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Beginning meditation practice Are you one of the many people who have read about the benefits of meditation and are flirting with the idea of attending a meditation group? You are not alone. Some people report keeping one of our announcements on the refrigerator magnet for a year or so before doing anything about it! This website was originally put together to create an effective way to answer some of the questions people have about mindfulness meditation and the MMC. If, after browsing through the pages of this website, you want to know more about mindfulness meditation before trying it with a group, you can read a book by Thich Nhat Hanh. The best selection of books by him can be found at Boule de Neige on St Denis street in Montreal, just south of Mount Royal, on the east side of the street. A smaller and unpredictable selection may also be found at Chapters. You may enjoy Thich Nhat Hanh's books regardless of whether you actually ever come to the centre. He writes in an easy, conversational style and with humour. If you decide to try it On the practical side, you can wear any kind of apparel at all. You will find meditation cushions, benches, and ordinary chairs to choose from at the centre. There will also be wraps and throws you can use for comfort. As a visitor, you may make a small contribution of 5 or 7 dollars in the basket provided. No need to ring as the door is open 15 minutes before scheduled activities. Just come in, and leave your shoes at the entrance. For your first time, please come 10 minutes ahead of time so that you can find a way to make yourself at home and comfortable. What you can expect During a weekly meeting, you can expect to hear a 20-25 minute talk, have one period of guided meditation of about 20-25 minutes, a period of walking of 10 minutes, a period of silent sitting of about 20 minutes, and a period of discussion or sharing. You can choose to participate in the discussion, or remain silent as you wish. The period of discussion can be used to ask questions. You can also ask questions privately after the meeting. The meetings start at 10 am at Padua, and at 7:30 pm in Pointe-Claire, and last about two hours. Meetings are open to the public and to people coming for the first time. Once the groups start, they keep going without interruption for holidays until they stop for a break around the holiday season. The time of the break and the date of restarting is always announced both in our Newsletter and in this website under Weekly Programs. You can join the group at any time. You can also come as a visitor to try it out at any time. Beginners are welcome at any time.
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