The Role Of Meditation In Buddhism

11 Jun
2010
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Meditation, either as formal practice or indirectly through prayer, form an important part of nearly every religion. While religion may need meditation, meditation can be done without any religious aspects and purely as a philosophical concept and practice.

Meditating involves both, the mind and the body and this makes it particularly important to Buddhism as it views the human being as a single entity, made up of the mind and body and meditation is the best way to unify them. Since meditation is a way of controlling the mind and increasing awareness, the awareness of the body is also increased.

The purpose of meditation is to prevent the mind from wandering and focus it tightly on a single thought or concept so that it maybe better understood in all its dimensions. Buddhism offers a number of ways in which to meditate and everyone is free to choose whichever method he or she finds most suitable.

Buddhism considers meditation as a mental and physical action that a person undertakes to separate themselves from their thoughts and feelings, in order to become completely aware. A common question that is raised is, if one is separate from one’s thoughts and feelings, what is there left, to be aware with. The answer to that is that Buddhism believes that feelings and thoughts (as conditioned by our environment) interfere with a true level of pure awareness and understanding which comes from within the being. Think of it as a radio signal and the normal thoughts and emotions are other channels on the same wavelength. Obvious the overlapping of sounds will lead to a loss of clarity in all.

But, if the other two are turned off for a while, the main channel, that of the being, becomes crystal clear and with the clarity comes awareness and heightened perception. This allows us to increase of understanding of what is out life and what we are doing with it. We can be objective and truly understand what we are doing and where we are going. Once this understanding comes, we can, if we so choose, use some of the other tenets of the faith to help us change the direction of our lives to refocus on the issues we now understand are important.

An example of what meditation can achieve could be found in the example of a top sportsman who was world renowned. His secret was that he was using banned substances to enhance his performance. His success, wealth and fame, along with the idea that he was not hurting anyone else, allowed him to continue with this practice. It was only when he took up Buddhism and began to meditate that he understood the true implications of what he was doing. The removal of emotions and environmentally crated thoughts allowed him to understand that none of what he had achieved was worth the price he was paying.

Meditation is so important in Buddhism because the religion focuses on understanding what you are. And the only way you will be able to achieve this is by meditating.

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How Can Buddhism Be Incorporated Into Daily Life?

18 Aug
2009

It’s a common misconception that the spiritual or religious life exists somewhere “up there” and is on another plane of existence that we can only achieve by forsaking the material benefits and comforts of the lives we normally lead. People think that to become spiritual you must give up the physical.

Buddhism is a way of life that offers a balance between the two and allows you to integrate spiritualism and religion in your daily life. You give up nothing, but achieve a greater appreciation of what you have and how important it is to you.

Spiritualism is not miracles. It is not walking on water, bending spoons with the mind or hearing the voice of God. It is being the best person you can be. Buddhism teaches that if you strive to be the best human being you can be, you are being spiritual. Where you do it, the home, office or in a bar, makes no difference. So Buddhism can be incorporated in your life wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

There are some things you can do to make this process easier.

  • Start the day by making a list of “I shoulds” and replace them with “I will’s.” When you wake up in the morning, make a list of all the things you should do to be a better human being. Every day, replace one or two items on the list with “I will” and make sure that you follow through. Start with the small things like –“I will be nice to the jerk in the office.” If you do this regularly, you will find more peace and contentment in your life.

  • Learn a few Buddhist chants and start reciting them as you go through your morning routine. You will find they help you to start the day feeling positive.

  • Practice spirituality even in odd moments. For example when driving to work, don’t let a long red light irritate you. Instead use the time to remember your “I wills” and how you want people to think of you that day.

This in turn will lead you to a state of mindfulness where you begin to question your automatic responses. Getting irritated at the red light is automatic and does you no good. But, when you begin to realize that things would be much worse if the lights stopped working, you stop being automatic and become mindful.

All the above are simple things you can do to incorporate Buddhism in you life without taking time out from your daily schedule. You will find that even these small actions will bring you peace and inspire you to try to bring more Buddhism into your daily life.

Try and find 20 minutes in your day to meditate. You will be surprised at how easy it is. Once you stop being automatic and become mindful you will know what are the things you can do without and will find the time, either all at one go or maybe in 2 blocks of 10 minutes each. It’s up to you.

Dr. Alex Mitrovic, Ph.D.
Hypnotic Yogi Research Institute

MeditationSolution.com and Hypnoticyogi.com

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An Introduction To Buddhism

16 Aug
2009
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The growing interest in Buddhism has spawned a great many questions and also misconceptions about what the religion is, and how it affects the lives of its followers. Perhaps the best way to introduce Buddhism is to provide brief answers to many of the questions and clear the most common misconceptions. Once that is done, those who feel that Buddhism has something to offer them can easily find more resources to obtain an in-depth understanding of the faith.

