6 ms·

Some of you here must meditate. What is the form of meditation you practice? Can you elaborate a little so the novice could benefit?

rblion 16y ago
Vipassana. http://www.dhamma.org/ http://www.dhamma.org/ - It changed my life and opened my mind. It's hard at first but keep pushing yourself. Start here: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html - Listen to Alan Watts. Here is a good video to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8rnV0gN0E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8rnV0gN0E
- praptak 16y ago
  Mindfulness in Plain English is also a good intro to Vipassana: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html By the way, if the goals of Vipassana seem too lofty, just try one of the breath observation exercises.
joshcorbin 16y ago
The best prescriptive book that I have found has been: http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590302834/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1290032086&sr=8-14 http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Clas... Additionally I find that reading a good translation of the Tao helps, my personal favorite so far is: http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061142662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290032277&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Perennial-Classics/dp/006...
- momotomo 16y ago
  Second Sekida's book, it's a brilliant guide, and quite light hearted as well. It's about 2/3rds practical content and instruction then some anecdotes and light philosophy.
crux 16y ago
I actually just happened to be watching a really good talk by Jon Kabat-Zinn at Google: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc where he leads a meditation session, and provides some basic concepts to refer to as well. Relatable, articulate.
- ollerac 16y ago
  Thank you so much for this. I listened to it last night and I'm planning to listen to it again. It seems like the speaker has a very open, understanding perspective of life and the place of the human struggle.
dood 16y ago
I use the approach from "Mindfulness in Plain English" [http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html], where the object of meditation is your breathing, and the purpose of meditation is cultivating mindfulness. Here are the key conceptual passages I noted down last time I read it: “When any mental state arises strongly enough to distract you from the object of meditation, switch your attention to the distraction briefly. Make the distraction a temporary object of meditation... You switch your attention to the distraction only long enough to notice certain specific things about it. What is it? How strong is it? and, how long does it last? As soon as you have wordlessly answered these questions, you are through with your examination of that distraction, and you return your attention to the breath.” “[D]istractions are actually the whole point. The key is to learn to deal with these things. Learning to notice them without being trapped in them. That's what we are here for. The mental wandering is unpleasant, to be sure. But it is the normal mode of operation of your mind. Don't think of it as the enemy. It is just the simple reality. And if you want to change something, the first thing you have to do is see it the way it is.” “Whatever it is, don't try to repress it. Don't try to force it out of your mind. There's no need for that. Just observe it mindfully with bare attention. Examine the distraction wordlessly and it will pass away by itself. You will find your attention drifting effortlessly back to the breath. And do not condemn yourself for having being distracted. Distractions are natural. They come and they go.” “From the point of view of mindfulness, there is really no such thing as a distraction. Whatever arises in the mind is viewed as just one more opportunity to cultivate mindfulness. Breath, remember, is an arbitrary focus, and it is used as our primary object of attention. Distractions are used as secondary objects of attention. They are certainly as much a part of reality as breath. It actually makes rather little difference what the object of mindfulness is. You can be mindful of the breath, or you can be mindful of the distraction. You can be mindful of the fact that you mind is still, and your concentration is strong, or you can be mindful of the fact that your concentration is in ribbons and your mind is in an absolute shambles. It's all mindfulness. Just maintain that mindfulness and concentration eventually will follow.” “The purpose of meditation is not to concentrate on the breath, without interruption, forever. That by itself would be a useless goal. The purpose of meditation is not to achieve a perfectly still and serene mind. Although a lovely state, it doesn't lead to liberation by itself. The purpose of meditation is to achieve uninterrupted mindfulness.”
rsinger9 16y ago
I recommend going to a group to learn in person. It's easier to decide if you feel at home with a certain group of people than to judge books and theories about meditation when you don't have personal experience. If you look for Buddhist groups, you'll find different kinds. The best way to avoid new-agey or flakey groups is to check their sources. Do they have a teacher who is a good example? Who was the teacher's teacher? Authentic Buddhist lineages of teacher and student trace themselves back for generations, and the teachers praise their teachers -- not themselves. There are many authentic lineages. You'll find Japanese Zen schools which prefer a lot of discipline. There are also four Tibetan schools. The school of the Dalai Lama is called the Gelug school. It is the newest of the four schools and strongly emphasizes study and theory. The older Kagyu and Nyingma schools specialize in meditation and direct experience. In my experience, Kagyus tend to be more "learn by swimming" types and the Nyingma prefer a broad overview and more distance. I don't have experience with the fourth school, the Sakya. I've meditated in the Kagyu school for six years now as part of the Diamond Way centers (http://www.lama-ole-nydahl.org/diamondway-buddhism/ http://www.lama-ole-nydahl.org/diamondway-buddhism/). Which group you find isn't important. The important thing if you want good results is that you find something authentic which fits you, and if it fits, stay with one thing without mixing. Different Buddhist schools use the same words for different things and different words for the same things, and it gets even more confusing if you mix Buddhist and non-Buddhist sources. Good luck!
