CATALOG NUMBER PAGE DESCRIPTION
MF001 01 Cover. MF logo at top. Imp paints an ensō (Zen calligraphy circle). Background of waves. Corner box w/ number, price (free), icon of M, lonely place PRODUCTIONS.
02 M bows to cushion
03 I: OH WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO IT “RIGHT”?
04 I: (leaning on elbow) OH, YOU'RE JUDGING OTHER PEOPLE? OH, YOU'RE JUDGING YOURSELF? HOW BORING!
05 M: (weeps)
06 M: (thinking) THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK THINK
I: (beneath thought balloon, holding hands up to avoid being crushed) ENOUGH ALREADY!
07 I pokes M's empty thought bubble with a needle
08 Clouds have parted revealing the face of the moon.
I: (looking up) YOU'RE MISISNG IT
09 M eyes wide, line of surprise over head. Bubble popping symbol (squean) inside his thought bubble.
From off-panel: DIIINGG…
I: POOF
10 M: ANOTHER CHANCE TO BE IMPERFECT
I: (rolling their eyes) ENJOY IT
11 I: LET GO!
M: (cringing) OF WHAT?!!
12 I: I DON'T KNOW WHAT “NONTHINKING” IS BUT YOU AINT DOING IT
M: THINKING OR NOT, I'M SITTING THAT'S ALL
13 I: (into bullhorn) RELAX!!
M vibrates, eyes wide, mouth jagged
14 M: (pain stars, plewd (sweat bead), spirals for eyes) (thinking): WHY WON'T THAT [FUCK]ING BELL RING?
I holds keisu (bell) and mallet
15 I meditates next to M, off kilter with halo
16 I: (walking away with a wave of their hand) ALRITE, YOU WORE ME OUT ALREADY
M: TOOK LONG ENUF
17 M: (alone, eyes fully open): NOW WHO WILL DISTRACT ME?
18 I: (holding up their hands) SHEESH! NOBODY'S LOOKING AT YOU!
19 I: (curled up, eyes closed): Zzzzz
M: (wide awake)
20 From off-panel: WOOF WOOF
TWEET TWEET
TALK TALK
I, eyes half lidded, holds up a pistol.
21 I, with gritted teeth, tosses a brick, striking M's head.
SFX: ZIP POW
M: (heart next to head)
Krazy Kat homage obviously.
22 M: (thought bubble) [music notes]
I: (grinning) YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE THAT SONG
23 M and I bow to each other
Caption: MEDITATOR: HE/HIM
IMP: THEY/THEM
—Ed.
24 Back cover.
Text: MEDITATION FUNNIES #1 ©MMXX BY M. Elias Hiebert
eliashiebert@comcast.net
GRAM: @eliashiebert
BIRDIE: @eliashiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
P.O. BOX 200394
DENVER, CO 80220
D.S.S.M.M.I.
MF002 01 Cover. MF logo. M is pierced by an arrow. Face contorted South Park style ( >< ).
I: (poised to shoot another arrow): SECOND ISSUE!
Corner box w/ number, price (free), icon of M, lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 M bows to cushion.
03 I: (rolling their eyes) IS YOUR PRACTICE “RIPENING”?
04 I: YOU HATE IT
M: I DO IT ANYWAY
I: YOU LOVE IT
M: I AVOID IT ANYWAY
05 I tickles M's nose with a feather.
06 I: YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR FAILURES
M: I DON'T HAVE TO
07 I: WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY?
M: (cringes)
08 M: WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY?
I: (shrugs)
09 M: (thought balloon) [crossed pieces of tape saying CENSORED, 4 plewds (sweat beads)]
I: OOH THAT'LL BE A TUFF ONE TO IGNORE
10 M: (a fermata inside a speech balloon
I: LISTEN TO YOUR EARS RING
11 Text: GOODBYE TO THE MAYU SANCTUARY[,] DENVER COLORADO [,] CLOSED FOR GOOD IN 2020 DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC[,] WHERE I FIRST SAT ZAZEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE[,] WHERE I BOUGHT THE CUSHION I STIL USE TODAY
Cushion.
12 2-page spread. M: 11 connected thought bubbles. Last one has a tail leading off-panel.
1, 2, 3: All filled with jagged lines
4: Bubble popping symbol (squean)
5, 6, 7: Empty
8: Jagged lines start to reappear from edges of thought bubble
9: Jagged lines get longer
10, 11: Jagged lines fill the bubbles again
I: AND SO ON
13 (same spread)
14 Cityscape on fire.
M: NO HOPE VIOLENCE
I: NO HOPE NONVIOLENCE
15 Cityscape on fire.
M: REVOLUTION PLEASE
I: HOW CAN YOU CALL FOR REVOLUTION WHEN YOU'RE TOO SCARED TO PICK UP A GUN YOURSELF?
16 I: ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT YOU LOOK LIKE A COCK & BALLS?
M: THERE'S AN OLD TRADITION OF COMIC FIGURES SPORTING PHALLIC SYMBOLS[.] THE LONG NOSE, THE LONG HAT[,] ETC
17 I: ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT YOU LOOK LIKE A COCK & BALLS?
M: I THINK I LOOK MORE LIKE A FLYING V GUITAR
I: LIKE I SAID
18 M: WHERE IS REALITY?
I: TAKE IT EASY, THESE ARE GAG CARTOONS[,] NOT KOAN!
19 M: (face contorted South Park style { >< ), pain star)
I: (doing a pancake stretch) DID YOU STREEETCH?
20 M: (thought bubble) THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT
I is up on a ladder picking the THOUGHTs out of the thought balloon and putting them into a bucket.
21 I and M: (Xes for eyes (crottles)): Zzz
22 M and I bow to each other.
23 Text: M. ELIAS HIEBERT IS A FATHER, A WAGE WORKER AND A PRETEND CARTOONIST. HIS MIXTAPES ARE AVAILABLE FROM SATURATED FAT TAPES. INQUIRE BY EMAIL OR POST
MEDITATION FUNNIES IS PRODUCED WITH HELP FROM THE DR. STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
24 Back cover.
Text: MEDITATION FUNNIES #2 ©MMXXI By M. Elias Hiebert
eliashiebert@comcast.net
GRAM: @eliashiebert
BIRDIE: @eliashiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
P.O. BOX 200394
DENVER, CO 80220
T.D.S.S.M.M.I.
MF003 01 Cover. MF logo. I sits zazen on top of M's head. Corner box w/ number, price (free), icon of M, lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 Epigraph from Ānāpānasati Sutta (“A monk, o Monks, goes into a forest, or to the foot of a great tree, or to a lonely place, and there sits down, cross-legged, holding his body upright, and practices Introspection. “He breathes in attentively, and attentively breathes out. Drawing in a long breath, he knows: ‘I drawing in a long breath,’ exhaling a long breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a long breath.’ Drawing in a short breath, he knows: ‘I am drawing in a short breath,’ exhaling a short breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a short breath.’)
03 I: ARE YOU EARNING “MERIT”?
04 I: DON'T THINK ABOUT SALIVA!
M: GULP (word balloon comes from throat)
05 Caption: SIT UPRIGHT AS IF AN INVISIBLE STRING WERE ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD
Line runs from M's head to top of panel.
I (eyes half lidded) holds scissors.
06 M has jagged mouth and twitch lines (agitrons) around nose and various other body parts.
I: (scratching back with back scratcher) AHHHHHHH
Onomatopoeia: SCRATCH SCRATCH
07 I: ARE YOU HAVING A JOYRIDE OR A HELLRIDE?
08 I: Oooo THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT[.] BETTER REMEMBER IT
09 I: YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN WATCH YOUR BREATH WITHOUT CONTROLLING IT? YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS WITHOUT FEEDING THEM?
M: YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN KISS MY ASS WITHOUT SMELLING IT?
10 M: (balloon coming from stomach) GURGLE
Other meditator (in shadow) (word balloon coming from stomach): GURGLE
I: THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER
[Edited to add masks]
11 M (balloon coming from stomach): GURGLE
I (rolling their eyes): JEEZ, HAVE A SNACK NEXT TIME
12 Top caption: (large) I BROKE MY FOOT MEDITATING!
Foot bones, one broken with pain star.
Bottom caption: WHEN THEY TELL YOU TO BE CAREFUL STANDING UP, THEY MEAN IT!
13 Cap: MY FOOT FELL ASLEEP LIKE IT USUALLY DOES WHEN I'M SITTING
M has one eye closed, one eye open.
M's foot: ZZZZZZ
Cap: NOT REALIZING IT WAS STILL BENT SIDEWAYS I TRIED TO STAND ON IT AND…
Top view of two feet, one on its bottom like normal and the other on its side. Emenata from the foot on its side.
Onomatopoeia: KEERAK!!
Cap: I HAD TO MEDITATE IN A CHAIR FOR A WHILE AFTER THAT
M in chair with pain star from foot
Extra cap on side of panel: PS IT'S OKAY NOW
PPS BE CAREFUL!
14 SFT ad.
Typed text: (spaced out) saturated fat tapes
Scan here for mixtapes.
QR code.
Typed text: Or inquire by email or post to the address on the bsck of this magazine.
15 M: (thinking) I CLEAR MY THOUGHTS AWAY AND THERE ARE MORE THOUGHTS UNDERNEATH
I: WHAT'S UNDER THAT?
16 Cartoonist: I WANT TO DO FOR MEDITATION WHAT HARRY MAYEROVITCH DID FOR DEATH
I: OR KLIBAN DID FOR CATS?
C: LET'S NOT GO OVERBOARD
Pencil with USA.
17 I: WHY DON'T YOU DRAW THE MUDRA?
C: YOU KNOW HANDS ARE HARD
USA pencil.
18 I: WHEN YOU DO THE CHARACTERS-TALKING-TO-THE-ARTIST THING, YOU KNOW YOU'RE LOW ON IDEAS
C: AND IT'S ONLY THE THIRD ISSUE!
M: (thinking) META META
USA pencil.
19 I: (finger to mouth) SHH
M: YOU SHH
20 M: AT LAST SOME CLARITY
I: I SEE RIGHT THRU IT
21 I: STOP THINKING OF MATERIAL FOR US! […]YOU GOT ANY?
22 M & I kinhin
23 TEXT: M. ELIAS HIEBERT WANTS TO DRAW LIKE MILT GROSS, JAMES THURBER, GEO. HERRIMAN, SIDNEY SMITH AND JOHN PORCELLINO BUT HE'LL HAVE TO SETTLE FOR DRAWING LIKE HIMSELF
MEDITATION FUNNIES IS PRODUCED WITH THE GENEROUS HELP OF THE DR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
24 TEXT: MEDITATION FUNNIES #3 ©MMXXI By M. Elias Hiebert
eliashiebert@comcast.net
GRAM: @eliashiebert
BIRDIE: @eliashiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
PO BOX 200394
DENVER, CO 80220
MF004 01 Cover. MF logo. Corner box w/ number, price (free), M icon, lonely place PRODUCTIONS.
CONTENT NOTE: SUICIDE. One eye closed, I holds a T-square and plumbline next to M.
02 Epigraph from Ānāpānasati Sutta (“A monk, o Monks, goes into a forest, or to the foot of a great tree, or to a lonely place, and there sits down, cross-legged, holding his body upright, and practices Introspection. “He breathes in attentively, and attentively breathes out. Drawing in a long breath, he knows: ‘I drawing in a long breath,’ exhaling a long breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a long breath.’ Drawing in a short breath, he knows: ‘I am drawing in a short breath,’ exhaling a short breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a short breath.’)
03 I: YOU'RE TRYING…
04 I: (looking around) WHY DO YOU LIKE IT HERE?
M: I KNOW WHAT TO DO AND I DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO ANYBODY
05 I: (pointing) SOMEBODY MOVED!
06 M: (gassho)
I: (tongue out, winds up with the stick)
07 I: ISN'T THERE SOMETHING BETTER YOU COULD
BE DOING?
M: NOTHING I KNOW OF
08 I: CAREFUL, DON'T GET “ENLIGHTENED”[.] I HEAR THAT CAN HAPPEN
09 The word THOUGHT is repeated around the perimeter of M's body.
I: YOU'RE SURROUNDED
10 The word THOUGHT, repeated, forms waves.
M's head and shoulders are above the waves.
I: (floating by in a boat) DON'T DROWN
11 I sweeps out M's thought balloon. The letters of the word THOUGHT fly around.
