Whatever the area of mind abuse - a sick mind that is constantly busy cannot heal itself without rest. Nor can that mind think rationally when it is sick Greywolf
V
"Like a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not
moved by praise or blame." Greywolf.
Good advice if you are interested in being at peace GW.
Many of us get stuck in looking for inner fulfillment in outer
circumstances.
This is something that can never yield true inner peace GW.
Inner peace is just that..it resides within us and is not subject to
being bought or acquired outside of us GW.
Sure there are things in life that can make us feel better and the
like.
But if we base our happiness on such things, our happiness suddenly
evaporates if that outside circumstance is removed.
As such, our happiness was illusionary and not authentic GW.
Whatever the area of mind abuse - a sick mind that is constantly busy
cannot heal itself without rest. Nor can that mind think rationally
when it is sick GW.
And quieting our mind helps us connect to the spiritual side of life.
Meditation has played a very important role in giving me a new life.
I first learned about meditation through my studies of Buddhism. I
practice sitting as well as working meditation. I was lucky in the
sense that my job was a mindless one for the most part, so I was able
to practice working meditation for over a decade without causing job
problems.
All the tools discussed within this post are available for any person
to use irrespective of religious belief or lack thereof.
Meditation has 2 benefits. It allows one to calm and concentrate the
mind. This allows for the second benefit of vipassana or clear seeing.
Meditation on nothingness (zazen) helps quiet my "sticky brain" that
seems to hold onto everything.
I can get positive results with just 15 to 20 minutes a day sitting
meditation time. It helps if I sit at regular time. I meditate on
nothingness, although some meditate on an object.
If you can get to a half hour meditation time, that is great. It just
takes time and practice. Morning works better for me than mid
day...there are less things distracting me earlier in the day
usually.
The important point is to just do it and do it regularly and do not
make demands on your meditation practice or have expectations.
Balance is very important in life. We need some spiritual practice and
some physical as well. We sometimes forget we are spiritual beings
residing in physical bodies living in physical world and need effort
in both areas.
There are many other ways to use meditation besides traditional
sitting meditation. There is also working mediation and walking
mediation practices. If you do yoga, you can try combining meditation
with your Yoga practice.
Mindfulness meditation all starts with being aware of ones breath.
Some practitioners do compassion meditation throughout all their
waking hours if they are hard core.
"In every single gesture when getting up one thinks - may I get up to
deliver all sentient beings from suffering, when tying ones belt one
thinks - may I cultivate the belt of mindfulness, when coming down the
steps - may I descend to help take suffering from beings, when opening
a door - may the door of liberation be open for all sentient beings,
when closing the door - may the door of suffering be closed for all
sentient beings. In this way, every instance of thought is filled with
compassion."
Myself? I have done many years of working meditation and some walking
practice, but the compassion meditation is too much for me except in
very short bursts.
We should not look at meditation as a magic bullet that will give us
the power shoot lightning bolts from our finger tips. As the old
Buddhist saying reminds us: Before enlightenment you chop wood and
carry water ~ after enlightenment you chop wood and carry water.
I also make use of meditation tools such as a meditation timer. One
type is a $10 CD that sounds a gong after a preset time. The other one
is an expensive $100 electric gong timer that can also be used as an
alarm clock or Yoga timer.
Sometimes I might use the 15 minute preset time just to get into a
state conducive to meditation and when the gong goes off keep sitting
until I feel like getting up naturally.
These are usually the best sessions for me, although they require a
person to have some freedom of time. Seldom can I sit for longer than
30 to 35 minutes at a session...but we are all different in our
requirements.
Any sort of timer is fine except one that jars you out of meditation
in an abusive and agitating manner. A timer frees one's mind from
worrying about such things.
This lack of an abusive and agitating wake up call should also apply
to our alarm clocks in the morning. I use a CD clock that plays birds
singing to wake me up. Start your day off in peace.
If you need further advice, there are many good books, videos or tapes
on meditating from your local library that can help. Also many
internet resources.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zazen
Take care,
V (Male)
Agnostic Freethinker
Practical Philosopher
AA#2
The Rev Dr. Hugh Jarse NLAHN.
> In the Dhammapada, the Buddha is reported to have said;
>
"Don't piss in my ear and tell me it's raining".
Michael Gordge
> Agnostic Freethinker
Oxymoronic, get off the fence coward.
The sick mind is the mind feeding on itself.
MG
The Rev Dr. Hugh Jarse NLAHN.
<golf clap>
Michael Gray
"V" will starve then.
There is not enough grey matter in his bonce to cover a small water
biscuit.
Al Klein
Or a small water droplet.
--
Al at Webdingers dot com
"They laughed at Newton, they laughed at Einstein, but they also laughed at
Bozo the Clown."
- Carl Sagan