Meditation and Stress Relief

COURSE OF SADHANA

2010-03-08T02:20:00.000-08:00

1. BRAHMA MUHURTA Get up at 4 a.m. Answer calls of nature. Clean your teeth and wash your mouth. Take bath where possible. Arrange to sit for Dhyana as quickly as possible, for Brahma Muhurta is extremely favourable for meditation on God.

2. ASANA Practise to sit in one Asana only, preferably Padmasana or any convenient pose in which you will be able to sit for long hours without physical strain. Sit erect with body, head and neck in a straight line. Sit for at least one hour from 5 to 6 a.m. at a stretch without any physical movement.

3. PRAYER Offer mental prostrations to Acharyas, your own Guru and Ishta Devata. Pray that all beings be happy, peaceful and blissful. Recite a few prayer Slokas that will produce sublime thoughts. Pray for knowledge and devotion only.

4. JAPA Do Japa of Ishta Mantra mentally from 5 to 10 Malas (of 108 beads) daily.

5. DHYANA Before going to actual meditation, practise simple Pranayama for two minutes. Feel the indwelling presence of the Lord and his form in you. Think of the attributes of the Lord, such as purity, love, perfection, all-pervading intelligence, bliss-absolute, omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience of Him in and around you. Meditate now on the form of Ishta Devata. When the mind runs away from the object of meditation, repeat Ishta Mantra. This will steady the mind. Have another sitting for meditation at night. Do not neglect meditation as it is most important. Regularity in the practice of meditation is divinising of oneself for God-realisation.

6. SVADHYAYA Read one chapter or ten verses of the Bhagavad Gita with meaning and any holy text which will increase your psychic and spiritual culture, daily.

7. PHYSICAL EXERCISE Practise Asanas, Surya Namaskara or any useful exercise for physical movement of the body in any form best suited to you.

. FOOD Take light simple food. Have a balanced diet. Fast on Ekadasi days or take milk and fruits or root only. Offer to God every food you take. 9. SEVA Do some selfless service for one hour daily or for one or more hours on Sundays and holidays.

10. ENERGY Practise abstinence from speech and also be free from worldly thoughts for two hours daily and four to eight hours on Sundays and holidays. Observe celibacy according to your age and circumstances. Restrict the indulgence to once a month. Decrease it gradually to once a year. Finally take a vow of abstinence for whole life.

11. SLEEP Go to bed early or not later than 10 p.m. A rest for more than six hours is not necessary.

12. SPIRITUAL DIARY Maintain a regular diary from the day you begin Sadhana. Stick to your daily routine at any cost, never say tomorrow, for that tomorrow never comes. In your practice of Sadhana in seclusion, the spiritual diary maintained, takes the place of an absentee Guru, for, it reminds you to be regular in your daily habits and spiritual practices.

THE SPIRITUAL REALITY - Part 2

2010-02-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

Rupa or form, Rasa or taste and Gandha or smell. These powers are subtle energies immanent in the elements constituting the physical universe. Modern science seems to corroborate the presence of these, essences behind bodies. The world was once said to be made up of molecules or chemical substances.

Further investigation revealed that molecules are not the last word and that they are made up of atoms. Research, again, proved that even the atoms are formed of certain substances, which have the character of both waves of energy and particles of force. They flow like waves and sometimes jump like particles. A great physicist has therefore preferred to designate them as ‘wavicles’. These have been named electrons, protons, neutrons, etc., according to their structure and function.

Their essence is force. There is nothing but force in the universe. There is only a continuum of energy everywhere. The Tanmatras of the Yoga system, however, are subtler than the energy of the scientist, even as the Prana is subtler than electricity. Just as behind the Prana there is the mind, behind the Tanmatras there is the Cosmic Mind. Beyond the Cosmic Mind are the Cosmic Ego and the Cosmic Intellect, the last mentioned having a special name, Mahat. Beyond the Mahat is what is called Prakriti, in which the whole universe exists as a tree in a seed, or as effect in its cause.

Transcending Prakriti is the Absolute-Consciousness, called Brahman, Paramatman and the like. So, whether we dive deep here or there, within ourselves or within the cosmos, we find the same thing-Consciousness. And the stages of manifestation in the individual correspond to those in the universe. The purpose of Yoga is to effect a communion between the individual and cosmic structures and to realize the ultimate Reality. The Yoga places before us the goal of a union wherein infinity and eternity seem to come together.

The aim of Yoga is to raise the status of the individual to the cosmic level and to abolish the false difference between the individual and the cosmic. The cosmos includes ourselves and things. The individual is a part of the cosmos. Then, why do we make a separate reference to the individual? This is a mistake, which Yoga effectively corrects. To regard the cosmos as an outer object would be to defy the very meaning of the cosmos. To imagine ourselves to be subjects counterposed before an object called the cosmos would be to stultify the comprehensiveness of the cosmos and to interfere with its harmony and working.

The Yoga rectifies this mistake and hereby the mortal becomes the Immortal. As the individual is a part of the cosmos, this achievement should not be difficult. The individual is not separate from the cosmic, but there

The Divine Life Society, Sivananda Ashram, Indiaseems to be some confusion in the mind of the individual which has caused an artificial isolation of itself from the rest of the universe. This confusion is called Ajnana or Avidya, which really means an absence or negation of true knowledge. Here we enter the realms of depth psychology.

From - The Yoga System

THE SPIRITUAL REALITY - Part 1

2010-02-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

And what is this deepest? The physical body, being outside as a part of the physical world, should be considered an object like the other things of the world, and it is constituted of the five elements. This material body of five elements acts as a vehicle for certain powers that work from within.

Our actions are movements of these powers. There is an energy within the body which is other than the elements. This energy is called Prana or vital force. The Prana has many functions, which are responsible for the workings of the body.

The organs of action, viz., speech (Vak), hands (Pani), feet (Pada), genitals (Upastha) and anus (Payu) are moved by the motive power of the Prana. But the Prana is a blind energy and it needs to be directed properly. We know we do not just do anything at any time, but act with some, method The Yoga System by Swami Krishnananda, The Divine Life Society, Sivananda Ashram, India and intelligence.

There is a directing principle behind the Prana. We think before we act. The mind is, therefore, internal to the Prana. But thought, again, is regulated by something else. We engage ourselves in systematic thinking and follow a logical course in every form of contemplation and action. This logical determinant of all functions in life is the intellect, which is the highest of human faculties, and it is inseparable from the principle of the ego in man. All these functions of the psychological apparatus are, however, confined to what is called the waking state. The human being seems to be passing from this state to others, such as dream and deep sleep. Though we have some sort of an awareness in dream, we are bereft of all consciousness in deep sleep. Yet, we know that we do exist in the state of sleep.

This means that we can exist without doing anything, even without thinking. The condition of deep sleep is a paradox for psychology and is the crux of the Yoga analysis. It is strange that in sleep we do not know even our own selves, and still we know that we do exist then. An experience, pure and simple, of the nature of consciousness alone, is the constituent of deep sleep, notwithstanding that we are not aware of it due to a peculiar difficulty in which we seem to get involved there.

In deep sleep, we have consciousness not associated with objects, and hence we remain oblivious of everything external. There is, at the same time, unconsciousness of even one’s own existence due to there being the potentiality for objective perception. The result is, however, that the deepest in the individual is consciousness, which is called by such names as the Atman, Purusha, etc.

Now, what is the deepest in the cosmos? We learnt that there are five elements. But this is not the whole picture of creation. There are realities within the physical universe as they are there within the individual body. If the Prana, mind, intellect, ego and finally consciousness are internal to the bodily structure, there are also tremendous truths internal to the physical universe. Within the five gross elements there are five forces which manifest the elements. These forces are the universal causes of everything that is physical, and are called Tanmatras, a term which signifies the essence of objects. There is such a force or power behind the elements of Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Sabda or sound is the force behind Ether. But this sound is, different from what we merely hear with our ears. It is the subtle principle behind the whole of Ether, on account of which the ears are capable of hearing at all. This is sound as Tanmatra. Likewise, there are the Tanmatras of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, called respectively Sparsa or touch,

From - The Yoga System

Yama and Niyama

2010-02-06T03:59:00.000-08:00

The Hindus have place these two attainments in the forefront of their programme.

They are the "moral qualities" and "good works" which are supposed to predispose to mental calm. "Yama" consists of non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving of any gift. In the Buddhist system, "Sila", "Virtue," is similarly enjoined. The qualities are, for the layman, these five: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt drink no intoxicating drink. For the monk many others are added. The commandments of Moses are familiar to all; they are rather similar; and so are those given by Christ<> in the "Sermon on the Mount." Some of these are only the "virtues" of a slave, invented by his master to keep him in order.