  • How many people believe in Buddhism today? Buddhism today is the principal faith of over 300 million people. Although there are many variations in the practice of the religion, they are all basically the same.

  • Is Buddha the God of Buddhism? No he is not. He never claimed to be a God. He was a man who achieved a level of enlightenment and understanding and taught what he had learned to others.

  • If He is not a God, why are his statues in temples? The image of Buddha found in places of worship are not idols that are to be prayed to. The image always has Buddha with his hands in his lap in a gentle pose and also with a loving, peaceful smile on his face. His image exists to remind us that we must strive to achieve in ourselves the levels of peace and love that Buddha found.

  • What kind of religion is Buddhism? To many people, Buddhism is more a philosophy or way of life than a religion. It is tolerant, accepting and focuses on the development of the mind and spirit in a way that causes no harm to others.

  • Is that why Buddhism is becoming so popular? That maybe one reason, but Buddhism’s growing popularity stems from the fact that it offers, in the modern and materialistic world, a way to find peace and be in harmony with one’s spirit. This mental and spiritual well being translates itself into physical well being.

  • Is Buddhism a modern / scientific religion? If by modern, you mean is it relevant in today’s world, the answer is yes. Today, more than ever, finding peace, contentment and balance in life is important. And scientific can be defined as seeing and testing to establish facts. In that case, Buddhism is scientific because the basics of the faith are not just open to testing but Buddha himself asked his followers to not blindly accept what he preached to them but to examine ant test his teachings themselves.

  • How does Buddhism view other religions? Buddhism is a system of beliefs that accepts all others. In many ways it is more of a philosophy that is aimed at the development of the mind and spirit to allow for a greater appreciation of the joys and sorrows of life and the reasons behind them. The moral teachings of Buddhism are in agreement with those of other religions. Buddhism is not concerned with labels like Christian, Moslem or Hindu. It is the growth of the mind and sprit that is important, not what name the path is known by.

Dr. Alex Mitrovic, Ph.D.

Hypnotic Yogi Research Institute

MeditationSolution.com and Hypnoticyogi.com
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So…What Does Buddhism Have To Offer The Westerner?

18 Jul
2009
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One of the reasons western civilization has achieved so much material progress is due to the ingrained desire to reach out for more. It has long been believed that it is an outcome of the much touted “Anglo Saxon work ethic.” Perhaps so and while no one will deny the benefits of what western civilization has given the world (or ignore the problems it has caused), many are now asking if the single minded focus on material possessions and economic growth are the only aspects of life that deserve this striving towards.

People have come to understand that in the West, we are leading lives of a frantic pace that just keeps getting faster. We chase happiness and contentment, but are in far too much of a rush to understand and appreciate what we already have. Buddhism offers a way of finding a balance between the need for material growth and comfort with a search for inner peace that allows one to understand and appreciate what he already has and what more he needs. It offers a way to find peace in a world that is running faster and faster just to stay in the same place.

Buddhism teaches that peace of mind is not something that can be obtained externally. While God exists and is our Savior, he cannot give us true contentment and peace. Even those in this life whom we love cannot provide this to us. It is up to the individual to find the path that will allow him to educate himself and understand the working of his own mind. The individual must learn to contemplate and meditate so that he can understand himself and his own motivations and desires. Meditation clears the mind and allows one to see the truth as it is and not affected by ingrained perceptions of what is desirable and what is not.

Buddhism does not teach that the material aspects of life should be abandoned or forgotten. The house we live in, the car we drive, the work we do, the food we eat, the parties we go to and everything else that makes up our lives, is important. But what is even more important is to understand the value of each possession and activity. That allows us to understand the importance we should give it and how much of our lives we should devote to it. For example, our jobs are very important because without them, none of the other aspects of our life would exist. But if the job consumes us to the extent that family, friends and everything else that goes to make us what we are is forgotten, what are we working for?

Many people in the West are skeptical about the value of Buddhism in our lives, and look at meditation as just a way of escape from reality. Actually, it is a way of escape from “perceived” reality. Meditation enables the mind to cut through the perceptions we are all conditioned with, and see the real truth and facts of our existence.

Buddhism offers us Westerns, an opportunity not to give up what we have, but to understand it better and by doing so focus more on what gives us peace and contentment.

