of a bustling city like London.

Meditation Flash Mob London (Wake Up London) Winter Solstice

Taking place every month, the group is part of the larger movement MedMob, who plans simultaneous flash mob meditations in over 400 cities around the world, inviting everyone to participate in an hour long introspection, followed by a "Sound Bath:" 11 minutes of chanting. MedMob explains on their website, "Our intention is to create an environment for people from all religions, all world views, and all experience levels to join together in meditation. Our vision is to continue inspiring world-wide meditations until the entire world is invited to join - literally!"

So if looking for inner peace on a crowded sidewalk is your thing, you're in luck, the next planned sitting is March 21.

Source:http://m.good.is/posts/meditation-flash-mobs-turning-the-streets-into-a-place-of-worship/

[fruven]

The mobs caught my attention. And I thought it was some mobs happening again in some parts of the world. 

Cool! It is a nice idea to break people's perception of what can be done and cannot be done in the public. I would say that people should be hold themselves well in this kind of situation. There are laws and regulations to be aware of when a group of people gather together in public. The people who started this idea is courageous to spread the message of benefit of meditations in this unconventional way. Well what is conventional and unconventional anyway?

[dondrup]

Wake Up London and MedMob are taking Buddhist meditation practice into greater heights.  The publicity and awareness these organisations are creating about Buddhist meditation practice, mindfulness and thoughtful living are simply marvellous! Meditation can be done anywhere even on a crowded sidewalk!  How very skilful to introduce meditation practice to the World.  When the movement grows big and more cities around the world take part in the planned world-wide meditations, the world would achieve greater inner peace or world peace.

[DS Star]

Wow... I like this movement. Promoting inner peace and meditation to modern crowd in a most interesting unconventional way. I surely wish it will create more waves to other busy cities around the world, especially in Paris, New York, etc.

Meditation is definitely helpful to build our inner strength and spiritual strength.

Spiritual Strength is Undefeatable

One who foulness contemplates,
whose faculties are well-restrained,
in food does moderation know,
is full of faith, who's diligent:
that one no Mara overthrows,
as wind does not a rocky mount.

Dhammapada Verse 8

[Big Uncle]

You know that's fantastic in big cities with seasonal weather. I can't imagine it being done in the sweltering heat of where I am from. I guess, one could still do that in the evenings still. I do actually like the idea and I like the fact that meditation becomes a form of mental exercise and promoted for emotional and spiritual well being and is not specifically tied to Buddhism. Buddhist meditation can be incorporated into any spiritual tradition because meditation is just about focussing. When it becomes widespread, it will be very beneficial to people in general. It will foster an enlightened society based on awareness of each other's sufferings. Hence, crime rates will drop and people will care more for each other.

[WisdomBeing]

I love it! I love flash mobs and medmobs are fantabulous! It's freezing in London now though - so if it's sweltering where you are Big Uncle, it's the opposite here - so either way, it's not the most comfortable circumstances - talk about the cold and hot hells, eh. I think the medmobs are a wonderful way to reach out to stressed up, busy people who have never thought that there could be another alternative way from living aside from the rat race. They may not leave the rat race, samsaric addicts that they are, but maybe an hour of meditation a week is acceptable and better than nothing.

Just a cheeky aside, Samsaraholics Anonymous may be a good business to start.. hmmmm.... My name is Kate and I am a samsaraholic. Where is my support group LOL!

[pgdharma]

Well I think this is cool. While most people will feel uneasy meditating in public places but for those who can it takes a lot of mental strength to be distracted from the hustle and bustle of the city. The flash mobs are a demonstration of peace and show how anyone can sit down and experience inner silence, even in the centre of a huge city.

Most people are searching for two things in particular and that is to create a better quality of life with more personal responsibility for their own peace of mind and emotional responses, and to develop a meditation skill that can be used anywhere and at any time.

May the flash mobs grow big and become more widespread so that it will benefit more people to discover inner peace and eventually world peace.

[Jessie Fong]

Getting a few friends together for a meditation session may be easy but to get such a large crowd to come together and meditate in public, and in such a busy location, is no easy feat.

To top it off, we need a lot of discipline to be able to concentrate where the distractions are non-stop.

May the flash mobs grow and gain momentum all over the world.

[Positive Change]

This is really cool... Having people from all walks of life and perhaps even of different faiths coming together in unity, calmness and oneness... As the world should be. A very brilliant visual example of how we should all "interact" with each other. Rejoice in our similarities and not fight because of our differences!

If only the different factions the ban has created would practice what they preach and truly come together in such unity... a unity and peaceful way which is that of the Buddhist faith!

[samayakeeper]

I find this really neat! A spontaneous group of people gathered together, dropped everything and sit down to meditate. A great way to reduce stress. A great way to promote togetherness. A great way to promote harmony. A great way to promote peace. A great way to promote meditation.