What type(s) of meditation do you do?

[JacobEzra.]

I hope no one minds, but I have a question that might be able to be answered here, since it seems (to me atleast) that people of Dharmic religions use meditation more then in my religion.

How do you meditate, and not fall asleep? Are you suppose to calm your mind? If so, how do you achieve that? I am constantly plagued with a busy mind. Like it can never be calmed. Though not always as bad as other times.

How do you find the patience needed?

Again, I hope someone can enlighten me,and do not take offense to my questions.

 

[SageTree]

I hope no one minds, but I have a question that might be able to be answered here, since it seems (to me atleast) that people of Dharmic religions use meditation more then in my religion.

How do you meditate, and not fall asleep? Are you suppose to calm your mind? If so, how do you achieve that? I am constantly plagued with a busy mind. Like it can never be calmed. Though not always as bad as other times.

How do you find the patience needed?

Again, I hope someone can enlighten me,and do not take offense to my questions.

Hey Buddy, hope you find this interesting:

It's a link:



A teacher once told me that falling asleep was our bodies way of saying 'thanks for stopping for a while', but that with time, we'd get used to taking time to sit and we'd be able to move along in the practice, whatever our goals were.

Good luck!

:namaste
SageTree

 

[JacobEzra.]

Thank you SageTree

 

[zenzero]

Friend Jacob,

Friend SageTree story [explanation] is beautiful.

However this too could be added that sleep is akin to unconsciousness and consciousness is akin to light and when light goes near darkness [unconsciousness] it is not found.
Few points of importance that
1. Normally we identify with sleep [unconsciousness]
2. Since we are being [process] we evolve and so move from unconsciousness to unconsciousness.
3. We should first identify with consciousness and once that is done we always try to keep awake and try and find ways of doing so even in sleep.
4. Finally we should be aware of both consciousness and unconsciousness and not attached with either as there is no *we* or *I*; only pure consciousness IS!

Love & rgds

 

[SageTree]

Thank you SageTree

No worries. Hope it waters some seeds

Friend SageTree story [explanation] is beautiful.

However this too could be added that sleep is akin to unconsciousness and consciousness is akin to light and when light goes near darkness [unconsciousness] it is not found.
Few points of importance that
1. Normally we identify with sleep [unconsciousness]
2. Since we are being [process] we evolve and so move from unconsciousness to unconsciousness.
3. We should first identify with consciousness and once that is done we always try to keep awake and try and find ways of doing so even in sleep.
4. Finally we should be aware of both consciousness and unconsciousness and not attached with either as there is no *we* or *I*; only pure consciousness IS!

Love & rgds

Thanks ZZ

Your addition is really useful too.

:namaste
SageTree

 

[no-body]

I practice the mindfulness meditation advocated by Krishnamurti, not sure it has a proper name? It is of the "chop wood, fetch water" variety where you practice it while you are doing mundane things or during stressful situations. "Now" centered meditation found in zen, the upanishads, the gita, etc where you give up the fruits of your actions.

 

[Jainarayan]

-What is the name of the type of meditation you do?

One form is japa, on a mālā, a set of 108 prayer beads, mentally or quietly chanting a mantra.

Another is that I just sit quietly and clear my mind, maybe sitting somewhere and watching, mindlessly.

-What is the purpose, or the benefits of this meditation, both in theory and in your practice so far?

For japa, it is to bring me closer to God, by repeating His name.

-Please describe what you do when you meditate (what you physically do with your body and what sort of mental techniques you utilize).

I sit at home on my front porch, or in a recliner, at a park, at the beachfront, the mall, or in my truck in the parking lot at work.

-How often do you meditate, and for how long?

For the sitting, mind-clearing kind it could be a couple of hours. For japa, it's usually just a few minutes, but it should be a couple of times per day.

 

[indian_buddhist]

I do the Anapanasati or mindfulness of breathing.

 

[chinu]

You can of course answer in any you way you want, and answer any or all of these questions.

Ok...

-What is the name of the type of meditation you do?

Now... I think meditation is doing me . :sad4:

-What is the purpose, or the benefits of this meditation, both in theory and in your practice so far?

Now... am saying, O meditation, what is your purpose or what is your benifit -- in doing me ? please tell me... but she doesn't tell anything, just doing me..:sad4:

-Please describe what you do when you meditate (what you physically do with your body and what sort of mental techniques you utilize).

I say... O meditation, please just leave me alone, am just fed up of you, but very sadly she catches me more and more. :sad4:

-How often do you meditate, and for how long?

