Under this category we share Meditation articles with you.
I want to conclude this little mini-series on meditation by sharing my thoughts on meditation as self-defense. I realize that sounds odd, as meditation helps us stay open and compassionate to the world. What in the world does that have to do with self-defense? Well, this…
As we continue our series on meditation, today I want to share a few meditation myths that can distract us from the heart of this practice. So here’s the first of our meditation myths: The goal of meditation is to stop thinking. This is probably the…
If you’re interested in cultivating a meditation practice, here are a few meditation basics to help you get started…and keep going. While meditation can take many forms, I offer here the form I was taught in Tibetan Buddhism. As you’ll notice, each aspect of the practice…
For the next few weeks, I’m going to be talking about meditation: the why, the how, the process, common misunderstandings, and yes, the frustrations. But today we start with the why: why meditate? I’ll admit, of all the things I suggest to people as a spiritual…
In Tibetan Buddhism, the paramita dhyana can be practiced on three levels. The first level is called worldly concentration. (Some of us hear ‘worldly’ and have been trained to think ‘bad.’ If so, try calling it object meditation instead.) In worldly concentration, we practice meditating on something…
When you first begin meditating, it’s natural to feel like you need some “props.” You want to listen to a guided meditation. Or you need music to help you quiet your brain. Or incense to set the mood. None of these things are inherently bad. But…
The tricky part of relaxation is that we can’t really learn how to relax. We have to allow it. When we meditate, the first step is to breathe, but the second is to relax. Ideally, these two things happen together. They belong together, naturally. When we…
When we meditate regularly, strong emotions often come swirling in like a vortex, or a hurricane. What can meditation teach us about experiencing our emotions? Pema Chodron’s book, How to Meditate, has a wonderful section on this. She writes, “You have to get dirty with your…
Right now you have a good boat, fully equipped and available–hard to find. To free yourself and others from the sea of samsara, Day and night, constantly, Study, reflect and meditate–this is the practice of a bodhisattva. The verses above come from a 14th century Tibetan…
Meditation is not for you; it’s for others. It’s for everyone else who benefits from your awakened mind and calm state. Meditation is for the world, and for the benefit of the world. Yesterday I was speaking with my meditation teacher. I confessed that, of all…