The real point of the Hindu "Yama" is that breaking any of these would tend to excite the mind. Subsequent theologians have tried to improve upon the teachings of the Masters, have given a sort of mystical importance to these virtues; they have insisted upon them for their own sake, and turned them into puritanism and formalism. Thus "non-killing," which originally meant "do not excite yourself by stalking tigers," has been interpreted to mean that it is a crime to drink water that has not been strained, lest you should kill the animalcula. But this constant worry, this fear of killing anything by mischance is, on the whole, worse than a hand-to-hand conflict with a griesly bear. If the barking of a dog disturbs your meditation, it is simplest to shoot the dog, and think no more about it.

A similar difficulty with wives has caused some masters to recommend celibacy. In all these questions common sense must be the guide. No fixed rule can be laid down. The "non-receiving of gifts," for instance, is rather important for a Hindu, who would be thoroughly upset for weeks if any one gave him a coconut: but the average European takes things as they come by the time that he has been put into long trousers. {23} The only difficult question is that of continence, which is complicated by many considerations, such as that of energy; but everybody's mind is hopelessly muddled on this subject, which some people confuse with erotology, and others with sociology.

There will be no clear thinking on this matter until it is understood as being solely a branch of athletics. We may then dismiss Yama and Niyama with this advice: let the student decide for himself what form of life, what moral code, will least tend to excite his mind; but once he has formulated it, let him stick to it, avoiding opportunism; and let him be very careful to take no credit for what he does or refrains from doing -- it is a purely practical code, of no value in itself. The cleanliness which assists the surgeon in his work would prevent the engineer from doing his at all. (Ethical questions are adequately dealt with in "Then Tao" in "Konx Om Pax," and should be there studied. Also see Liber XXX of the A. A.

Also in Liber CCXX, the "Book of the Law," it is said: "DO WHAT THOU WILT shall be the whole of the Law."<> Remember that for the purpose of this treatise the whole object of Yama and Niyama is to live so that no emotion or passion disturbs the mind.)

From - MEDITATION THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS

Brahmacharya - Part 2

2010-01-12T03:21:00.000-08:00

Prayer For Purity “O Loving Lord of Compassion! Hey Prabhu! the Soul of my soul, the Life of my life, the Mind of my mind, the Ear of my ear, Light of lights, Sun of suns! Give me light and purity. Let me get established in physical and mental Brahmacharya. Let me be pure in thought, word and deed. Give me strength to control my Indriyas and observe the Brahmacharya Vrata. Protect me from all sorts of temptations of this world.

Let all my Indriyas be ever engaged in Thy sweet service. Wipe out the sexual Samskaras and Vasanas. Annihilate lust from my mind. Make me a true Brahmachari, Sadachari and an Urdhvareta Yogi. Let me be chaste in my look. Let me always walk in the path of righteousness. Make me as pure as Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda, Bhishma Pitamaha, Hanuman or Lakshmana. Forgive. Forgive all my Aparadham. I amThine. I am Thine. Trahi Trahi (protect protect). Prachodayat Prachodayat (guide me). OM OM OM.
Enlighten my Buddhi.”
Recipes For Brahmacharya
Prescriptions for Celibacy
1. Sirshasana 5 minutes
Sarvangasana 10 minutes
Fasts On Ekadasi days or on alternative Sundays. Japa one hour
Study of the Gita one hour
Meditation -half an hour
2. Siddhasana -45 minutes
Pranayama -half an hour
Milk and fruits -at night
Uddiyana Bandha -morning and evening
Keep the mind fully occupied by: Reading, gardening and Kirtan.
3. Kirtan -half an hour
Prayer -half an hour
Satsanga one hour
Triphala water -in the morning
Atma Vichara, Meditation -15 minutes

4. Trataka (gazing) on OM or Lord Krishna 10 minutes
Maha Mantra Bhajan -half an hour
Krishna Mantra Japa -half an hour
Badam and Misre -(in the early morning).
Huxley’s Nervigor Syrup with formates one tea-spoonful with four tea-spoonful of water
twice daily after food.
(You can combine all the above items to your best advantage)

From - yoga in daily life

Brahmacharya - Part 1

2010-01-12T03:10:00.000-08:00

Without perfect Brahmacharya you cannot have substantial spiritual progress. There is no half-measure in the spiritual path. Control the body first. Then purify your thoughts through prayer, Japa, Kirtan, Vichara and meditation. Make a firm resolve “I will be a perfect Brahmachari from today.” May the Lord give you spiritual strength to resist temptation and kill lust!

Importance

Brahmacharya—that is the Divine world. It is the sum and substance of Yoga. Through Avidya that is forgotten. It is the supreme Yoga that Lord Krishna emphasises repeatedly in His Immortal Song—the Gita. In Chapter VI, Sloka 14, it is very clearly stated that the vow of Brahmacharya is necessary for meditation (Brahmachari vrate sthitah).

Again in Chapter XVII Sloka 14, He says that Brahmacharya is one of the austerities of the body (sarira tapas). Now we have one of the most important statements made in the Gita, that Yatis practise Brahmacharya in order to attain the goal, spoken of by the knowers of Veda (Chapter VIII Sloka 11). This is taken from Katha Upanishad (Chapter II Mantra 15). There Yama says to Nachiketas that the life of Brahmacharya is necessary to reach the goal: “That whose form and essential nature all the Vedas declare; in order to attain which they prescribe austerities; desiring to know which the great ones observe Brahmacharya; that symbol will briefly tell thee, it is OM.”

Change The Angle Of Vision

For a scientist a woman is a mass of electrons. For a Vaiseshic philosopher of Rishi Kanada’s school of thought, she is a conglomeration of atoms, Paramanu. Dvianu, Trianu (two atoms, three atoms). For a tiger she is a prey. For the passionate husband she is an object of enjoyment. For a crying child she is an affectionate mother, who will give it milk, sweets, and other comforts. For a jealous sister or sister-in-law she is an enemy. For a Viveki or Vairagi (a man of discrimination and dispassionate nature) she is a combination of flesh, bone, urine, faecal matter, wool, pus, perspiration, blood, phlegm, etc. For a full-blown Jnani she is Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman. “Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma”—All is Brahman only. Name and forms are only mental creations like snake in the rope or man in the post.

Change the mental attitude (Bhava). You will have heaven on earth. You will be established in Brahmacharya. This is an important method for becoming a true Brahmachari. See Atman in all women. Reject all names and forms and take only the underlying essence—Asti-Bhati-Priya or Sat-Chit-Ananda. All names and forms are unreal, like the shadow, water in the mirage, blueness in the sky.

Mantras or Formulae

1. I am all Purity (Suddhoham) OM OM OM
2. Sexless Atman I am OM OM OM
3. There is neither lust nor sexual Vasana in Atman or Brahman OM OM OM
4. Lust is a mental Vikara; I am Sakshi of this modification OM OM OM
5. I am Asanga OM OM OM
6. My will is pure, strong and irresistible OM OM OM
7. I am fully established in physical and mental Brahmacharya now OM OM OM
8. I am feeling the purity now OM OM OM
Sit alone in your meditation room in Padma, Siddha, Svastika or Sukha Asana. Close your eyes. Slowly repeat again and again the above formulae mentally. Also let the mind dwell on the significance of the formulae. Saturate the mind with the above ideas. Your heart, mind, intellect and soul should feel the purity. Have the word image OM Purity clearly before the mind. Visualise the mental image. Your whole system, flesh, blood, bone, nerves, cells, molecules, atoms and electrons should powerfully vibrate with the above ideas.

You can have a sitting at night also. This is general meditation for Self-realisation. Sit for ten minutes. Increase the period to half an hour. Keep up the Bhava during work also. Write down on a piece of paper in bold types OM PURITY six times. Keep the paper in your pocket. Read it several times during the course of the day. Fix it in a prominent place in your house. Remember daily the Brahmachari-Saints like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda and their powerful actions.

Think about the multifarious advantages of Brahmacharya and disadvantages of impure life. Never leave the practice. Be regular and systematic. Gradually you will become purer and purer and ultimately you will become an Urdhvareta Yogi. Be patient.

