Post by Alena on Dec 26, 2006 20:52:48 GMT -5
Meditation: what it is !!!
An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. "Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.
Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means 'to join together or to yoke' . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer(one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one.
A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - "Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation". "No", said the Lama, "This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!".
These days it is commonly understood to mean some form of spiritual practice where one sits down with eyes closed and empties the mind to attain inner peace, relaxation or even an experience of God. Some people use the term as "my gardening is my meditation" or for jogging or art or music, hence creating confusion or misunderstanding.
The word meditation, is derived from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation 'medha' means wisdom.
Many years ago meditation was considered something just not meant for modern people, but now it has become very popular with all types of people. Published scientific and medical evidence has proved its benefits, but it still needs to be much understood.
Traditionally, the classical yoga texts, describe that to attain true states of meditation one must go through several stages. After the necessary preparation of personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation come the more advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. The Integral yoga approach is simultaneous application of a little of all stages together.
Commonly today, people can mean any one of these stages when they refer to the term meditation. Some schools only teach concentration techniques, some relaxation, and others teach free form contemplative activities like just sitting and awaiting absorption. Some call it meditation without giving credence to yoga for fear of being branded 'eastern'. But yoga is not something eastern or western as it is universal in its approach and application.
With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded. This is not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact.
In your learning and practice of Chios Meditation you have probably developed some inner sense of self-awareness—a pure awareness beyond habitual identifications with the thoughts, feelings and perceptions of the surface level of the mind. Meditation is, in the beginning, a journey inward, and provides an inward awareness of self. Your awareness, at the beginning of a meditation practice, often begins to draw inward, and progresses inward. After practicing meditation for some weeks or months, however, you may have also noticed, during your meditations, other moments where your awareness was focused outward, moments where, although you were sitting with eyes closed meditating, you were aware of your existence in the outer universe, perhaps with a sense of the sky or heavens above, of being in the universe.
You may not have noticed it with your conscious mind, as yet, but there is a point where the inward awareness reverses itself, instantly, and moves outward, a moment of broadening or expansion. This point is often reached more than once in each day's meditation period. It is an instantaneous reversal in the focus of awareness, and there is often a sense of elation or euphoria at this point where the inward awareness expands. This point is not a point in time or space, but it is a state of being. It is subtle, yet discernible with practice. This precise point of change in awareness is called the point of pure being.
This is like a funnel, as if the meditation were a double funnel. The awareness draws inward, funnels inward to a point (inward awareness), and then instantly reverses outward again by passing through a "hole," a pinpoint or very small hole in the universe, and then funnels instantly outward again (outward awareness) into the universe. There is the experience, at this point, of a difference—it is a non-experience of either inward or outward awareness alone. It is an experience of the essence of reality—it is an experience of both inner and outer awareness and also of not either of these by themselves. It is an experience of an existence between two existences.
This point is not an actual location, and the visual illustration given is only to assist in your understanding and awareness of this point, but at this point of pure being, where the focus of meditation is neither inward nor outward, the being of the meditator rests in a condition that transcends both the inner and the outer worlds, the duality of the inner and outward awareness. At this point there is a totality of being, it is a point where the being is pure. At the precise moment of achievement of this point, there is a unity with all creation, a coming to rest in pure consciousness itself.
There is an important analogy to this point. Because all particularized objects in manifestation are in some manner a recapitulation of the universal consciousness, we see patterns repeated in the physical and metaphysical worlds. A black hole, in space, is the direct analog of this meditative transition, and its singularity is a physical counterpart to the state of pure being. As in the singularity of a black hole in space, the usual rules of time and space do not apply at the point of pure being. This point, and whatever happens within it, is also beyond the concept of time. At this point, the human spirit, which is inherently unlimited in its nature, can potentially experience all possibilities, without limitation. There is great power at this point. :
"Meditation is the bridge between this and all other levels of consciousness;
Practicing meditation makes you aware of your eternally enlightened nature.
By practicing meditation you will come to see that the true nature of the real you,
the body of light, is everlasting bliss!"
