IMC What is Meditation?

Mindfulness is another form of meditation. It is meditation in action, and it is how we integrate meditation into all aspects of our daily lives until our whole life itself has become meditation. (Don't worry, this takes time to accomplish!). It is based on the Buddhist principle that whatever you focus on, you become. In Buddhism, we do not believe that the mind has a particular, solid shape. Instead, Buddhists believe that the mind is fluid. It takes whatever form you put it in. Whatever thought forms you hold in your mind will determine its shape. So if you focus on unhappy things, you will become unhappy, and conversely, if you focus on happy things, you will become happy!

In practical terms therefore, mindfulness is all about being positive! It is a fun game you can play every day. Throughout the day, pay attention to the thoughts you think, the emotions you feel, your reactions, and so on. When something negative comes along, rather than reacting, engaging, or indulging in that negativity, consciously move your mind to something positive. For example, if you have a negative thought, replace it with a very positive one. In much the same way that your body needs to be worked out in order to become strong, your mind is like a muscle - you have to work it out in order to strengthen it! Eliminating negative thoughts and emotions from your mind is like physical exercise - it's a good habit to get into! Eventually, you will find that you feel better and happier throughout the day, because you will not be allowing yourself to be brought down by any negativity you may encounter. Then at the end of the day, you will discover that you have more energy for the evening.

In meditation we are continuously discovering who and what we are. That could be quite frightening or quite boring, but after a while, all that slips away. We get into some kind of natural rhythm and begin to discover our basic mind and heart.

Meditation is a natural process of allowing oneself to examine the nature of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, and to discover the inherent purity of one's being. It is a practice based on direct experience, rather than on blind belief.

Because his realization was profound, he became known as the "Buddha," which means "the awakened one." The teachings he offered came to be known as Buddha-dharma ("the teaching of the awakened one"), and ultimately as Buddhism. The Buddhist teachings proclaim the possibility of awakening the potential within every human being, and they provide a practical method for doing so. This practical method, passed down from generation to generation, is known as meditation, which is the practice of mindfulness and awareness.


	"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." Buddha



Often we think about meditation as some kind of mystical activity. As we practice, that is one of the basic beliefs we try to overcome. The point is that meditation is completely normal; it is the Mindful Quality present in everything we do. That is a straightforward principle but we are continuously distracted from coming to our natural state, our natural being. Throughout our days everything pulls us away from natural mindfulness, from being on the spot. Our natural tendency to rush means that we're rushing past opportunities. We're either too scared or too embarrassed or too proud or just too crazy, to be who we are. This is what we call the journey or the path: continuously trying to recognize that we can actually relax and be who we are. So practicing meditation begins by simplifying everything. We sit on a cushion, follow our breath and watch our thoughts. We simplify our whole situation. What we're doing is taming our mind. We're trying to overcome all sorts of anxieties and agitation, all sorts of habitual thought patterns, so we are able to sit with ourselves. Life is difficult, we may have tremendous responsibilities, but the odd thing, the twisted logic, is that the way we relate to the basic flow of our life is to sit completely still. It might seem more logical to speed up but here we are reducing everything to a very basic level. We tame the mind by using the technique of mindfulness. Quite simply, mindfulness is complete attention to detail. We are completely absorbed in the fabric of life, the fabric of the moment. We realize that our life is made of these moments and that we cannot deal with more than one moment at a time. Even though we have memories of the past and ideas about the future, it is the present situation that we are experiencing. So the practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive. When we talk about the techniques of meditation, we're talking about the techniques of life. We're not talking about something that is separate from us. When we're talking about being mindful and living in a mindfulness way, we're talking about the practice of spontaneity. Meditation is now accepted as having a highly therapeutic effect upon the mind and is used by many professional mental health workers to help induce relaxation, overcome phobias and bring about self-awareness. The most common physiological effects of meditation are reduced blood pressure, lower pulse rate, decreased metabolic rate and changes in the concentration of serum levels of various substances. Meditation also empowers you to accomplish things in the daily world by connecting you to the power of the universe. The great news is that the benefits of meditation will be experienced right away, beginning with your first meditation session. Meditation makes you bright and happy. When our thoughts stop, we can connect to worlds of light, power, wisdom, and pure consciousness. Eventually, dedicated meditation practice leads to Enlightenment. Meditation Tips Regardless of the form of meditation, it is a good idea to take a shower, or wash your hands and face before you meditate. You may want to set aside a special place in your home that you only use for meditation. Or you can find a place outside that feels good to you. It is important to keep the back straight during meditation, whether you are sitting on the floor or in a chair. Energy flows up the spine, so we try to create a straight pathway for it. Also, it’s a good idea not to eat too much before you meditate, or you will feel heavy and tired. At the end of a meditation session, always bow in gratitude and offer your meditation back to the universe. This humble sign of gratitude is very important in Buddhist practice. Many styles of meditation practice exist today. They generally involve focusing on energy centers in the body, concentrating on a picture or image, chanting, or breathing exercises. Regardless of the style, they all share a common goal - to stop thought. When our thoughts stop, we can connect to worlds of light, power, wisdom, and pure consciousness. Try each style and determine which one feels best to you. You may even want to alternate between the techniques from time to time. Whichever approach you choose, you will find that each meditation session brings a little more clarity and power into your life. The most important things are perseverance in your practice and the ability to never judge your meditation. Meditation takes practice, so don't expect too much, too soon. If you find your mind wandering away from your meditation, do not get frustrated. Simply bring your mind gently back to the technique. Trust yourself and believe in the practice.