From - Yoga in Daily Life

Create a Sacred Space

2009-03-18T01:31:00.000-07:00

Choose A Spot That Draws You Inward
This is a time of focus. You acknowledge the space around you on which you are about to work. It should be quiet, with no interruptions. You pick a place for the feet and plant them, one by
one, deliberately connecting with the earth beneath. Participation at this level is important, if the link between your body and the ground is formed there is a centered calmness. Making a time and place for your yoga is essential for maintaining a regular practice. Choose a place which is warm and where there is enough room for you to move freely. It is helpful to practice
at the same time each day, the optimal times being sunrise and sunset. Choose a spot that draws you inward. Regular practice is the key to yoga. It is through practice that these seemingly impossible postures are mastered with comfort and ease within a reasonable time period. It is through practice that yoga becomes integrated in your life.
Practice
Decide how much time you have to practice each day (be realistic) and how many times a week. Begin all sessions with naulis, sun salutations, standing postures, sitting postures, meditation and finish with corpse.
From Ashtanga Yoga Manual

Rainbow Meditation

2008-11-14T04:09:00.000-08:00

(Buddhist value: The children learn to discover their innate virtues and potentials) Feel your body becoming lighter and lighter. See all the colours of the rainbow. Feel your body becoming all of the colours of the rainbow. Slowly, you are now giving out red colour. Your whole body becomes red colour. Feel yourself giving out energy and strength. You are now full of energy and strength. Slowly, you are now giving out orange colour. Your whole body becomes orange colour. Feel yourself giving out happiness and joy. You are now full of happiness and joy. Slowly, you are now giving out yellow colour. Your whole body becomes yellow colour.Feel yourself giving out intelligence. You are now full of intelligence. 15 Slowly, you are now giving out green colour. Your whole body becomes green colour.Feel yourself giving out harmony and friendship. You are now full of harmony and friendship. Slowly, you are now giving out blue colour. Your whole body becomes blue colour. Feel yourself giving out peace. You are now full of peace.
From - Guided Meditation for Primary Students

Progress in meditation comes from skilfulness - Part 1

2008-11-08T03:55:00.000-08:00

Progress in meditation comes from skilfulness.e mind without effort in meditation becomes dull.Don’t drop the attention. Keep the mind going, being aware of something (preferably citta), don’t stop.Keep seeing how things affect the mind.When things go wrong in meditation or with the retreat in general As Long I. It’s all part of it,this is the cool practice. No tension, check attitude, expectations, lobha. Do not react in practice, or outside it.Keep your mindfulness no matter what the problem. Keep that beauty of the heart.If you want to get a good result in meditation don’t be in a hurry. is ‘being in a hurry’ makes the mind agitated.Sometimes when you enjoy something you are not attached to it. at’s a kind of freedom. Enjoying something without being attached, without being greedy.As long as you are not lost in thought you are meditating, being here and now.Progress in meditation comes from skilfulness.e mind without effort in meditation becomes dull.Don’t drop the attention. Keep the mind going, being aware of something (preferably citta), don’t stop.Keep seeing how things affect the mind.When things go wrong in meditation or with the retreat in general Relax . It’s all part of it, Relax is the cool practice. No tension, check attitude, expectations, lobha. Do not react in practice, or outside it.Keep your mindfulness no matter what the problem. Keep that beauty of the heart.If you want to get a good result in meditation don’t be in a hurry. is ‘being in a hurry’ makes the mind agitated.Sometimes when you enjoy something you are not attached to it. at’s a kind of freedom. Enjoying something without being attached, without being greedy.As long as you are not lost in thought you are meditating, being here and now.Don’t think and run around too much. Save your energy.How is your meditation these days? When you stop thinking, when you even stop labelling, when your mind comes to a complete silence, alert, aware, then you see that fleeting nature, the dream like nature of things.If you cannot be mindful in your daily life you cannot develop understanding of life.Understanding of life and understanding of Dhamma go together.First of all learn to live your daily life mindfully, sanely.Do you understand wholesome and unwholesome states of mind?
From - Contemplation of the Mind

ASANA - part 2

2008-11-04T22:47:00.001-08:00

1. Sit in a chair; head up, back straight, knees together, hands on knees, eyes closed. ("The God.") 2. Kneel; buttocks resting on the heels, toes turned back, back and head straight, hands on thighs. ("The Dragon.") 3. Stand; hold left ankle with right hand (and alternately practise right ankle in left hand, etc.), free forefinger on lips. ("The Ibis.") 4. Sit; left heel pressing up anus, right foot poised on its toes, the heel covering the phallus; arms stretched out over the knees: head and back straight. ("The Thunderbolt.")>> The extreme of Asana is practised by those Yogis who remain in one position without moving, except in the case of absolute necessity, {16} during their whole lives. One should not criticise such persons without a thorough knowledge of the subject. Such knowledge has not yet been published. However, one may safely assert that since the great men previously mentioned did not do this, it will not be necessary for their followers. Let us then choose a suitable position, and consider what happens. There is a sort of happy medium between rigidity and limpness; the muscles are not to be strained; and yet they are not allowed to be altogether slack. It is difficult to find a good descriptive word. "Braced" is perhaps the best. A sense of physical alertness is desirable. Think of the tiger about to spring, or of the oarsman waiting for the gun. After a little there will be cramp and fatigue. The student must now set his teeth, and go through with it. The minor sensations of itching, etc., will be found to pass away, if they are resolutely neglected, but the cramp and fatigue may be expected to increase until the end of the practice. One may begin with half an hour or an hour. The student must not mind if the process of quitting the Asana involves several minutes of the acutest agony. It will require a good deal of determination to persist day after day, for in most cases it will be found that the discomfort and pain, instead of diminishing, tend to increase. On the other hand, if the student pay no attention, fail to watch the body, an opposite phenomenon may occur. He shifts to ease himself without knowing that he has done so. To avoid this, choose a position which naturally is rather cramped and awkward, and in which slight changes are not sufficient to bring ease. Otherwise, for the first few days, the student may even imagine that he has conquered the position. In fact, in all these practices their apparent simplicity is such that the beginner is likely to wonder what all the fuss is about, perhaps to think that he is specially gifted. Similarly a man who has never touched a golf club will take his umbrella and carelessly hole a putt which would frighten the best putter alive. In a few days, however, in all cases, the discomforts will begin. As you go on, they will begin earlier in the course of the hour's exercise. The
disinclination to practise at all may become almost unconquerable. One must warn the student against imagining that some other position would be easier to master than the one he has selected. Once you begin to change about you are lost. Perhaps the reward is not so far distant: it will happen one day that the pain is suddenly forgotten, the fact of the presence of the body is forgotten, and one will realize that during the whole of one's previous life the body was always on the borderland of consciousness, {17} and that consciousness a consciousness of pain; and at this moment one will further realize with an indescribable feeling of relief that not only is this position, which has been so painful, the very ideal of physical comfort, but that all other conceivable positions of the body are uncomfortable. This feeling represents success. There will be no further difficulty in the practice. One will get into one's Asana with almost the same feeling as that with which a tired man gets into a hot bath; and while he is in that position, the body may be trusted to send him no message that might disturb his mind. Other results of this practice are described by Hindu authors, but they do not concern us at present. Our first obstacle has been removed, and we can continue with the others.
From : THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS

Walking Meditation

2008-11-03T03:33:00.000-08:00

Walkinge Buddha said that the samadhi you develop from walking meditation is much stronger than the samadhi that you develop from sitting meditation.Very important to know because in the moving process if you can stay with that, the awareness is stronger.When you walk it is the sensation that should be the object of meditation. Not the seeing of the ‘lifting’ of the foot in the mind.How do you feel in the muscles? And also the mind, how do you feel in the mind?As you do the walking meditation what is in your mind? Let the mind choose the object, and just be aware of it. What is it doing now? What does it know?It is important to know and note what is the mind doing. You can take any object in walking meditation as long as the mind is known.Don’t go to objects let them come to you.Do you have greed, anger, expectations, or aversion in that mind that is meditating?If you don’t see your own mind (seeing your own mind is meditating) as you are meditating, and your own attitudes, your own mindsets, opinions views and ideas in that mind, you can’t say that you are practising.Attention of  to body and  to mind. Gradually go to  mind. Use the step as an anchor, begin by putting your attention at the heel of the foot, when mental activity appears turn your attention to the mind for as long as it takes.Deal with it until it clears, then return to your paying attention to your walking, until something appears in the mind again. en turn your attention to the mind, observe the mind.If some powerful, overwhelming mental state appears, stop and deal with it. Sit down on a chair if you have to, giving it  of your attention for as long as it takes to deal with it.Daily ActivitiesWhere is awareness?What is it doing?What is it aware of?Aware of something?What does that feel like?What are the sensations involved?Use body movements and sensations as reference point-anchor, and observe the mind. (Mental impressions, states, reactions).Again, when a powerful mental state appears turn your attention to it just like we said in walking.
From - Contemplation of the Mind

