Hidden in Plain Sight
Increasing Awareness Through Meditation and Relaxation
What if the very thing you’re searching for is already here, quietly waiting to be noticed?
This workshop explores how we overlook what matters most in our own lives. We’ll reflect on what blinds us, how we know when we’ve missed something important, and how culture and religion can both support and limit deep spiritual work. Rather than offering fixed answers, this gathering invites honest inquiry, gentle awareness, and lived reflection.
We begin with the story of Shakyamuni Buddha and his awakening. What did he see beyond the palace walls? How did those encounters reshape his understanding of suffering, ageing, and death? And how did he integrate what he discovered through the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, particularly right view, conduct, and contemplation?
Together, we explore what may be hidden in plain sight within our own experience.
Meditation Practice: Settling Down and Opening Up
This guided practice is simple, grounded, and accessible for beginners and those familiar with meditation.
Take a comfortable seated position.
Breathe deeply and allow the body to soften.
Gently close your eyes.
Open the eyes again, resting them softly without focus.
Notice thoughts as they arise.
Let them go without judgment.
If discomfort or pain appears, touch it with the gentleness of a feather. Simply Notice. Allow. Release.
The emphasis is not on achieving a special state, but on becoming aware of what is already here.
Discussion Themes
What are we missing on our path that may be right in front of us?
What blinds us: habit, fear, belief, distraction?
How do we recognize when something has been overlooked?
How can religion and culture limit deep spiritual work?
How can they also guide and protect it?
Participants are encouraged to share reflections in a respectful, open circle.
When
Where
Who is encouraged to attend
Beginners and experienced practitioners
Cost
A Donation of $50 help offset the costs of hosting the workshop and supports the ongoing offering of accessible, small-group contemplative programs
How to register
Registration details are provided with each workshop offering. Interested participants are encouraged to reach out in advance, as spaces are limited to maintain an intimate group size.
Contact information
Patricia Bush - Email: likeamoononwater@gmail.com