Buddhist Meditation

It goes without saying just how important meditation is to the Buddhist religion. To state the obvious meditation  is the core of the Buddhist practice. Buddhist meditations have a variety of techniques derived from ancient Buddhist texts. Buddhist meditation has evolved over a span of many thousands of years. These techniques helps to develop some great virtues of the human mind, namely mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight.

The benefit derived from these techniques is not only confined to Buddhists. Buddhists consider meditation as a path towards attainment of Enlightenment and Nirvana. Non-Buddhists pursue these techniques for purely mental and physical well-being and non-religious spiritual aims. Even medical science has adopted Buddhist meditation techniques to deal with the various aberrations of human mind.

These Buddhism meditation techniques have been adopted all over the world including the west for health and spiritual reasons. One reason for such a wide acceptance is these techniques do not have any authoritative doctrines.

Among various Buddhist traditions, Theravada tradition contributes to over ninety methods in developing mindfulness meditation and concentration collectively. Likely, the Tibetan tradition also has abundant meditation techniques which have elements of visionary qualities.

According to the Pali Canon School, Buddhist meditation can be practiced to develop right mindfulness, right concentration, and right view.

There are various inferences or suttas. Among them in the Sattipathana sutta, Buddha has framed four ways of attaining mindfulness. They are the body, feelings, state of the mind, and mental objects. He has further divided them into different parts:

Body (kaya)

1. Breathing
2. Postures
3. Clear comprehending
4. Reflections of repulsiveness of the body
5. Reflections on material elements
6. Contemplations regarding to the cemetery

Feelings (vedana)

Mind (citta)

Mental content(dhamma)

1. The hindrances
2. The aggregates
3. The sense-bases
4. The factors of enlightenment
5. The four noble truths.

Buddha has framed two qualities of the mind, which is attained through meditation, namely serenity and insight. Collectively they are called the swift messengers of Nibbana.

Buddha has preached forty methods of meditation which will develop concentration and consciousness. Moreover, he has advised to choose the most suitable path among the forty methods, which align with ones mental makeup. One should seek a knowledgeable individual for guidance.

Buddhist meditation techniques have also incorporated practices from others like Zongmi Typology, which has been utilized by the Chinese and others. According to this, all meditation techniques appear to be the same externally. But they differ on a wide basis internally in the motive and purpose. They have five categories of meditative techniques: ordinary, outside way, small vehicle, great vehicle and supreme vehicle.

According to a meditation teacher Kamalashila of western Buddhist order, there are five basic methods of meditation:

1. Mindfulness of breathing

2. Metta bhavana including all four Brahma-viharas

3. Contemplation of impermanence including contemplation of decomposing corpse, reflection on death, reflection of Tibetan book of the dead’s “Root Verses”, Contemplation of mental states and external objects

4. Six element practice

5. Contemplation of conditionality.

To make sense of all this, Buddhist meditation techniques are well suited for anyone interested in advancing their meditation practice. You may practice them for a number of reasons, such as general well-being and spiritual advancement.

What Is Mindfulness Meditation?

Meditation is the path to self realization and tranquility. One of the most important meditation techniques is the mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness is a mental state that enables you to stay with a calm mind. It helps you stay aware of all the physical and mental activities of the present.  It is a form of Buddhist meditation that has been practiced for eons. According to Buddha’s noble eight fold path, it is the seventh element. Mindfulness develops wisdom of the human mind.

Insight is another name for mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation helps to concentrate on the present. This technique allows you to let go of  the past and future thoughts, hindering a certain peace of mind. During mindfulness meditation, you stay aware of the mind’s thoughts that are going on, and any actions that are happening in the present moment. This meditation technique helps to focus on the real present and develop concentration.

To really understand the meaning of and the benefits of mindfulness meditation you will need to practice it. The basic preparation and guidelines to practice this meditation technique properly is discussed below:

Create a favorable environment. This is one of the most important things to do.  Mindfulness for beginners is quite easy, if you take that all important step and get started. There should not be any sort of distraction in the place that you will select for practicing this meditation technique. This place should be calm and quiet. There should not be any sound or noise to distract you and disturb you during your meditation. This place should be such where you can forget all your pain, sorrow and can get rid of all your stress. This place should emit a sacred feeling. It can be a religious place or any place of your choice which gives you positive vibes. You don’t need to be a practicing Buddhist to see the benefits that come from a mindfulness practice.

Starting your meditation is a rather simple process. It may help to start meditating for just short periods, but do so frequently. Do not sit for long periods of meditation initially. You’ll need to slowly adjust to the meditation techniques for best results. Utilizing a meditation timer is a great way to keep track of time without worrying about a clock.