‘Evam Me Sutam

2008-11-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

‘Evam Me Sutam…’Mind is the forerunner. Everything that we know and experience is seen and touched first by the mind. It is the mind that is ‘e most amazing show on Earth and Beyond’, by far. And so much more interesting and exciting than anything else, in this Satipatthana practice.So would you like to watch?To follow, you may take with you one thing only: Awareness! You might experience some difficulty leaving everything else behind!As for myself I am eternally grateful to those who taught me Satipatthana. e Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha.When we practice in a way that, what we experience is a ‘pair’, an object and a knowing of it, we don’t experience the knowing of it as an object by itself, but very easily we take it as an ‘I’.We are told that this knowing is not an ‘I’ and that it is unstable; but that, is an understanding of an intellectual nature. Because it is not easy for us to experience it first hand in this way.When we actually practise it, is very hard to see that it is not ‘I’ who is ‘thinking’, ‘paining’, ‘wanting’, ‘planning’, and ‘feeling angry’.So most people don’t know the knowing mind and very rarely they might get to the point where they can see the knowing mind that is aware of the object.e only way to go beyond this kind of understanding is to experience that knowing or noting mind as object.Only when we practice Cittanupassana we can clearly see that another knowing mind arises and becomes aware of the noting mind as its object.And yet another knowing mind arises and is aware of all of the above! And so on.en we can clearly see that noting mind is object and not ‘I’. e idea of ‘knowing’ as ‘I’, simply doesn’t make sense any more.And that, is not intellectual understanding, that is experiential understanding, that is Dhamma.People who come from other kinds of practising, often find it difficult to stop having as reference point-anchor the ‘rising and falling’, of the abdomen.Once you get familiar and able to see the noting mind you will find that the noting mind is just as ‘big’ and reliable if not bigger than the abdominal movement to have as reference point-anchor, in the practice.e noting mind in this practice is the reference point-anchor, and all other minds are objects.However Anapana and the ‘rising and falling’ of the abdomen have their use here too.Most people ask: ‘What is the difference between the Mahasi method and this one?’ e method is the same the technique is different because the emphasis is on the mind.
from - Contemplation of the Mind

ASANA - part 1

2008-10-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

THE problem before us may be stated thus simply. A man wishes to control his mind, to be able to think one chosen thought for as long as he will without interruption. As previously remarked, the first difficulty arises from the body, which keeps on asserting its presence by causing its victim to itch, and in other ways to be distracted. He wants to stretch, scratch, sneeze. This nuisance is so persistent that the Hindus (in their scientific way) devised a special practice for quieting it. The word Asana means "posture; but, as with all words which have caused debate, its exact meaning has altered, and it is used in several distinct senses by various authors. The greatest authority on "Yoga" is Patanjali. He says, "Asana is that which is firm and pleasant." This may be taken as meaning the result of success in the
practice. Again, Sankhya says, "Posture is that which is steady and easy." And again, "any posture which is steady and easy is an Asana; there is no other rule." Any posture will do. In a sense this is true, because any posture becomes uncomfortable sooner or later. The steadiness and easiness mark a definite attainment, as will be explained later on. Hindu books, such as the "Shiva Sanhita," give countless postures; many, perhaps most of them, impossible for the average adult European. Others insist that the head, neck, and spine should be kept vertical and straight, for reasons connected with the subject of Prana, which will be dealt with in its proper place. The positions illustrated in Liber E (Equinox I and VII) form the best guide.
From : THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS

VIPASSANA, CITTANUPASSANA and DHAMMANUPASSANA

2008-10-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

Emphasizing the mind is most important.

If you know your mind then you use the mind to look at your kaya (body) and vedana (feelings). The kaya you know with your mind, the vedana you also know with your mind.

If you get skilful with Cittanupassana then you can do Dhammanupassana.

The basics of Vipassana meditation requires that you know both the body and mind, but the mind is more important. So that is why it is emphasised here.

When we meditate, we use our minds — that is why we should look at our mind. Cittanupassana is part of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness; therefore we should know the mind. When you observe anything, all four foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) are already there anyway.

You must know rupa and you must also know nama — only then you will have an all-rounded view and knowledge. The mind will be able to work smoothly only if you understand the nature of the mind that is working.

When you understand the nature of the sati, the samadhi, the viriya, then you can really ascertain whether they are working properly of not.

Next, the defilements (kilesa) only happen in the mind. If you are not aware of their presence in the mind, you will find you cannot meditate well.

If you don’t know what attitude you are practising with and you are having the wrong attitude, you cannot achieve anything in the Dhamma.

Between the knowing mind and the object, if you don’t know the mind, you cannot see true paramattha. If you know-observe just only the object, you cannot be completely free from concepts.

And whether you are doing kaya or vedananupassana or anything you have to reach the knowing mind because this is how the Path is. There is no other way.

The practice of the Dhamma is such that you must come to this point where you know the knowing mind, awareness; being aware of your awareness.

Every practice must come to this point.
From - Buddhist Meditation - Contemplation of the Mind

Practicing Cittanupassana

2008-09-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Practicing Cittanupassana

‘An ounce of practice is worth more than a ton of theory.’

‘There should always be the greatest effort possible without forcing, without creating tension.’

‘Insight comes from the realisation that observation is going on without the observer. Witnessing is going on without the witness.’

Meditation Sutra

Put your mind at the solar plexus. Don’t label. Just be aware of what is happening. If you hear something, just know there is hearing. If you know what sound it is you are hearing, this is not meditation.

It’s only meditation when there are two minds:

Knowing-noting mind and observing mind.

If there is only one mind, ‘I’ is always there.

The object is not the dhamma,

The dhamma is the mind

That is being aware.

You don’t need to follow the objects or identify or know them. Awareness will do it’s own work.

Even when the person sleeps the Dhamma does not sleep, even when you are near death and you are overcome by exhaustion, the feeling of being overcome is just the feeling of being overcome, knowing it, is separate from the sensation.

From - Buddhist Meditation - Contemplation of the Mind

Energy Meditation - A Good Way to Meditate

2008-09-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

Energy meditation is just one form of spiritual meditation that you can use.

This form of meditation focuses on how everything is made up of energy. Whether you are meditating by yourself or are engaging in guided meditation lead by an instructor, this form of meditation is liberating to the mind and soul.

The benefits of energy meditation go beyond what we can do for ourselves emotionally and physically in everyday life. By using this form of meditation we will develop self-awareness, a higher level of understanding about people and objects around us, and a better appreciation for life in general.

Moreover, there are physical rewards that are just as beneficial. Your stress level will lower. Your blood pressure will drop. Your heart rate will decrease. You will feel liberated and free!

A Quick Session

Before engaging in an energy meditation, we need to allow ourselves to feel compassion for everyone and everything around us. This includes both living beings and non-living objects.

Say things like “may everyone be happy” or “may all of God’s creatures find happiness on earth.” Be thankful to God for everything you have.

Provoking positive thoughts will put your mind at ease and help the meditation process flow smoothly. Once you have your mind at rest, focus your attention on everything around you.

Think of everything as energy. People, objects, animals, and all physical structures on earth should be thought of as forms of energy. Picture all of these things turning into energy and creating an energy field around you.

Start from the outside in. Once your outer energy field has been established you can focus on your body. Picture your body as energy (your skin, your organs, everything).

Once you have achieved perfect balance between self and environment, stay in your meditative state for about twenty or thirty minutes. Before stopping energy meditation, let your mind transform yourself and your environment back into physical form.

Learn about energy meditation and other easy methods of meditation at learn how to meditate

3 Steps To Relax Now

2008-09-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

You've been with the kids and husband all day, or maybe just the kids as in my case, cleaning, running errands, shopping, paying bills, and anything else that might have been overlooked during the week. Today is catch up day...today is also one of the most stressful days of the week!

Can you relax and de-stress without leaving your home or buying any fancy equipment? Of course you can! What can you do to relax right now, besides joining in on the cruise your friends have all been talking about, with no kids or husband?

Well there are three things you can do right now right in your own home to help you unwind from the hectic week and day.

Go to your room (by yourself) sit on your bed, floor, lounge chair, or whatever you have...

1. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breath

2. Listen to your body

3. and be present in the moment

Paying attention to your breath forces you to focus on yourself and what you are feeling. If you deepen your breath you will relax faster. Listening to your body forces you to focus on yourself and what needs attention. Where do you have aches, pains, and tightness? Being in the present moment forces you to focus on yourself and you may be surprised to find answers you've been waiting for.

Take 5 minutes to do this. For some this may be torture at first, keep with it you will be amazed after your five minutes how relaxed you feel. Make this a daily habit and you will find your life beginning to be less chaotic. You will naturally learn to relax when things seem to be out of whack. Go ahead, try this and see what happens, I dare you...

Mendy Baker operates Women's Wellness Network, a blog all about women's health & wellness. She loves giving away free stuff and is now giving away FREE memberships to her newsletter. Your not going to believe what you get when you sign up...and it's all free! More information here:

http://www.womenswellnessnetwork.com

Five Roadblocks to Meditation and How They Apply to Westerners

2008-09-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

The first hindrance to meditation is desire for sense stimulation. This can range from obsessive sexual lust, to compulsive socializing, to addictive intellectual pursuits. In the West, we tend toward the addictive intellectual pursuits because we have usually disciplined ourselves regarding lustful sex and compulsive socializing before becoming interested in meditation.

