Starting Meditation

[Tony]

As it's a new year the Meditation Group
is starting from scratch.

Meditation

Meditation is being ordinary.

If we look at the mind, we find it runs all over the place.
The ordinary observer – the awareness – gets distracted,
and we are hardly ever in the present moment.

But who are we?

We are that which is aware of these circling thoughts,
and is distracted by them. If we don't calm down,
we will merely be caught up in this vicious cycle of existence.
So we need to cut through this madness and find our sanity.

This is what meditation is about - calming down, and being
more aware at the same time. The highest meditation is
simply being aware of awareness.

We simply focus on the breath.
Just be aware of the breath - the inhalation and the exhalation.
Thoughts will come. Just let them go.
It's your time to rest in the now
(this is known as using the breath as a support).

Gradually, we become aware that at the end of an exhalation
and before the next inhalation, there is a gap. We become
more aware of the gap. The body is still breathing,
but we become aware of just resting in that space.
All the senses are open. We merely rest in awareness
(this is meditation without support).

This is meditation...more or less!


Tony

[Pete]

Hi Pie
Thank you for starting this, I am ready to start listening, please accept me as a willing student to explore this and accept your guidance.

pete

[Tony]

Posted by Pete (here)
Hi Pie
Thank you for starting this, I am ready to start listening, please accept me as a willing student to explore this and accept your guidance.

pete

Hello Pete,

I'm only passing on what I've been taught and experienced.
You actually teach yourself, intuition is the inner teacher.

Tony

[skippy]

Hi Tony, I would like to join the meditation group and follow your course.

Skippy

[Tony]

Posted by skippy (here)
Hi Tony, I would like to join the meditation group and follow your course.

Skippy

Hello Skippy

It's very simple...and you have to do all the work !
It's not exactly a "course" - more a generalised introduction
(which is probably common to all traditions).

Meditation is mainly about identifying the feeling of being ill at ease,
and the causes of that feeling. Then we find a method which suits our temperament.
Then we practise that method!

As a result of recognising the point of meditation, actual "doing"
drops away and it becomes effortless recognition.

Does the world change for us then? Well, we still have our karma to work through
(this was created by our past) but our reactions are less severe.
We don't lose the feeling of anger because that has the potential to brighten the mind,
but we lose the aggression, and through this, wisdom is born.

Tony

[Ioneo]

Tony, maybe you could recommend a simple book that could help people get started.

Meditation is not only 'sitting' meditation but is a way of life. While washing the dishes, if you put your awareness on just the washing then you are doing 'washing' meditation. The same goes for any other activity you do with focused awareness.

[GreenGuy]

Posted by Ioneo (here)
While washing the dishes, if you put your awareness on just the washing then you are doing 'washing' meditation. The same goes for any other activity you do with focused awareness.

Bicycling meditation is one of my favorites. Simply shifting the bulk of your awareness to your breathing while doing other routine things brings a meditative state to almost anything.

[MariaDine]

Deepak Chopra- Learn How to Meditate

http://dotsub.com/view/b0a3969b-9c7c...6-5ea6db9dccde



Seven Myths of Meditation

Deepak Chopra, MD is the author of more than 70 books with twenty-one New York Times bestsellers and and the founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.

.
In the past forty years, meditation has entered the mainstream of modern Western culture, prescribed by physicians and practiced by everyone from business executives, artists, and scientists to students, teachers, military personnel, and – on a promising note – politicians. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan meditates every morning and has become a major advocate of mindfulness and meditation, as he describes in his book, A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit.

Despite the growing popularity of meditation, prevailing misconceptions about the practice are a barrier that prevents many people from trying meditation and receiving its profound benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. Here are seven of the most common meditation myths dispelled.

Myth #1: Meditation is difficult.