Mindfulness is another form of meditation. It is meditation in action, and it is how we integrate meditation into all aspects of our daily lives until our whole life itself has become meditation. (Don't worry, this takes time to accomplish!). It is based on the Buddhist principle that whatever you focus on, you become. In Buddhism, we do not believe that the mind has a particular, solid shape. Instead, Buddhists believe that the mind is fluid. It takes whatever form you put it in. Whatever thought forms you hold in your mind will determine its shape. So if you focus on unhappy things, you will become unhappy, and conversely, if you focus on happy things, you will become happy! In practical terms therefore, mindfulness is all about being positive! It is a fun game you can play every day. Throughout the day, pay attention to the thoughts you think, the emotions you feel, your reactions, and so on. When something negative comes along, rather than reacting, engaging, or indulging in that negativity, consciously move your mind to something positive. For example, if you have a negative thought, replace it with a very positive one. In much the same way that your body needs to be worked out in order to become strong, your mind is like a muscle - you have to work it out in order to strengthen it! Eliminating negative thoughts and emotions from your mind is like physical exercise - it's a good habit to get into! Eventually, you will find that you feel better and happier throughout the day, because you will not be allowing yourself to be brought down by any negativity you may encounter. Then at the end of the day, you will discover that you have more energy for the evening. In meditation we are continuously discovering who and what we are. That could be quite frightening or quite boring, but after a while, all that slips away. We get into some kind of natural rhythm and begin to discover our basic mind and heart. Meditation is a natural process of allowing oneself to examine the nature of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, and to discover the inherent purity of one's being. It is a practice based on direct experience, rather than on blind belief. Because his realization was profound, he became known as the "Buddha," which means "the awakened one." The teachings he offered came to be known as Buddha-dharma ("the teaching of the awakened one"), and ultimately as Buddhism. The Buddhist teachings proclaim the possibility of awakening the potential within every human being, and they provide a practical method for doing so. This practical method, passed down from generation to generation, is known as meditation, which is the practice of mindfulness and awareness.

Buddhism is taking an increasingly prominent role in contemporary western society as interest increases in this approach to life. A unique quality of the Buddhist teachings is that they can be expressed through existing cultural norms, making use of them rather than destroying or replacing them. This allows many westerners to practice Buddhism today without renouncing their cultural heritage or radically changing their lifestyles. The mind, when properly developed, is a very powerful instrument. If we can learn to focus our mental energy and project it towards others, it can have an effect upon them. You may have had an experience like this. Perhaps you are in a crowded room and you get this feeling that someone is watching you. You turn around and, sure enough, someone is staring at you. What has happened is that you have picked up that other person’s mental energy. Loving Kindness Meditation is like that. We project positive mental energy towards them and it gradually transforms them. If you do Loving Kindness Meditation regularly and with the right attitude, you will find very positive changes taking place within yourself. You will find that you are able to be more accepting and forgiving towards yourself. You will find that the feelings you have towards your loved ones will increase. You will find yourself making friends with people you used to be indifferent and uncaring towards, and you will find the ill-will or resentment you have towards some people will lessen and eventually be dissolved. Sometimes if you know of someone who is sick, unhappy or encountering difficulties you can include them in your meditation and very often you will find their situation improving. There are a few recommended guidelines for meditation: • It should be done every day, preferably at the same time • It should preferably be done before a meal rather than after a meal • A spot should be set aside for meditation, which should be a quiet place and used for nothing but meditation • One should sit with the spine straight and vertical (it is ok to use a chair) While meditation is beneficial at any time, most people who meditate agree that early morning is the best time to meditate. Part of the reason is that it is said that in early morning the hustle-and-bustle of the world has not yet begun and so it is easier to establish a meditative atmosphere. Having an early morning meditation also lets us carry some of the energy and peace of the meditation into our daily activities. Many people also meditate either before dinner or later in the evening. Others also meditate at noon. A short meditation at these times allows one to throw off some of the accumulated stress of the work-day and become rejuvenated for further activity. An important consideration is when your schedule will allow you to meditate. Having a time of the day set aside for meditation helps in maintaining regularity.