There are, however, always subtle, lingering desires for sense stimulation regarding sex and socializing, and they manifest when we choose the group with which to belong. If we hope to meet that certain someone, or if we want to socialize and make friends, we will join a group where we can pursue those goals.

Then, meditation many times become secondary, no more than a ritual to promote the hidden goals, which might not be to release us from the bondage of worldly illusion. Instead of a goal of emptiness, the goal becomes activity. One goal abandons the worldly life and its illusions, the other abandons any hope of true freedom.

Even if we see the fallacy of sex and socializing when it comes to serious practice, we Westerners many times fall prey to the main sense desire, which is our love of mind, or intellectual stimulation. The mind loves to solve problems, and even though the problem of enlightenment is far beyond the mind's capability to solve, Westerners try to figure it out, and inadvertently escape from the stillness, that holds the key to enlightenment, and into their books.

Attempting to solve the problem of humanity through books stimulates our sense of mind. It's pleasurable, and offers an escape not much different from sex or socializing. We justify it, incorrectly, because we believe that we are pursuing truth, even though truth can never be found secondarily through books or lectures. If one's practice is sincere and dedicated, then a lecture or a phrase from a book can trigger insight. However, if the tendency is to rely primarily on books rather than meditation, then true insight is prohibited and delusion is fostered. When we read too much, then even the important things we run across become so watered down that no progress will be made, which inhibits insight and only promotes delusion.

Not reading or listening at all to meaningful lectures is incorrect as well, because essential reading and discussion ease us back onto the correct path in case we have strayed. A good guideline for Westerners is that only distilled reading should be done. For every hour of reading or listening to lectures, one should meditate at least 10 hours. Then, the reading becomes balanced, and less of an entertainment and stimulation of the mind. It then becomes more of a guide to one's meditation practice, and the reading will automatically become serious, distilled, and relevant to one's practice because frivolous reading wastes that precious one hour that the mind has to escape!

The second hindrance is anger or ill will. This one is particularly relevant to Westerners because our culture is so angry. If you have driven anywhere lately, you know what I mean; it's as if everyone is a hidden explosive device such as those found under the sea that has long spikes protruding from its body, just waiting to go off, and if anything or anyone even slightly touches one of the spikes . . . boom!

It is not possible to calm the mind when in the presence of such anger and ill will. We will just sit there and simmer. Pretending to be peaceful with an angry mind is just lying to ourselves, which we become pretty good at, but still, we are only faking ourselves out. Only a loving mind can go deeply into meditation, therefore, how does one become loving? One can only become loving when the one who hates disappears, and only when the one who hates disappears can true progress be made in the spiritual life.

This all begins when the focus on one's breath becomes more important than ones opinions and ideals, one's thoughts and emotions; and one's attachments and aversions. It all starts and ends with concentration on the breath, and an acknowledgment that whatever opinions and thoughts we might have; they are irrelevant for the short time that we have decided to meditate. Of course, the more we meditate, the longer we can forgo our anger and aversion. In the meantime, we get so used to being peaceful during meditation where the angry thoughts and emotions are replaced by the breath, that we carry a little of that peacefulness out into our lives.

By overcoming our anger and aversion, our meditation not only begins to deepen but we protect ourselves when out in the world. Instead of a situation looping into violence where two inflated egos fight for control, we can sit back and relax, knowing that such a thing as ego is merely a construct of mind with no substantial reality. Just through the simple process of meditation, we begin to get to know ourselves as we have never known ourselves before.

The third hindrance; sloth and torpor, is the less troublesome one for Westerners, in the beginning at least, because we tend to go at things at breakneck speeds. We are usually keen to practice and rarely become disinterested because we are tired or lazy. What does happen, however, is that many times we become sleepy in meditation because when our minds calm down, the natural response is to go to sleep if we are sleep deprived, and most of us are because we keep ourselves so busy.

Sloth and torpor can be solved quite easily, however, and it doesn't involve getting more sleep; it involves passion. If you are involved in something that you love, for example establishing a new business, or beginning a new relationship, the energy levels become so high that sleep is almost unnecessary; or eating for that matter. This kind of passion develops in th spiritual life once one begins to get some results from their meditation, and begins to understand the depth of the practice. The best advice here is to concentrate with all of your might so that a shift in consciousness can occur, remembering that shifts in consciousness are the only things that will matter when a last breath is taken. Seldom does one become sleepy when a bear is outside of their tent. And what's worse than a bear outside your tent - rounds and rounds of rebirth into the physical realm.

Restlessness, the fourth hindrance, ranks right up there with intellectualism when it comes to Westerners. We have little patience for anything, and less tolerance for things that don't agree with the views and opinions that we accumulate, many times, by second hand information. We are very gullible when we read anything, and tend to accept it as truth. Since more often than not it isn't truth, just a smattering of truth disguised as wisdom, we eventually see through it and go on to our next adventure. Hence, spiritual window shopping becomes a way of life where we never stop long enough to practice seriously.

This restlessness is very much tied into sensual desires, where if we are not entertained and stimulated physically and mentally every moment, we are not happy campers. We never stop long enough for the mind to begin clarifying, and as a result, we seek our pleasure from externals. We think that it is good that externals always provide instant gratification (or almost always, until one gets older), and bad that internal observation and investigation provides nothing, as far as our deluded minds are concerned.

It's only after hitting that wall of emptiness, the one we have been running from for so long, that we begin to see what an untainted mind can be like, and this is where the restlessness stops. In the meantime, however, when the mind decides to settle down and stop its restless ramblings, there will be mental pain no different from an addiction that is suddenly stopped. The withdrawal can be quite severe. However, if the mind does not withdraw from its addictions, such as attachment and aversion, love and hate, then when the opportunity to bounce from one thing to another is no longer available, the mind will not only no longer have an escape through external channels, but since it has not invested any effort in internal understanding, it will be cornered with no escape. Now the pain can become unbearable, catapulting one into lifetime after lifetime of unknown consequences.

And the fifth and last common hindrance is doubt. As Westerners, we are bombarded constantly by half truths and untruths, and are thus, perhaps justifiably, cynical. We don't believe anyone, even ourselves at times, and doubt, misgivings, uncertainty, and suspicion make life, and finding a spiritual practice, downright miserable.

We can doubt many things when we decide to look for a path, such as whether or not the practice we have decided to embrace really gets results, if the practice doesn't require much from us. Or we can doubt our own capacity to successfully follow and apply the practice, especially if the practice requires everything from us. We just can never find that perfect practice, or that perfect teacher.

We can doubt that the teacher of the religion or philosophy is telling us the truth, as well as doubting the modern day validity of the practice. The list goes on almost indefinitely regarding the things that the mind can come up with to get out of meditation.

Not all doubt is bad, however. We must always use discernment, and not only faith, when choosing between the world, and the promise of transcending this world. First, we must be experienced enough in the world to see how in the world we cannot really count on anything. If we doubt that this is true, then we must become more open minded so that we can really see what is going on in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.

When we see life as it is, and not how we perceive life to be, then we are seldom blindsided by disaster, for there are no disasters. Disasters are only perceived as such because of unrealistic expectations, for example; that we are going to live forever in happiness just as soon as this or that happens, and that our friends and relatives will fare the same, without ever having to suffer old age, disease and eventual death. And that we will never suffer an accident, or a streak of bad luck.

If we do see enough about life that we feel that in fact we can't trust life, then we must be very careful where we go to escape from life's uncertainties, because if we go the wrong way, we could end up more entangled in life than ever, and thus more uncertain than ever.

Therefore, the best antidote for doubt is understanding and wisdom, approached with an open and stable mind. Meditation can provide these when we use our own clear discernment to clear out the delusions that we have built up in our own minds. This then enables us to ferret out truth from fiction, and to remove all of our doubts.

So these are the roadblocks we all face as Westerners, and as human beings, not only in meditation, but in life as well. Our life always reflects our meditation practice, and our meditation practice reflects our life. But these hindrances and roadblocks are not insurmountable. Just knowing about them, understanding them, and not underestimating their power to distract us can be a beginning for us to conquer them.

By E. Raymond Rock

Top 5 Stress Relief Techniques

2008-08-23T22:50:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of being tired? Has your energy level been sorely depleted because of the stress in your life? If you’re ready to reduce that stress, get started now. Here are the top five stress relief techniques for you to use:

Stress Relief Technique #1: Get a massage. Go for the gold and get a full body massage at your favorite spa. When your body is a mass of tight, knotted muscles from stress, a full body massage will calm you down and help release that tension.

Stress Relief Technique #2: Get a manicure and pedicure. When you need a quick pick-me-up, head to the nail salon and treat yourself to a mani and pedi. Science has proven that there are pressure points located on our feet and hands. These areas can cause additional pain during stressful times. A nice mani and pedi will help soothe those pressure points.