Truth: This myth is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric practice reserved only for saints, holy men, and spiritual adepts. In reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced, knowledgeable teacher, meditation is easy and fun to learn. The techniques can be as simple as focusing on the breath or silently repeating a mantra. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is that we try too hard to concentrate, we’re overly attached to results, or we’re not sure we are doing it right. In our experience at the Chopra Center, learning meditation from a qualified teacher is the best way to ensure that the process is enjoyable and you get the most from your practice. A teacher will help you understand what you’re experiencing, move past common roadblocks, and create a nourishing daily practice.

Myth #2: You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.

Truth: This may be the number one myth about meditation and is the cause of many people giving up in frustration. Meditation isn’t about stopping our thoughts or trying to empty our mind – both of these approaches only create stress and more noisy internal chatter. We can’t stop or control our thoughts, but we can decide how much attention to give them. Although we can’t impose quiet on our mind, through meditation we can find the quiet that already exists in the space between our thoughts. Sometimes referred to as “the gap,” this space between thoughts is pure consciousness, pure silence, and pure peace.

When we meditate, we use an object of attention, such as our breath, an image, or a mantra, which allows our mind to relax into this silent stream of awareness. When thoughts arise, as they inevitably will, we don’t need to judge them or try to push them away. Instead, we gently return our attention to our object of attention. In every meditation, there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this state of expanded awareness and silence.

Be assured that even if it feels like you have been thinking throughout your entire meditation, you are still receiving the benefits of your practice. You haven’t failed or wasted your time. When my friend and colleague David Simon taught meditation, he would often tell students, “The thought I’m having thoughts may be the most important thought you have ever thought, because before you had that thought, you may not have even known you were having thoughts. You probably thought you were your thoughts.” Simply noticing that you are having thoughts is a breakthrough because it begins to shift your internal reference point from ego mind to witnessing awareness. As you become less identified with your thoughts and stories, you experience greater peace and open to new possibilities.

Myth #3: It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.

Truth: The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate and in the first few days of daily practice. Many scientific studies provide evidence that meditation has profound effects on the mind-body physiology within just weeks of practice. For example, a landmark study led by Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that as little as eight weeks of meditation not only helped people experience decreased anxiety and greater feelings of calm; it also produced growth in the areas of the brain associated with memory, empathy, sense of self, and stress regulation.

At the Chopra Center, we commonly hear from new meditators who are able to sleep soundly for the first time in years after just a few days of daily meditation practice. Other common benefits of meditation include improved concentration, decreased blood pressure, reduced stress and anxiety, and enhanced immune function. You can learn more about the benefits of meditation in a recent post, Why Meditate? on the Chopra Center blog.

Myth #4: Meditation is escapism.

Truth: The real purpose of meditation isn’t to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true Self – that eternal aspect of yourself that goes beyond all the ever-changing, external circumstances of your life. In meditation you dive below the mind’s churning surface, which tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness. In this state of transcendent awareness, you let go of all the stories you’ve been telling yourself about who you are, what is limiting you, and where you fall short – and you experience the truth that your deepest Self is infinite and unbounded.

As you practice on a regular basis, you cleanse the windows of perception and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation as a form of escape – as a way to bypass unresolved emotional issues – this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about meditation and mindfulness. In fact, there are a variety of meditation techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release stored emotional toxicity. If you are coping with emotional upset or trauma, I recommend that you work with a therapist who can help you safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to your natural state of wholeness and love.

Myth #5: I don’t have enough time to meditate.

Truth: There are busy, productive executives who have not missed a meditation in twenty-five years, and if you make meditation a priority, you will do it. If you feel like your schedule is too full, remember that even just a few minutes of meditation is better than none. We encourage you not to talk yourself out of meditating just because it’s a bit late or you feel too sleepy.
In life’s paradoxical way, when we spend time meditating on a regular basis, we actually have more time. When we meditate, we dip in and out of the timeless, spaceless realm of consciousness . . . the state of pure awareness that is the source of everything that manifests in the universe. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, our blood pressure lowers, and our body decreases the production of stress hormones and other chemicals that speed up the aging process and give us the subjective feeling that we are “running out of time.”