12 I: EVERYTHING YOU DO IS SILLY, MISGUIDED AND FRUITLESS
M: THAT'S WHAT LIFE IS FOR[.] BESIDES[,] I ENJOY IT
13 I: (looking around) …WHEN THERE'S REAL WORK TO BE DONE
M: I HELP SOMETIMES[.] WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK OF A HUMAN? WE CAN'T ALL BE HEROES
14 SFT ad.
Typed text: saturated fat tapes [spaced out]
Scan here for mixtapes.
QR code.
Typed text: Or inquire by email or post to the address on the back of this magazine.
password: hoaryhandsofhoggoth [upside down]
15 M & I (I looking down) both thinking of a skull.
16 Inside M's thought bubble, a knife, a gun, a bomb, an ax, a couple scribbles.
I: IF YOU MUST DISTRACT YOURSELF, WHY NOT DISTRACT YOURSELF WITH SOMETHING NICE?
17 I: HOW CAN ANYONE STAND TO BE HUMAN?
M: THAT'S WHAT I'M PRACTICING
18 I: WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE AN ANGEL?
M: ANGELS HAVE TO BE GOOD[.] THEY HAVE NO CHOICE
Typed text: This statement may not be theologically sound.—Ed.
19 I: YOU HAVN'T THOUGHT ABOUT KILLING YOURSELF LATELY
M: IT'S ENUF TO KNOW I'LL DIE EVENTUALLY
I: ARE YOU SURE DEATH IS THE END?
M: SHIT
20 M: I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT QUEER ENUF TO CALL MYSELF QUEER[,] NOT AUTISTIC ENUF TO CALL MYSELF AUTISTIC[,] NOT BUDDHIST ENUF TO CALL MYSELF A BUDDHIST
I: YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO AN IDENTITY[,] ESPECIALLY A DIFFICULT ONE
21 I: NO ONE IS EVER GOING TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR HOW WELL YOU SAT
M: THAT ISN'T WHAT I COME HERE FOR
(thinking) BUT IT WOULD BE NICE
22 Cap: IF YOU HAVENT' YET[,] PLEASE GET A COVID VACCINE
M & I both have needles stuck in their arms.
23 M & I bow to each other.
24 Text: MEDITATION FUNNIES #4 ©MMXXI by M. Elias Hiebert
eliashiebert@ocmcast.net
GRAM: @eliashiebert
BIRDIE: @eliashiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
PO BOX 200394
DENVER, CO 80220
(upside down) T.D.S.S.M.M.I.
MF005 01 Cover. MF logo. M as a skeleton. Corner box w/ number, price (free), lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 M bows to cushion.
03 I: DON'T GET COMFORTABLE
04 I: ARE YOU TRYING TO REALIZE YOU'RE A BUDDHA?
M: I'M TRYING TO REALIZE I'M SITTING HERE
05 M: I FELT SO IGNORANT TALKING TO THE ROSHI
I: (shrugging) WELL TEACHING THE IGNORANT IS THEIR GIG, RIGHT?
06 M is flanked by other meditators, in shadow. I appears on a laptop.
M: IT'S LOVELY TO SHARE THE SAME SPACE WITH OTHER PEOPLE
I: IT'S NOT THE SAME ON ZOOM
Edited to add a mask.
07 M is flanked by other meditators, in shadow.
M: I GET AWFULLY SELF-IMPORTANT WHEN I SIT ALONE
I: WHEN YOU SIT WITH PEOPLE YOU REALIZE YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER BOZO
M: YOU'RE THE CLOWN
Edited to add masks.
08 M is flanked by other meditators, in shadow.
M: SUCH A JOY TO SIT WITH OTHER PEOPLE
I: YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE PEOPLE
M: I LIKE PEOPLE[,] I JUST GET CRUSHING BRAIN PAIN WHENEVER I TALK TO THEM
Edited to add masks.
09 I: EVERYWHERE YOU GO THERE'S SOMEONE THERE TO TELL YOU YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG
10 I: ENDURE IT
11 I: ISN'T IT GREAT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE FIGIT? THEN YOU CAN FEEL SUPERIOR TO THEM
12 Pages 12 and 13 make up a 2-page spread.
M: WHAT IS GOD?
I: THAT THING IN THE DARK YOU'RE AFRAID OF
I's word balloon is connected to the word balloon on the next page.
13 Pages 12 and 13 make up a 2-page spread.
I's word balloon is connected to the word balloon on the previous page.
I: AND GOD IS ALWAYS THERE
M: SO I MAY AS WELL NOT BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
14 The cushion is empty.
I: (pointing off-panel with their thumb) HE HAD TO GO POOP
15 C: WHEN YOU LETTER BY HAND YOU HAVE TO SPELLCHECK BY HAND
M: AND YOU NEVER DO
USA pencil.
16 M: WHAT'S WITH YOUR HORNS?
I: (looking up, with their hand behind their horn) GOT EM AT THE SPIRIT STORE
M: AND THE DRESS?
I: I MADE IT OUT OF LINUS'S SHIRT
17 M: HOW ABOUT THE GLOVES?
I: (hands extended) A CARTOON TROPE WITH A NASTY HISTORY[.] I NEED THEM 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE HANDS[.] JUST GLOVES
Cap: (upside down) DID I STEAL THIS GAG FROM LIKE MILK & CHEESE OR SOMETHING?
18 I: THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERAPY
19 I: POSER
M: YOU SPELL THAT RIGHT?
20 M: (slumped) (thinking) I CAN'T DO IT
I: SLUMP
21 I: HOW IS IT IN THAT RICKETY OLD HEAD?
M: CRAMPED.
22 M & I bow to each other.
23 Text: M. ELIAS HIEBERT's MIX TAPES ARE AVAILABLE FROM SATURATED FAT TAPES.
INQUIRE BY EMAIL OR POST.
MEDITATION FUNNIES IS PRODUCED WITH THE GENEROUS HELP OF THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
24 Text: MEDITATION FUNNIES #5
©MMXXI by M. Elias Hiebert
eliashiebert@comcast.net
GRAM: @eliashiebert
BIRDIE: @eliashiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
PO BOX 200394
DENVER CO 80220
MF006 01 Cover. MF logo. M is tipped onto his side. Corner box w/ icon of M, number, date (JAN-FEB), price (FREE), lonely place PRODUCTIONS. CONTENT NOTE: DEPRESSION & SUICIDE (BRIEF MENTION)
02 M bows to cushion.
©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
P.O. BOX 200394 / DENVER, CO 80220
03 M: (thinking) REMEMBER TO BUY EGGS
04 M: WHEN YOU DO ZAZEN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE DOES ZAZEN WITH YOU
I: EVERY SPINNING PARTICLE SITS ON ITS CUSHION
05 M: I READ ABOUT PEOPLE'S ENLIGHTENMENT EXPERIENCES AND IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE A NASTY DRUG TRIP
I: MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO COMPARE IT TO
06 I: WHY IS IT CALLED “MEDITATION FUNNIES”?
M: BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT “ZAZEN” MEANS
I: SO YOU'D RATHER PEOPLE HAVE THE WRONG IDEA THAN NO IDEA?
07 I: WHY NOT “ZEN FUNNIES”?
M: THEN PEOPLE REALLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE WRONG IDEA
08 I: WHAT DOES YOUR TEACHER SAY?
M: KEEP DOING THIS
09 Unconnected thought bubble: THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT THOUGHT
I: (pointing) IF YOU'RE NOT THINKING THOSE, WHO IS?
10 M: FORGOT TO BRING MY CUSHION ON THIS TRIP[.] I'M SITTING ON A ROLLED UP TOWEL[.] I HAVE TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO MY POSTURE[,] WHICH IS GOOD
I: AND YOUR BUTT HURTS WHICH IS EVEN BETTER
11 Cap: SITTING IN THE HOTEL WEIGHT ROOM IN THE EARLY MORNING[,] HOPING I DON'T STARTLE SOMEBODY WHO WALKS IN
12 Pages 12 & 13 make a 2-page spread. M thinking of M thinking of M thinking of M thinking of M thinking…
13 2-page spread with page 12
14 SFT ad.
Text: (bubble letters) S.F.T.
Text: NEW MIXTAPE AVAILABLE NOW!
Typed text: tinyurl.com/fattapes
QR code
Typed text: (upside down) password: hoaryhandsofhoggoth
15 I: YOU USED TO SAY YOU WANTED “MEANING”
M: I MEANT I WANTED A REASON TO LIVE
16 I: YOU USED TO SAY YOU WANTED “MEANING”
M: I MEANT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DEPRESSED ANYMORE
17 M: I LOOKED & LOOKED FOR MEANING UNTIL I ENCOUNTERED JP SARTRE, WHO SAID
Floating head of JP Sartre: (smoking pipe) FUCK YOU! MAKE YOUR OWN!
I smokes pipe; eyes cross looking at pipe.
Cap: IF YOU'RE A SUICIDAL TEENAGER LIKE I WAS, MAYBE READ NAUSEA[.] YMMV!
18 M: I'VE ALWAYS SEARCHED FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE THE WORLD MAKE SENSE
I: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS GET COMFORTABLE LIVING IN A WORLD THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
19 M: I AM THE BREATHING APPARATUS OF THE UNIVERSE
I: BLOWHARD
20 I forces bellows up M's nose.
21 I reads newspaper, legs crossed.
Banner: Daily
Headline: WARS
Subhead: RUMORS OF WARS
22 M & I bow to each other.
23 Text: SHOUT OUTS: …/& H.R. Meininger/
THE NICE PEOPLE AT POSTAL CENTERS USA IN MAYFAIR • MY DEAD MOM'S PAPER CUTTER • THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE • ANYONE WHO WRITES ME BACK • ZEN CENTERS EVERYWHERE • DICK BLICK • ❤JEN️❤ • MONTCLAIR STATION 80220 • KIIP DEVELOPMENT & JOHN DE WEERDT FOR THE TIMER • THE LAUNDRY ROOM AT THE RAMADA INN IN SALINA KS • SATURATED FAT TAPES • SATURN COMIX • EAGLE SHIP
24 Text: MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
instagram.com/MeditationFunnies
twitter.com/MeditationComix (DANG CHARACTER LIMIT!)
fb.me/MeditationFunnies
THIS MAGAZINE IS ALWAYS FREE BUT IF YOU WISH YOU MAY DONATE AT:
ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
MF007 01 Cover. M pulls on a rope tied to I's horn. MF logo. Corner box w/ number, date (MAR-APR), price (FREE), M icon, lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 M bows to cushion.
Text: ©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
PO BOX 200394 / DENVER CO 80220
03 I: IS IT GETTING STALE?
04 I: WHY YOU HAVE TO TALK YOURSELF INTO THIS EVERY MORNING INSTEAD OF JUST DOING IT?
M: I'M BAD WITH HABITS
05 M: (thinking) HEY, I'M NOT THINKING!
06 M: NEVER LET ANYBODY KNOW YOU DO THIS. THEY'LL CRITICIZE YOU FOR NOT BEING A SAINT OR A SUPERHERO
I: IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT A SECRET I GOT BAD NEWS
07 I: IS THIS YOUR RELIGION OR YOUR HOBBY?
M: ER…
08 C: RESISTING THE URGE TO TRY TO MAKE THIS “GOOD”
M: SAME HERE
USA pencil.
09 I: ARE YOU DOING THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS OR JUST FOR YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH?
M: AIN'T I A BEING?!
10 M: IF YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'LL JUSTIFY ALL SORTS OF TERRIBLE THINGS
I: IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT, LET OTHER PEOPLE DO ALL SORTS OF TERRIBLE THINGS
M: SO ALL ROADS LEAD TO GENOCIDE?
11 Flower pot falls on M's head and cracks.
12 Pages 12 & 13 make a 2-page spread. 8 panels showing a wave made of THOUGHTs breaking inside M's thought bubble.
13 See above.
14 I: (looking at a book of OLD SUTRAS) DON'T TAKE THIS STUFF LITERALLY
M: OH I WOULD NEVER (thinking) I'M TOTALLY TAKING IT LITERALLY
15 M: THINKING ABOUT THE BAD “POEMS” I WROTE WHEN I WAS 17
I: YOU REMEMBER THEM FONDLY
M: THEY WERE TERRIBLE BUT THEY WERE THE BEST OF ME
16 M: I MIGHT HAVE REJECTED THE GENDER BINARY WHEN I WAS YOUNG IF I'D KNOWN THAT WAS AN OPTION
I: INSTEAD, YOU FOUND YOUR OWN WAY TO BE A MAN, ONE YOU COULD LIVE WITH. ARE YOU SORRY YOU DID THAT WORK?
17 M: I RECKONED WITH MY GENDER BUT MAYBE I'D'VE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY IF I'D HAD EXAMPLES OF OUT NON-BINARY PEOPLE[.] THEY'RE MUCH MORE VISIBLE NOW
I: EVERYONE'S JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO COME AFTER THEM. EVERYONE THINKS KIDS TODAY HAVE IT EASIER
18 M: YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU CAN BE UNTIL YOU SEE AN EXAMPLE