Stress Relief Technique #3: Take a bubble bath. Create your own personal spa at home. Draw a bath as hot as you can stand it. Add calming bath salts to the water and light lots of candles for ambience. Lock the door and soak away your stress.

Stress Relief Technique #4: Thing positive. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. Allowing negative thoughts to control you will only increase your stress. Speak positive affirmations often to control stressful situations.

Stress Relief Technique #5: Find balance. Most stress is a product of living an unbalanced life. Drop the things that aren’t necessary and you’ll reduce your stress by 50% or more.

These five stress relief techniques will get you started on the path of reducing your stress. Try one each day and add your own twist to them to kick stress from your life.

If you're sick of being stressed out and feeling overwhelmed, eliminate your stress today. http://www.eliminatestress.nurturedsoul.com/

Relieve Stress in 9 Minutes

2008-08-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

What causes you stress? Your kids? Job? Money? Moving? Love or lack of it? Physical or emotional pain?

How much of your feeling of stress is based off of your current situations, and how much is based off of your past situations? You probably know what I mean by that, but the answer is not always clear when you're in the middle of it.

You are aware that managing and reducing stress can prevent lots of problems. Problems with health, sleep, poor diet potential addiction, and more. Stopping these problems before they start is just smart.

I know you wouldn't choose to have problems with your blood pressure, heart, or trouble sleeping. But, ignoring your stress is very close to doing just that.

Many people with high stress look to avoid the discomfort by looking for things to make them feel "better". Short term distractions like watching TV, movies, prescription medications, cigarette smoking, eating, and other addictions.

Lots of people believe prescription medication is the only choice. If there were an easy, medically studied and safe method to relieve stress, wouldn't you try it?

If it really worked, I know you would.

You've probably watched a movie or television to relax. Does it really help? Probably most of the time you're watching it you feel relatively more relaxed. Something else to focus on and think about? But there really isn't much "thinking" going on... it just helps you make a more relaxed state of mind.

Many people go through great lengths and complicated processes to achieve this state of mind. Creative visualization, meditation, yoga, deep prayer, etc...

These things technically achieve a mental state of hypnosis. Since it is a natural state of mind, it takes very little practice to regularly get this hyper focused state.

You are in a different states of hypnosis many times during a normal day. To hypnotize yourself on purpose, with the purpose of reducing stress, is easy and shown to be very effective.

There are medical clinical studies in the National Library of Medicine you can research on www.pubmed.gov.

Physical and mental stress relief of over 50% is possible in under 10 minutes. Honest.

Getting help from an appropriately trained hypnotist or using a quality self-hypnosis audio to reduce general stress are perfect alternatives. They have a higher rate of long-term success than medication and hypnosis has no potential for side-effects.

Please note: Hypnosis has been approved by the American Medical Association since 1958, But, it does not replace traditional medicine.

Spiritual Meditation – Simple Steps To Obtain Spiritual Meditation

2008-08-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Spiritual meditation is a process where an individual is successful in uniting oneself to the almighty. It is simple. You pray, god listens to you. You talk to god, he listens to you. Now, when it comes to you, heaving the words of the almighty or talking to you, you need to make some efforts.

These efforts exactly explain spiritual meditation. One requires to relax, sit in a quite environment and focus on the spirit. This is the best way to achieve spiritual meditation. Spiritual meditation emphasizes on allowing an individual to get acknowledged with your inner self. One is also able to discover the wisdom and peace that exists deep within.

If you are keen on achieving beneficial results while practicing spiritual meditation, here are some crucial steps to help you in this regard:

a) Proper posture

Experts have always preached that meditation can be practiced in any position one desires. However, there are certain things that might happen while you go deep into meditation. These are supposed to be enhanced via proper posture. Since, you are now going to get into a state of deep relaxation, you would be sleeping.

However, with spiritual meditation, you may allow the energy or ‘chi’ to flow through your body. The energy is supposed to follow some specific paths. Hence, if you choose to sit in an upright position, you will be benefited a lot.

b) Proper breathing

There is another reason that you should focus on proper posture. It is that almost all methods of meditation consist of a breathing component. Here, you need to exercise total breath control in conjunction with visualization. One of the most common visualization techniques include inhaling via the nose in order to see the breath come inside via the nose and then travel up towards the head.

Thereafter it goes down the back and up towards the front of the body towards the stomach area. When exhaling, you require to observe the breath going up from the stomach and up to the chest and finally out of the nose.

c) Proper attitude

Spiritual meditation is a process where you focus on refinement. This cannot be done in a short period of time. You need to cultivate an attitude of calm expectation that’s required progress. In case, you get angry, it will affect the speed of your progress. One of the main goals of spiritual meditation is to be calm. If you get angry you will be unable to reach the desired goal.

d) Ways to concentrate

The best way to concentrate is to imagine that you are sitting on the edge of a lake late at night. Visualize that a full moon is reflected in the lake. You need to keep your thoughts focused on the reflection until you are able to hold the image without any ripples inside the water.

Spiritual meditation is something that you need to practice in order to obtain maximum results.

Follow all the steps mentioned above and you will feel that you have achieved the best of spiritual meditation

Go ahead and follow the path of uniting yourself with your spiritual self.

By: Bertil Hjert

Meditation Exercises –the Best Way To An Empowered Mind

2008-08-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

To be successful in life, you need an empowered mind.

You can spend money on health supplements or any brain food that improve your brain and mind power, which may or may not be effective. However, the best way to an empowered mind need not cost you anything. It is free! It is achievable through meditation exercises. Millions of people around the world have been practicing meditation, and have found meditation exercises to be an effective way to develop an empowered mind that is critical for achieving success in life. However, contrary to what it seems, mastering the skill can be a challenging task for most people. Many people who attempted meditation for the first time discovers just how hard it can be if the person’s mind is weak. The most critical tool you'll need to master this important life skill is your mind. Just like any worthwhile skills, it requires regular practice, review and refinement to reap its best potential.

Regular practice of meditation exercises can develop an empowered mind in many ways, such as building patience, relaxation, observation, perception, concentration, and focus. Meditation can also help bring changes to your mind and body for the purpose of self-benefit, such as helping you to lose weight, quit smoking, reduce stress and depression, healing, overcome pain, regulate your body temperature, and much more.

Beyond the physical health benefits, meditation can even make you more receptive and sensitive to outside energy fields, improving your psychic intuition. Meditation is truly a miraculous skill. Unfortunately, most people failed to realize its powerful benefits due to incorrect way of practicing this exercise.

To most people, meditation is nothing more than sitting cross-legged on the floor quietly with eyes closed and began the breathing exercise. The key point to remember in performing the meditation exercises is to feel comfortable. It does not matter whether you are sitting on the floor, lying on the bed, or sit on a chair, as long as it does not get too comfortable to the extent that you may fall asleep.

Step 1: Control Your Breathing As A Concentration Exercise

The first step to learning meditation is to learn how to control your breathing. This may sound simple and feels boring at times, but the key here is to prepare your physical and mental state by bringing them to the state of deep relaxation. One thing to caution is not to control your breathing too consciously. As you move into the deep meditative state, you want to turn your focus from consciously breathing to deeply meditating.

Tools like soft music, candles, and incense can be used during meditation to increase its effect. However, using tools is not a must if you prefer a simple plain breathing control exercise to bring you into the meditative state. When using music, you must pick something pleasing to the ears but not powerful music like heavy metal or rock. Also, the key point to remember is to choose music that won't distract you. You should choose music with only melody and not any lyrics. Incense is also helpful but takes some preparation on its own. Incense helps you relax, but do make sure that ventilation in the room is good. You don’t want to get throat irritation during meditation as a result of smoke building in the room.

Step 2: Relaxation

Relaxation is the challenging part of meditation that is often overlooked. Once you have assumed your chosen position, prepared your tools, and begun breathing, your goal now is to let your body relax completely. Every muscle in your body should be as relaxed as possible. The recommended way is to start at your feet and tense up your muscles as hard as possible for several seconds, and then release them. After your feet, move up to your legs, calf muscles, and then your thighs, hips, abs, chest, and arms. Eventually, you will reach your face and the top of your head. At the end of this process, your entire body will feel so relaxed that you lost the sense of your body weight. This process will feel lengthy when you first do it, but you will be able to find your rhythm after a few practices.

When you reached a state of deep relaxation in every part of your body, the real meditation begins.