In meditation, we are in a state of restful alertness that is extremely refreshing for the body and mind. As people stick with their meditation ritual, they notice that they are able to accomplish more while doing less. Instead of struggling so hard to achieve goals, they spend more and more time “in the flow” – aligned with universal intelligence that orchestrates everything.

Myth #6: Meditation requires spiritual or religious beliefs.

Truth: Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of the mind into stillness and silence. It doesn’t require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs. Some meditators have no particular religious beliefs or are atheist or agnostic. They meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the numerous physical and mental health benefits of the practice – including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep. The original reason that I started meditating was to help myself stop smoking. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy whatever we do in our lives more fully and happily – whether that is playing sports, taking care of our children, or advancing in our career.

Myth #7: I’m supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.

Truth: Some people are disappointed when they don’t experience visions, see colors, levitate, hear a choir of angels, or glimpse enlightenment when they meditate. Although we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate, including feelings of bliss and oneness, these aren’t the purpose of the practice. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the other hours of the day when we’re going about our daily lives. When we emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative, compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we encounter.


As you begin or continue your meditation journey, here are some other guidelines that may help you on your way:

• Have no expectations. Sometimes the mind is too active to settle down. Sometimes it settles down immediately. Sometimes it goes quiet, but the person doesn't notice. Anything can happen.
• Be easy with yourself. Meditation isn't about getting it right or wrong. It's about letting your mind find its true nature.
• Don't stick with meditation techniques that aren't leading to inner silence. Find a technique that resonates with you. There are many kinds of mantra meditation, including the Primordial Sound Meditation practice taught at the Chopra Center.. Or simply follow the in and out of your breathing, not paying attention to your thoughts at all. The mind wants to find its source in silence. Give it a chance by letting go.
• Make sure you are alone in a quiet place to meditate. Unplug the phone. Make sure no one is going to disturb you.
• Really be there. If your attention is somewhere else, thinking about your next appointment, errand or meal, of course you won't find silence. To meditate, your intention must be clear and free of other obligations.

[Tony]

Meditation has no characteristics or special culture. We merely tame the mind,
and recognises our true nature. We can learn the basics of meditation to help
calm the mind, and then we have a choice to make. Do we stay on our own,
or find a teacher and follow a system?

If we go our own way, there are many traps into which we can fall. In following
a system, it will be well trodden and there is much guidance
(no, they are not mind controllers...you are!). If one chooses to let go of a system,
or change systems, one is free to do so. If we have choices, then we can change!

Much depends on synchronicity and our own leanings.
Remember - our path is our own confusion, which has to be cleared,
and only we can do that.

Systems have a language, a way of describing some thing.. or no thing.
They tend to use sanskrit words as there is not an English equivalent.
Sanskrit is a spiritual language and is used in mantras.
Interestingly, the Tibetan language is based on Sanskrit.

My leaning is towards Tibetan Buddhism and the Dzogchen tradition, which is similar
to Advaita or Zen (one reason to use these words is so that you may look them up
on the internet and check them out for yourself).

As I am Dzogchen, my writing will have that flavour
– which is empty compassionate awareness. You must follow your heart:
just remember not to argue with another's path,
as they will describe the same thing differently...so be it.
At the end it is all the same, but before that, things can get a bit sticky!

The most important thing is knowing why you meditate. That will sustain you.


Tony

[Tony]

Posted by Ioneo (here)
Tony, maybe you could recommend a simple book that could help people get started.

Meditation is not only 'sitting' meditation but is a way of life. While washing the dishes, if you put your awareness on just the washing then you are doing 'washing' meditation. The same goes for any other activity you do with focused awareness.

Hello Ioneo,

True there is sitting meditation and mingling in daily life meditation.
In fact there is sitting meditation and conduct in daily life…compassionate activity.