- michael_dorfman 16y ago
  I heartily agree with the recommendation of going to a group to learn in person. Learning to meditate from a book is like learning to swim from a book; it may be possible, but it's far from optimal. Personally, I do pretty traditional shamatha meditation these days.
- locopati 16y ago
  Even within a single tradition, you may fine that some teachers click with you and some don't. It's a fine balance, but if you find someone who resonates with you, stick around and learn from them.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
wallfly 16y ago
My beliefs and meditation-prayer practices are according to the Christian Faith, but "sitting quietly, doing something" is an apt description whether it's Buddhist meditation or Christian mental prayer (a Western form of meditation). I am happy to share with readers here the most excellent compendium of the Ignatian method of Christian mental prayer that I have ever encountered: - Fifth Treatise: On the Excellency of Prayer http://www.holynamesoftware.org/OnPrayer.pdf http://www.holynamesoftware.org/OnPrayer.pdf The following essay is a real treasure too: - The Practice of Lectio Divina https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdgpYJu8XEUoZGRxc2Z6cWtfMmNyMmt3M2Yy&hl=en https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdgpYJu8XEUoZGRxc2Z6cWtfM...
- jonah 16y ago
  Very cool. Thank you. (I'd also recommend taking a look at The Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation.)
- locopati 16y ago
  I'd also highly recommend Thomas Merton's 'New Seeds of Contemplation', which though written by a Trappist monk and grounded in Christian philosophy applies to contemplative practice in any tradition.
silentbicycle 16y ago
This question comes periodically. Check the archives.
- silentbicycle 16y ago
  Here you go: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=587032 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=587032 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=612276 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=612276 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1483583 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1483583
brunoc 16y ago
Qi-gong (sometimes spelled chi- kung). It is moving meditation, as opposed to still. There are many different kinds, but the one I'm most familiar with is called Chaoyi fan huan (cfq). I find it easier to move into a meditative state when my body is moving, personally.
- seancron 16y ago
  What would you recommend for someone looking to get started with Qi-gong. The idea of moving meditation appeals to me more than sitting still all the time.
  - moozilla 16y ago
    Anything by Bruce Frantzis. He has written several excellent books and I believe he also has (more expensive) DVDs.
JonathanFields 16y ago
Mindfulness. It's also a pretty powerful tool to help lean into uncertainty while you strive to create something from nothing.
locopati 16y ago
Zazen. Mostly on my own - 1hr in the mornings plus chanting liturgy (which feels like a spoken form of meditation rather than a plea to some higher power). But, it's important to my practice to also attend the monastery or temple where my teachers are - I try to get to one or the other at least once a month (would love to go more often but I have to balance family and work as well). Though it's perfectly possible to practice meditation of any form on one's own, a good teacher is invaluable for helping work with obstacles that arise in practice. For those in the NYC area, I have learned a lot through the Mountains and Rivers Order, which has a temple in Brooklyn and a monastery upstate in Mt. Tremper (between Woodstock and Phoenicia). http://www.mro.org/mro.html http://www.mro.org/mro.html
skbohra123 16y ago
Osho Dynamic Meditation. www.osho.com
bluecobalt 16y ago
I've been practicing zazen for the past 6 years, and highly recommend it for clearing the mind, being more aware of everything, the oneness of it all, and your place and responsibility as an individuation within it all. 30 minutes to an hour, sitting, preferably in front of a white wall, but variations are good. Eyes open, gazing softly, breathing deeply but without forcing of any kind, and just be. Observe the thoughts and emotions that rise and fall within the bodymind without judgment, pulling toward or pushing away. Just be and breathe. If you notice your mind wandering, just bring yourself back to the wall and the breath. I've also found many teachings of awakened Zen Masters to be very helpful, such as Dogen or Hui Neng, but am completely non-religious and non-dogmatic. I would not consider myself a zen buddhist, as that's just a concept, a categorization. The information and success of the tools in cultivating awareness is what's important, not the dogma or labels.
alabut 16y ago
I've been doing Natural Stress Relief for about a month now, after reading about it on Alex Payne's post about staying healthy while doing a startup: http://al3x.net/2010/09/07/startup-health.html http://al3x.net/2010/09/07/startup-health.html It's not only easy to do but I also found the scientific research comforting because I'm an atheist that never really warmed up to some of the other more mysticism-based methods.
RyanMcGreal 16y ago
I don't know if this qualifies, but I get into a meditative state during my daily brisk walks (usually 3 20-minute walks a day as I go about my business). I become very conscious of the movements of my body, the flexing and relaxing of my muscles, the swell of my lungs filling with air, the rhythm of my stride. It gets easier to move into that relaxed state of awareness the more I walk, and I come out of it feeling refreshed and invigorated. One note: I've found that comfortable walking shoes really help. If my feet are cramped or sore or my shins start to ache, it's really hard to get into the flow of the walk.
- percept 16y ago
  Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_Marathon_Monks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_Marathon_Monks [I read a book about them, _The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei_, but it seems to be out of print and way expensive.]
Estragon 16y ago
I've been working from Wake Up To Your Life[1] for most of the last decade. (Ten years in April.) Mostly-Tibetan practices, stripped of the iron-age cosmology and religiosity. Seconding Mindfulness In Plain English, though. [1]http://books.google.com/books?id=-PrBkjz513YC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=-PrBkjz513YC&printsec=f...

