Why Meditate?

Michael Stone, writing for Neurotic Buddha:

Meditation, specifically Vipassana, simply invites us to carve out a period of time to sit with ourselves and non-judgmentally observe conditions arising in consciousness. Looked at from this perspective, meditation is actually quite different than almost everything else we do. We aren’t observing for the purpose of getting results, we are just developing awareness. Contrary to popular belief the practice is not done to become calmer or less anxious or to traverse the cosmos on a chakra powered rainbow. Meditation asks that we re-calibrate our goal driven minds and not become overly consumed with doing or getting. From this vantage point perhaps we will notice something worth noticing.

A refreshing take on the reasons why we meditate, this essay by Stone is equally valuable food for thought for anyone thinking about spinning up a brand-new meditation practice as it is for those of us who already have an established practice.

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Book Review - Peace is Every Breath

I love me a good Thich Nhat Hanh book. They're usually quick and simple to digest, chock-full of easily-applied sage wisdom from one of the most influential Buddhist leaders in the West. Peace is Every Breath is no exception.

Hanh is a world-renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master, poet, scholar, and peace activist who attempts to show people how to incorporate the practice of mindfulness into each and every waking moment. The followup to his bestselling classic, Peace is Every Step, the chapters of this book flow together as a helpful guide that the reader can use to live a fuller life.

He writes:

Mindfulness is what brings us back in touch with what's happening in the present moment in our body, in our feelings, in our thinking, and also in our environment. It enables us to be present in the here and the now, mind and body together, aware of what's going on inside us and around us. And when we are very mindful of something, we are concentrated on it.

This book shows the reader how it is possible to practice cultivating mindfulness in each and every moment, featuring short chapters on various everyday activities that are often tedious and unmemorable for most of us, such as waking up each morning, eating breakfast, and brushing your teeth. I think that Hanh successfully unpacks the concept that we can continue our meditation or yoga practice even if we have gotten up from our zafus or stepped off our mats for the day. While I enjoyed the first book, Peace is Every Step, a bit better than this one, I still think that Peace is Every Breath is well worth reading and would encourage you to check it out if you're in need of a relaxing deep breath.

3/5 stars. 160 pages.

Banner image by Larisa-K, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

Book Review - An Appeal to the World

This is a short—but incredibly sweet—book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It was published in 2017 and contains myriad great wisdom for troubled times. The Dalai Lama once told the co-author of An Appeal to the World, Franz Alt, "I don't have any enemies, only people I haven't met yet." He has spent his life cultivating this positive attitude, and it can be found on every page of this book.

Today's world is marked by division. Politicians are promoting borders rather than inclusion, economic inequality is running rampant, and religion is breeding violence. Yet the need for unity has never been more urgent, because the crises that humanity faces are affecting people all around the world. Many people have lost all hope for the future and wonder what we can possibly do to move forward.

Well, they're in luck, because the Dalai Lama and Alt have created a brilliant book that is capable of watering the seeds of world peace that are already located inside of each and every one of us—even though many people do not know or believe that they exist. He reminds us that all people have two things in common—our universal pursuit of happiness and the compelling desire to avoid suffering. Finding common ground and engaging in an open dialog is an effective way to mitigate the division that we otherwise experience.

One theme that the Dalai Lama repeats several times throughout the book is the concept that ethics are more important than religion. He even goes on to say, "On some days I think it would be better if there were no religions. All religions and all scriptures harbor potential for violence. That is why we need secular ethics beyond all religions." He explains that the core tenets of secular ethics are mindfulness, education, respect, tolerance, caring, and nonviolence. I was pleasantly surprised by how strongly and frequently he spoke about our need to cultivate secular ethics throughout the book.

I was also happy to see that the topic of Trump was also addressed in the book. A lot of people are experiencing suffering because he is currently our President, and hopefully the Dalai Lama's words on this topic will help soothe their psychic wounds.

An Appeal to the World is already a major international bestseller, and for good reason. It's an inspirational, powerful book written by one of the most revered spiritual leaders of our time that has the potentially to truly change the world. It would probably take the average person between one to three hours to read it from cover to cover, and I highly recommend that you do.

4/5 stars. 128 pages.

The Seven-Point Meditation Posture

Image by nandhukumar, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

This is the fourth post in a series featuring helpful meditation techniques. Previous posts focused on introducing mantras, compassion meditation, and breathing meditation.

