Several months ago, I began the simple yet mysterious practice of meditation. In the class I take once a week with instructor Ellyne Bell, we discuss concepts such as how time spent meditating can open up a small space in the heart (or not in the heart) that makes a person less likely to rush to judgment of self and others. Now there’s a quality I’ve needed; I’m proud to report some progress. During meditation, I’ve surfed waves of frustration, excitement, honesty and creativity, and once, for a fleeting, visionary moment, glimpsed the silent splendor of the universe. But that’s just me. Who knows what might happen if you choose to sit still on a mat, focusing on your breath?
Bell holds two half-hour classes in Sacramento: Mondays at 6 p.m. at the Deane Dance Center in East Sacramento; and Sundays at 5:50 p.m. at Yoga Shala in midtown. Both classes are donation-based. Funds raised on Mondays go toward dance scholarships for children, and Tuesday’s donations go to Wind Youth Services. For more information, call the Deane Dance Center at (916) 453-0226 or e-mail Yoga Shala here.