I: YOU BE THE EXAMPLE! A MAN WHO'S NOT A NIGHTMARE!
19 M: JUST…BEING A MAN IS A MINEFIELD, AND—
I: AND BEING QUEER ISN'T?!!? EXCUSE ME?
20 M wears goat horns (2 pair, one going up, one going down) and a goat beard.
I: (angry) ARE YOU TRYING TO OUT-HORN ME?
M: IT'S MY FURSONA
21 M: EVERYTHING IS PERFECT JUST AS IT IS
I: THAT'S LIKE THE MOST PERVERSE THING YOU'VE EVER SAID
22 M & I bow to each other.
23 Text: M. ELIAS HIEBERT USES THE SAME ART SUPPLIES AS EVERYONE ELSE, AN ANCIENT SCANNER, AND OPEN OFFICE DRAW
MEDITATION FUNNIES IS PRODUCED WITH THE GENEROUS HELP OF THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
24 Text: MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
instagram.com/MeditationFunnies
twitter.com/MeditationComix
fb.me/MeditationFunnies
THIS MAGAZINE IS ALWAYS FREE BUT IF YOU WISH YOU MAY DONATE AT:
ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
MF008 a01 8 is a flip book. the a pages read one way and the b pages read the other. They meet in the middle (like the 69 issue of Zap).
Cover. Parody of Garbage Pail Kids Adam Bomb card. MF logo in drippy lettering, PEEL HERE in upper left, 8a in upper right. M's head is exploding. I holds detonator. Bottom: BUDDY Sattva.
a02 Text: ©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
@MeditationFunnies
ON [instagram symbol] & [facebook symbol]
@MeditationComix
ON THE BIRD APP
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
KO-FI.COM/MeditationFunnies
IF YOU WANNA DONATE
a03 I: WAY TO SHOW UP
a04 M: I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TIRED[,] ANGRY[,] SAD I WAS TIL I SAT DOWN
a05 M: (sad face, shakey spiral inside thought bubble)
I: YEAH YEAH YOU'RE FUCKING EVERYTHING UP AND EVERYBODY HATES YOU BLAH BLAH BLAH
a06 M: (anguished face) SO MANY HUMILIATIONS!
I: SO LITTLE HUMILITY
a07 M: (thinking) WELL I THOUGHT… WELL I DIDN'T MEAN TO… WELL IT SEEMED LIKE… WELL HE LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE I KNOW…
I: YOU'RE MAKING UP EXCUSES FOR THINGS YOU'LL NEVER NEED EXCUSES FOR
a08 I: WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF THIS?
M: ANNIHILATION … PLEASE
a09 I: ARE YOU CHASING IT?
M: SOMETIMES
a10 Cap: “BAD ZAZEN IS THE BEST ZAZEN”—BRAD WARNER
I: DON'T DO IT WELL!
a11 From off-panel: DINNNG!
M: I MAKE IT THRU
I: (rolling their eyes) YOU WANT A PIECE OF CANDY?
M: YES
a12 a12 and b12 make a 2-page spread. I is a one-eyed jack playing card in the middle, a mirror image up and down. Two Ms are on the sides, oriented opposite ways, up and down.
I: WOW MOM (mirror image text)
M: (various word balloons, oriented different ways) NO UP[,] NO DOWN[,] NO THOUGHT[,] NO FORM
Cap: (APOLOGIES TO RICK GRIFFIN)
b01 Cover. Identical to other cover except 8b instead of 8a and name at bottom: Awakened ANDY
b02 Text: A lonely place PRODUCTION
MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
PO BOX 200394
DENVER CO 80220
b03 I: IS IT A DRUG?
b04 M: HERE THE FUCK I AM
I: (Looking off) WHERE?
b05 M: (thinking) JUST GET THRU IT[,] JUST GET THRU IT[,] JUST GET THRU IT[,] JUST GET THRU IT[,] JUST GET THRU IT[,] JUST GET THRU IT
b06 I: DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER?
M: IT'S LIKE WORKING OUT…I FEEL BAD WHEN I'M DOING IT BUT I FEEL BAD AFTERWARD
b07 M: (thinking) DON'T GIVE UP[,] DON'T GIVE UP[,] DON'T GIVE UP[,] DON'T GIVE UP[,] DON'T GIVE UP
b08 I: “PAIN IN THE LEGS IS THE TASTE OF ZEN”
M: LEGS, HELL[,] IT'S MY BACK THAT HURTS
b09 M: (thinking) HALF ASS IS BETTER THAN NO ASS[,] HALF ASS IS BETTER THAN NO ASS[,] HALF ASS IS BETTER THAN NO ASS
b10 M: I RAN OUT OF IDEAS
I: YOU RAN OUT OF IDEAS THAT ARE EASY TO EXECUTE
b11 I plays solitaire.
b12 b12 and a12 make a 2-page spread. See above.
MF009 01 Cover. M floating in a lava lamp. MF logo. Corner box w/ number, date (JUL-AUG), price (FREE), M icon. Sunburst: STILL ONLY 0¢ I does Kilroy routine. Bottom: lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 Text screenshotted from book:
[189] To practice Zen is to sit in zazen.^1 For sitting in zazen a quiet place is good. Prepare a thick sitting mat. Do not allow wind and smoke to enter. Do not allow rain and dew to leak in. Set aside an area that can contain the body.
Cap: (SHŌBŌGENZŌ)
03 I: STOP SOLVING YOUR PROBLEMS!
04 M: I MISS EVERY OTHER WORD ANYONE SAYS[,] EVERY OTHER NOTE OF EVERY SONG[,] EVERY OTHER BREATH IN ZAZEN BECAUSE I'M THINKING OF SOMETHING ELSE
05 I: YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN FEEL ASHAMED OVER STUFF FROM 20 YEARS AGO?
M: OR 30 YEARS AGO[.] OR YESTERDAY
06 I: ISN'T THINKING EXHAUSTING?
M: NOT THINKING IS EXHAUSTING TOO
07 Empty meditation cushion.
I: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANYTHING BETTER BY NOT DOING IT Y'KNOW!
08 M: GENDERFLUID? AGENDER? GENDER2UEER?
I: HOW ABOUT GENDER INDIFFERENT?
M: SOMEBODY MAKE THAT FLAG
I: YOU CAN'T EXACTLY DESIGN A FLAG TO SHOW HOW MUCH YOU DON'T CARE
M: ERR…
09 M: SOME PEOPLE READ THIS AND THINK WE'RE ENEMIES
I: FRIENDLY ENEMIES LIKE NATCH & FLAKY
M: I THOUGHT WE WERE BEST FRIENDS LIKE CALVIN & HOBBES
I: POSSIBLY AN UNHINGED VAUDEVILLE DUO LIKE CHURCHY & ALBERT?
M: STAR-CROSSED LOVERS LIKE KRAZY & IGNATZ?
10 I takes a bite out of M's thought bubble.
11 I: SOMEDAY YOU'LL BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON[,] AND YOU'LL LOOK BACK ON THESE COMIX AND CRINGE
M: SOMEDAY?
12 Pages 12 & 13 make a 2-page spread.
M's large thought bubble is divided into 4: BREATH (a puff of air), BODY (M icon), SURROUNDINGS (a bird singing), SELF (heart)
13 Pages 12 & 13 make a 2-page spread.
See above.
14 Cap: DREAM.
15 13 different size picture frames hanging on a wall.
Cap: MY WALLS ARE COVERED WITH PICTURES
16 Cap: A MOUNTAIN LION RUNS AROUND STRAIGHTENING THEM IN A FRENZY
Back view of mountain lion straightening picture with its 2 front paws.
17 Cap: SHE HOLDS HER PAW UP NEXT TO EACH ONE, LIKE TO MEASURE IT, CHANTING:
Paw and picture, with M's face. No other part of mountain lion shown.
Mountain Lion: IF IT AIN'T PAW STRAIGHT[,] IF IT AIN'T PAW STRAIGHT[,] IF IT AIN'T PAW STRAIGHT[,] IF IT AIN'T PAW STRAIGHT[,]
18 M: (discombobulated with agitrons)
I: (into M's ear thru an acoustic megaphone) QUIET! BACK UPRIGHT! KEEP STILL! EARS OVER SHOULDERS! NOSE OVER NAVEL! THINK OF NON-THINKING!
19 M: (reading book of OLD SUTRAS) “NEITHER HERE NOR YONDER NOR IN BETWEEN”
I: YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GENDER AGAIN?
20 M: (with plewd) THERE'S POTENTIAL FOR EMBARASSMENT EVERYWHERE
I: SO YOU'D BETTER NEVER DO ANYTHING
21 M: REJECT THE BINARY
I: REJECT THE BINARY/NON-BINARY BINARY
22 M & I stand with hands in gassho. Pain stars coming from several parts of M's body and several more inside his thought bubble.
Cap: P.O. BOX 200394 DENVER CO 80220
23 Text: SHOUT OUT TO RICK VEITCH. I SAW HIS INTERVIEW IN THE COMIX URINAL AND THOUGHT, OH YEAH, DREAM COMIX. SHOUT OUT TO POSTAL CENTERS USA, THE MONTCLAIR STATION, DICK BLICK, HR MEININGER, SIMPLY PIANO, THE POOPSHEET FOUNDATION, AND THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE ☒
24 Text: MEDITATION FUNNIES #9
©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
FB[,] GRAM – @MeditationFunnies
BIRD – @MeditationComix
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
THIS PUBLICATION IS ALWAYS FREE[,] BUT IF YOU WISH YOU MAY DONATE AT
ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
MF010 01 Cover. Dalek shouting IMPERMANENCE! IMPERMANENCE! MF logo. Corner box w/ number, date (SEP-OCT), price (FREE), M icon, lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 M bows to cushion.
03 M: I'M DOING IT!
I: YIPPIE
04 M: THIS PRACTICE HELPS YOU SEE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON INSIDE YOUR HEAD[.] THE DIRTY SECRET IS SEEING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON INSIDE YOUR HEAD CAN BE A REAL BUMMER
05 I: WHEN DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN EXACTLY THE THE RIGHT POSITION?
M: WHEN I FEEL FREE
06 I: (beating M with stick) PAY ATTENTION! PAY ATTENTION!
07 M: (thinking of a triangle labeled a, b, c; a music staff, a pencil, a hyperbola, a finger with a string tied around it, a hand of cards, angles, a dice (die), an open book or possibly a calendar (unclear), a clock, a baseball)
I: DON'T YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK FROM ALL THAT THINKING?
08 I: AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE STRIVING FOR ENLIGHTENMENT?
M: ENLIGHTENMENT CAN TAKE CARE OF ITSELF
09 M: WHAT'S THE MOST NOBLE ARTFORM?
I: (reading a minicomic) THE MINICOMIC
10 M: IT'S ALL BULLSHIT
I: SAYING IT'S ALL BULLSHIT IS ALSO BULLSHIT
11 Cap: YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FROM THE BULLSHIT
12 Cap: DREAMED MY MON & I WERE ROASTING PEPPERS
Pepper, grate, flame.
Cap: AND PEELING OFF THE SKINS
Pepper, paring knife, skin.
Cap: GOD IF I COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND COOK WITH MY MOTHER AGAIN
13 I: AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON THE PRESENT?
M: (crying) I AM FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT IS ME BEING SAD ABOUT THE PAST
14 Ad for Mom & I.
Mom and I yelling empty word balloons at each other.
Text: NEW MINICOMIC: “MOM & I” $1
PAYPAL/VENMO: eliashiebert@comcast.net
KO-FI.COM/MeditationFunnies
CASH: PO BOX 200394 DENVER CO 80220
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15 M: IT'S NOT ONE THING
I: IT'S NOT THE OTHER THING
M: IT'S NOT BOTH
I: IT'S NOT NEITHER
16 M: I DIDN'T DO THE THING RIGHT BECAUSE THEY DISTRACTED ME BY TELLING ME HOW TO DO THE THING RIGHT
I: YUP, THEIR ADVICE IS A RUSE, SETTING YOU UP TO FUCK UP SO THEY CAN CORRECT YOU
17 M: (surprise line over head, a type of emanata I suppose)
I: …COURSE, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET YOU WITH THAT ROUTINE IF YOU DIDN'T INSIST ON DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT
18 M: NO SPACE OR TIME. THE BIG BANG NEVER HAPPENED.
I: (rolling eyes) WHEN ARE YOU GONNA GET PAST THIS SMOKEY DORM ROOM SHIT?
19 M: THE TROUBLE WITH PROFESSING ANY RELIGION IS PEOPLE WITH NO UNDERSTANDING OF THAT RELIGION WILL JUDGE YOU AGAINST THEIR IDEA OF WHAT IT IS
I: YOU'LL NEVER MEASURE UP TO THEIR INACCURATE IDEA OF WHAT YOU SHOULD BE
20 M: I GET GREAT INSIGHTS WHILE I'M SITTING
I: THEN YOU FORGET THEM
M: LIKE A DREAM
21 M and I stand with hands in gassho and eyes downcast
I: (out of side of mouth) ARE YOU GONNA TURN THE WRONG WAY AGAIN?
M: NO, I THOUGHT OF A MNEMONIC
22 PO BOX 200394
DENVER CO 80220
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
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facebook.com/MeditationFunnies

ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies IF YOU WISH TO DONATE
23 NOW A WORD FROM OUR LAWYER
Snoopy in his lawyer bowtie thinks IPSO FACTO, PRIMA FACIE, QUID PRO QUO
THESE COMICS ARE NOT INTENDED AS RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADVICE[.] IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MEDITATION[,] CONSULT YOUR LOCAL ZEN TEACHER
24 MEDITATION FUNNIES #10
©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
M sits wearing a long, long scarf a la the Fourth Doctor
MF011 01 Cover. Closeup of hands in cosmic mudra with a galaxy inside it. MF logo. Corner box w/ number, date (NOV-DEC), price (FREE), M icon, lonely place PRODUCTIONS
02 Printed text: When Yaoshan was sitting in meditation, a monastic asked, “What do you think about as you sit in steadfast composure?”
Yaoshan said, “I think not-thinking.”
The monastic said, “How do you think not-thinking?”
Yaoshan said, “Nonthinking.”

MEDITATION FUNNIES #11
©MMXXII by M. Elias Hiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
MADE POSSIBLE BY THE STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
03 M: I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MEDITATION
I: (rolling eyes) YET YOU NEVER SHUT UP
04 M: AS LONG AS I'M SITTING HERE[,] AT LEAST I KNOW I'M NOT CAUSING ANY TROUBLE
I: YOU SURE?
05 M: Eyebrows crossed, thinking of concentric jagged lines
I: THAT PERSON REALLY GETS TO YOU, HUH?
YEAH, AND THE THING IS[,] I KNOW THEY'RE BEING AS NICE TO ME AS THEY KNOW HOW TO BE
06 I: (grinning) WHAT ARE YOU NONTHINKING ABOUT?
I: A PENNY FOR YOUR NONTHIUGHTS
M: NONTHINK[,] NONTHANK[,] NONTHUNK
07 THE DEMON WHO STOPS YOU FROM FINISHING ANYTHING
Smoke Demon is wrapped around M
M: (thinks) IT'S NOT GOOD ENUF
I'M NOT GOOD ENUF