Having the correct posture is crucial step in mindfulness for beginners. There is a strong connection between the body and the mind. Hence, to control your mind you need to control your physical posture. The right way of meditating is to have an upright erect posture. Think of the traditional cross legged (lotus) pose. Keeping an erect posture helps with concentration, though you should not experience any discomfort. When it comes to meditation for beginners staying focused is one of the biggest hurdles.

Your focus should be down around the few inches around your nose. The eyes can remain open and still not be distracted by your  surroundings.

The goal here is to focus on your breath during meditation. Your natural breathing process should be the object of concentration during your meditation. You may focus on your exhale as it passes through the back of your nasal cavity or you can feel the air as it escapes past your nostrils. If you get distracted, that’s okay, just refocus and feel your breath as you come back to the meditation.

Remove your thoughts and focus on the present through your breathing. It may be easier said than done, but this is what we strive for. Initially it will be very difficult to focus and concentrate your mind. You will feel yourself getting distracted by the constant chatter of the mind. By feeling your breath to the core, you can gradually root your mind in the present and stay focused.

These are the very basic fundamentals, as they relate to practicing mindfulness meditation. There are many Buddhist texts and guided meditations that will certainly help advance your practice.

Meditation for Beginners

Meditation is one of the best stress-relieving activities that you can do. Meditation also promotes better sleep, makes you feel calmer, aids in concentration and clear thinking, and improves your focus. You can also enjoy a better over-all health by meditating regularly. Taking a few minutes out of your day for quiet contemplation and meditation will help you be more productive and happier as you go about your daily tasks. Use these helpful tips on meditation for beginners to help you get started.

You don’t have to adopt special positions or have a special place to meditate. These can come later. All you need is a comfortable place to sit, where you feel supported and relaxed. Plan a time in advance for meditation; take the phone off the hook, be prepared to ignore the door-bell and other interruptions. Block out 15 to 20 minutes of your time, although, in reality, you will only actually meditate for 5 minutes or so in the beginning. You can utilize a meditation timer that will notify you when your time is up. Meditation timers are a great tool, as they remove the constant distraction and questions of “am I there yet?” After meditation, it is a good idea to sit quietly for a few moments, and not rush off to the next part of your busy day.

It is a good idea to keep a meditation journal; a special book only used for this purpose. As you sit quietly after your meditation, write down any thoughts or feelings that come to you. Some people find that they can write beautiful poetry at this time, which seems to come easily to them, as if from within.

To start your beginner meditation, sit comfortably in a chair or on a cushion on the floor. Wear loose-fitting comfortable clothing and take off your shoes. Make sure your back is straight and you are comfortable, with no tension in any part of your body.

There are many meditation techniques for beginners out there, but the best advice for the beginner is to keep it simple. The first thing you do is take several slow, deep breaths. With each outward breath, think of releasing the stresses and worries of your everyday life. Breathe in calmness and breathe out tension; you can even say to yourself – “I am breathing in calm; I am breathing out tension.”

Continue to breathe in your own natural rhythm, just observing the breath as it gently moves in and out. Your body is relaxed. You are feeling calm. Clear your mind of the usual chatter that we have going on continuously. Focus on your breathing, and if a thought comes to your mind, acknowledge it and let it go. Don’t stress about any thoughts that come up, just let them float away. Meditation for beginners isn’t an extremely difficult process. It’s important to note, however, that when we first get started in meditation we quickly realize how much chatter goes on in the mind. This is natural, though our goal in meditation is to seek control back from the egoic mind. As we progress in our meditation practice we’re able to quite these constant thoughts.

Keep your early sessions short, to about 5 minutes. As you continue to practice, you will be able to extend this time, but it is best to start off slowly. Don’t worry whether you are doing it correctly, just develop the skill of observing your breathing and controlling the thoughts that come into your mind. You may vary your meditations by adding soft, soothing meditation music in the background, using guided meditations, burning incense, or lighting a candle and gazing at the flame as you breathe.

Make a meditation appointment with yourself each day to form a habit of regular meditation. By following these tips in meditation for beginners, you will soon start to feel the wonderful benefits of this ancient craft.

Learn to Meditate

When we come across people interested in meditation it’s not always so simple to explain, they often have an image of  a yogi or spiritual leader meditating with mystical powers. The pop culture image of a bearded wizard type individual who meditates in the forest certainly perpetuates this. Reality, however, is far from it, as there are various types of meditation practiced by millions of ‘normal’ people each and every day. You won’t have to move to a Tibet or take up the forest life to learn meditation. It’s really quite simple, and you can learn to meditate in the comfort of your own home.

When you first get started in learning meditation you may not know where to begin, as there are many types of meditation to choose from. The best advice is to start with a simple meditation when you’re just getting started. Once you get the swing of things you can experiment with the other varieties of meditation and find your preference.