-Rama
How Does It Work?
No matter which meditative technique is used, its effect on the body is similar. Researchers have found that meditating lowers levels of stress hormones, and therefore supports the healthy functioning of the immune system. In fact, by decreasing the level of one such hormone--epinephrine--meditation has been shown to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood and therefore help arteries to remain clear.
What You Can Expect
Meditation is easily practiced at home on your own. You can learn meditation techniques through books or audio or videotapes, or you can take a class in meditation to get started. Classes are frequently offered at yoga centers or community centers, and are usually taught by long-time meditators who are well versed in meditation practice. A typical class might meet for an hour once a week for several weeks and you might be exposed to one or more meditation techniques.
Whether you practice transcendental meditation, mindfulness meditation, or breath meditation, the goal is the same: inner peace and relaxation. In all three techniques, you sit comfortably with your back straight, either in a chair or on the floor, with your eyes closed, breathing deeply. The techniques do differ slightly in how they are performed, however.
When practicing TM, for example, you repeat a mantra (often a Sanskrit word) to yourself throughout the meditation. A teacher may give you the mantra or you may simply use a word that is calming to you, such as "peace" or "one." Saying the mantra helps prevent distracting thoughts from entering your mind and allows you to gradually relax and release stress. One goal during TM is a passive attitude that allows thoughts, images, and feelings to pass through your consciousness almost unnoticed.
Mindfulness meditation (a technique researched and popularized in the U.S. by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachussetts Medical Center) helps you to become more in touch with what is happening in your body and mind at the time it actually is happening. In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they come up and observe them without judgment. This technique may include a body scan, in which you methodically bring attention to each part of your body from head to toe. As you let go of thoughts or images associated with a certain body part, the body part lets go, too, thus releasing much of its tension. The body scan has been found to be an excellent way to help people who are dealing with chronic pain. For best results, a body scan should take about 45 minutes.
Breath meditation involves focusing on breathing in and breathing out. When practicing this technique, you should try not to let your thoughts shift from your breath. According to practitioners of this type of meditation, concentrating on something as simple and elemental as the breath helps to clear the mind.
No matter what type of meditation you practice, the recommended goal is two 20-minute sessions a day--ideally once before breakfast and once before bedtime. The more you practice, the more adept you will be at achieving a state of calm and relaxation.
Meditation Tips
Regardless of the form of meditation, it is a good idea to take a shower, or wash your hands and face before you meditate. You may want to set aside a special place in your room that you only use for meditation. Or you can find a place outside that feels good to you. It is important to keep the back straight during meditation, whether you are sitting on the floor or in a chair. Energy flows up the spine, so we try to create a straight pathway for it. Also, it’s a good idea not to eat too much before you meditate, or you will feel heavy and tired. At the end of a meditation session, always bow in gratitude and offer your meditation back to the universe. This humble sign of gratitude is very important in Buddhist practice.
Many styles of meditation practice exist today. They generally involve focusing on energy centers in the body, concentrating on a picture or image, chanting, or breathing exercises. Regardless of the style, they all share a common goal - to stop thought. When our thoughts stop, we can connect to worlds of light, power, wisdom, and pure consciousness. Try each style and determine which one feels best to you. You may even want to alternate between the techniques from time to time. Whichever approach you choose, you will find that each meditation session brings a little more clarity and power into your life. The most important things are perseverance in your practice and the ability to never judge your meditation. Meditation takes practice, so don't expect too much too soon. If you find your mind wandering away from your meditation, do not get frustrated. Simply bring your mind gently back to the technique. Trust yourself and believe in the practice.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.
What is essential is invisible to the eye."
-The Little Prince
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is another form of meditation. It is meditation in action, and it is how we integrate meditation into all aspects of our daily lives until our whole life itself has become meditation. (Don't worry, this takes time to accomplish!). It is based on the Buddhist principle that whatever you focus on, you become. In Buddhism, we do not believe that the mind has a particular, solid shape. Instead, Buddhists believe that the mind is fluid. It takes whatever form you put it in. Whatever thought forms you hold in your mind will determine its shape. So if you focus on unhappy things, you will become unhappy, and conversely, if you focus on happy things, you will become happy!