OR SHOWING YOURSELF TO ANYONE
08 M: EVERY DAY I HAVE TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT TAKING CARE OF MYSELF ACTUALLY FEELS GOOD
I: (eyes crossed) JUST CUT YR TOENAILS ALREADY!
09 I: YOU GET USED TO EVERYTHING[,] SO YOU END UP HAVING TO DO MORE & MORE OF IT
M: LUCKY I'M UNDISCIPLINED SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT
10 I: SILLY LITTLE BAG OF SKIN INFLATING YOUR SILLY LITTLE BAG OF AIR
11 ONE DAY[,] WHEN I WAS 16 OR 17[,] I WAS TOO DEPRESSED TO GO TO SCHOOL[,] TOO DEPRESSED TO FACE ANYBODY[,] AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO CONTINUE LIVING, I WENT OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE[,] SMOKT POT AND READ COMIC BOOKS (IT WAS WHAT KIDS TODAY CALL SELF CARE)
12 AND IN A STONED HAZE[,] I HEARD MY HEART WHISPER TO ME
Heart: (whispering) IT'S ALRIGHT.

AND THEN I COULD GO ON
13 AND NOW WHEN THINGS ARE HARD[,] I REMEMBER MY HEARD WHISPERING TO ME

I CAN STILL HEAR IT
M sitting with heart symbol on chest
14 Ad for Mom & I.
Mom and I yelling empty word balloons at each other.
Text: NEW MINICOMIC: “MOM & I” $1
PAYPAL/VENMO: eliashiebert@comcast.net
KO-FI.COM/MeditationFunnies
CASH: PO BOX 200394 DENVER CO 80220
OR—DONATE A BUCK TO ANY ABORTION FUND AND LET ME KNOW! *NOT PP
ALL SALES DONATED TO: NATIONAL NETWORK OF ABORTION FUNDS
15 I: ARE YOU KEEPING YOUR MIND STILL?
M: MY MIND IS MUCH TOO BUSY KEEPING MY BODY STILL
16 M: IF YOU COMPLIMENT SOMEONE ON SOMETHING, THEY'LL DO MORE OF IT
I: OR LESS, IF THEY'RE PERVERSE
M: SO IS A COMPLIMENT JUST A WAY OF CONTROLLING SOMEONE?
17 M: WHY DO I AVOID MEDITATING?
I: SAME REASON YOU AVOID SLEEP—YOU'RE AFRAID TO DIE
18 I: DOES ____ READ THESE?
M: EH, THEY PROBABLY JUST PUT THEM ON THE “TO READ” PILE FOREVER
19 M: (with donkey ears) WHEN WILL I LEARN TO ARGUE WITHOUT BEING AN ASS?
I: (glancing to the side) SCUSE ME WHILE I GO SHOUT INTO A HOLE
20 I: (looking up) YOU CAN'T REALLY FLESH OUT AN IDEA IN SINGLE-PANEL FORMAT
M: THAT'S THE BIG ADVANTAGE
21 HAVE U HAD THE BIVALENT BOOSTER YET?
A large bandaid
I: (hands cupped around mouth) GET IT!
M: (Looking up from bottom of panel) PLZ.

VACCINES.GOV
22 INSPIRATIONS: LYNDA BARRY AND HER STUDENTS (CHECK OUT @thenearsightedmonkey ON INSTAGRAM) MATT FEAZELL[,] JOHN PORCELLINO (ALWAYS) KEL CRUM[,] JAMES THURBER, SCHULZ, KEILOR ROBERTS[,] GEO. HERRIMAN (CHECK OUT The Kat Who Walked in Beauty – IF YOU CAN FIND IT!) SAM SZABO (COMICS WILL BREAK YOUR BALLS IS THE FUNNIES COMIC BOOK OF ALL TIME) GABRIELLE BELL, ELEANOR DAVIS (CHECK OUT You & A Bike & A Road) MILT GROSS, EDIE FAKE, SIDNEY SMITH, PHILLIP GUSTON, H. MATISSE, CAT AND GIRL, FABIO VISCOGLISI, KENNETH KOCH, JON KLASSEN, THIRTEEN, BMFU, DLIZABETH HAIDE, DON MARTIN, SOFIA FOSTER-DOMINO, OOPS OUT OF ROOM! LOVE, E.
23 WRITE TO:
PO BOX 200394
DENVER CO 80220
MeditationFunnies@GMAIL.COM
[Instagram symbol}/[facebook symbol]:@MeditationFunnies
BIRD:@MeditationComix

THIS MAGAZINE IS ALWAYS FREE[,] BUT IF YOU WISH YOU MAY DONATE AT:
ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
24 A REAL CONVERSATION WITH A 6 YEAR OLD
6yo: THE EARTH IS REALLY SMALL
M: (smiling) SURE, COMPARED TO THE UNIVERSE[,] EARTH IS VERY TINY
6yo: EVEN THE UNIVERSE IS SMALL
M: OH YEAH? COMPARED TO WHAT?
6yo: NOTHINGNESS.
M: (plops)
MF012 01 Cover. MEDITATION FUNNIES #12 JAN-FEB in distorted letters. M's head, I's head & torso. FREE. A lonely place PRODUCTION.
02 MEDITATION FUNNIES #12
©MMXXIII by M. Elias Hiebert

“A GIFT IS NOT TO BE HATED FOR ITS SMALL VALUE”
DŌGEN

Type: Content Note: Suicide (brief mention) (again)