Step 3: Use Different Meditation Exercises For Different Purpose

As you control your breathing and set your body into a state of total relaxation, you free yourself from any mental focus and clarity and your mind starts coming into clarity. At this point, you can choose to practice the following basic meditation exercises:

Make Daily Meditation Part of Your Self-Development Journey

Now you have grasped the idea of how meditation exercises can change your life and how to practice the basics. This exercise should be performed everyday if you are serious about seeing the results. The best time would be after you wake up in the morning, which allows you to prepare and empower your mind before starting the day. You can also do the meditation exercises before you go to bed at night, so as to enhance the quality of your sleep. Do remember, this wonderful skill don’t come easy. It takes a lot of dedication of time and effort before you see results. However, when the results begin to show, you’ll realize how much your life will be improved with this life skill.

By: Jordan Cheng

Stress Relief and Relaxation

2008-08-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

The world we live in is an extremely stressful place. And not only can that stress be overwhelming, it can also wreak havoc on your health. Without a daily stress relief and relaxation routine, you will see the long-term effects of daily stress all too soon. Don’t wait a day longer to start a stress relief program.

The first step to stress relief and relaxation is to create a relaxation space at home. Find a spot that is away from all the noise in your home and that makes you feel peaceful. This spot might be in your bedroom, your den, your garage or even a closet. The only thing that matters is that it is quiet and has a place for you to sit comfortably.

Once you have a space in your home set aside for stress management, don’t just leave it at that! Stress relief and relaxation is something that deserves your attention daily. Make sure you visit this spot often, many times a day if needed. Consider learning about meditation or picking up some yoga techniques to aid you in stress reduction. These practices are proven stress reducers and just might be your ticket to a more peaceful life.

Another option for stress relief and relaxation is exercise. This might be a high-paced cardio exercise, or a slower exercise such as yoga. Only you know what is best for you. Consider exercising in your special relaxation spot to maximize your stress relief. With your new stress relief and relaxation routine, your life will be calmer, easier and more enjoyable.

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 yoga clothes 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 techniques, postures and the history of yoga. If you are interested in becoming a yoga teacher learn more about yoga instructor certifications in your city or state.

How To Achieve Stress Relief

2008-08-14T00:31:00.000-07:00

Stress relief is something that remains allusive to many people. If you’ve ever come home from work and felt like you just couldn’t unwind or been unable to sleep because you just couldn’t stop worrying about something going on the next day, you’re in need of major Stress relief! The problem is that many people don’t talk about stress or really consider it a problem that needs addressing. Whether your stress is caused by work, school, relationships, world events, finances or anything else, it needs attention now before it begins to show its face in the form of physical ailments later.

Achieving stress relief is easy- if you know the right techniques to reduce your stress levels. The first major rule of stress is to never ignore it. You can’t just pretend that the constant nervous feeling in your stomach is going to go away or expect your high blood pressure to go down on its own. You have to teach yourself the best stress relief methods possible to get your symptoms under control.

An easy stress relief method that anyone can do, at home or at work, is meditation. The great thing about meditation is that there are many different ways to do it and it’s just a matter of figuring out what works best for you. Some people meditate using visualization, others chant an affirmation over and over again in their mind and some use breathing techniques. No matter what meditation method you use for your stress relief, make sure you find a quiet spot to practice in. Close the door to your office or find an isolated part of your home to be alone with your thoughts. Then, use meditation to push out all the negative, stress inducing feelings you’ve been having and help clear your mind.

Listening to soothing noises is a Stress relief method that you can use to relax yourself before you go to bed or to calm yourself down after a particularly stressful day or experience. Purchase an alarm clock with tranquil sounds on it- i.e., a recording of rain, waves, birds or soft music works well. You can also purchase CD’s like this that have a variety of soothing sounds on them. This is not the time to think about your problems. Instead, focus on enjoying the moment and relaxing your body and mind. You’ll find that when you are done with this stress relief method, your body will feel less tense and your mind will be clear.

Deep breathing is another stress management method that works well in any situation. If you’ve had a fight, feel worried about something or are stressed about a problem, try taking deep breaths. Become aware of how you are breathing in and out and make sure to deeply exhale as well. Try holding your breath for five counts and then release it. This stress relief method will help to slow your heart rate back down and keep your feelings collected.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info/

Meditation - Meditating for Instant Calming

2008-08-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

Stress can strike you at any time. It can hit you hard and the way you deal with a situation can be made a million times worse simply because of the stress build up. One of the cool aspects of meditation is your ability to use meditation to gain an instant calming affect even when you are not in the traditional meditation posture.

The first step in the meditation for Instant Calming is to practice your breathing. When you feel that stress is creeping up on you simply practice breathing lightly like a mouse in and out. Focus on the quality of your breathing; ensure that it is light and even. Then slowly make the breathing deeper.

Next in this process is to ensure that your posture is balanced and even. Keep your back straight and your head up. Many people who become stressed will slouch their back and have a hunched look.

Clear your mind. Imagine in you mind that you are bathing in a wave of relaxing waves. Consciously feel the waves flowing past taking away the anxiety and stress. Ensure that the waves constantly flow through your body.

The next important step is to acknowledge the stress and look at the root cause of the stress. The worst thing you can do with meditation is to deny the stress. In your mind during the meditation speak the words clearly in your mind, "This stress is real but I have the ability to hand it. Let me think straight and find a way to deal with this stress and to cope immediately with the challenges in front of me."

Continue repeating this statement in your meditations for a period not less than ten minutes. It is now time in this meditation to take control of this stress. Focus on the person who has caused this stress and robbed you of the control you have the right too. Take control of your mind and rid your mind of the stress.

Finally as you come out of this meditation focus on these words, "I have a right to a free and peaceful mind. Nothing anyone can do or say to me will rob me of this right." Speak these words each time you need this meditation.

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Learning to Meditate Receptivity

2008-08-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

When learning to meditate, it is important to try different meditation techniques, some will work better for you than others. For example different techniques may involve breathing exercises, visualisations and exercises of concentration. However it is important to bear in mind that meditation is not just a mechanical process. In meditation what is important is the ability to be receptive to the silence of the soul. To have more successful meditation we can try to increase our receptivity through various things.

Firstly the environment of our meditation is important. To meditate we should ideally choose a certain room or sanctified corner which we can use just for meditation. This will help create a meditative vibration. If we meditate in a busy place like a bus it will be very difficult to feel this meditative peace.

Using objects like candles and beautiful flowers can also inspire us. A candle is particularly symbolic; the flame represents our aspiration, our yearning for something higher. A flame also represents light, which is a spiritual quality of meditation. When we see a beautiful flower it also helps raise our consciousness. For meditation it is also advisable to shower before and wear light, clean clothes. All these aspects are not essential to meditation but they do help and are particularly helpful for a beginner.

Meditation is a dynamic activity, it is not just about relaxation. As Sri Chinmoy says:

“Meditation is silence, energizing and fulfilling. Silence is the eloquent expression of the inexpressible.”

To be receptive in meditation it is important to be fully awake and alert. For this reason it is advisable not to eat a heavy meal 2 hours prior to meditation. If we eat a meal the body will be more lethargic because it is digesting the meal.
We can increase our receptivity during meditation by cultivating a feeling of gratitude. When we have a feeling of gratitude it means we value our meditation and therefore we will give it our focused attention.

In meditation we seek to go beyond the mind, we are using the energy of our heart and soul. Therefore to be receptive in meditation we should not use the mind. In particular the mind can be distracting when it expects a certain experience. If we expect a certain outcome we will be disappointed. It is also the case that the mind cannot comprehend the real effects of meditation because it is something that is not easily expressed.

Music can play a vital role in creating the right environment for meditation. Soulful spiritual music creates the right vibration and consciousness. Our heart naturally responds to soul-stirring music. Meditative music can make us aware of a hidden reality deep within side ourselves. Thus we will aspire with great intensity, our meditation will have more concentration and one pointed ness.

If we cannot meditate well in the beginning we should not be discouraged. Through practise we can develop our receptivity and enable a more fruitful meditation.

Tejvan is an economics teacher in Oxford and is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre Richard edits a site of spiritual Poems and the poetry of Sri Chinmoy.

Stress Relief and Relaxation

2008-08-06T02:22:00.000-07:00

Meditation for a Calmer Life

2008-08-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Meditation means different things to different people. Meditation is known to clear our thoughts, help calm nerves and allow you to stay focused. It is also known as a form of raising one's frequency to receive messages from higher sources of light. And for a growing number of people, meditation is about stress reduction.

Meditation is practiced by millions of people worldwide. To many it is a doorway to the non-physical, energetic and spiritual aspects of life, a state of heightened awareness. To the yogis, meditation is a systematic process of moving inward, through those levels, so as to experience the center of consciousness.

In our hectic, stress-filled lives meditation is growing in popularity. The moments of relief from thinking about stressors and the calmness created by meditation can be a great stress reducer. This is why meditation can be good for your health.

You can use meditation music to balance the challenges of every day life. Meditation music should be simple and soothing. Listening to meditation music can enhance your mood, relieve stress and help you to relax. The real work of meditation music is to attain harmony of mind, body and spirit.