"What you focus on, you become.
So always focus on that which is the highest, brightest,
happiest and most Noble of all Things -
Enlightenment."
-Rama
In practical terms therefore, mindfulness is all about being positive! It is a fun game you can play every day. Throughout the day, pay attention to the thoughts you think, the emotions you feel, your reactions, and so on. When something negative comes along, rather than reacting, engaging, or indulging in that negativity, consciously move your mind to something positive. For example, if you have a negative thought, replace it with a very positive one. In much the same way that your body needs to be worked out in order to become strong, your mind is like a muscle - you have to work it out in order to strengthen it! And eliminating negative thoughts and emotions from your mind is like physical exercise - it's a good habit to get into! Eventually, you will find that you feel better and happier throughout the day, because you will not be allowing yourself to be brought down by any negativity you may encounter. Then at the end of the day, you will discover that you have more energy for the evening.
"To integrate meditation in action is the whole
ground and point and purpose of meditation."
-The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
The Tibetan term for meditation is gom, which connotes the development of a constant familiarity with a particular practice or object. The original term meant "culture" or "development," i.e., "mental culture or "mental development."
The process of "familiarization" is key because the enhancement or development of mind follows with the growth of familiarity with the chosen object. Consequently, it is only through constant application of the meditative techniques and training of the mind that one can expect to attain inner transformation or discipline within the mind. In the Tibetan tradition there are, generally speaking, two principal types of meditation. One employs a certain degree of analysis and reasoning, and is known as contemplative or analytical meditation. The other is more absorptive and focusing, and is called single-pointed or placement meditation.
BENEFIT OF MEDITATION
Meditation strives to produce a state of perfect mental health, equilibrium and tranquility. Its aim is twofold. It aims at cleansing the mind of impurities and disturbances, such as lustful desire, hatred, ill-will, indolence, worries, restlessness and skeptical doubts. Also, it aims at cultivating such positive qualities as concentration, awareness, intelligence, will, energy, analytical clarity, confidence, joy and tranquility.
The purpose or benefit is to help one overcome inner problems caused by one's negative emotions and help to bring inner peace. Because our mental problems are due to the mind itself, we can never find a cure in the physical world and must work to change ourselves. The ultimate goal of meditation is to go beyond the experiences of the ordinary material world and to destroy our fundamental mental confusion which arises from our inability to see things as they truly exist, as they really are.
In the end, meditation leads to the attainment of highest wisdom which sees the nature of things as they are, realizes the Ultimate Truth, and achieves enlightenment.
BREATHING MEDITATION
Breathing meditation is regarded as one of the simpler forms of meditation. Although it is regarded as such, and it serves as a foundation for more advanced meditation practices, it is still extremely powerful.
Assume a comfortable sitting position on a cushion on the floor or in a straight-backed chair. If you choose the floor and can sit in the vajra position (full-lotus posture), this is best. It is not mandatory, though. It is tremendously important, however, whether you are on the floor or in a chair to keep your back perfectly straight. This allows free and proper energy flow through the body channels.
Next, tip your head ever so slightly downward, close your eyes until almost shut, and place your tongue at the roof of your mouth just behind the teeth (to reduce saliva flow). Your hands should be placed in an upright position just below the navel with the right hand on top of the left hand. The thumb tips should be just touching with the right thumb's tip resting on top of the left thumb tip.
Breath normally and notice the flow of air as it enters and exits the nostrils. Pay single-pointed attention to this sensation. This is called watching the breath. As thoughts enter your mind, let them flow through (like clouds in the sky) without paying attention to them. Try to experience a deep stillness and inner peace. If you lose concentration and follow a thought, bring yourself back to the sensation of the breath entering and exiting your nostrils. This may have to be done hundreds of times as you begin your meditation practice.