Lonely place PRODUCTIONS
03 I: STOP TRYING TO WIN
04 M: YOUR ANXIETY & FEAR DOESN'T GO AWAY WHEN YOU DO THIS
I: (in lotus position, downcast eyes) THEY JUST SIT DOWN WITH YOU
05 I: LIFE DOESN'T LAST[,] Y'KNOW
M: MAYBE DEATH DOESN'T LAST EITHER
06 IT DOESN'T LAST
M thinking of: a heart, a stack of cash, a sun, a moon, a flower, a house, an erect penis, a heartbeat on an EKG
07 I: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING
M: MAY I NEVER FIND OUT
08 M thinks an empty thought bubble. I takes another empty thought bubble and throws it onto a fire on which two other empty thought bubbles are already burning.
09 KOAN FUNNIES PRESENTS:
BLUE CLIFF RECORD, EPISODE 53 “THE WILD DUCK”
Panel 1: Two stick figures by a river
Panel 2: A duck flies by the 2 stick figures
Panel 3: The two stick figures alone, silent
Panel 4: One of the stick figures says, WHERE HAS IT GONE?
10 Panel 1: WHERE HAS IT GONE?? M with wide open eyes
Panel 2: M laffs maniacly
Panel 3: A hand reaches from off-panel and tweaks M's nose. M: (cross-eyed) URF!
11 M: (tear and swollen nose)
I: YOU TOLD IT WORNG
12 THE VERY NOTION OF ARISING & PASSING AWAY IS SUSPECT —KEN TETSUZAN MORGAREIDGE
M sits next to another sitting figure with a skull head and x'es for eyes
13 I: NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PRACTICE DYING[,] IT WON'T PREPARE YOU FOR THE REAL THING
14 M: THE PAST AND THE FUTURE ARE INACCESSIBLE
I: (looking around) SO IS THE PRESENT
15 I: WHAT IS YOUR MIND LIKE WHEN YOU SIT ZAZEN?
M: …
16-17 Two page spread. Word balloon from off-panel: A BLANK PAGE! The rest of the spread is blank.
18 I: SO THE ZEEROX MACHINE IS A KOAN??
Arrow pointing to the paper tray of a copy machine: BLANK PAPER
Arrow pointing to the printed pages coming out of it: WHERE IS THE BLANK PAPER NOW?
19 M: IT'S EASIER TO LET GO OF MY BODY & MIND IF I GET A GOOD GRIP ON THEM FIRST
I does a cartwheel.
20 I: YOU'RE ALWAYS SQUIRMING AROUND LOOKING FOR THE BEST POSITION
M: LIKE A LOVER TRYING TO HIT THE RIGHT SPOT
21 Newspaper: HARD(ER) TIMES COMING[!] EVERYTHING IS GETTING WORSE[!] FASCISM! INFLATION! ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE
M: (only head pictured) HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE?
I: (arms and eyebrows raised) BY HELPING EACH OTHER OUT!!
M: I DUNNOW[;] THAT SOUNDS KIND OF SIMPLE
I: HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO HELP SOMEONE OUT? IT'S NEVER SIMPLE
22 M: I REALLY WANT TO MEDITATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE…
I: BUT YOU'RE AFRAID TO BE AROUND ANYONE BECAUSE COVID
23 M: OH WELL, ALL THE BODHISATTVAS MEDITATE WITH ME
M is surrounded by little meditating figures with haloes.
24 CHECKING OUT ZEN FORUMS*, BLOGS, VIDEOS, PODCASTS
Smiling M face
GETTING EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED IN ZEN FEUDS, DOCTRINAL DISPUTES, PETTY RESENTMENTS, GENERAL NONSENSE
Frowning M face
I: STAY OFF THAT INTERNET
*FORA—ED.
25 M: AM I WASTING MY TIME SITTING HERE WONDERING WHETHER I'M WASTING MY TIME?
26 A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE DRIVEN ME MUCH OF MY LIFE
I:l FIRST, ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE OR DIE
M: AFTER A PAINFUL & UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO DIE, I DECIDED TO LIVE
Arrow pointing to the next page
27 I: HAVING CHOSEN TO LIVE, NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND YOUR TIME ON?
M: FAMILY[,] ZAZEN[,] ART
I: DON'T FORGET FUCKING AROUND
M: YES THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TOO 🤍
*IF YOU CALL THIS SILLY STUFF ART
28 M: I JUST CAN'T GET OVER IT—SOMEONE IS WRONG ON THE INTERNET
M: BIG DEAL, YOU'RE WRONG ON THE INTERNET AND IN REAL LIFE
Chicken: AND IN COMICS
29 I: WHAT'S THE POINT OF DOING THIS?
M: WHAT'S THE POINT OF DOING ANYTHING ELSE?
APOLOGIES TO KŌDŌ SAWAKI
30 SHOUT OUTS THE EAST VILLAGE INKY BY AYUN HALLIDAY • MORTY COMICS AND CRANIUM FRENZY BY STEVE WILLIS • THE ADVENTURES OF TRON AND RICE! BY @DIMSUMDOOM • GABRIELLE BELL AND KEILOR ROBERTS GOTS NEW BOOKS OUT • DAVE CUOMO OF ANGEL CITY ZEN CENTER'S ONE-PERSON KOAN ACT-OUTS ON INSTAGRAM (HILARIOUS!) • MUHO (SEARCH “MY TEACHER'S HOUSE” ON YOUTUBE TO GET HIS ZEN TALKS IN ENGLISH) • SQUISHY BY LANCE WARD (BRUTAL!) • @MOVEMENTBYDAVID ON INSTAGRAM IS INSPIRING ME TO EXERCISE (!!) • TED'S CLOTHIER, ENGLEWOOD CO • PRAIRIE POTHOLE AND KING-CAT COMICS & STORIES BY the great JOHN PORCELLINO•
31 SOCIAL MEDIA SHAKEDOWN
SINCE CAPTAIN APARTHEID BLEW UP TWITTER[,] EVERYONE'S LOOKING FOR NEW PLATFORMS
@MeditationFunnies CAN NOW BE FOUND AT
COUNTER SOCIAL, COHOST, TUMBLR AND @MSTDN.PARTY AS WELL AS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND GMAIL
@MeditationComix IS STILL ON TWITTER TIL THE BITTER END!
…AND WE CAN ALWAYS BE REACHED AT
PO BOX 200394, DENVER CO 80220
PS DONATE AT ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies IF YOU WANT TO
32 Ad for Mom & I.
Mom and I yelling empty word balloons at each other.
Text: NEW MINICOMIC: “MOM & I” $1
PAYPAL/VENMO: eliashiebert@comcast.net
KO-FI.COM/MeditationFunnies
CASH: PO BOX 200394 DENVER CO 80220
OR—DONATE A BUCK TO ANY ABORTION FUND AND LET ME KNOW! *NOT PP
ALL SALES DONATED TO: NATIONAL NETWORK OF ABORTION FUNDS
MF013 01 A hand holding up one finger and a hand holding up 3 fingers. Meditation Funnies logo. MAR-APR, FREE. lonely place PRODUCTIONS.
02 Epigraph from Ānāpānasati Sutta (“A monk, o Monks, goes into a forest, or to the foot of a great tree, or to a lonely place, and there sits down, cross-legged, holding his body upright, and practices Introspection. “He breathes in attentively, and attentively breathes out. Drawing in a long breath, he knows: ‘I drawing in a long breath,’ exhaling a long breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a long breath.’ Drawing in a short breath, he knows: ‘I am drawing in a short breath,’ exhaling a short breath, he knows: ‘I am exhaling a short breath.’)
03 I: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HERE?
M: I'M TRYING TO SIT UP STRAIGHT
04 M holds thought bubbles by strings as if they are helium balloons. They say IDEA and THOUGHT.
I: ARN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO LET GO?
M: NO I'M HOLDING ON TIGHT TO THESE
05 Inside M are swirls and jagged lines labeled INNER TURMOIL
I: DID YOU GET IN A FIGHT ON TWITTER AGAIN? ARE YOU MISSING ISSUE 14 OF YOUR FAVORITE COMICAL BOOK? DID YOU STUB YOUR TOE? LOSE A GLOVE?
06 I: (making a silly face) WHAT MYSTICAL POWERS HAS YOUR PRACTICE GIVE YOU?
M: THE UNCANNY ABILITY TO ACCEPT THINGS AS THEY ARE
07 I: (skeptical) REEEALLY?
M: IT COMES AND GOES
08 I: (grinning) “BE HERE NOW”
M: WHEN AND WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT???
09 M: I MAKE LITTLE MISTAKES BUT I DESERVE SOME SLACK! I DESERVE COMPASSION! I DESERVE PATIENCE & UNDERSTANDING!
I: (eyes wide, holding up hands) TAKE IT EASY[,] NO ONE ISN'T GIVING YOU THAT HERE
10 M: (gritted teeth) (thinking) OOH WHAT AN EMBARRASSING THOUGHT
I: (holding up hands) HOW CAN YOU BE EMBARRASSED WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE?
11 I: (conspiratorially) &heiiop;YOU KNOW I'M YOU, RIGHT?
12 M thinks squiggles in outline format with portions moved and crossed out, as if laying out thoughts by hand.
I: (looking up at the thought bubble) SHOW YOUR WORK.
13 Pencil finishes drawing M. I stands atop the pencil.
I: YOU KNOW DRAWING IT ISN'T THE SAME AS DOING IT, RIGHT?
Cartoonist: GRRR…
14 M's thought bubble is crammed full of THOUGHTs going every which way. I grits teeth and tries to push another THOUGHT into it.
M: STOP! THERE'S NO MORE ROOM!
15 M's head hinges open. A brain with eyes and feet jumps out.
Brain: I'M OUTTA HERE
Cap: APOLOGIES TO JULIA WERTZ
16 Panel 1: A floating head with eyes and no other features looks at M from above. YOU CAN WATCH YOURSELF
Panel 2: A second floating head now looking at the first as it looks at M. OR YOU CAN WATCH YOURSELF WATCHING YOURSELF
17 Panel1: 6 floating heads all looking at each other (no M). YOU CAN CREATE AS MANY WATCHERS AS YOU LIKE
Panel 2: M: WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS OF THE WATCHERS OF…
I looks at a comic book with the cover folded back. PLEASE, I'M TRYING TO READ A PIRATE COMIC
A smiley face in the bottom corner.
18 Panel 1: M sweeping up. FIRST CLEAN
Panel 2: M sitting. THEN ZAZEN
—SHUNRYŪ SUZUKI
19 M: SOMETIMES THE SILENCE IN THE ZENDO IS CRUSHING
Arrow pointing to the next page
20 BREATHE word balloons coming from 4 directions
M: OTHER TIMES…
21 ZAZENKAI (ALL-DAY SITTING)
M: (thinking) IN TWO HOURS I GET TO HAVE TEA[,] IN TWO HOURS I GET TO HAVE TEA[,] IN TWO HOURS I GET TO HAVE TEA
22 I: YOU'VE BEEN AT THIS AWHILE, HUH?
M: YUP.
I: NORMALLY YOU GET BORED WITH STUFF WAY FASTER
M: ER, I, UH…
23 Pencil finishing I
I: (looking at cartoonist) OF COURSE I WAS TALKING ABOUT MEDITATION AND THE COMIC
Cartoonist: I KNOW. I'M SURPRISED I COULD KEEP IT UP THIS LONG
24 Word balloons full of lines coming from off-panel. M with one really big ear toward them.
25 I stands on a stack of books: ZEN READER, ZEN MIND, ZEN BODY, ZEN ABS, PATH OF ZEN, PILLARS OF ZEN, HARDCORE ZEN, SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM, JOURNEY OF AWAKENING. I: WHAT ARE ALL THESE BOOKS FOR?
M: JUST TO ENCOURAGE ME TO MEDITATE


[ Holy shit I repeated this exact page from the previous issue!!! ]
26 M: IF YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU MEDITATE, THEY ALWAYS SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN'T MEDITATE
I: (shrugging) GOOD THING YOU DON'T HAVE TO
M: YOU DON'T HAVE TO!
27 M: IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU DON'T DRINK. THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY SHOULD STOP OR THEY WON'T STOP[.] MY NOT DRINKING ISN'T ABOUT YOU!
I eyes half closed holds a drink with an umbrella in it
28 I: ARE YOU DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASON?
M: I DON'T THINK THE PRACTICE CARES WHAT YOUR REASON IS
29 I: STOP SQUIRMING!
30 M & I bow to each other
31 SHOUT OUT TO POSTAL CENTERS USA IN MAYFAIR, DENVER FOR BEING MY FRIENDS AND ALWAYS GIVING ME A GOOD DEAL ON COPIES

