Breathing Meditation
There is growing interest in Meditation and concentration exercises. Anybody can practise meditation; you don't need any specific training or education. In fact exercises require no intellectual understanding. It is often the simplicity of meditation that people find confusing!
If possible find a group of people to meditate with, this will definitely help. However, if you want to start meditating on your own, these exercises will help.
1. Focusing on a Candle.
A candle is a good object for meditation. It embodies light and the tip of a candle flame provide an excellent object for our concentration. When concentrating we want to be focusing on something smaller than the smallest. To start the exercise, we can focus on the candle; we should try to ignore everything else in the room but just be aware of the candle. We can keep our eyes half open, but they should not be strained. As we focus on the candle, we can feel that the candle flame is in our heart. We are trying to identify completely with the candle. After a while, we can narrow our focus to the small tip of the candle flame. By doing this exercise we will improve our concentration and one pointedness; this is essential to meditation.
2. Breathing Exercise.
Breathing exercises are a simple but effective form of meditation. If we breathe in naturally and slowly it will automatically help to slowdown our active mind. In this exercise we want to be very conscious of our incoming and outgoing breathe. This gives us something to focus on; it is a prop for the mind as it tries to detach from its usual run of the mill thoughts. Also as we breathe in, we shouldn't be doing it mechanically - we should feel we are actively breathing in peace, joy or some other quality we want from our meditation. In the beginning we have to use our imagination. But, imagination has a force of its own. We begin with imagining peace, but, the exercise will make it a reality. If any thought interferes and tries to enter the mind, we can reject it and return to our breathing.
3. Visualisation Exercise.
Some people find that visualisation exercises very helpful for creating a meditative consciousness and detaching from mundane thoughts. Visualisation is powerful because we imagine what meditation would be like. Of course, it is impossible for our mind to truly imagine what real meditation is like, but, it can help - like a finger pointing to the sky it gives us a glimpse. Meditation is vastness and expanse, therefore, it is good to imagine something like an ocean. Water is also representative of consciousness. Try to imagine a beautiful ocean in front of you, which is very peaceful and stretching as far as the horizon. Focus on the point where the ocean touches the sky and become aware of the vastness of the imagery. Then try to imagine you are entering into the ocean and becoming part of it. Try not to think of yourself as separate from the ocean, but, try to feel yourself part of it. Lose your identification with your body, but become part of the vast ocean. This is real meditation.
by: T. Pettinger. Tejvan has been a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy for the past 10 years. He meditates everyday and enjoys writing on topics of meditation and self improvement. Tejvan often spends time in New York, with his friends in the Sri Chinmoy Centre. For more information about meditation in New York, kindly visit http://www.nycmeditation.org/
How To Practice Buddhist Breathing Meditation
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Stress Techniques
stress techniques
What are some good stress release/relaxation techniques?
I'm a senior in college, and I'm trying to graduate a year early. The stress to pass all my classes this semester is really getting to me and I am having a hard time handling it, are there any really good relaxation techniques anyone has?
Try meditation. It can help to quiet and calm you down and make you more relaxed. Over time, you will also build up concentration power and deepen understanding about yourself.
But, meditation is not a quick-fix solution. To reap its benefits, you need to do it everyday consistently. Having said that, don't give yourself undue pressure. 15 mins a day is all you need. Enjoy it, don't see it as a chore. I definitely encouraged you to try it.
Here's a simple breathing meditation you can try to help you relax:
1. Sit down in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed for 15 minutes or longer. Sit on a cushion cross legged, or on a chair. Just make yourself comfortable (but not so comfortable that you fall asleep). If it's cold, wrap a thin blanket around you.
2. Close your eyes and start by taking a few slow, deep breaths. Don't force yourself to breathe deeply. Let it come naturally. The first few tries are normally shallow but as you continue, allow more air to fill your lungs naturally each time. Gradually, your breaths will become deep and slow. Take as long as you need.
3. Once you are breathing deeply, you'll feel more relaxed. That's a good sign. Focus your attention on your breaths. If you find your attention straying to other things in your mind, just gently bring it back to your breaths. It happens often, even to experienced meditators. So no need to beat yourself up. What's important is to realize it and bring your attention back.
4. Take as long as you feel like it. Beginners usually have trouble sitting for long. It's perfectly okay. As you meditate more, you'll find it easier to sit for longer period. Don't give yourself undue pressure to complete a certain time as it'll only make meditation another thing on your to-do list. Keep it as a light, fun and intimate moment to spend knowing yourself better.
5. When you are done, just open your eyes gently. Stand up and do a little stretch and bring your increased awareness into your daily activities.
For more information on how to meditate, you may like to check out: http://theconsciouslife.com/how-to-meditate-a-guide-for-beginners.htm
There's also a variation of the breathing meditation, How to Relax and Master Your Stress at http://theconsciouslife.com/how-to-relax-and-master-your-stress.htm
Have fun meditating! Learn to see your current situation in the right perspective. The problems or setbacks you face now will most likely be inconsequential in 10 or even 5 years from now.
All the best!
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Meditation Methods
What is the dhammakaya meditation method ?
The identifying feature of Dhammakaya meditation is the meditator's to attention towards the centre of the body, at a point described in the Buddhist Sub-commentaries two finger breadths above the navel. This point is exactly the same point as the end-point of the deepest breath in mindfulness of breathing meditation (Anapanasati). It is called an approach rather than a method because any of the forty methods of samatha meditation mentioned in the Visuddhimagga can be adapted to it.
How to meditate
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