rblion 16y ago

Vipassana. http://www.dhamma.org/ http://www.dhamma.org/ - It changed my life and opened my mind. It's hard at first but keep pushing yourself. Start here: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html - Listen to Alan Watts. Here is a good video to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8rnV0gN0E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8rnV0gN0E

praptak 16y ago
Mindfulness in Plain English is also a good intro to Vipassana: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html By the way, if the goals of Vipassana seem too lofty, just try one of the breath observation exercises.

joshcorbin 16y ago

The best prescriptive book that I have found has been: http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590302834/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1290032086&sr=8-14 http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Clas... Additionally I find that reading a good translation of the Tao helps, my personal favorite so far is: http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061142662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290032277&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Perennial-Classics/dp/006...

momotomo 16y ago
Second Sekida's book, it's a brilliant guide, and quite light hearted as well. It's about 2/3rds practical content and instruction then some anecdotes and light philosophy.

crux 16y ago

I actually just happened to be watching a really good talk by Jon Kabat-Zinn at Google: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc where he leads a meditation session, and provides some basic concepts to refer to as well. Relatable, articulate.

ollerac 16y ago
Thank you so much for this. I listened to it last night and I'm planning to listen to it again. It seems like the speaker has a very open, understanding perspective of life and the place of the human struggle.

