04 January 2011

WE'VE MOVED!

The new home of the Online Meditation Crew is: http://onlinemeditationcrew.org/

See you there!
The Management

Togetherness Meditation Day 166

'Sup Crew!

We are a couple days into the new year and the crew is blowing up as usual. The day began with @J9o1e6y bright and early at 4am EST. And the Stop. Drop. Mediate. Shout-outs have continued and will continue throughout the day.

The midday meet-up will be at 2pm EST / 11am PST and will be led by the "Grand Master of Tuesday's Shout-outs", @shing999. The #afterdark crew will be led once again by @violetsblue at 10pm EST / 7pm PST. 

Be on the lookout for the #OMCru hashtag and as always, all are welcome!

Enjoy the day, CREW! Breathe every moment in...deeply! And rock om! \m/ _/|\_ :-)

03 January 2011

Togetherness Meditation Day 165

It's a new year, and the Online Meditation Crew is starting the year off strong!!Several early morning shout-outs got the day started right, continuing into the Midday Meditative Meetup.

If you missed any of the sits so far today, no fear, there is more where that came from!  Watch for @violetsblue and the #afterdark crew, gathering at 10pm EST/7pm PST tonight.  And, for the international crew, who might find these times challenging, @J9o1e6y will be leading some mindfulness at 4amEST/1amPST. (That should be 8pm in Sydney!)  Check your local time here.

As always, anyone can send out a stop.drop.meditate at any time. Chances are good that someone will want to sit then, too!  Just remember to follow the #OMCru hashtag on Twitter, and share your practice with the crew!!

Today's Community Fostering Question:  
How did you spend New Year's Eve?

Have a great day/evening/night!! _/\_ \m/

30 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation Day 162, 163 and 164

Hey Ya'll CREW!

This is the New Year Weekend and for many of us it is a time of Reflection, Renewal, and Resolution.
No matter if you spend it alone, with friends or family it can be a happy or sometimes sad event or even a non-event.

We may brood over days past thinking we have not done enough or make lists and plans for tomorrow hoping things will turn out better.  If the CREW has taught us anything, it is that it is the present, the
NOW, this given moment that counts.

As the year winds down, turn to the Early AM Crew for a Meetup to jump-start your day. Watch for SHOUT outs from @Shuliji or @j9o1e6y and others throughout the morning.

@Silvercrone will host the Midday Meetup at 11:30am PST / 2:30pm EST for anyone needing a peaceful break in your day.

#Afterdark will be led by @violetsblue so watch for her signal (#OMCru #afterdark) to find your quiet spot and sit with her and others to see out 2010 and welcome 2011. On Friday night the #afterdark will meet at 7pm PST / 10pm EST.

If the Meetup times are not working for you, remember you can always call for a STOP-Drop-Meditate anytime. Use the #OMCru #wannasit #hashtag to notify any Crew members of your intentions so they can join in.

The Online Meditation Crew welcomes everyone, regardless of your practice to Meditate and Destroy!
Sitting together...miles apart.

Let's Meetup and welcome in 2011 together!
Breathe Deeply.
Enjoy your weekend.
Peace, Harmony, and Joy to all.

If you have any wishes or hopes for follow Crew members for the New Year, feel free to share in the comment section. _/|\_ \m/

29 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation - Day 160 and 161

Hello again, wonderful #OMCru!

The end of the year is nearly upon us yet the CREW has nevertheless kept the metta river flowing strong.

Today we had a pretty early shout-out (for the Americas) from @J9o1e6y at 5:16am PST / 8:16am EST, followed by our regular Mid-day Meditative Meet-up at 11:30am PST / 2:30pm EST.

Remember everyone is not only welcome but also highly encouraged to send Stop (the daily routine), Drop (what you are doing), Meditate (all practices, all traditions, all faiths, all are welcome) whenever you have a space during the day and want to share your mindfulness with the CREW.

Our #afterdark CREW will be meeting later in the day, so be on the lookout for @violetblue's call to meditative sharing for a great way to wind down from the day.

Tomorrow @Silvercrone, our Fearless Meditative Meet-up Mum will take over the mid-day shout out, so don't miss her call or she won't give you any of her delicious peanut butter cookies.

Anything you want to share with the CREW?