Many beginners find counting the breaths an additional technique for calming the mind and focusing attention on the breath. As you breath in, silently count "breathing in one"; as you exhale, silently count "breathing out one". Do this until you reach ten and then start from one again. If you lose count because your mind is agitated and wandering, just start the count again at one. This may have to be done hundreds of times, too, as you begin your practice. Do not get angry or frustrated with yourself. This just goes to show you how "out of control" your mind really is!
In time, what was once a turbulent, storm-whipped ocean of a mind will become a calm, tranquil reservoir of peace and compassion.
"Unless our minds are stable and calm,
no matter how comfortable our physical condition may be,
they will give us no pleasure.
Therefore, the key to a happy life,
now and in the future,
is to develop a happy mind."
-- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Your breathing mediation session should last between 5-10 minutes when you first start your meditation practice. The time should be extended to 20 minutes or longer as your mind begins to stabilize. You may want to proceed to more advanced meditation techniques as your mind comes under your control. Consult the "Suggested Reading" page for books on meditation. They will introduce you to more advanced meditation practices. Also, read the Shamatha Meditation teaching by Geshe Dakpa Topgyal on the Basic Teachings page.
At the end of your meditation session, mentally dedicate the merits of your practice to the release of all sentient beings from suffering. After the session has ended, try to maintain the calm, tranquil feeling of the meditation session for as long as you can. This will help you lead a more stress-free, spiritually productive and fulfilling life.
1. Make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions.
2. Allow some time for your meditation. These meditations last from 3 - 10 minutes. The duration of each meditation is listed below so you can plan your time accordingly.
3. As you listen to the words of the meditation, picture the images that are being described in your mind.
4. Be open to the meditation.
A Simple Breathing Meditation
The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practising a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.
We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breathing. We breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else.
At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath. If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath.
If we practise patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while.
Even though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation, it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling the mind, without having to depend at all upon external conditions. When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope with the busyness and difficulties of daily life. So much of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we will be able to reduce this stress. We will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve.
-BSK
by Broken soul
An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. "Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.
Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means 'to join together or to yoke' . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer(one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one.
A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - "Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation". "No", said the Lama, "This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!".
These days it is commonly understood to mean some form of spiritual practice where one sits down with eyes closed and empties the mind to attain inner peace, relaxation or even an experience of God. Some people use the term as "my gardening is my meditation" or for jogging or art or music, hence creating confusion or misunderstanding.
The word meditation, is derived from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation 'medha' means wisdom.
Many years ago meditation was considered something just not meant for modern people, but now it has become very popular with all types of people. Published scientific and medical evidence has proved its benefits, but it still needs to be much understood.
Traditionally, the classical yoga texts, describe that to attain true states of meditation one must go through several stages. After the necessary preparation of personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation come the more advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. The Integral yoga approach is simultaneous application of a little of all stages together.
Commonly today, people can mean any one of these stages when they refer to the term meditation. Some schools only teach concentration techniques, some relaxation, and others teach free form contemplative activities like just sitting and awaiting absorption. Some call it meditation without giving credence to yoga for fear of being branded 'eastern'. But yoga is not something eastern or western as it is universal in its approach and application.
With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded. This is not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact.
In your learning and practice of Chios Meditation you have probably developed some inner sense of self-awareness—a pure awareness beyond habitual identifications with the thoughts, feelings and perceptions of the surface level of the mind. Meditation is, in the beginning, a journey inward, and provides an inward awareness of self. Your awareness, at the beginning of a meditation practice, often begins to draw inward, and progresses inward. After practicing meditation for some weeks or months, however, you may have also noticed, during your meditations, other moments where your awareness was focused outward, moments where, although you were sitting with eyes closed meditating, you were aware of your existence in the outer universe, perhaps with a sense of the sky or heavens above, of being in the universe.