Dr. Alex Mitrovic, Ph.D.
Hypnotic Yogi Research Institute

MeditationSolution.com and Hypnoticyogi.com


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It’s been a long time between posts…

8 Jul
2009

I’ve been trying to come up with some new ideas on expanding the blog, maybe into a bit of Buddhist history and so on…please stay tuned with some a few more posts coming soon. :-)

Zen Meditation and the Development of Discipline

15 Apr
2009
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Zen meditation is known to cultivate many things. One of the most important attributes Zen meditation develops is the art and science of disciplined behavior. This does not mean, however, that practicing Zen meditation requires specificity and a formal attitude. It simply means that dedicating oneself to the focused pursuit of Zen meditation yields the pleasant benefit of developing a disciplined approach to life.

The word focus does bear repeating because it is a critically important component to Zen meditation. This does mean that one needs to be rigid when practicing Zen meditation. Nor does it mean one’s thoughts should not occasionally drift. However, during meditation periods, one should always be focused on the prime purposes of the meditation session. This helps discipline the mind and bring order to one’s thoughts. Such skills are greatly helpful not only to improving one’s meditation session, but also when going about one’s daily business in life.

Discipline can be developed through Zen meditation in a number of ways. Did you know, for example, that never missing a Zen meditation session helps develop discipline? Yes, if you get into the habit of treating your meditation sessions seriously, your will discover you will apply this attitude towards everything in life. This is because consistency is a discipline that applies to all facets of life. When you develop a sense of discipline for meeting and maintaining your Zen meditation schedule, you will yourself becoming consistent and punctual with everything. And, of course, you will reap the positive rewards of such actions.

There is a certain formality to a Zen meditation session. One needs to focus internally and sit in a still position. Even if one is taking part in moving meditation, the movement can not be performed in such a way that it is haphazard. Such formalness develops a sense of discipline no different from the way traditional martial arts achieve this goal. That is, by placing a certain standard of behavior on a person’s speech and actions during meditation time, an individual will develop a disciplined approach to all of his or her actions.

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The Physical Benefits of Zen Meditation

14 Apr
2009
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What comes to mind when the benefits of Zen meditation are mentioned? Most people will mention the spiritual and mental benefits of the meditation process. Such statements are accurate but they are not entirely complete. That is, there are physical benefits to Zen meditation as well. This is a very good thing because you cannot have a healthy mind or spirit if your body is weak.

When you meditate regularly you will discover your sleep becomes more restful. This is no minor benefit. Having proper and deep sleeping patterns help your body with its metabolic function. This is because muscle repairs itself during the body’s resting stage. As a result, your ability to develop lean muscle mass is optimized. This will have many benefits towards your overall health and fitness levels.

There have been numerous reports that regular meditation can improve the immune system. A stronger immune system means you will be more resistance to common colds, flu, and other maladies. It also means you can recover quicker from when these “bugs” affect you.

We often equate alleviating stress with mental health but it also goes hand in hand with physical health. That is because a person who lives relatively stress free will not be susceptible to the common (serious) ailments that can affect the heart. To say that a healthy heart is vital to living a long and healthy life would be a dramatic understatement.

Additionally, Zen meditation has been reported to reduce cholesterol levels. High levels of cholesterol are often blamed for heart ailments. So, consider Zen meditation’s positive impact on cholesterol levels yet another way it can improve heart health.

Zen meditation has been known to reduce blood pressure. This is often attributed due to the calming effect that meditation provides. Considering the fact that high blood pressure often contributes to a number of maladies, the ability of Zen meditation to lower blood pressure is a huge plus.

Of course, this is not to infer that Zen meditation is a replacement for proper medical care. Zen meditation is simply another form of exercise that can help cultivate a healthy body. That is one of the reasons it has been so popular for thousands of years.

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Why Breathing is Important in Zen Meditation

12 Apr
2009
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Without a doubt, breathing is one of the most important elements in Zen meditation. Or, more specifically, proper, relaxed breathing remains one of its most important elements. To understand why breath control is so important, one must look at the problems inherent when there is an absence of breath control.

Have you ever been under extreme stress? More than likely you have because we all must deal with stress at some point in our lives. Stress is generally very difficult to deal with and it causes us to lose our control. We will experience our breathing becomes labored, harsh, and intense. This makes calming down difficult because we cannot calm down until we gain control of our breathing patterns. Conversely, if we develop the learned skill of breath control, we can reduce many of the effects stress has on us. Thankfully, a few simple steps can help us become more in control of our breathing. This, in turn, will allow us to gain more from our Zen meditation sessions.

Beginning each meditation session with a half dozen slow and deep breaths is advisable. Always inhale and exhale through the nose. This will bring in oxygen into your system and help develop the proper respiratory state you should be in when meditating.