Anybody who is new to meditation can start with the simplest of all, the breath counting meditation. This meditation is the easiest to perform, and the easiest to learn, as it’s also a form of natural meditation. To get started you will want to find a quite place where you’ll be comfortable and have no interruptions. You may sit in the lotus position (cross legged) or simply lay on your back if it’s more comfortable for you. It’s important not to get too relaxed while lying down, which can be an issue.  Once you are in a comfortable position you can start you breath counting meditation.  Gently relax your body and mind, as you close your eyes. We start by simply counting each inhale and exhale. Once we reach a predetermined number we start over. You can count up to 3, 5, 10 or whatever suites you. Keeping the number short, however, helps with your concentration. And concentration is what it’s all about. The goal here is to just focus on our breath, as we count each inhaled and exhaled breath. You’ll quickly learn that this is easier said than done, as your mind has other ideas. Don’t be dissuaded by the constant chatter of the mind, as it’s perfectly normal. You’ll develop better control with time.

You can start performing this simple meditation for a few minutes every once or twice a day. Once you begin to do this practice you can gradually increase the duration of the meditation. Remember to just to watch your thoughts pass by. Try not to get distracted by the mind. Or better yet, when you get distracted by your mind, simply return to your breathing. You can use a meditation timer that will not only signal the end of your session, but chime at certain intervals, so that you can return if distracted.  This mind distractions may seem very difficult at first, but consistent practice will help you get control back from your mind.

Learning to meditate is not at all a complicated procedure, it’s actually quite simple. The problem most people face is that it’s a lot like exercise, in that it takes steady discipline.  Understanding the benefits of exercise is not hard to conceptualize, just the action required to get the the results. Most people get motivated with a few visits to the gym, but the excitement quickly fades, and before they know it they’ve lost all motivation. This applies to learning meditation too. You will not see the results you’re looking for if you don’t put in the consistent practice. Meditation is a learned discipline that can provide a number of life changing benefits, but you’ll have to practice.

Before you learn to meditate your objective should be clear. Setting up goals is an important step. These goals need to be realistic for what you plan to achieve. Make meditation a part of your daily routine. If you can meditate twice a day, morning and night, that’s great, but try to allot a portion of your day to meditation. It’s recommended that you at least devote 20 minutes to your daily meditation. This should be a minimum, since the best results are achieved with longer consistent sessions.

Once you learn to meditate and are clear about what you wish to achieve via meditation you can then choose the meditation that best suits you. There are many types of meditation in some cultures that are actually a form of prayer like in Hinduism and Buddhism. You don’t, however, need to change your religion to learn meditation, rather pick up a meditation that will most benefit you. This may be a Buddhist mediation or some other form, proceed with an open mind.

Picking up the right meditation for you can be a bit of a task with so many to choose from, but it really doesn’t have to be. Many of the most experienced meditation gurus make the simple breath counting meditation the mainstay of there daily practice. This is because it works. Once you learn to meditate you’ll find there is no magic meditation that’s better than the others, just the one that’s best for you.

So start with a simple meditation. Set a realistic goal that you can stick to for a certain peiod of time. For example, 30 minutes in the mornings for 2 months.  Make it part of your daily routine. Don’t have unrealistic expectations. In fact, don’t have any expectations, other than your daily devotion. Once you’ve practiced for a few months and reached this goal, you can then reflect on your developement. What you’ll find will be nothing short of amazing.

Meditation Timer

The following meditation timers come in a variety of lengths to assist in your meditation practice. Utilizing an audio meditation timer is a helpful tool that eliminates the need to check a timer or a watch.

The first group of free meditation timers below simply signals the beginning and end of your timed meditation session with a bell sound. The bell sounds once at the beginning and then three times to signal the end of the session.

You may choose to download these MP3 audio files or simply play them in your browser. To download Right Click and “Save Link As” and then specify your desired file location.

• 15 Minute Meditation Timer
• 20 Minute Meditation Timer
• 30 Minute Meditation Timer
• 40 Minute Meditation Timer
• 45 Minute Meditation Timer
• 60 Minute Meditation Timer

Meditation timers can also be utilized as a tool to gently bring the practitioner back into focus. The following timers sound at certain intervals.  For example, the 20 minute meditation timer below sounds at 5 minute intervals (4 times) and then 3 consecutive times to signal completion.

• 20 Minute Meditation Timer (4 Part)
• 20 Minute Meditation Timer (5 Part)
• 30 Minute Meditation Timer (4 Part)
• 40 Minute Meditation Timer (4 Part)
• 40 Minute Meditation Timer (5 Part)

If you’re interested in buying a meditation timer to utilize in your home you can find a variety of choices at Amazon.com:

Meditation At Sunset

Ending the day with a relaxing meditation.