You may not have noticed it with your conscious mind, as yet, but there is a point where the inward awareness reverses itself, instantly, and moves outward, a moment of broadening or expansion. This point is often reached more than once in each day's meditation period. It is an instantaneous reversal in the focus of awareness, and there is often a sense of elation or euphoria at this point where the inward awareness expands. This point is not a point in time or space, but it is a state of being. It is subtle, yet discernible with practice. This precise point of change in awareness is called the point of pure being.
This is like a funnel, as if the meditation were a double funnel. The awareness draws inward, funnels inward to a point (inward awareness), and then instantly reverses outward again by passing through a "hole," a pinpoint or very small hole in the universe, and then funnels instantly outward again (outward awareness) into the universe. There is the experience, at this point, of a difference—it is a non-experience of either inward or outward awareness alone. It is an experience of the essence of reality—it is an experience of both inner and outer awareness and also of not either of these by themselves. It is an experience of an existence between two existences.
This point is not an actual location, and the visual illustration given is only to assist in your understanding and awareness of this point, but at this point of pure being, where the focus of meditation is neither inward nor outward, the being of the meditator rests in a condition that transcends both the inner and the outer worlds, the duality of the inner and outward awareness. At this point there is a totality of being, it is a point where the being is pure. At the precise moment of achievement of this point, there is a unity with all creation, a coming to rest in pure consciousness itself.
There is an important analogy to this point. Because all particularized objects in manifestation are in some manner a recapitulation of the universal consciousness, we see patterns repeated in the physical and metaphysical worlds. A black hole, in space, is the direct analog of this meditative transition, and its singularity is a physical counterpart to the state of pure being. As in the singularity of a black hole in space, the usual rules of time and space do not apply at the point of pure being. This point, and whatever happens within it, is also beyond the concept of time. At this point, the human spirit, which is inherently unlimited in its nature, can potentially experience all possibilities, without limitation. There is great power at this point. :
"Meditation is the bridge between this and all other levels of consciousness;
Practicing meditation makes you aware of your eternally enlightened nature.
By practicing meditation you will come to see that the true nature of the real you,
the body of light, is everlasting bliss!"
-Rama
How Does It Work?
No matter which meditative technique is used, its effect on the body is similar. Researchers have found that meditating lowers levels of stress hormones, and therefore supports the healthy functioning of the immune system. In fact, by decreasing the level of one such hormone--epinephrine--meditation has been shown to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood and therefore help arteries to remain clear.
What You Can Expect
Meditation is easily practiced at home on your own. You can learn meditation techniques through books or audio or videotapes, or you can take a class in meditation to get started. Classes are frequently offered at yoga centers or community centers, and are usually taught by long-time meditators who are well versed in meditation practice. A typical class might meet for an hour once a week for several weeks and you might be exposed to one or more meditation techniques.
Whether you practice transcendental meditation, mindfulness meditation, or breath meditation, the goal is the same: inner peace and relaxation. In all three techniques, you sit comfortably with your back straight, either in a chair or on the floor, with your eyes closed, breathing deeply. The techniques do differ slightly in how they are performed, however.
When practicing TM, for example, you repeat a mantra (often a Sanskrit word) to yourself throughout the meditation. A teacher may give you the mantra or you may simply use a word that is calming to you, such as "peace" or "one." Saying the mantra helps prevent distracting thoughts from entering your mind and allows you to gradually relax and release stress. One goal during TM is a passive attitude that allows thoughts, images, and feelings to pass through your consciousness almost unnoticed.
Mindfulness meditation (a technique researched and popularized in the U.S. by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachussetts Medical Center) helps you to become more in touch with what is happening in your body and mind at the time it actually is happening. In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they come up and observe them without judgment. This technique may include a body scan, in which you methodically bring attention to each part of your body from head to toe. As you let go of thoughts or images associated with a certain body part, the body part lets go, too, thus releasing much of its tension. The body scan has been found to be an excellent way to help people who are dealing with chronic pain. For best results, a body scan should take about 45 minutes.
Breath meditation involves focusing on breathing in and breathing out. When practicing this technique, you should try not to let your thoughts shift from your breath. According to practitioners of this type of meditation, concentrating on something as simple and elemental as the breath helps to clear the mind.