Every book has a certain flavour, so it all depends on what you lean towards.
The OP says it all. The Meditation Group can iron out some wrinkles!

If you are Zen orientated stick to Zen, however a glimpse at Dzogchen may help.

You might find this interesting

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=j9Vr_iPEviQ

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=umkwCiE1r_k

Tony

[skippy]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the videos. At 22:55 in the second video the speaker talks about "logon" (not sure about the spelling) or touching base. In the same video, he speaks about "Mahasandi" being the quickest and simplest path possible. Do you mind to elaborate a bit further on these 2 things in relation to Dzogchen? Many thanks.

Skippy.

[Tony]

[QUOTE=skippy;780520]Hi Tony,

Thanks for the videos. At 22:55 in the second video the speaker talks about "logon" (not sure about the spelling) or touching base. In the same video, he speaks about "Mahasandi" being the quickest and simplest path possible. Do you mind to elaborate a bit further on these 2 things in relation to Dzogchen? Many thanks.

Skippy.[/QUOTE

Hello Skippy.

In this context 'Lojong' ...touching base is, 'Mahasani' "Mahamudra' "Dzogchen'... remembering to rest is Empty Essence. Different traditions use different words for the same thing. The difference is in the approach to Emptiness, also called 'the view'.

Sometimes is a busy life we coast along in theory, and it's good to pause for a moment...'lojong'. Resting Emptiness covers everything, but here is the full answer:


The Root Text

The original Lojong practice consists of 59 slogans, or aphorisms. These slogans are further organized into seven groupings, called the '7 Points of Lojong.' The categorized slogans are listed below, translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee under the direction of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.[7] It is emphasized that the following is translated from ancient Sanskrit and Tibetan texts, and therefore may vary slightly from other translations. Some slogans may feel esoteric or difficult to comprehend. Many contemporary gurus and experts have written extensive commentaries elucidating the Lojong text and slogans. Some of these works can be found under the 'Notes' section of this article.
Point One: The preliminaries, which are the basis for dharma practice
Slogan 1. First, train in the preliminaries; The four reminders.[8] or alternatively called the Four Thoughts[9]
1. Maintain an awareness of the preciousness of human life.
2. Be aware of the reality that life ends; death comes for everyone; Impermanence.
3. Recall that whatever you do, whether virtuous or not, has a result; Karma.
4. Contemplate that as long as you are too focused on self-importance and too caught up in thinking about how you are good or bad, you will experience suffering. Obsessing about getting what you want and avoiding what you don't want does not result in happiness; Ego.
Point Two: The main practice, which is training in bodhicitta.
Absolute Bodhicitta
Slogan 2. Regard all dharmas as dreams; although experiences may seem solid, they are passing memories.
Slogan 3. Examine the nature of unborn awareness.
Slogan 4. Self-liberate even the antidote.
Slogan 5. Rest in the nature of alaya, the essence, the present moment.
Slogan 6. In postmeditation, be a child of illusion.
Relative Bodhicitta
Slogan 7. Sending and taking should be practiced alternately. These two should ride the breath (aka. practice Tonglen).
Slogan 8. Three objects, three poisons, three roots of virtue -- The 3 objects are friends, enemies and neutrals. The 3 poisons are craving, aversion and indifference. The 3 roots of virtue are the remedies.
Slogan 9. In all activities, train with slogans.
Slogan 10. Begin the sequence of sending and taking with yourself.
Point Three: Transformation of Bad Circumstances into the Way of Enlightenment
Slogan 11. When the world is filled with evil, transform all mishaps into the path of bodhi.
Slogan 12. Drive all blames into one.
Slogan 13. Be grateful to everyone.
Slogan 14. Seeing confusion as the four kayas is unsurpassable shunyata protection.
The kayas are Dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya, svabhavikakaya. Thoughts have no birthplace, thoughts are unceasing, thoughts are not solid, and these three characteristics are interconnected. Shunyata can be described as "complete openness."
Slogan 15. Four practices are the best of methods.
The four practices are: accumulating merit, laying down evil deeds, offering to the dons, and offering to the dharmapalas.
Slogan 16. Whatever you meet unexpectedly, join with meditation.
Point Four: Showing the Utilization of Practice in One's Whole Life
Slogan 17. Practice the five strengths, the condensed heart instructions.
The 5 strengths are: strong determination, familiarization, the positive seed, reproach, and aspiration.
Slogan 18. The mahayana instruction for ejection of consciousness at death is the five strengths: how you conduct yourself is important.
When you are dying practice the 5 strengths.
Point Five: Evaluation of Mind Training
Slogan 19. All dharma agrees at one point -- All Buddhist teachings are about lessening the ego, lessening one's self-absorption.
Slogan 20. Of the two witnesses, hold the principal one -- You know yourself better than anyone else knows you
Slogan 21. Always maintain only a joyful mind.
Slogan 22. If you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained.
Point Six: Disciplines of Mind Training
Slogan 23. Always abide by the three basic principles -- Dedication to your practice, refraining from outrageous conduct, developing patience.
Slogan 24. Change your attitude, but remain natural.-- Reduce ego clinging, but be yourself.
Slogan 25. Don't talk about injured limbs -- Don't take pleasure contemplating others defects.
Slogan 26. Don't ponder others -- Don't take pleasure contemplating others weaknesses.
Slogan 27. Work with the greatest defilements first -- Work with your greatest obstacles first.
Slogan 28. Abandon any hope of fruition -- Don't get caught up in how you will be in the future, stay in the present moment.
Slogan 29. Abandon poisonous food.
Slogan 30. Don't be so predictable -- Don't hold grudges.
Slogan 31. Don't malign others.
Slogan 32. Don't wait in ambush -- Don't wait for others weaknesses to show to attack them.
Slogan 33. Don't bring things to a painful point -- Don't humiliate others.
Slogan 34. Don't transfer the ox's load to the cow -- Take responsibility for yourself.
Slogan 35. Don't try to be the fastest -- Don't compete with others.
Slogan 36. Don't act with a twist -- Do good deeds without scheming about benefiting yourself.
Slogan 37. Don't turn gods into demons -- Don't use these slogans or your spirituality to increase your self-absorption
Slogan 38. Don't seek others' pain as the limbs of your own happiness.
Point Seven: Guidelines of Mind Training
Slogan 39. All activities should be done with one intention.
Slogan 40. Correct all wrongs with one intention.
Slogan 41. Two activities: one at the beginning, one at the end.
Slogan 42. Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.
Slogan 43. Observe these two, even at the risk of your life.
Slogan 44. Train in the three difficulties.
Slogan 45. Take on the three principal causes: the teacher, the dharma, the sangha.
Slogan 46. Pay heed that the three never wane: gratitude towards one's teacher, appreciation of the dharma (teachings) and correct conduct.
Slogan 47. Keep the three inseparable: body, speech, and mind.
Slogan 48. Train without bias in all areas. It is crucial always to do this pervasively and wholeheartedly.
Slogan 49. Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment.
Slogan 50. Don't be swayed by external circumstances.
Slogan 51. This time, practice the main points: others before self, dharma, and awakening compassion.
Slogan 52. Don't misinterpret.
The six things that may be misinterpreted are patience, yearning, excitement, compassion, priorities and joy. You're patient when you're getting your way, but not when its difficult. You yearn for worldly things, instead of an open heart and mind. You get excited about wealth and entertainment, instead of your potential for enlightenment. You have compassion for those you like, but none for those you don't. Worldly gain is your priority rather than cultivating loving-kindness and compassion. You feel joy when you enemies suffer, and do not rejoice in others' good fortune.[10]
Slogan 53. Don't vacillate (in your practice of LoJong).
Slogan 54. Train wholeheartedly.
Slogan 55. Liberate yourself by examining and analyzing: Know your own mind with honesty and fearlessness.
Slogan 56. Don't wallow in self-pity.
Slogan 57. Don't be jealous.
Slogan 58. Don't be frivolous.
Slogan 59. Don't expect applause.

