EXISTENCE, as we know it, is full of sorrow. To mention only one minor point: every man is a condemned criminal, only he does not know the date of his execution. This is unpleasant for every man. Consequently every man does everything possible to postpone the date, and would sacrifice anything that he has if he could reverse the sentence. Practically all religions and all philosophies have started thus crudely, by promising their adherents some such reward as immortality. No religion has failed hitherto by not promising enough; the present breaking up of all religions is due to the fact that people have asked to see the securities. Men have even renounced the important material advantages which a well-organized religion may confer upon a State, rather than acquiesce in fraud or falsehood, or even in any system which, if not proved guilty, is at least unable to demonstrate its innocence. Being more or less bankrupt, the best thing that we can do is to attack the problem afresh without preconceived ideas. Let us begin by doubting every statement. Let us find a way of subjecting every statement to the test of experiment. Is there any truth at all in the claims of various religions? Let us examine the question. Our original difficulty will be due to the enormous wealth of our material. To enter into a critical examination of all systems would be an unending task; the cloud of witnesses is too great. Now each religion is equally positive; and each demands faith. This we refuse in the absence of positive proof. But we may usefully inquire whether there is not any one thing upon which all religions have agreed: for, if so, it seems possible that it may be worthy of really thorough consideration.
from -THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS
THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS - part 1
SAYADAW U JOTIKA
[ SAYADAW U JOTIKA ]
In all human activities, this meditation practice is the most important. (But note that when we say ‘without thinking about it’ we don’t mean absent minded.)
Let’s see why we don’t even use noting:
For example when we hear something and try to label: This is a ‘dog bark.’ To come to this conclusion we need a very complicated process in the mind.
First you hear the sound and recall from the past similar sounds that you heard, you put the two together, then the mind works very fast like a computer.
Recognises: This is the same as that, and then you recall what it was called in the past, and you remember that, that was a dog barking in the past and you bring that past to the present: This sound is a ‘dog barking’.
You go through four different processes, four steps, in order to get to that.
In this meditation you stop at the first step, no more.
Even to name something you go through many-many steps like when we hear one word, if the sound is one syllable you go four full steps, if it has two syllables we go though more than four, maybe six or eight sometimes and if the sound has three or four syllables we have to go through many-many steps to get to the conclusion. The mind works very fast very hard. In this meditation practice we stop all that process we stay with the first step. That simple.
But it’s not easy to do that because we have a habit of going through the whole process.
But as I said before if you practise it, you don’t find it very difficult either.
It is just the act of being, when you see there is just ‘seeing’ when you hear there is just ‘hearing’ when you have any sensations in the body, there is just sensations, when you taste there is just ‘tasting’ when you smell there is just ‘smelling’, when you think there is just ‘thinking.’
Not even ‘I’ experiencing that. Because that ‘I’ can make things become very complicated. Of all human activity, body and mind, this is the simplest.
The act of just ‘being’ in all it’s simplicity and naturalness with nothing added at all.
That is the most important point: nothing added at all.
It’s just the experience of simple ‘being’, experience of simple process. So in practicing this meditation do not expect anything to happen.
That is also another important thing.
Especially for those of you who have been meditating for quite a while, a long time and who have had good experiences before; whenever they meditate again they always want to get to that state as quickly as possible. They expect that.
‘I have been into that peaceful state before. Now I am going to sit and get there as quickly as possible’. The harder we try the harder it becomes. So don’t try, don’t expect. This is another paradox.
If you really don’t try anything at all you will find that you are there.
To be as simple as possible — nothing added — sit as comfortable as possible, without overlapping anything.
The most important thing is to be balanced and to be at ease. If you can sit full lotus it’s ok. I used to sit like that before but I don’t try it any more. It’s not necessary.