No matter what type of meditation you practice, the recommended goal is two 20-minute sessions a day--ideally once before breakfast and once before bedtime. The more you practice, the more adept you will be at achieving a state of calm and relaxation.
Meditation Tips
Regardless of the form of meditation, it is a good idea to take a shower, or wash your hands and face before you meditate. You may want to set aside a special place in your room that you only use for meditation. Or you can find a place outside that feels good to you. It is important to keep the back straight during meditation, whether you are sitting on the floor or in a chair. Energy flows up the spine, so we try to create a straight pathway for it. Also, it’s a good idea not to eat too much before you meditate, or you will feel heavy and tired. At the end of a meditation session, always bow in gratitude and offer your meditation back to the universe. This humble sign of gratitude is very important in Buddhist practice.
Many styles of meditation practice exist today. They generally involve focusing on energy centers in the body, concentrating on a picture or image, chanting, or breathing exercises. Regardless of the style, they all share a common goal - to stop thought. When our thoughts stop, we can connect to worlds of light, power, wisdom, and pure consciousness. Try each style and determine which one feels best to you. You may even want to alternate between the techniques from time to time. Whichever approach you choose, you will find that each meditation session brings a little more clarity and power into your life. The most important things are perseverance in your practice and the ability to never judge your meditation. Meditation takes practice, so don't expect too much too soon. If you find your mind wandering away from your meditation, do not get frustrated. Simply bring your mind gently back to the technique. Trust yourself and believe in the practice.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.
What is essential is invisible to the eye."
-The Little Prince
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is another form of meditation. It is meditation in action, and it is how we integrate meditation into all aspects of our daily lives until our whole life itself has become meditation. (Don't worry, this takes time to accomplish!). It is based on the Buddhist principle that whatever you focus on, you become. In Buddhism, we do not believe that the mind has a particular, solid shape. Instead, Buddhists believe that the mind is fluid. It takes whatever form you put it in. Whatever thought forms you hold in your mind will determine its shape. So if you focus on unhappy things, you will become unhappy, and conversely, if you focus on happy things, you will become happy!
"What you focus on, you become.
So always focus on that which is the highest, brightest,
happiest and most Noble of all Things -
Enlightenment."
-Rama
In practical terms therefore, mindfulness is all about being positive! It is a fun game you can play every day. Throughout the day, pay attention to the thoughts you think, the emotions you feel, your reactions, and so on. When something negative comes along, rather than reacting, engaging, or indulging in that negativity, consciously move your mind to something positive. For example, if you have a negative thought, replace it with a very positive one. In much the same way that your body needs to be worked out in order to become strong, your mind is like a muscle - you have to work it out in order to strengthen it! And eliminating negative thoughts and emotions from your mind is like physical exercise - it's a good habit to get into! Eventually, you will find that you feel better and happier throughout the day, because you will not be allowing yourself to be brought down by any negativity you may encounter. Then at the end of the day, you will discover that you have more energy for the evening.
"To integrate meditation in action is the whole
ground and point and purpose of meditation."
-The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
The Tibetan term for meditation is gom, which connotes the development of a constant familiarity with a particular practice or object. The original term meant "culture" or "development," i.e., "mental culture or "mental development."
The process of "familiarization" is key because the enhancement or development of mind follows with the growth of familiarity with the chosen object. Consequently, it is only through constant application of the meditative techniques and training of the mind that one can expect to attain inner transformation or discipline within the mind. In the Tibetan tradition there are, generally speaking, two principal types of meditation. One employs a certain degree of analysis and reasoning, and is known as contemplative or analytical meditation. The other is more absorptive and focusing, and is called single-pointed or placement meditation.
BENEFIT OF MEDITATION
Meditation strives to produce a state of perfect mental health, equilibrium and tranquility. Its aim is twofold. It aims at cleansing the mind of impurities and disturbances, such as lustful desire, hatred, ill-will, indolence, worries, restlessness and skeptical doubts. Also, it aims at cultivating such positive qualities as concentration, awareness, intelligence, will, energy, analytical clarity, confidence, joy and tranquility.
