When you hear the word “buddha,” what comes to mind? An enlightened being? A presence that is perfectly peaceful and stable, like a mountain? Boundless wisdom and compassion? Whatever you think of, it may feel like something unattainable, or even superhuman, and certainly far from the hustle and bustle of mundane life. In the Vajrayana…
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Emotions can be so intense. Sometimes it can feel like they’re in the driver’s seat, careening wildly from one extreme to the other, and all you can do is hang on for dear life and pray you don’t crash. Nevertheless, they can be an excellent support for meditation.
“Mindfulness meditation” is omnipresent these days. Some of these programs are based on traditional meditation practices, others are what you might call “New Age,” and others have been invented out of whole cloth. There exists at least one program claiming it will get you enlightened in seven days! But is mindfulness the same thing as…
Hearing the phrase “pain meditation” might not make you think, “Sounds fun, where do I sign up?” However, those folks who already experience some physical pain as they go through life (read: pretty much everyone who lives in a human body) may be intrigued to know that there’s a meditation technique to work with pain….
“This technique of going in and out of meditation — traditionally referred to as “short times, many times” — is often illustrated by the example of drops of water falling one by one into a large empty bucket. It might take a long while, but in the end, the barrel will be full. Doing informal…
Is meditation safe? Yes, as long as you have the right teachings. “it is literally impossible to block thoughts and emotions. The mind is like a river, always moving, constantly changing. If meditation instructions aren’t teaching you how to embrace that natural flow, then they are turning the flow into your enemy. Noise, distractions, restlessness,…
“Your awareness is bigger than your negative thoughts. So when you can hold sensations in your awareness, that is kindness. If you feel like you can’t let go of your aversion to some of them, that’s okay too. Just be with your aversion. When you allow yourself to have an aversion, that is love. That…
“When it comes to meditation and the true self, knowing yourself is part of connecting to your basic wisdom. And basic wisdom is the true cause of happiness, freedom, and all the good qualities within you. If you connect with basic wisdom, you will become happy and liberated; you’ll develop love and compassion. You’ll be…
“Ordinarily, when we talk about “the mind,” we’re referring to memory, perception, thoughts, feelings, and so on. But in the meditative tradition, these describe mere mental events. Clouds move in the sky, but clouds are not the sky. Awareness is the sky, in which the clouds of mental events come and go. Awareness is simply…
Many people have the wrong idea about meditation. For instance, one popular but incorrect notion is that in meditation, you’re supposed to think of nothing, and completely empty your mind. So, in trying to do it “right,” some folks will sit bolt upright on the cushion, eyes squeezed shut, concentrating really hard on their breath.
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