In previous blog posts about meditation I have discussed the benefits I have experienced by committing to a regular meditation practice, an introduction to mantras, and the fundamentals of compassion meditation and breathing meditation. You may have noticed from previous posts covering meditation that it is important to spend some time getting into a comfortable position before each meditation session. In this blog post I will introduce the concept of the seven-point meditation posture and explore some simple ways to incorporate it into your own meditation practice.

What is the Seven-Point Meditation Posture?

If you've ever seen a Buddha statue (and let's be honest—if you read Think Wilder regularly, then you've definitely seen a Buddha statue or two!), then you've most likely already seen this meditation posture in practice. The definition of the seven-point meditation posture is fairly self-explanatory.—it consists of seven distinct points, each of which corresponds with a separate area of the body. The posture has been used by meditators for thousands of years and serves as a solid foundation for a successful meditation practice. Before each meditation session it is helpful to check in with each of the seven points to make sure that the body is positioned as comfortably as possible. This will greatly impact the overall quality of the meditation session.

For someone who is new to meditating, this particular posture can be quite difficult to achieve. In fact, I am still working on improving my posture during meditation! Making even a small effort to practice the seven-point meditation posture can result in a more productive meditation practice, so it's worth giving a shot.

The Seven Points

Some meditation traditions present the following points in a different order than others, however the sorting order isn't all that important because all of the individual points add up to a complete picture of ideal posture, regardless of which ones come first. I am going to present them in the order that I first learned them, when I attended classes in the Tibetan tradition of Mahayana Buddhism.

1. Legs
   
   The first point in this meditation posture focuses on the legs. Those who are capable of sitting in Full Lotus Pose (also known as Padmasana) should do so. If you are unable to get into that position, perhaps you could try the Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padmasana).
   
   If neither of those positions are comfortable enough for you to relax during your meditation session, then you could try sitting in a cross-legged position instead. Many people (especially in Western society) are unable to sit on the floor at all, and it is completely possible to modify the seven-point meditation posture so that someone sitting in a chair or on props can practice it.
   
   Make sure that you choose a sitting position that you can sit comfortably in for a long period of time, and do not feel like you have to choose the most impressive option—being comfortable and relaxed is more important than showing off.
   

2. Arms
   
   Next up are the arms. Your hands should be held loosely in your lap, with the right hand resting in the palm of the left, palms upward, thumbs lightly touching, forming the shape of a teardrop or flame. They should be positioned roughly 2-3 inches below the navel. Make sure to relax your shoulders and your arms. It can help to keep your arms slightly away from your body so that air can circulate. This will help prevent sleepiness during meditation.
   

3. Back
   
   The most important point in this series is the back, which should be straight, relaxed, and fully upright, as if the vertebrae were a stack of rocks effortlessly balanced in a pile. The position of the legs contributes greatly to how easy it is to keep a straight back. The higher your butt is and the lower your knees, the easier it is to maintain. Experiment with various sitting positions to see what works best for you.
   

4. Eyes
   
   In the beginning, it is typically best to keep your eyes fully closed because it helps facilitate concentration. This is completely fine. However, after you gain some experience with meditation it will become possible to leave your eyes slightly open in order to admit a little light, and to direct your gaze downwards, not focusing on anything in particular. This is optimal because closing the eyes can result in sluggishness, sleep, or daydreaming, all of which are obstacles to a clear meditation session.
   

5. Jaw and Mouth
   
   Keep your jaw and mouth relaxed, with your teeth slightly apart, relaxed, and with lips slightly touching.
   

6. Tongue
   
   It can be helpful to rest your tongue against the upper palate, with the tip gently touching the back of the teeth. This prevents the production of saliva, which reduces the need to swallow and can also eliminate the undesired side effect that many monks and nuns experience during extremely long meditation sessions—drooling.
   

7. Head
   
   Finally, slightly incline your head so that your gaze is directed naturally toward the floor in front of you. This is all about finding a proper balance—if your chin is held too high you may have problems with mental wandering and distraction, whereas if you drop your head too forward you may experience mental dullness or sleepiness.

Conclusion

Although it may be challenging at first, this meditation posture can really help cultivate concentration and mindfulness. Now that you have an idea of how to get into the seven-point meditation posture, I encourage you to begin to incorporate it into your own meditation sessions. Hopefully it will help deepen your practice and eventually lead to enlightenment.