The purpose or benefit is to help one overcome inner problems caused by one's negative emotions and help to bring inner peace. Because our mental problems are due to the mind itself, we can never find a cure in the physical world and must work to change ourselves. The ultimate goal of meditation is to go beyond the experiences of the ordinary material world and to destroy our fundamental mental confusion which arises from our inability to see things as they truly exist, as they really are.
In the end, meditation leads to the attainment of highest wisdom which sees the nature of things as they are, realizes the Ultimate Truth, and achieves enlightenment.
BREATHING MEDITATION
Breathing meditation is regarded as one of the simpler forms of meditation. Although it is regarded as such, and it serves as a foundation for more advanced meditation practices, it is still extremely powerful.
Assume a comfortable sitting position on a cushion on the floor or in a straight-backed chair. If you choose the floor and can sit in the vajra position (full-lotus posture), this is best. It is not mandatory, though. It is tremendously important, however, whether you are on the floor or in a chair to keep your back perfectly straight. This allows free and proper energy flow through the body channels.
Next, tip your head ever so slightly downward, close your eyes until almost shut, and place your tongue at the roof of your mouth just behind the teeth (to reduce saliva flow). Your hands should be placed in an upright position just below the navel with the right hand on top of the left hand. The thumb tips should be just touching with the right thumb's tip resting on top of the left thumb tip.
Breath normally and notice the flow of air as it enters and exits the nostrils. Pay single-pointed attention to this sensation. This is called watching the breath. As thoughts enter your mind, let them flow through (like clouds in the sky) without paying attention to them. Try to experience a deep stillness and inner peace. If you lose concentration and follow a thought, bring yourself back to the sensation of the breath entering and exiting your nostrils. This may have to be done hundreds of times as you begin your meditation practice.
Many beginners find counting the breaths an additional technique for calming the mind and focusing attention on the breath. As you breath in, silently count "breathing in one"; as you exhale, silently count "breathing out one". Do this until you reach ten and then start from one again. If you lose count because your mind is agitated and wandering, just start the count again at one. This may have to be done hundreds of times, too, as you begin your practice. Do not get angry or frustrated with yourself. This just goes to show you how "out of control" your mind really is!
In time, what was once a turbulent, storm-whipped ocean of a mind will become a calm, tranquil reservoir of peace and compassion.
"Unless our minds are stable and calm,
no matter how comfortable our physical condition may be,
they will give us no pleasure.
Therefore, the key to a happy life,
now and in the future,
is to develop a happy mind."
-- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Your breathing mediation session should last between 5-10 minutes when you first start your meditation practice. The time should be extended to 20 minutes or longer as your mind begins to stabilize. You may want to proceed to more advanced meditation techniques as your mind comes under your control. Consult the "Suggested Reading" page for books on meditation. They will introduce you to more advanced meditation practices. Also, read the Shamatha Meditation teaching by Geshe Dakpa Topgyal on the Basic Teachings page.
At the end of your meditation session, mentally dedicate the merits of your practice to the release of all sentient beings from suffering. After the session has ended, try to maintain the calm, tranquil feeling of the meditation session for as long as you can. This will help you lead a more stress-free, spiritually productive and fulfilling life.
1. Make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions.
2. Allow some time for your meditation. These meditations last from 3 - 10 minutes. The duration of each meditation is listed below so you can plan your time accordingly.
3. As you listen to the words of the meditation, picture the images that are being described in your mind.
4. Be open to the meditation.
A Simple Breathing Meditation
The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practising a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.
We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breathing. We breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else.
At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath. If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath.
If we practise patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while.
Even though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation, it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling the mind, without having to depend at all upon external conditions. When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope with the busyness and difficulties of daily life. So much of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we will be able to reduce this stress. We will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve.
-BSK
by Broken soul
