BUDDHISM

1. Meditation and mindfulness

   In the Buddha's great discourse on the practice of mindfulness, the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta, both the object and the means of attaining it are clearly set forth. Attentiveness to the movements of the body, to the ever-changing states of the mind, is to be cultivated in order that their real nature should be known. Instead of identifying these physical and mental phenomena with the false concept of "self," we are to see them as they really are: movements of a physical body, an aggregate of the four elements, ('mahabhutas') subject to physical laws of causality on the one hand, and on the other, a flux of successive phases of consciousness arising and passing away in response to external stimuli. They are to be viewed objectively, as though they were processes not associated with ourselves but belonging to another order of phenomena.

   Buddhist Meditation : true self

   From what can selfishness and egotism proceed if not from the concept of "self" ('sakkayaditthi')? If the practice of any form of meditation leaves selfishness or egotism unabated, it has not been successful. A tree is judged by its fruits and a man by his actions; there is no other criterion. Particularly is this true in Buddhist psychology, because the man 'is' his actions. In the truest sense they, or the continuity of kamma and 'vipaka' which they represent, are the only claim he can make to any persistent identity, not only through the different phases of this life but also from one life to another. Attentiveness with regard to body and mind serves to break down the illusion of self; and not only that, it also cuts off craving and attachment to external objects, so that ultimately there is neither the "self" that craves nor any object of craving. It is a long and arduous discipline, and one that can only be undertaken in retirement from the world and its cares. Yet even a temporary retirement, a temporary course of this discipline, can bear good results in that it establishes an attitude of mind which can be applied to some degree in the ordinary situations of life.

   Buddhist Meditations: Detachment & Concentration

   Detachment, objectivity, is an invaluable aid to clear thinking; it enables a man to sum up a given situation without bias, personal or otherwise, and to act in that situation with courage and discretion. Another gift it bestows is that of concentration -- the ability to focus the mind and keep it steadily fixed on a single point ('ekaggata', or one-pointedness), and this is the great secret of success in any undertaking. The mind is hard to tame; it roams here and there restlessly as the wind, or like an untamed horse, but when it is fully under control, it is the most powerful instrument in the whole universe. He who has mastered his own mind is indeed master of the Three Worlds.

   In the first place he is without fear. Fear arises because we associate mind and body ('nama-rupa') with "self"; consequently any harm to either is considered to be harm done to oneself. But he who has broken down this illusion by realizing that the five 'khandha' process is merely the manifestation of cause and effect, does not fear death or misfortune. He remains equable alike in success and failure, unaffected by praise or blame. The only thing he fears is demeritorious action, because he knows that no thing or person in the world can harm him except himself, and as his detachment increases, he becomes less and less liable to demeritorious deeds. Unwholesome action comes of an unwholesome mind, and as the mind becomes purified with Meditation, healed of its disorders, bad kamma ceases to accumulate. He comes to have a horror of wrong action and to take greater and greater delight in those deeds that are rooted in 'alobha', 'adosa', and 'amoha' -- generosity, benevolence and wisdom.

   Devices in Meditation

   Anapana Sati

   Samatha Bhavana

   Vipassana Bhavana

   Metta Bhavana

   Mahamantra Meditation Technique
   
   
   Buddhist breath meditation one. Start out with three or seven long in-and-out breaths, thinking bud- with the in-breath and dho with the out. Keep the meditation syllable as long as the breath.
   
   
2. Buddhist breath meditation two : Be clearly aware of each in-and-out breath during this meditation.
   
   
3. Buddhist breath meditation three : Observe the breath as it goes in and out, noticing whether it's comfortable or uncomfortable, broad or narrow, obstructed or free-flowing, fast or slow, short or long, warm or cool. If the breath doesn't feel comfortable, change it until it does. For instance, if
   breathing in long and out long is uncomfortable, try breathing in short and out short. As soon as you find that your breathing feels comfortable, let this comfortable breath sensation spread to the different parts of the body.
   
   To begin with, inhale the breath sensation at the base of the skull and let it flow all the way down the spine. Then, if you are male, let it spread down your right leg to the sole of your foot, to the ends of your toes, and out into the air. Inhale the breath sensation at the
   base of the skull again and let it spread down your spine, down your left leg to the ends of your toes and out into the air. (If you are female, begin with the left side first, because the male and female nervous systems are different.)
   
   Then let the breath from the base of the skull spread down over both shoulders, past your elbows and wrists, to the tips of your fingers and out into the air.
   
   Let the breath at the base of the throat spread down the central nerve at the front of the body, past the lungs and liver, all the way down to the bladder and colon.
   
   Inhale the breath right at the middle of the chest and let it go all the way down to your intestines.
   
   Let all these breath sensations spread so that they connect and flow together, and you'll feel a greatly improved sense of well-being.
   
   
4. Buddhist breath meditation four : Learn four ways of adjusting the breath:
   a. in long and out long b. in short and out short, c. in short and out long, d. in long and out short.

   
   Breathe whichever way is most comfortable for you. Or, better yet, learn to breathe comfortably all four ways, because your physical condition and your breath are always changing.
   
   
5. Buddhist breath meditation five : Become acquainted with the bases or focal points of the mind--the resting spots of the breath--and center your awareness on whichever one seems most comfortable. A few of these bases are:
   a. the tip of the nose,
   b. the middle of the head,
   c. the palate,
   d. the base of the throat,
   e. the breastbone (the tip of the sternum),
   f. the navel (or a point just above it).
   
   If you suffer from frequent headaches or nervous problems, don't focus on any spot above the base of the throat. And don't try to force the breath or put yourself into a trance. Breathe freely and naturally. Let the mind be at ease with the breath--but not to the point where it slips away.
   