Namaste.

Breathing Meditation - An Introduction

Image by 4144132, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.

This is the third post in a series featuring helpful meditation techniques. The first post focused on introducing mantras and the second post covered compassion meditation.

In previous blog posts about meditation I have discussed the benefits I have experienced by committing to a regular meditation practice, and introductions to mantras and the concept of compassion meditation. Another technique that can be used while meditating is to focus on the breath. In this article I will introduce the concept of breathing meditation and explore some simple ways to incorporate it into your own meditation practice.

What is Breathing Meditation?

In almost all forms of meditation, there is an object of focus. (There is one meditation approach that some call "do-nothing meditation" that involves letting go of any particular focus and instead allowing thoughts to come and go on their own—all while being fully aware of what is happening.) The other meditation techniques that I have introduced have involved mantras and compassion as the focus objects, and breathing meditation places its focus on the breath. There are various ways to focus on one's breath and this technique can yield many positive effects for the practitioner.

How Can Breathing Meditation Help?

There are several benefits that you may experience when practicing breathing meditation. To start with, focusing on the breath can help you reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. If you struggle with any or all of these things, think about how great it would be to go through life with a sense of inner peace and a calm mind—believe it or not, that's actually achievable by sticking to a consistent meditation practice. If you're liable to lose your cool when you get frustrated, you may want to give breathing meditation a try. It can help you let things go and regain composure when tempers flare. Breathing meditation can also sharpen concentration skills, because part of the practice involves maintaining focus on one thing at a time. And these benefits don't just happen while you're on the yoga mat—practicing mindful breathing during a meditation session can actually help you cultivate mindfulness in everyday life situations as well. Focusing on something for an extended period of time can even affect your thought process. After some experience practicing breathing meditation, you may notice that your mind is less distracted by wandering thoughts. All of these benefits can lead you to live a more enjoyable life.

How to Practice Breathing Meditation

First things first, you should find a quiet, serene space in which to meditate. In order to reduce the potential for distraction, there should not be any loud noises or off-putting odors in the space. Indoor spaces do tend to have less distracting sounds, however you can always head outside if you prefer to enjoy the fresh air. Just make sure that there are not any cars or people nearby.

It's incredibly important to get as comfortable as possible at the beginning of your meditation. It really doesn't matter if you are sitting in lotus position, walking in a garden, or lying down on the couch—making sure you are comfortable in whatever position you choose for your meditation session will have a lot of influence over your experience.

Once you settle into a position, try to notice and relax your body. Begin to tune into your breath. Simply focus your attention on your breath, noting each inhale and exhale. If your mind starts to wander, that is completely fine. Distracted or uncontrolled thoughts are normal to experience, so you should not beat yourself up. Instead, gently redirect your attention back to the breathing when your mind has drifted a bit.

If you are trying to calm yourself when you are stressed, it may help to take an exaggerated, slow breath. Deeply inhale through your nostrils for several seconds, hold your breath for a few seconds, and exhale through your mouth for longer than you did when inhaling.

Another type of breathing meditation is known as pranayama, also known as the nine round breathing technique. To perform this technique, cover the left nostril and breathe in and out through the right nostril for three full breaths, including both the inhalations and exhalations. Then cover the right nostril and breathe through the left nostril for three full breaths. Finally, breathe through both nostrils for three more full breaths. At this point, you can continue your breathing meditation with other techniques.

You may begin to notice that when one breath ends, the next breath begins. Try to observe each breath without trying to change it. If you feel like you are manually controlling your breath, you can try focusing on the sensation in your nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest.

One sure-fire method you can use to focus on the breath is counting. Count one on the inhale, two on the exhale, three on the inhale, and so on up to ten. Then start back over at one. This method can help even the most distracted meditator focus on her breath.

Breathing meditation can be done its own or as a preliminary practice that helps calm the mind in preparation for more difficult meditation techniques such as reciting mantras or practicing compassion.

Conclusion

Breathing meditation is one of the easiest and most effective meditation techniques available. Focusing on the breath can help calm your mind and reduce stress and anxiety. If you're a bit of a hothead, this technique might help cool you down when your buttons are pushed. And it may help improve your concentration. No matter who you are or how much meditation experience you have, everyone has a breath that they can focus on. Breathing meditation is a simple practice that can produce excellent results. I encourage you to give it a try.

Namaste.