Maybe you have some special family traditions or yummy recipes you enjoy this time of the year?

Our comments section is always open for you.

Sending lotsa hugs and a ton of heavy metta to you all and hoping we can continue growing together during the next year.

Meditating together…miles apart.

Rock on CREW! _/|\_ :-) \m/

27 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation - Day 159

It's been a quiet morning here at Lake Wobegon...err...the Online Meditation Crew.  @chickabreck sent a shout-out at 1:00 am (Eastern) to get the day started off on the right foot.  Since then it's been pretty quiet. Must be everyone on the East Coast of the U.S. trying to dig out from the blizzard that is in full swing.  Please send lots of metta to those OMC folk during your practice(s) today.

Speaking of practice, today's Midday Meditative Meetup will be at 2:00pm (Eastern)/11:00am (Pacific).  Your host for today's togetherness will be @billjoseph.  Follow him and/or watch for the #OMCru hashtag and join in.  Remember: all practices welcome, all traditions welcome, all faiths welcome, all people welcome.  We sit together...apart, to meditate and destroy!!

Don't forget to add your post-meditation reflections to the comments!

Mucho metta to all, wherever you may be (physically or on your path). _/\_ \m/

23 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation Days 156, 157 and 158

Greetings CREW!

This has been a wonderful week with some new faces and many regulars keeping the flow going on our Meditation Togetherness.  While some folks are away others have stepped in and the CREW keeps on getting stronger and stronger with your participation.  Meditate and Destroy!

The Early AM Crew has been active. There have also been frequent STOP - Drop - MEDITATE Shout Outs throughout the day and evening.  Let's continue this trend.

Please follow the #OMCru hashtags to keep up with any last minute time changes as we head into this holiday weekend. Midday MeetUp times may vary a little bit.  Friday/Saturday/Sunday look for @silvercrone at 11:30AM PST / 2:30PM EST to be at the helm.

In addition @violetsblue and @queenj may share the #afterdark Meetups so check the #OMCru hashtag for exact times.  What is important is that we are all working to keep the flow going with the CREW!

For a change of pace, I would like to share an Awareness poem written by Holly Mann.

                                      Awareness - July 1, 2010
Intensely aware,
as though within me it stares,
with eyes so piercing they cannot be seen.
With depth of understanding, beyond what I can dream.
The knowledge of life’s brevity,
whispered into my ear as I live out each day,
quietly I hear.
Reminders of the whispering wisdom are everywhere.
In the pure joy and laughter of my own child.
In those moments frozen in time,
where some may scold and frown,
I become aware again of that whispered wisdom.
At times the whispers transform into thunder,
rolling through the sky,
passing by with unexpected moments,
causing me to hold my breath.
Each moment I try to shed the seriousness learned,
to see through the eyes of my child,
his raw emotions just pull from me,
enabling me to see,
each moment and each breath as an opportunity.
Each day an adventure,
each problem a battle to conquer,
with a heart ablaze with passion and strength.
Intensely aware,
of each moment in time.
The brevity of it all,
and in those moments you can find -
awareness.

May we all be aware and mindful of the moment.  Practice Peace and Share Kindness. Rock \m/ Crew
@hellofromhere says it all...  "Wishing all followers of all faiths (or secular celebrants) a peaceful and calm time during the holiday season"  _/|\_

21 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation - Days 153, 154, and 155

Good Day CREW!!!

This morning impromptu Stop. Drop. MEDITATE! shout-outs have welcomed the day and the midday meet-up will be led by @shing999 at 1pm EST / 10am PST. Also don't forget to join the #afterdark crew led by @violetsblue at 10pm EST / 7pm PST.

As always, impromptu Stop. Drop. Meditate shout-outs will show up throughout the day and night, so keep an eye out for the world famous #OMCru hashtag. All are welcome and silent check-ins and check-outs are always welcome.