[Tony]

This is even better! This the lojong teaching (mind training) given by there Dalai Lama.
The rest is on Youtube.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=jU1-0rLlIz4

Tony

[Shabd_Mystic]

Posted by pie'n'eal (here)
As it's a new year the Meditation Group
is starting from scratch.

Meditation

Meditation is being ordinary.

If we look at the mind, we find it runs all over the place.
The ordinary observer – the awareness – gets distracted,
and we are hardly ever in the present moment.

But who are we?

We are that which is aware of these circling thoughts,
and is distracted by them. If we don't calm down,
we will merely be caught up in this vicious cycle of existence.
So we need to cut through this madness and find our sanity.

This is what meditation is about - calming down, and being
more aware at the same time. The highest meditation is
simply being aware of awareness.

We simply focus on the breath.
Just be aware of the breath - the inhalation and the exhalation.
Thoughts will come. Just let them go.
It's your time to rest in the now
(this is known as using the breath as a support).

Gradually, we become aware that at the end of an exhalation
and before the next inhalation, there is a gap. We become
more aware of the gap. The body is still breathing,
but we become aware of just resting in that space.
All the senses are open. We merely rest in awareness
(this is meditation without support).

This is meditation...more or less!


Tony

Well, it's one form of meditation at least.

[Shabd_Mystic]

Posted by Ioneo (here)
Tony, maybe you could recommend a simple book that could help people get started.

Meditation is not only 'sitting' meditation but is a way of life. While washing the dishes, if you put your awareness on just the washing then you are doing 'washing' meditation. The same goes for any other activity you do with focused awareness.

If you put all your awareness into something you are, in effect, doing what people like Eckhart Tolle expound, which is bringing yourself fully into the present moment or the "now." Some mystical groups do the same thing by chanting or by doing "simran" (repeating a mantra over and over). The idea, though it's never explained as such, is to avoid thinking of the past or future.

Just like concentrating on the breath is just a method with which to focus the attention in order to stop thought. Some repeat a mantra to do the same thing. All that matters is that the attention get fully focused so all "other" thought ceases.

[Tony]

The meditation group is about basic meditation, a simple foundation.


"Bringing your self into the present moment"...is not the same as
being in the present moment.
One is a duality, the other is not.
Until one has a firm foundation, one will miss the subtleties later on.


Tony

[GreenGuy]

We love to talk and read about meditation, especially in the West...and yet meditation is neither of those. Meditation is a natural state that ordinary daily stimuli tend to keep us from realizing. Once we're conscious of that boundary it's easy to cross.

[Shabd_Mystic]

Posted by pie'n'eal (here)
"Bringing your self into the present moment"...is not the same as
being in the present moment.

If you're thinking about the past you aren't in the present moment so you need to "bring yourself into the present moment." It means your attention is in the past when it should be in the present. You certainly understand that so why the semantics games?

[Tony]

Posted by Shabd_Mystic (here)

Posted by pie'n'eal (here)
"Bringing your self into the present moment"...is not the same as
being in the present moment.

If you're thinking about the past you aren't in the present moment so you need to "bring yourself into the present moment." It means your attention is in the past when it should be in the present. You certainly understand that so why the semantics games?

Philosophers have been discussing words for centuries.
The thread is about the meditation group and practice.

The meditation group is a quiet place to reflect.
This is different from the main forum, as it is be non confrontational:
just an open harmonious space in which to... well, be!


Tony

[loungelizard]

Thanks for the OP pie'n'eal: I appreciate the simple explanation of meditation that you have given (sometimes things are made far too complicated with a lot of words)

And thanks also for the info about the meditation group - I shall go and have a snoop around!