Time, Space, and Beyond

A quiet meditation center in downtown Springfield, “Where Space is sacred and safe, and Time is the present moment.”
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Time, Space, and Beyond Submitted by VT Journal on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 10:01am By Cindy Johnson SPRINGFIELD, VT -Windows glow with warm light and the rush of the Black River is muffled into a hushing, soothing sound. Even at night, the room is filled with warm and welcoming light. Then the lights dim and the meditation begins; and the sitters are carried away, out of time, out of space, into the quiet depths of their own minds. Located at the back of the Furman Building (next to the library) in on Main St. in Springfield, that’s what the Studio Time and Space is all about. The Buddhist term for this state is “emptiness”. But maybe that’s poor translations to Western minds, to which emptiness may be more connotative of a hollow loneliness. But the state that meditators seek is anything but, and really quite the opposite, in fact. The quieter the mind, the closer one comes to stillness and what the Buddha calls “enlightenment”-- the joy and understanding of the interconnection of all things. The Studio website, says it all “Where Space is sacred and safe, and Time is the present moment.” Tom Lauritsen and Kathleen O’Donnell, the husband and wife that founded the studio, are what meditation teacher Karl Rosengrant calls caretakers or gentle guides who started the center as a service to Springfield so that people didn’t have to travel far to find peace. Karl, who was inspired to explore Buddhism as a kid watching Kung Fu on television, finds the philosophy very helpful. It’s not about worshipping, he says. The idea of karma--that if we don’t learn something in life, we get it again--appeals to him as well. Though as teachers they follow no particular spiritual tradition, much of the discussion and lectures that are given at the Studio concern Buddhist teachings. Tom is a local contractor who finished the studio space and Kathleen is a Reiki master teacher who also is a photographer with a degree in fine arts. Together they have created a place, alive with art and lush greenery, which is as visually beautiful as it is spiritually uplifting. It is this very beauty and openness that brings students and teachers to the Studio to explore the working of the human mind and body. The Studio offers yoga classes for both beginners and more advanced students; though even in the higher class beginners are allowed the freedom to practice at their own level. Aaron Hoopes offers Qigong Breathing exercises and a short Yang form of Tai Chi and Qigong / Yoga for beginners, or for those starting practice again. Aaron’s class emphasizes full breathing with a combination of healthy Qigong breathing, classic Indian Yoga, Tai Chi movement, and mindfulness. They also offer Zumba dance classes with Kathy Baker on Wednesday evening at 5:15 p.m. Saturday morning there is Classic Hatha Yoga, with John van der Does at 8:45 a.m. John’s background is in Jivamukti, Sivananda and Ashtanga yoga. He is certified to teach Ashtanga and Sivananda. As Kathleen says, “yoga is about feeling your body and letting go of your day.” An hour meditation, open to everyone, is on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. Simple instruction for meditation is offered for first time sitters, and those who can’t stay for the full hour are welcome to silently excuse themselves. They have also held book discussions; one notable group had 12 members and met for five weeks lead by meditation teacher Roger Guest on Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart. Chodron’s book is both a memoir of her traumatic divorce and the spiritual search that lead her into Buddhism and on to become a Buddhist monk. The book serves as a plainspoken guide into Buddhist teachings. The late Fred Mathews of North Springfield, one of the founding members at the studio, donated to the Studio nearly two thousand books from his personal collection of spiritual and scientific works. To Fred, a deeply philosophical, compassionate, and intellectually curious man his books were like his children. The Studio has a website, www.studiotimeandspace.org, complete with a calendar of upcoming events; and interested people can subscribe to their emailed newsletter that keeps followers informed about upcoming classes and talks with lamas and other spiritual teachers. One clue as to Kathleen and Tom’s low key mindset might be that neither she nor Tom are mentioned on their website. They are, however, pictured sitting among the teachers.