As our community grows and to ensure all understand the all-inclusive feel of the OMC. I want to share, once again, the idea that our very own Zen Outlaw put down on paper one day that manifested as the #OMCru:

"Straight up, being with others - having shared experiences - is important. For Buddhists, the word 'sangha' is used to represent the collaborative spirit of individuals who study and practice together. In modern-day Christianity, the Greek term 'oikos' is employed to indicate a collection of individuals who through social interaction and commitment to mutual growth form familial bonds. A common thread for many spiritual and religious traditions is communing and practicing with others, underscoring the benefits of having a 'crew'. Shared practice is a means of accountability to self and others, as well as an awareness of others' presence on the path - whether seen or unseen. In essence, shared practice is both a comfort and a kick in the pants - avenues by which to foster one's intrinsic motivation to deepen practice.

For some, shared practice is a struggle; time, money, access all pose challenges on the path. Online networking, however, opens up shared practice to all and creates the space for communities of online practitioners to develop and grow.

The Online Meditation Crew (OMC) is a group of individuals who, through the wonders of technology and a common interest in shared practice, have bumped into each other along the path. The purpose of the OMC is to foster the meditation practice of the individual through the support and company of a crew. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come along on the journey. You can sit. You can walk. You can snuggle under the covers. Just be one with your meditative practice and one with the Crew in sharing your journey.

How do you become a member of the OMC? 


- Everyday a Tweet will sing out into the interwebs calling for crewmembers to join together in meditation for 15 minutes (a notice on the Blog will be posted too).

- When the initial call to meditate goes out, crew members will be asked to reply with a 'CHECK-IN' message that they are ready to begin.

- Each individual will set a timer for 15 minutes and begin the countdown once the official 'BEGIN' alert goes out.

- Meditate, per usual.

- When the 15 minutes are up, another 'CHECK-IN' message will go out and all crewmembers will be asked to send back a reply (either in short on Twitter or a bit more lengthy in the comment section on the OMC blog).

Ready to get meditatin' with the OMC?"

Enjoy the day Crew! Breathe deep, drop some metta and meditate and destroy! \m/ _/|\_    Peace.....

20 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation - Day 152

It was a busy weekend at the OMC, and we are now sliding back in to our workweek. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the week off, some have a short week, and for some it's just another "week at the office".  

Our Monday started with an early morning shout-out from @Shuliji, then on to our regularly scheduled midday meditation. In between was a stop.drop.meditate from @JamisonWiggins, who sat while riding a ferry.

Later today @violetsblue will be gathering the #afterdark crew (look for that shout-out around 10:00pm eastern).  Tomorrow's midday meetup will be led by @shing999, so keep an eye out for his call!

And, as always, anyone is welcome to send out a stop.drop.meditate at any time during the day. At this busy time of year our schedules don't always allow us to get together at the usual time(s).  Share your practice, and there's bound to be someone who will join in!!

Today's community fostering question:
 
Do you practice at work? If so, how do you integrate your practice with your workday?

Let us know your tips/tricks/techniques in the comments!!

Whether we're on the deck, or in the galley, keep the metta flowin'!! _/|\_ \m/

Peace.

16 December 2010

Togetherness Meditation Days 149, 150 and 151

Hey Ya'll - Seasons Greetings to the OMC!

Regardless of how you celebrate or observe this time of year, for many of us it is a time of travel, visits and visitors. All this activity can be a busy and hectic time in our lives.

Remember the OMCru meet ups will still be here - up and running for you to take time during your day to regroup, breathe, and relax. Some of the times and leaders my change but the CREW gives us all a place to Meditate and Destroy, as our Capt. says. Also, you can always call for a STOP. DROP. MEDITATE anytime.

Remember to follow the #OMCru hashtags to keep up to date on the daily Shout-Outs. The AM Morning Crew will continue to do their thing each day so watch for their SHOUT OUTS to join in.

Taking a cue from @The_KamikaZEN, the MidDay Shout Out will be a little earlier this weekend and next week as a trial. Do let us know what you think about the new time of 10AM PST / 1PM EST in the comment section. Join @silvercrone Friday, Saturday and Sunday. @billjoseph - Monday. @shing999 Tuesday and @The_KamikaZEN - Wednesday and Thursday.

Check in #afterdark with @violetsblue daily at 7PM PST / 10PM EST as a final close to your day.



And for our community fostering question this weekend:  Do you have a special food or dish you prepare this time of year?


Breathe Deeply and Enjoy your weekend CREW.    
         Peace. Love. and Harmony!       _/|\_ Let the Metta flow \m/