   
6. Buddhist breath meditation six : Spread your awareness--your sense of conscious feeling--throughout the entire body.
   
   
7. Buddhist breath meditation seven : Coordinate the breath sensations throughout the body, letting them flow together comfortably, keeping your awareness as broad as possible.
   
   

   Mindfulness Meditation

   Equipping individuals to deal with stressful situations by accepting them and being aware of them, Mindfulness Meditation is an effective and miraculous technique of meditation against life’s problems and situations.

   True, stress, anger, disappointments, frustrations, and other negative emotions adversely affect our minds and even bodies. Such negative emotions and actions should be dealt effectively and set-backs should be accepted without injuring our health. Mindfulness Meditation is that medicine which helps to deal with negative emotions and situations in the most effective manner.

   Mindfulness Meditation, also referred to as Insightful Meditation, requires or allows individuals to be aware of their surroundings, to develop a sense of sensitivity in perceiving every moment, and enabling them to accept stressful situations, instead of avoiding them. By being aware of the inner state of our minds during Mindfulness Meditation, we can accept difficult situations in our lives without much resistance.

   Through the practise of Meditation, we can train our minds to achieve a state of tranquillity, without being disturbed by outside forces. Mindfulness Meditation helps in training and developing the strengths of the mind to achieve this peacefulness.

   One can practise Mindfulness Meditation by sitting in an appropriate upright position, cross-legged, and focussing on our breath or anything else, such as mental and physical processes which help us in becoming aware of our present thought patterns and inner state.

   The practice of Mindfulness Meditation focuses our attention on our thoughts, actions, and present moments non-judgmentally. It does not encourage evaluating or thinking on our past actions and neither does it take our thoughts to the uncertain future. Mindfulness Meditation helps and trains our mind from getting distracted by outside disturbances and enables us to focus our thoughts and relax the mind.

   Mindfulness Meditation can be conducted or practised through informal and formal techniques. While formal Mindfulness Meditation involves Yoga, in which there is a control and awareness of breathing patterns with appropriate body movements, informal Mindfulness Meditation includes taking into account each experience in life with relish and enjoyment.

   Mindfulness Meditation is a technique of introspection or insight through which we can obtain a clear picture of our thoughts and inner states, focus our thoughts, and even train our mind to perceive things and situations more effectively.

   Love All Equally Meditation

   Free meditations has recieved this meditation from one of our website visitors. We greatly feel that everyone can learn from our friend Ian's "Love All Equally Meditation".

   Hi,

   I realy enjoyed the meditations you have posted. I though I could contribute a couple I have been using with my students.(I'm a maths teacher in a secondary International school)

   Love All Equally Meditation (to be done as a group)

   Sitting comfortably, on the floor cross legged or on a chair with feet flat on the ground. Rest your hands palm down on your knees and connect the thumb and the index finger.

   Take a look around the room and take a mental photo of everyone in the room, where they are sat, etc.

   Close your eyes and take three consecutive deep breaths.
   Breathe in deep, breathe out long
   Breathe in deep, breathe out long
   Breathe in deep, breathe out long
   Return to breathing normally

   Be aware of the breath coming in and the breath coming out. Feel the air coming in through your nostrils and going out.

   If thoughts arise, don't fight them, just observe them as if they where distant clouds, and they will eventually fly by. Just focus on your breath, for 5-10 minutes

   Now, recall that mental image of the room. Visualize peoples faces.
   Now bring to mind a person whom you love intensly, like, your mum, you, girl/boy friend, Husband/wife.

   Think of how warm this person makes you feel, their kindness and their generosity.

   Imagine that everybody's face in the room, transforms into the face of your loved one.

   The room is filled by loved ones, imagine how nice the world would be if everyone was this nice, this loving, this kind.

   Just, focus on your breath and sit in the company of your loved ones.for a while.

   Realise that everyone is in fact capable of such love and kindness, for we are all equal, we are all made of the same vibrating energy, that is the fabric of the universe.

   You become aware that you can feel love towards anyone in the same way as you love your mum, dad, etc, for they are the same.

   Sit observing your breath come in, and go out

   When you are ready you may open your eyes, and sit in quiet contemplation.

   Benefits of Meditation

   When we start practicing meditation, we start feeling relaxed, peaceful and happy. This is a kind of inter-generative process. You meditate and you get the reward in forms of joy and happiness, which in turn motivates you to meditate more. In course of time, it becomes your automatic practice, a kind of ‘sanskar’.  You feel uneasy and think something is missing from your life if you do not meditate on any particular day. When you start your day with meditation, the peace and joy generated last with you whole day whatever the nature of your activities. It is like taking a healthy and nourishing diet before the start of a strenuous and stressful routine of the day.

   Meditation enables you to become aware of your inner resources of joy and peace. You can tap them whenever you feel stressed and worried. You acquire a habit of detached observation. So if something wrong and irritating happens in course of your day, you can view it as a detached observer. You learn to understand the monkey tricks of your mind. You thus get an inner poise that ultimately percolates into your daily life. The peace and joy that you acquire become infectious to those around you. In this way you try to make the whole environment happy and peaceful.

   Although meditation is a great tool for relaxation and peace of mind, it can become a path for our spiritual quest for the ultimate spiritual goal of self-enlightenment and God realization or nirvana. Meditation may help us overcome our ego and body consciousness which are the main causes of most of human suffering, tensions, conflicts at personal and larger levels. Meditation helps us understand that our real nature is an integral part of the divine or transcendental consciousness.

   Scientific studies have conclusively proved the benefits of meditation for our mind and body. According to search results released by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, meditation has been shown to produce lasting beneficial changes in immune-system function as well as brain electrical activity. “Researchers found about 50 percent more electrical activity in the left frontal regions of the brains of the meditators. Other research has showed that part of the brain is associated with positive emotions and anxiety reduction.”