From - Buddhist Meditation - Contemplation of the Mind
Meditation - Relaxation and Spiritual Exploration
Meditation originated from Buddhism. But we too have the chance of relaxation and spiritual exploration. Yoga and Meditation techniques have been adopted by new age spirituality. Many methods are taught in retreats. The idea is to be around like minded people, which will aid the renewal of the spirit, body and mind. The benefits of "meditation" are not short of amazing. Yoga ensures this beneficial health and spiritual care. Meditative benefit's offer insurance and treatment to those wishing to heal without medication or direct touch being the cure. Buddhism religion is focused around meditation, and their long lives just goes to show how beneficial meditations and yoga's can be. When I first became interested in meditation, I had no idea where to start. I felt lost. I needed some form of spiritual guidance, however, I was not prepared to pay out hundreds of dollars in the hopes of finding what I was looking for. I didn't know the difference between New Age techniques and Buddhist zen yoga. What I was looking for was a means of escape from the stresses of my hectic life into deep relaxation. Luckily, I found a great place to get hold of free meditation audios, which of course suited my purposes. I found that starting out with a free audios made it easy to get straight into deep meditation. The audio acts on our brain frequencies. Our consciousness shifts in to alpha, which gives us deep, deep, pleasure. We experience almost instant relaxation and the lovely emotions of joy, bliss and love. We can now all achieve deep meditation...
Free Meditation Audio
Discovering Meditation Secrets
Meditation helps us free our minds, alleviate stress, and create an understanding between man and universe.
There are many different ways to meditate. Some people sit down on the floor, some stand up, while others sit in a chair and close their eyes. All of us need to find what works for us in order to get the most out of our meditation sessions. Here we will explore some meditation secrets that will help us achieve a better understanding of the concept of meditation and how to get the most out of every session.
Meditation Secrets
• Realize the true reason for meditation - Don’t get lured into all the hype surrounding meditation. It is easy to become fascinated with the mystic visions we commonly associate with meditation. People often see themselves being able to see things, resulting in higher psychological functioning. Although some of this is true, the real purpose for meditation is to have us come in contact with our higher consciousness so we can feel more in touch with ourselves and our environment.
• Being Distracted - There is a myth surrounding meditation. Many think becoming distracted during a session, meaning your mind wanders off the focus of the object at hand, results in a failed session. This is not true. Meditation secrets reveal that if you become lost or confused during your session, then just accept these thoughts and turn your attention back onto the object of focus. Don’t resist outside thoughts. This will only hinder the meditation process.
• Let Go - Find a style that suits you. Once you have chosen a style, try to let go of negative thoughts. Do not focus on the ‘hows’ of being able to get everything you want from this life. Let it come naturally by investing some trust into your unconscious mind. These meditation secrets are the key to success during every session.
Find out more meditation secrets and discover how meditation can help you relax and de-stress in today's hectic world by visiting learn how to meditate.
The Many Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful healing practice
Meditation is a very valuable art form. Its healing powers are vast and long-lasting. When you engage in meditation, you can give yourself a wonderful lift by relaxing the mind and body at the same time. Enlightenment can be yours if you master meditation techniques.
The origins of meditation
You might be asking yourself, where did mediation originate? While many people think of the Buddhist faith when they think of meditation, they might be a little off. Meditation has always enjoyed a central place within Buddhism, but it really originated with the Hindus. It has since been adopted by many cultures and adapted to fit the needs of almost any individual.
Using meditation in your life
If you are now intrigued, there are some things you should know in order to get started. No one can really tell you how to meditate, because it is such an individual journey, but there are some guidelines to help you find your own style. One of the most important things is to find a spot that works for you. A quiet and serene place will encourage the best meditation. Another important step is to find the best position. An alert, but comfortable one will give you the best experience.
In addition to finding your spot and position, you might be interested in meditation accessories. Items like a zen kneeling mediation bench are wonderful additions to your meditation routine. But whatever place, position and accessories you choose, remember that meditation comes from within.
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your mind and body and get in shape as well as a great way to unwind after a long day. Whatever your meditation equipment and equipment needs, we have the information and resources to point you in the right direction. We have yoga music, mats, clothes, pants, videos and journals as well as information on the different yoga positions, postures and the history of yoga. If you are interested in becoming a yoga instructor learn more about yoga workshops in your city or state.
