I have meditated in many different locations and spaces over my life, and taught others to meditate in many different venues and circumstances .. but recently I found myself doing both in a truly unique environment. It began with an email calling out for meditation teachers who might be interested in leading a free lunchtime meditation offering … within an art installation .. in an ART GALLERY! This just sounded so exciting. I was intrigued. I sent off a ‘hell yes’ response.

THE WAITING ROOM

AN INSTALLATION EXAMINING THE ART OF SURRENDER

The Waiting Room is an immersive installation by local artist Pépite that asks us all to surrender to time.

You’re invited to sit in the curated waiting space for as long or as little as you desire, and simply be present – to check in with your physical and emotional state, to be mindful, and to let go of all control.

The Waiting Room requests that you kneel at the altar of Time and accept things as they truly are in this exact moment, without needing them to change.

The concept was intriguing and fresh .. and I was just one of an excited bunch of meditation teachers from across Melbourne who leaped at the invitation to participate. What an adventurous group we are!

Relinquish authority. Be. Wait.

The installation offered free daily live guided meditations and I was thrilled to be able to participate in two of those sessions .. taking the leisurely drive across town from my little beachside cottage, to inner-city Brunswick “known for its bohemian culture and strong arts and live music scenes”.

“In real-life, the space was even more amazing than I expected (although really, I didn’t know what to expect!) .. with a very real, slightly retro doctor’s waiting room complete with a receptionist sitting behind an imposing desk, surrounded by medical-looking paraphernalia, an x-ray machine on the wall and patient information clipboards: and to

take a seat, be present, and surrender to time

Each day I arrived and quietly sat in one of the waiting room chairs, just under the Surrender sign (that you can see above), and closed my eyes while people wandered through the two rooms before our meditation time. It was fun to listen to their whispers, and reflections, the surprise when finding the many different references to the many scientific findings behind meditation for physical and mental wellbeing .. the very true and artistic medical posters on the wall, and the delightful ‘surrender’ eye test chart.

Those who completed the new patient forms left around the room would also receive the most perfect prescription – for a healthy life!:

I was really touched by the whole concept, and the fun and engaging, space that was created .. and really hoped to infused my guided meditation offering with a similar flavour: acknowledging the immense power and healing capacity of our breath with a Befriending Your Breath Meditation that guides us to finding and making friends with our breath (cause sometimes she get’s a little flighty and temperamental) .. and on the second day, a Sacred Pause Meditation that shows us our inner doorway to the quietest and stillest moment we have – at the end of our breath.

As an eager follower (#girlcrush) of Elena Brower, I have noted another collaboration between art and meditation, at MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art in New York) and their ongoing gallery experience called ‘Quiet Mornings’. It’s a brilliant idea – invite an intimate group of people to view some of the favorite works from MoMA’s collection, with a drop-in meditation space for a half-hour morning guided meditation .. “we encourage you to take time to look slowly, clear your head, silence your phone, and get inspiration for the day and week ahead.

So. If anyone manages a gallery space with an interest in offering meditation in their space .. please let me know!