background preloader

Meditation

Facebook Twitter

Calm.com. Urban Dharma - Buddhism in America. Meditation for beginners. The strange thing is that when I was 15, I meditated quite a bit. I was dealing with some anger issues (mostly anger about being a teenager in a not-challenging-enough school system whose friends had started to act in inexplicable ways) and I’m not sure how I learned about it, but I had a regular practice for almost a year. Fast-forward 18 years, and I have a regular practice going again, but barely engaged in the practice in the interim. Beginning to meditate again was a challenge, and it took almost a year of knowing I should, wanting to, and planning on doing it before I finally started down the path. I’m a believer in the positive effects of meditation, because I remember them from when I was 15; I could go from the throes of an almost-hysterical freak-out to relative calm in less than 15 minutes, using breathing and visualization. But if you’re like me and have wanted to start, but have found it to be less easy than you expected, here are some thoughts that might help.

Also on MNN: How to do Zazen - Seated Meditation Video. Hi, I am Patrick and today we are talking about Zazen and how to do it. Meditation isn't just for buddhas or monks; it's for everybody that can be done at almost any time. So let's get started. When you sit, you are going to want to elevate your pelvis. The most useful thing for this is something like a Zafu, it's a round Japanese shape. But honestly anything will work, a pillow folded in half, a rolled up blanket is just as good.

Don't let not having a zafu keeping you away from starting your meditation. As you sit, you want to have a stable base as possible. And finally, classic full-lotus posture. Most important physical component of meditation is the spine. Another thing to look out for is the shoulders. Zazen can be done from anywhere between 15 minutes to one hour. The idea of the zazen is to have a clear empty mind without chattering thought. Like a monkey you are constantly climbing from tree to tree, the mind meets some random thoughts or random thought.

The Meditation Tip of the Day. Daily Wisdom. World Prayers - Meditations Index. Learning Meditation Home Page. Investigating the Mind. 9 Mindfulness Rituals to Make Your Day Better | zen habits. “Smile, breathe and go slowly.” - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist monk Post written by Leo Babauta. Are you simply moving through your day, without fully living? I did this for many years. It was as if life were just passing by, and I was waiting for something to happen. But today isn’t preparation for tomorrow. Fully live today by being mindful. You don’t need to do all of these, but give a few of them a try to see if they make your day better. Mindfulness Rituals Ritual isn’t about doing a routine mindlessly. Here are a few of my favorites: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. These rituals aren’t the only time you should be mindful, but they’re great reminders.

Meditation Secrets Revealed.