The main focus of meditation techniques is to quiet the busy mind. Meditation techniques are finding new appeal among employees who have grown tired of the frazzled pressures of every day work. There are many guides and books on proper meditation techniques and investing in some of these will be very helpful to you. But the most important thing of all to remember is that meditation is not just a technique but it is a way of life.

Kathy Crawford works fulltime making a living on the internet. For more info on meditation go to http://meditation.infotipsguide.com

Meditation – Great Reasons To Learn

2008-08-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

Meditation is a unique form of art wherein an individual learns to focus and concentration levels. Most people consider meditation as the best method to transform one’s personality or change one self into a good human.

Some are confused about why they should focus on learning meditation. They are totally unaware of the benefits of meditation. Here are some top reasons coming straight from the experts in this field to convince you to learn this unique form of art:

a) Minimize stress levels

According to a research performed at the University Of Massachusetts Medical School and research conducted by experts, meditation is capable of transforming brain waves in the autonomic nervous system and amygdala. This provides total control to an individual over fear and stress. Several other studies conducted in this respect have proved that people who spend quality time in meditating are calmer and more relaxed as compared to those who don’t.

b) Happiness guaranteed

In a study, various MRI Scans were conducted on people who meditated for a long time. The results showed that these people possess enhanced activity in the left prefrontal coretex. They also displayed suppressed activity in the right prefrontal coretex. This is a state closely associated with enhanced positive emotions. This ultimately proves that people who mediate are happier.

c) Minimize pain

Several studies have shown that meditation plays a great role in controlling chronic pain. Most of the hospitals use meditation as an integral part of program in order to help patients who have chronic pain.

d) Recover lost memories

When you start learning to meditate, it may take some time for your mind to calm down and adjust to the new activity. One can easily give into distractions when meditating. However, you would feel that during the initial period of adjustment, you would come to know about several long-lost memories.

e) Enlightenment

The traditional Buddhist meditation will ultimately allow you to reach the stage of enlightenment.

f) Personal insight

Another benefit of getting deep into meditation includes an enhanced level of personal insight. You would be able to see your true self. This will be extremely beneficial for you when it comes to transforming your personality into someone who you actually are.

g) Prevent or reverse heart disease

The American Journal of Cardiology has come to a conclusion that meditation may reduce the overall risk of death caused by heart diseases.

h) Solve problems

With mediation it is possible for you to calm down during first few sessions. Novices usually think about the problems they face in their daily life. However, when the mind relaxes, one is able to find out solutions for even the most complicated problems that exist in his or her life.

i) Benefits immune system

Meditation is very important when it comes to enhancing one’s immune system.

j) Enhance intelligence

According to a serious research conducted, it has been proved that people who meditate possess thicker gray matter as compared to those who don’t. This contributes to the intelligence of a person.

By: Bertil Hjert

How to Achieve Happiness through Meditation

2008-08-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

There is only one way to achieve happiness. The means is to simply be happy. You are probably thinking right now, how do I achieve happiness?" "Things just don't work like that, it doesn't take into consideration the times that I am wretchedly unhappy because of difficulties or mishaps that arise in my everyday life, not to mention the tragedies." At this stage I have to stop and meditate. Meditation can be done several different ways, just find the one that works best for your purposes.

Being happy more often than you have been is an extremely difficult task to accomplish-not in the doing of it once you know how and then in keeping conscious of what you have learned. Yet, I still say that with meditation it can be accomplished. The path that you have chose that brought you to your current situation was not a few days or months in the making, but a long and arduous path that has spanned through many years.

In truth of it is it has taken you a life-time to become the way you are today. It has also taken you that long to gain what you have achieved, to possess, and to arrive at your present condition. By taking the time to meditate and contemplate who you are, and whether what you have in your life is truly what you desire, If you are completely satisfied with the way your life is going, congratulations-do more of what you have been doing and you will acquire more of what you already have in your life.

But if who you are, what you have, and your present situation are below what you want or perhaps varies from what you long for, you have to start meditating about some basic alterations you will need to make in your life. Failure to make those alterations will find you continuing to seek the things you really would like in your life as the years fly past.

Because some of this that you are reading will seem impossible, ridiculous, or to you maybe even foolish and it may in the beginning offend you, causing you to ridicule what you are reading and maybe even make you feel you need to reject what you have read. I really must suggest to you that prior to rejecting how meditation can assist you through your life, ask yourself whether or not you want it to be true-then for your benefit please give yourself the opportunity to see it as true.

In this day and time with all the things we have to deal with in our lives it is very hard to stay on a positive level and be happy all the time, But just by taking a few moments a day just meditating by yourself will help you keep things in perspective where instead of being unhappy about the circumstances you are in, you can find a way to find the happy part of being unhappy.

Dick Ingersoll is an eternal student, and is excited to share what he is learning with others. He has pulled it all together for you at: Simplemeditation.com

Meditation: A Path to a Stress Free Life

2008-07-30T23:22:00.001-07:00

A common man considers meditation as a worship or prayer. However, this is not the real meaning of meditation. The real meaning of meditation is awareness.

In fact, any action that you perform with awareness comes under the category of meditation. From listening to the voice of running water carefully to keeping tabs on the way you breathe, everything is meditation.

When performed without any sort of distraction to the mind, meditation is known to be as effective.

One should not consider meditation as a technique. It is a way of life. The deep meaning of meditation is cessation of the thought process. The process perfectly explains a state of consciousness, where the mind of an individual is free of thoughts that are scattered all around and in various patterns.

The person who meditates will ultimately realize that all the different activities of the mind are diminished in to a simple activity.

There are several benefits of meditation that one can enjoy. These include the following:

1. Control over stress

2. Management of pain

3. Relief from drug addiction

4. Relief from cancer and other chronic illness

5. Relief from high blood pressure

6. Relief from heart disease

7. Psoriasis control

8. Infertility control

9. Relief from tension and headaches

10. Relief from premenstrual syndromes or PMS

11. Help during respiratory crises.

12. Relief from fibronyalgia

13. Relief from ulcers

14. Insomnia and

The true purpose of meditation is something that’s little known by most people across the globe. Most people simply love the feeling when they sense fascination and experience mystic visions, heightened mental functioning in conjunction with psychic intuition.

The actual purpose of meditation is to let the individual meet his or her true self. In short, meditation works towards bringing them back to themselves. The benefits of meditation can be enjoyed once the individual, who performs it become healthier, happier and realize a great sense of self awareness. One would definitely benefit from enhanced functioning of mind, greater intuition and an easy access to all the unknown resources and efficacies.

When meditating, you don’t require to force yourself to focus completely for longer periods of time. In case, you try to do this there will be a negative impact on the meditation.

Whenever you are lost in your own thought or get confuse, you just require to acknowledge these thoughts and try to return back to the attention of the meditation object gently. This process can be repeated as many times as you get distracted. This will help you to make your mind calmer and the distractions will tend to cease naturally.

Insight alone is not enough to transform your life. Meditation will let you understand layer perspectives of your life. It also enhances clarity of thought.

However, acting upon the guidance is extremely important in order to benefit from meditation the right way.

Meditation is surely going to change your life and bring in lots of benefits to you. All you require to do is to meditate the right way!

Meditating For A Healthy Mind And Soul

2008-07-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

Have you been under too much stress lately? Or are constantly tired because of work and other commitments? Are you lethargic and need something to boost your energy? Then meditation is for you. Meditation describes a state of concentrated attention on some object of thought or awareness. It is the art of relaxing your mind by turning the attention inward to a single point of reference.

Meditation is one of the oldest arts of India. Hindu religion lays greatest stress on Meditation. According to scriptures Meditation is the path to achieve godhood. Now days many forms of meditation have developed, but the aim is common. In normal practice Meditation is used for many other advantages for body mainly for stress relief, and other medicinal benefits. What Meditation does-

Meditation is a great to distress or relax. It helps improve concentration. It helps keep an altered state of awareness. It is the suspension of logical thought processes which helps relax the mind. It helps the mind to maintain its self-observing attitude. It helps a lot to get in touch with your mind and soul, which is a rejuvenating experience. It refreshes the mind and soul and keeps it healthy. It helps promote positivism in our mind and get rid of negative thoughts.

There are various methods of meditation. Yoga, prayer, vipasana, sufism, etc. Each of these forms helps to meditate. Meditation is best done in early the morning and in a quiet place. To gain the maximum benefits of meditation, it is best to do it consistently at the same time, everyday. This helps create a pattern and makes it easier to concentrate. Meditation helps keep the mind and soul young and healthy. It is a healthy practice that helps distress and relaxes. Select a peaceful place and begin Meditation. If you can perform it at a set time everyday that will be better.

By: CD Mohatta