Meditation Techniques to train attention and awareness Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking",[note 1] achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state,[web 1][web 2] while not judging the meditation process itself.[note 2] Techniques are broadly classified into focused (or concentrative) and open monitoring methods. Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions, though it is also practiced independently from any religious or spiritual influences for its health benefits. Apart from its historical usage, the term meditation was introduced as a translation for Eastern spiritual practices, referred to as dhyāna in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which comes from the Sanskrit root dhyai, meaning to contemplate or meditate.[14][15][16] The Greek word theoria actually derives from the same root.[17] Difficulties in defining meditation [edit] Dictionary definitions
How To Meditate - Learn how to meditate effectively Learning Meditation at LearningMeditation.com Nine ways of resting the mind Nine ways of resting the mind (Tib. སེམས་གནས་པའི་ཐབས་དགུ་, sem nepé tab gu; Wyl. sems gnas pa’i thabs dgu) — whatever the object of our meditation, we pass through nine stages in the development of shamatha. Resting the Mind (Tib. The ninth stage of resting the mind is also known as the ‘one-pointed mind of the desire realm’ (Tib. These are taken from Maitreya's Ornament of Mahayana Sutras (Skt. Six Powers These stages are accomplished through the six powers (Skt. ṣaḍbala; Tib. Listening/study (Skt. śrūtabala; Tib. Four Mental Engagements All of these stages can be condensed into the four mental engagements (Tib. tightly focused engagement (Tib. Alternative Translations Nine stages of resting the mind Notes Jump up ↑ On a large scale, this picture depicts the complete process or path of shamatha. Internal Links Further Reading Dzogchen Ponlop, Wild Awakening (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2003), pages 100-109.