SHOUT OUT TO DONUTS TOWN ON EVANS & MONACO IN DENVER FOR ALWAYS GIVING ME AN EXTRA WHEN I BUY ONE

AS ALWAYS, SHOUT OUT TO THE DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
32 MEDITATION FUNNIES #13
©MMXXIII by M. Elias Hiebert
A lonely place PRODUCTION
PO BOX 200394
DENVER CO 80220
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
@MeditationFunnies ON SOCIALS OLD & NEW
FB, COHOST, COUNTER SOCIAL, TUBMLR, MSTDN.PARTY
BUT MOSTLY INSTAGRAM
@MeditationComix ON TWITTER
DONATE AT ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
OR DON'T! OR DO!
MF014 01 Cover. Closeup of mudra with I lounging inside it. MF logo. Corner box: #14, MAY-JUN, FREE, M icon, lonely place PRODUCTIONS.
02 M bows to cushion
03 I: EXHAUST YOURSELF
04 M: WATCHING MY BREATH CYCLE[.] WATCHING MY THOUGHTS ARISE
I: WATCHING YOUR FOOT FALL ASLEEP
05 M: FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES…IF I HAVE A THOUGHT[,] I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SIT HERE AND THINK IT[.] IF I HAVE A FEELING[,] I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SIT HERE AND FEEL IT[.] IF THERE IS A NOISE[,] I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SIT HERE AND HEAR IT.
I: YOU CAN ALWAYS DECIDE TO GET UP YOU KNOW
06 I: (incredulous) ARE YOU REALLY WORRIED OTHER PEOPLE WILL THINK YOUR PRACTICE ISN'T VALID?
07 M: (thinking) DON'T BE ATTACHED TO DUALITY[.] DON'T BE ATTACHED TO NON-DUALITY[.] DON'T BE ATTACHED TO NOT BEING ATTACHED
I: (cockeyed) WHAT A FUCKIN TIGHTROPE
08 M: (thinking) WHAT AM I DOING? WHAT AM I DOING? WHAT AM I DOING? WHAT AM I DOING?
09 I: WHY DID YOU CREATE ME ANYWAY?
M: YOU KEEP ME FROM GETTING POMPOUS […] AND SOMEHOW YOUR MAKING FUN OF MY PRACTICE MAKES ME WANT TO PRACTICE MORE
10 I: WHY DID YOU CREATE ME ANYWAY?
M: EVERY COMIC BOOK SUPERHERO NEEDS A BOY SIDEKICK
I: NOT A BOY, DUDE
11 M: SOMETIMES I'M SURPRISED TO FIND I'M NOT MISERABLE
12 Cap: I SKIPPED A DAY AND IT FELT LIKE I SKIPPED A WEEK
13 Pencil finishing up I
I: WHY ISN'T THIS A WEBCOMIC?
Cartoonist: WEBCOMIC ALWAYS HAVE EXTRA, HIDDEN JOKES. I CAN'T WRITE ALL THAT
I: MOST OF THE TIME YOU CAN'T WRITE ONE
M: (thinking) SOMETHING FUNNY
14 A pile of thought bubbles saying THOUGHT in roughly the shape of M
15 I turns on a big stand-up fan and blows all those thought bubbles away
16-17 Two-page spread. M's thought bubble and I's speech balloon stretch in parallel all the way across the spread.
M: Thinks of a castle
I: YOU GO THRU A LOT OF FANTASY ROUTINES WHEN YOU'RE SITTING THERE
M: The lines making the castle become dots
I: BUT EVENTUALLY
M: The dots start to turn into dashed lines, distorting the shape of the castle
I: THEY
M: Now there are just dashed lines, running up and down; the shape of the castle is entirely gone
I: DISSOLVE
18 NEW MIXTAPE!
“BOO-HOO”
JUST A FEW SONGS THAT COMFORTED ME AS I MOURNED A LITTLE OLD LADY WHO WOULDN'T LIKE MOST OF 'EM
DOWNLOAD AT:
Type: spideroak.com/browse/share/eliashiebert/tapes
OR SCAN HERE (arrow points to QR code)
19 PASSWORD: [type] hoaryhandsofhoggoth
ALSO AVAILABLE ON CD (little icon of a CD) OR USB DRIVE (little icon of a USB drive)
I KNOW YOUD RATHER HAVE A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST OR WHATEVER BUT I DON'T DO THAT
IF YOU CAN'T DOWNLOAD AND PLAY AN MP3 I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU!
ANNOTATED TRACKLIST AT:
MIXLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM
CONTENT NOTE: CONTAINS SONGS BY ONE COVID DENIER & ONE NAZI
20 M: LENGTHY EXPLANATION LENGTHY EXPLANATION LENGTHY EXPLANATION LENGTHY EXPLANATION [etc]
I: (balloons overlapping M's) OK [&Hellip;] OK BUT
M: THAT'S WHY I'M JUSTIFIED IN DOING WHAT I DID
I: (falling backward) NOBODY CARES!
21 M's head floats away from his body
I: (shouting thru cupped hand) COME BACK!
22 I: SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME ALL AN ARTIST CAN DO IS DESCRIBE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES
M: ALL THAT'S IN FRONT OF MY EYES IS THIS DAMN WALL
23 I: SO YOU JUST SIT HERE FOR HALF AN HOUR AND ALL YOUR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED?
M: EH, IT MIGHT TAKE AN HOUR
24 THERE IS NO
The following captions are skattered around the page, each accompanied by a little drawing of M doing that thing
DRAW DRAW DRAW
TYPE TYPE TYPE
WALK WALK WALK
FUCK FUCK FUCK 🤍
READ READ READ
THINK THINK THINK
EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE (M does a plank and goes RRRRR)
TALK TALK TALK (two heads facing each other go YAK YAK)
SUBSTITUTE
25 FOR MEDITATION
M sitting
AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT
26 M's head says: I THINK SOMEONE CAME UP WITH “GOALLESS PRACTICE” SO YOU DON'T GET HUNG UP ON ACHEIVING THE GOAL
A little meditating figure with 6 plewds says: OH NO! I LOST MY CONCENTRATION[!] I'M SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING ENLIGHTENED!
M's head: …INSTEAD YOU GET HUNG UP ON NOT HAVING A GOAL
6-plewd little meditating person: OH NO! I TRIED TO GET ENLIGHTENED! I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE NO GOAL! OH NO! I'M GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF THIS! IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USELESS!
27 WATCH YOUR BREATH LIKE A MOTHER BIRD
M sitting
APOLOGIES TO LAO TZU AND UNCLE ALEISTER
28 I: DON'T SIT UP TOO STRAIGHT OR YOU'LL GET PROUD
29 I: HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO SIT THERE AND LOOK AT YOUR WORRIES AND SELF-DOUBTS?
M: UNTIL THEY BECOME BORING
30 M & I bow to each other
31 M. ELIAS HIEBERT FINALLY STARTED DRAWING WITH BLUE PENCIL LIKE EVERY BODY SAYS TO
ALL ISSUES OF MEDITATION FUNNIES ARE AVAILABLE FREE BY MAIL (INQUIRE BY SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, OR POST) OR AT THE EAST COLFAX FREE BOOKSTORE, 7935 E. 14th Av. IN DENVER, OPEN SATURDAYS 4–6
WRITE TO
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
32 MED FUN NUMBER FOURTEEN ©MMXXIII BY M. Elias Hiebert PO BOX 200394 / DENVER CO 80220
ALWAYS FREE BUT DONATE IF YOU WISH
ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
HIT UP @MeditationFunnies ON INSTAGRAM (COUNTERSOCIAL, TUMBLR, COHOST, FB, MSTDN.PARTY)
@MeditationComix ON TWITTAH
THANX TO JEN RUNTY FOR MANUFACTURING ASSISTANCE ON #s 13&14
THANX AS ALWAYS TO THE GOOD DOCTOR STEPHEN SANDERS & THE MEMORIAL METAPHYSICAL INSTITUTE
an indefinite article, A PAGE OF TYPEWRITING IS AVAILABLE FOR A SASE
MF015 01 Cover. M sits with a screw twisting into the top of his head. The screw forms the T in the MF logo. No corner box. JUL-AUG FREE. Large #15. lonely place PRODUCTIONS across the bottom
02 “DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD EVEN A SINGLE SPECK ATOP THE MOUNTAIN OF GOOD DEEDS”
—DŌGEN