I don't want to do her at any cost, but she doesn't leave me for a single sec. :sad4:

Penumbera is there any way out...? can you help me.??? :sad4:

_/\_
Chinu

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

About a year ago, when I first converted to Buddhism, I practiced Anapanasati, or mindfulness of breathing. When I decided on what school of Buddhism I would predominantly follow (Zen), I began to practice zazen. Then I began to practice a specific form of zazen, using koans. So I guess my meditation practice would be zazen, as Nowhere Man and Zenzero described it.

 

[Hexavibrongal]

This is my first post here. I've been serious about religion for a while now but I've been relatively isolated about it, and lately I've been wanting to find more people I can talk to about my experiences.

I'm a programmer and I sit when I work, so I do walking meditation almost exclusively. I didn't know there was such thing as walking meditation when I started, but I later found out that it's a traditional form of meditation, except the traditional way is to walk much slower than I do. I pace in my room about six steps back and forth, always stepping on the same floorboards to minimize creaking. I've done a lot of different kinds of meditation while I walk, but the two I do the most are a meditation where I simply try not to think, and another where I force my mind to think about God (basically prayer). I typically meditate 1-2 hours a day, and I increase it as necessary to deal with stress in my life. When I started meditating I did a lot of visualizations, but for some reason I don't do that as much now.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

The Buddha taught that there were four bodily positions: walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. He also taught that meditation can be done in any of the four positions, however, sitting is most prominent, with walking second.

 

[zenzero]

Friend dhyanaprajna,

The Buddha taught that there were four bodily positions: walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. He also taught that meditation can be done in any of the four positions, however, sitting is most prominent, with walking second.

Very True! though personally find lying down as the best position and while driving.

Love & rgds

 

[Breathe]

I'm interested in seeing what types of meditation people do from any Dharmic religions here.

Repetition of the Name of the Deity, I do mantras, zazen and breath. Probably in that order.

-What is the name of the type of meditation you do?

Nām japo, probably padāstha dhyāna (for mantras), zazen, ānāpānasati

-What is the purpose, or the benefits of this meditation, both in theory and in your practice so far?

Bhakti, compassion, mindfulness.

-Please describe what you do when you meditate (what you physically do with your body and what sort of mental techniques you utilize).

Sit down, deep breath in and out for a while, close eyes, clear thoughts, begin.

-How often do you meditate, and for how long?

Not as often as I should; for shorter than I should. I've been meaning to get back into it daily, but, well.. I keep forgetting.

I do mantra meditation and repetition of the Name of the Deities very frequently, though.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Repetition of the Name of the Deity, I do mantras, zazen and breath. Probably in that order.


Nām japo, probably padāstha dhyāna (for mantras), zazen, ānāpānasati


Bhakti, compassion, mindfulness.


Sit down, deep breath in and out for a while, close eyes, clear thoughts, begin.


Not as often as I should; for shorter than I should. I've been meaning to get back into it daily, but, well.. I keep forgetting.

I do mantra meditation and repetition of the Name of the Deities very frequently, though.

I find it easier quite often to do nembutsu rather than zazen myself.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Mostly prayer. Sometimes I do japa on the Hare Krishna mahamantra...

These days I've actually resurrected my prayer of the rosary. But I still love harinama sankirtana (complete glorification of the names of God through singing and chanting) as my main form of meditation.

 

[Breathe]

I find it easier quite often to do nembutsu rather than zazen myself.

Nice, makes sense. Some people are more inclined to mantras and bhakti than others. I'm one of them. As much as I like the zazen and such sometimes, a bit of mantras of bhakti feels more.. awesome.

I do have a soft spot for nembutsu, although my favourite Buddhist mantra is the 100 syllable Vajrasattva mantra in Sanskrit.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Nice, makes sense. Some people are more inclined to mantras and bhakti than others. I'm one of them. As much as I like the zazen and such sometimes, a bit of mantras of bhakti feels more.. awesome.

I do have a soft spot for nembutsu, although my favourite Buddhist mantra is the 100 syllable Vajrasattva mantra in Sanskrit.

I've been intending on learning the Vajrasattva mantra, it's used in Vajrayana Buddhism as a means of purification. At one point I was going to attempt to learn the Surangama Samadhi mantra, but it's huge, so I decided to wait on it.

 

[Breathe]

I've been intending on learning the Vajrasattva mantra, it's used in Vajrayana Buddhism as a means of purification. At one point I was going to attempt to learn the Surangama Samadhi mantra, but it's huge, so I decided to wait on it.

I'm not surprised; can't say I blame you.

 

[Penumbra]

Thanks for more answers.

This thread seems to naturally get resurrected from time to time, which is nice, because it provides more input.