As you drift into your meditative state, pay close attention to your breathing. You will not try to change or alter your breathing. Nor will you make judgments as to whether or not your breathing is correct. You will simply pay attention to it. In a short period of time, your breathing will slowly calm down and reach a relaxed state. From this experience, you will gain a little insight as to how your breathing patterns work. This will, in time, aid in helping you gain control of your breathing patterns.

Get into the habit of counting your breaths and pay attention to the calming effect relaxed breathing possesses. This is important because you can call upon this technique when you are under stress. That is, when stress starts to become overwhelming, you can tune out a lot of the “noise” for a moment and concentrate on your breathing. This will help restore the vital sense of calm needed to deal with a stressful situation.

Yes, proper breathing is important to get the most out of Zen meditation. Simply taking a few steps to improve one’s breathing patterns will not only help you meditation sessions, but it will make you an overall more relaxed and calm individual.

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Improving Your Zen Meditation Sessions

10 Apr
2009
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At its most basic level, Zen meditation is fairly simple. Through gaining control of one’s posture, breathing patterns, and thought process, it is possible to achieve a calming state of mind. Of course, proper Zen meditation is a learned skill and different practitioners can claim different levels of skill in this art form. But, no matter what your current skill level in Zen meditation may be you can always improve it. This is not to say there is an absolute right or wrong way to meditate. However, there are a few things you can do to make sure your meditation session is as rewarding and positive as possible.

Try different meditation techniques. Some individuals can achieve gains will the same routine year after year. That is fine. A person should do whatever he or she finds most workable. However, if you feel that the benefits you derive from Zen meditation have hit a plateau then it may be best to try other tactics or techniques. “Shaking up” your training will often yield better results. Yes, like any other skill development process, becoming talented at Zen meditation may require a bit of trial and error.

Be mindful and aware of improvements. If you are feeling noticeable improvements you should continue with your new methodology. If you are not noticing improvements then you may wish to alter things a little. For example, if you feel calmer, are more aware of how others perceive you, and are noticing that life’s little difficulties are becoming less and less difficult then you probably have a good program going. However, when progress feels limited it may be necessary to change the time you meditate, where you meditate, the duration of your meditation, etc.

Beware of letting emotions override you. When you meditate you always run the potential of bringing forth suppressed emotions. This is a good thing! Once negative energy is brought to the forefront it no longer will have a hold on you. But, it is important not to dwell on these emotions or else they could prove depressing. Instead, witness them and let them go.

Contemplate on anything that catches your attention. Meditating on Zen koans has many benefits, but so can meditating on a commercial jingle you heard on the radio! Such a practice could be a lot of fun and add some levity to your meditation. Also, there is something that attracts you to those funny little things in life. Why not meditate on these light-hearted things as well? It could provide enlightening.

Never try and rush a result. You can’t set a stopwatch and say you’ll be enlightened once it reaches zero. Zen does not work that way as it is a lifetime process. Make Zen meditation a regular part of your life and you will find the rewards will come.

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Zen Meditation in Your Car

21 Mar
2009
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Previously, we had discussed the concept of moving meditation. Moving meditation, as the name implies, involves meditating while you are taking part in an activity. Usually, we define an “activity” as a physical or sportive pursuit. Actually, moving meditation can take place in any type of activity. Yes, you can even meditate while driving your car.

Let’s get one thing clear right from the start: this does not mean you let your mind wander to the point you are not concentrating on the road! Obviously, this would be a dangerous strategy! Meditating while driving is no different than talking on a cell phone when driving in the sense that you are investing your attention on two activities at once. You are carrying on a conversation while also paying attention to the road. Of course, paying attention to the road and driver safety comes first. So, you will not be 100% meditating. You will simply be modifying your meditation to calm your mind when you drive.

And learning how to meditate in a car can be very helpful. We spend a lot of time in our cars. Usually, we do not want to be in the car and would prefer to be at our destination. This is why we should take advantage of our drive time to make it more beneficial. Instead, we often make it more stressful. This is unfortunate because our time is what we make of it. There is no reason why we cannot take or time investment in the car to be – pardon the pun – a vehicle for our Zen meditation.

Often, when we are stuck in traffic we can get upset, angry, or frustrated. When other drivers “zoom” past us on the road we can develop the same agitated mental state. If you are going to be using your mind when you drive, why not use it for something more positive? Instead of turning the radio on and listen to an anxiety inducing news report, how about listening to a Zen music CD? This will calm your nerves and allow your mind to drift away from the more stressful aspects of a drive.

You could even invest a little bit of your drive time to meditating on your favorite Zen koan. Combining this with the music in the background could take that drive time and changing from something stressful to something quite valuable.

Alex

From meditationsolution.com

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