Exactly How To Meditate
Have you been feeling stressed and asking yourself the question lately ‘How do I meditate?” Meditation is easy to learn and takes only a few minutes to do. You can do it anytime and anywhere that is convenient to you; either in the morning or in the night, in the park or at home.
Meditation is simple and easy and does not necessarily take up a lot of your time. It can be done anywhere, any time and for any duration. If you are on a train and have a few minutes to spare, doing a few minutes of meditation can leave you feeling refreshed, recharged and calm when you reach your destination.
There are a few things you need to know about how do I meditate when you wake up in the morning. Find a quiet place where you know nobody will disturb you – it could be in the bedroom on your bed, on the floor or even out in the garden. You can choose to meditate either with or without some calm, soothing background music.
The next step in how do I meditate involves focusing on every part of your body from your feet upwards till you reach the top of your head. Slow down your breathing and focus on every breath. Try to hear your heartbeat and match your breathing with your heartbeats. When you are new to how do I meditate you may find it difficult to stay focused but in time and with a lot of practice it will get easier. Once you’ve finished your meditation, you can slowly bring your mind back to reality and start breathing normally again.
How do I meditate takes time and practice to master the art. But you will notice positive changes if you keep at it and you will notice that you are more peaceful and are calmer when faced with any problems.
To find out more about how to meditate and discover the different ways of meditating, visit learn how to meditate
Meditation And Its Potential Health Benefits
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in the eastern cultures and many of their healers believe that it has significant benefits to your health and wellbeing. There are many different types and forms of meditation and it can get quite complicated. Perhaps it is best at the start to stick with a simple approach as there are many very easy exercises you can do almost anywhere and anytime.
So what is meditation and what is its ultimate purpose? Well, the simplest definition may be that it is the pursuit of a quiet mind. Many people believe that a silent mind is also the least stressful and also may have great health benefits. Each day more people discover meditation and report great health benefits as far as a greater sense of wellbeing however there are few official scientific studies done to verify the effectiveness of meditation.
In fact, many scientists are just beginning to research the correlation between meditation and improved health. There are however many peer reviewed articles that have been published on the relationship between meditation and reducing stress or decreased symptoms of disease.
So it does require some faith on your part to at least try some meditative practices and experience the benefits for yourself before you decide that it does not work just because there are not many 'official' scientific studies done on it yet. The Chinese and other eastern cultures have been quietly reaping the potentially huge benefits of meditation for thousands of years and the west is only just beginning to catch up.
A simple meditation exercise involves concentration on your breathing. Simply turn your mental focus to your breath as you inhale and then exhale normally. The key is to only think about the breath and nothing else. The idea is to develop a silent mind that is focused on something neutral like the breath. If you like you can instead focus on the tip of a pen or anything that is neutral and does not incur great emotions. You can do this for around ten minutes or so each day or whenever you feel you need to get rid of some stress.
You will find that at the start there will be many other distracting thoughts entering your mind. When this happens just return your focus back on the breath or whatever neutral item you chose. The more you do this the easier it becomes to get that state of a silent mind. You will find that this state of a quiet mind is very relaxing. It is a fantastic way to reduce stress and as we all know, stress can have significant negative effects on your health so this is perhaps one the greatest benefits of meditation.
A few studies have been done at several universities on the effects that transcendental meditation can have on your physiology, psychology and sociology. It is actually one of the most studied forms of meditation. Some of their findings show that this kind of meditation can improve your mental abilities such as increasing intelligence, creativity and learning ability.
Other documented benefits of transcendental meditation include reduced stress, less incidence of disease, improved cardiovascular health and increased longevity. Some sociological benefits include better self confidence, less anxiety and improved job performance.
There are many books written on this type of meditation and how to perform it so it could be a good idea to learn more about this type of meditation as it seems to offer many health benefits. Other kinds of meditation include zen meditation and chakra meditation. Practice meditation regularly as part of an overall program that includes proper diet and exercise habits so you can be and stay healthy.
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