MEDITATION FUNNIES #15
©MMXXIII by M. Elias Hiebert
T.D.S.S.M.M.I.
03 I: HEY. DO YOU THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO ADVERTIZE A MIXTAPE WITH AN OLD (KAN)YE SONG ON IT, AND IDENTIFY HIM ONLY AS A “NAZI” WITH NO FURTHER EXPLANATION?
Cartoonist: NO. THAT PROBABLY LEFT SOME PEOPLE CONFUSED OR WORSE. I'M SORRY. WHETHER YOU LIKE YE'S MUSIC OR NOT, THIS NAZI SHIT IS NO JOKE
04 Empty cushion. I with hands on hips.
From off-panel: I DON'T WANNA!
05 M: SITTING HERE, SOMETIMES I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR MYSELF[,] SOMETIMES I JUST HAVE CRITICISM OF MYSELF
I: WELL, YOU CAN HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THE CRITIC
06 I: (yelling) STOP TRYING TO BE A BETTER PERSON!
07 I: (grinning) LOOK AT YOU, TRYING TO ACCEPT THINGS AS THEY ARE
08 I: YOU DON'T GET A MEDAL FOR DOING WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, Y'KNOW
M: THAT'S NOT TRUE. I CAN GIVE MYSELF AS MANY LITTLE MEDALS AS I WANT
09 M: SOMEONE ONCE TOLD ME IT'S RUDE TO POKE AROUND IN SOMEONE ELSE'S UNCONSCIOUS MIND UNINVITED
I: (falling backward, throwing up arms) UNINVITED?? I WAS BORN THERE BUDDY
10 I: (reading book of Dōgen) “ZAZEN IS ONLY THE DHARMA GATE OF JOY AND EASE”
M: ALL THIS JOY AND EASE IS KILLING ME
11 M: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET HUNG UP ON ENLIGHTENMENT[.] ONE SCHOOL OF THOUGHT SEZ SITTING IN THE PROPER POSTURE IS ITSELF ENLIGHTENMENT
I: (eyebrows raised, doing sort of a Boing with their body) NOW YOU CAN GET HUNG UP ON POSTURE!
M: (thinking) IS DIS DA PROPAH POSTCHUH?
12 MEDITATE ENUF THAT YOU GET BORED WITH YOUR OWN BULLSHIT
M sitting
13 M: I CAN SAY ANYTHING IN THESE COMIX[,] HOWEVER IGNORANT[,] ARROGANT[,] MISGUIDED[,] SAPPY…
I: BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE ME HERE TO DEFLATE YOU
14 M has many coffee cups stacked up next to him
I: (looking at cups) YOU AREN'T BY ANY CHANCE SELF-MEDICATING?
15 I: WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOUGHTS AND WORDS?
M: CAN'T SAY
16 I: WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOUGHTS AND WORDS?
M: THOUGHTS ARE THE BUTTERFLIES[.] WORDS ARE THE PINS
17 Top M's head is hinged open, exposing brain with grawlix and motion lines around it
I: (holding up hands defensively) YOU'RE A LITTLE RAMBUNCTIOUS TODAY
M: I GOT A ITCHY BRAIN!!
18 M has a raincloud raining over him and other unfortunate things around him: a kite in a tree, a worm in an apple, a cracked egg, moths eating a sweater, a spilled bottle
19 I: (playing a guitar) YOU BALANCE ON YOUR CUSHION LIKE A MATRESS BALANCES ON A BOTTLE OF WINE
20 M: WHAT WAS YOUR FACE BEFORE YOUR PARENTS WERE BORN?
I: HOW MANY FEATHERS ON A PERDUE CHICKEN?
M: DOES A DOG HAVE BUDDHA NATURE?
WHAT DOES TUSH EHT LLEH PU MEAN?
Together: HOW MANY TIMES DID THE BATMOBILE CATCH A FLAT??
21 Thought bubble with arrows showing BREATH going thru a pipe
M: (smiling, looking up at the thought bubble) WHEN I WAS MEDITATING I FELT LIKE MY BODY WAS A HOLLOW PIPE
Thought bubble identical to the above except THOUGHT instead of BREATH
M: I FELT LIKE MY MIND WAS A HOLLOW PIPE TOO!
I: (hand over mouth) *YAWN* ANOTHER GREAT INSIGHT
22 M: eyes wide open, one pupil dialated, 2 plewds
Arrow pointing off panel: UNIDENTIFIABLE REPEATING NOISE
23 I: (V eyebrows) DON'T SNEEZE[,] DON'T COUGH[,] DON'T SWALLOW[,] DON'T YAWN[,] DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES[,] DON'T FALL OVER[,] DON'T SHIFT AROUND
M: one plewd
24 M: SOMETIMES MY BREATH FEELS LIKE WAVES ON A BEACH FAR AWAY
I: surfing in the distance
25 Panel 1: I BOW TO MY CUSHION[.] Small figure bows to their cushion, sun behind them
Panel 2: I BOW TO THE WORLD[.] The figure turns around and bows again, the sun in front of them
Panel 3: I SIT ON MY CUSHION[.] Figure sits facing away from the sun again. Arrow pointing to the WALL in front of them.
Panel 4: I STAND UP AND…LOOK! THERE'S THE WORLD AGAIN[.] Figure standing, once again facing the sun, eyes wide open, surprise line over head, hands in gassho.
26 Figure labeled STUDENT: DILEMMA.
Figure labeled TEACHER, with whisk (hossu): THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING TO RESOLVE THIS DILEMMA FOR YOU. GET BENT!
Teacher again (drawn slightly smaller nearer the bottom of the page): YOU WON'T EVEN GET ME TO ADMIT IT IS A DILEMMA
27 M: IF YOU NEVER MAKE A JUDGEMENT THAT ONE THING IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER
I: THEN YOU CAN'T BE HARMED
APOLOGIES TO SHENG YEN AND UNCLE ALEISTER
28 M: I LIKE TO USE “GOD” AS SHORTHAND FOR THE FORCE OF NATURE, THE LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE, THE BIG IT…BUT SOME PEOPLE REALLY CRINGE WHEN I SAY IT
I: (yelling) LUCKY YOU, YOU CAN STAND TO HEAR THE WORD BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ABUSED IN GOD'S NAME!
29 M large thought bubble with huge word PANIC filling it up completely. I drawn very small super shocked by it.
30 WHERE TO GET INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEDITATION
(NOT IN THIS COMIC BOOK – THAT'S FER SURE)
  1. FIND A LIVING TEACHER!
    IN YR HOMETOWN OR ON ZOOM
    JUST TAKES A LITTLE RESEARCH
  2. DŌGEN'S FUKANZAZENGI – THE CLASSIC!
    NUMEROUS TRANSLATIONS ONLINE
  3. THE ĀNĀPĀNASATI SUTRA OR “118th DISCOURSE”
    ONLINE OR IN “A BUDDHIST BIBLE” BY GODDARD
    VERY REPETITIVE—OLD INDIAN SUTRAS ARE LIKE THAT
  4. THE 3 PILLARS OF ZEN BY KAPLEAU HAS GOOD STUFF ON POSTURE IN THE BACK, INCLUDING TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS—WITH PICTURES!
31 PO BOX 200394 / DENVER CO 80220
MeditationFunnies@gmail.com
@MeditationFunnies on [facebook logo] [instagram logo] [tumblr logo]
AND THE REST OF THEM
COHOST, COUNTERSOCIAL
NOT BLUE SKY YET
@MEDITATIONFUNNIES@MSTDN.PARTY
DONATE AT ko-fi.com/MeditationFunnies
OR DON'T OR DO!
32 M converses with the same 6-year-old from MF011.
M: DO YOU THINK IN WORDS?
6yo: NO.
M: WHAT THEN? IMAGES?
6yo: NO. THOUGHTS.
M: (plops)
MF016 01 Cover. M wears a BE A MEDIUM PERSON shirt. His head interrupts the MF logo. Corner box: #16, FREE, SEP-OCT, M logo. lonely place PRODUCTIONS across the bottom.
02 M: (standing, facing cushion, eyes downcast) HELLO, CUSHION
Cushion: IT'S BEEN AWHILE.
03 M: AAAAH[,] I FORGOT HOW GOOD THIS FEELS
04 I: DO YOU TAKE THIS WITH YOU INTO THE REST OF YOUR DAY?
M: THAT PART IS HARD
05 M: SITTING ZAZEN…IT'S THE ONLY TIME I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M DOING SOMETHING WRONG
I: AS SOON AS YOU STAND UP, YOU'RE CONVINCED YOU'RE FUCKING UP
Caption: SAD BUT TRUE DEP'T!
06 ALL ARTS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY EMBARRASSING
M writing a poem (Roses are… looking up, thinking of next line), singing a crooked note, dancing ballet, painting a sun (tongue out)
(BUT UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL)
07 I: (a little shocked) ALL HUMAN ACTIVITY IS EMBARRASSING IF YOU ASK ME
08 I: DO YOU STOP YOURSELF FROM THINKING?
M: IT'S MORE LIKE…I REALIZE I DON'T HAVE TO
09 I: DON'T HAVE TO WHAT? THINK, OR STOP YOURSELF?
M: …
10 I: (sitting, leaning on elbow, chin in hand) AREN'T YOU BORED WITH YOURSELF YET?
M: I'M FASCINATED WITH MYSELF. I'M BORED WITH EVERYONE ELSE.
11 From off-panel: NOISE.
M: (thinking) DON'T NOISE THE NOISE
12 Panel 1: Little guy walks along thinking: I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING WRONG AND SOMEONE'S GONNA YELL AT ME
Guy continues on, looking back behind him, thinking: I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING WRONG AND SOMEONE'S GONNA YELL AT ME
Another little person comes along the other way, eyes closed Jughead style, spiky hair, one hair sticking out in front.
Panel 3: Guy: (big mad face, yelling) HEY! YA GOING THE WRONG WAY YA [grawlix]
Person (eyes wide, jumping, that one hair standing up in surprise): !
Panel 4: Person continues walking, eye open, hair wilted, thinking: I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING WRONG AND SONEONE'S GONNA YELL AT ME
13 Pencil finishing I's foot.
I: YOU KNOW SOMEONE HAS TO HAVE DONE THAT EXACT STRIP BEFORE, RIGHT?
Cartoonist: SO WHAT? I FEEL IT IN MY HEART
In the bottom corner, the guy is walking, mad eyebrows, a scrbble inside his thought bubble
14 CHECK OUT
ELIASHIEBERT.COM (surrounded by emanata)
FOR ALL THE LINKS[,] SATURATED FAT TAPES[,] AND MORE
15 I: IS IT PRAYER
M: IT'S A LOT LIKE PRARYER[,] EXCEPT NO ONE'S PRAYING
16 GRANDPA PRAYED BEFORE THE FAMILY MEAL
HE WOULD GO ON
I OPENED MY EYES AND LOOKED AROUND
Three people with hands folded. Middle one has eyes open looking to the side. Other two have eyes closed.
SAW MY DAD ACROSS THE TABLE OPENING HIS EYES AND LOOKING AROUND
17 M: IS THIS UNIVERSE MATTER OR MIND?
I: NO MATTER[,] NEVER MIND
Caption: APOLOGIES TO RAM DASS
18 Stick figure standing on a hill raising a sword: I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL!
I reclinging on a couch, eyes closed: EVERYONE WANTS TO DIE ON A HILL. I WANT TO DIE ON A COMFY COUCH
19 M: I DIDN'T KNOW IMPS COULD DIE
I: (rolling eyes) EVERYTHING DIES
M: YOU SURE?
20 M: I LEARNED THIS A LONG TIME AGO AND I SWEAR IT HOLDS TRUE EVERY TIME…THE THINK SOMEONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE MOST, THEY DO THAT MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE
21 I: SO WHAT DO YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT?
M: I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN
22 Caption: “an indefinite article”[,] a page of typewriting, is available for a SASE
M & I bow to each other
23 MEDITATION FUNNIES #16
©MMXXIII by M. Elias Hiebert

PO BOX 200394, DENVER CO 80220
MEDITATIONFUNNIES@GMAIL.COM
@MEDITATIONFUNNIES@MSTDN.PARTY
AND @EVERYWHERE ELSE
(MOSTLY INSTAGRAM)
@MEDITATIONCOMIX IS ON TWITTER
AND IS NEVER LEAVING
DONATE IF YOU WANT AT:
ko-fi.com/MEDITATIONFUNNIES
OR DON'T      OR DO!
24 HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR CHILE SAUCE?
Various shaped bottles say: ROASTED! FERMENTED! SMOKED! CRUNCHY!
MF017 01 Cover. M's head is hinged opena and there's a bunch of files in there. I is up there throwing files and papers around. One of the files says MEDITATION FUNNIES. One of the papers says lonely place PRODUCTIONS. Corner box: #17, FREE, NOV-DEC, M icon
02