dood 16y ago

I use the approach from "Mindfulness in Plain English" [http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html], where the object of meditation is your breathing, and the purpose of meditation is cultivating mindfulness. Here are the key conceptual passages I noted down last time I read it: “When any mental state arises strongly enough to distract you from the object of meditation, switch your attention to the distraction briefly. Make the distraction a temporary object of meditation... You switch your attention to the distraction only long enough to notice certain specific things about it. What is it? How strong is it? and, how long does it last? As soon as you have wordlessly answered these questions, you are through with your examination of that distraction, and you return your attention to the breath.” “[D]istractions are actually the whole point. The key is to learn to deal with these things. Learning to notice them without being trapped in them. That's what we are here for. The mental wandering is unpleasant, to be sure. But it is the normal mode of operation of your mind. Don't think of it as the enemy. It is just the simple reality. And if you want to change something, the first thing you have to do is see it the way it is.” “Whatever it is, don't try to repress it. Don't try to force it out of your mind. There's no need for that. Just observe it mindfully with bare attention. Examine the distraction wordlessly and it will pass away by itself. You will find your attention drifting effortlessly back to the breath. And do not condemn yourself for having being distracted. Distractions are natural. They come and they go.” “From the point of view of mindfulness, there is really no such thing as a distraction. Whatever arises in the mind is viewed as just one more opportunity to cultivate mindfulness. Breath, remember, is an arbitrary focus, and it is used as our primary object of attention. Distractions are used as secondary objects of attention. They are certainly as much a part of reality as breath. It actually makes rather little difference what the object of mindfulness is. You can be mindful of the breath, or you can be mindful of the distraction. You can be mindful of the fact that you mind is still, and your concentration is strong, or you can be mindful of the fact that your concentration is in ribbons and your mind is in an absolute shambles. It's all mindfulness. Just maintain that mindfulness and concentration eventually will follow.” “The purpose of meditation is not to concentrate on the breath, without interruption, forever. That by itself would be a useless goal. The purpose of meditation is not to achieve a perfectly still and serene mind. Although a lovely state, it doesn't lead to liberation by itself. The purpose of meditation is to achieve uninterrupted mindfulness.”

rsinger9 16y ago

I recommend going to a group to learn in person. It's easier to decide if you feel at home with a certain group of people than to judge books and theories about meditation when you don't have personal experience. If you look for Buddhist groups, you'll find different kinds. The best way to avoid new-agey or flakey groups is to check their sources. Do they have a teacher who is a good example? Who was the teacher's teacher? Authentic Buddhist lineages of teacher and student trace themselves back for generations, and the teachers praise their teachers -- not themselves. There are many authentic lineages. You'll find Japanese Zen schools which prefer a lot of discipline. There are also four Tibetan schools. The school of the Dalai Lama is called the Gelug school. It is the newest of the four schools and strongly emphasizes study and theory. The older Kagyu and Nyingma schools specialize in meditation and direct experience. In my experience, Kagyus tend to be more "learn by swimming" types and the Nyingma prefer a broad overview and more distance. I don't have experience with the fourth school, the Sakya. I've meditated in the Kagyu school for six years now as part of the Diamond Way centers (http://www.lama-ole-nydahl.org/diamondway-buddhism/ http://www.lama-ole-nydahl.org/diamondway-buddhism/). Which group you find isn't important. The important thing if you want good results is that you find something authentic which fits you, and if it fits, stay with one thing without mixing. Different Buddhist schools use the same words for different things and different words for the same things, and it gets even more confusing if you mix Buddhist and non-Buddhist sources. Good luck!

michael_dorfman 16y ago
I heartily agree with the recommendation of going to a group to learn in person. Learning to meditate from a book is like learning to swim from a book; it may be possible, but it's far from optimal. Personally, I do pretty traditional shamatha meditation these days.
locopati 16y ago
Even within a single tradition, you may fine that some teachers click with you and some don't. It's a fine balance, but if you find someone who resonates with you, stick around and learn from them.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

wallfly 16y ago

My beliefs and meditation-prayer practices are according to the Christian Faith, but "sitting quietly, doing something" is an apt description whether it's Buddhist meditation or Christian mental prayer (a Western form of meditation). I am happy to share with readers here the most excellent compendium of the Ignatian method of Christian mental prayer that I have ever encountered: - Fifth Treatise: On the Excellency of Prayer http://www.holynamesoftware.org/OnPrayer.pdf http://www.holynamesoftware.org/OnPrayer.pdf The following essay is a real treasure too: - The Practice of Lectio Divina https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdgpYJu8XEUoZGRxc2Z6cWtfMmNyMmt3M2Yy&hl=en https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AdgpYJu8XEUoZGRxc2Z6cWtfM...

jonah 16y ago
Very cool. Thank you. (I'd also recommend taking a look at The Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation.)
locopati 16y ago
I'd also highly recommend Thomas Merton's 'New Seeds of Contemplation', which though written by a Trappist monk and grounded in Christian philosophy applies to contemplative practice in any tradition.

silentbicycle 16y ago

This question comes periodically. Check the archives.

silentbicycle 16y ago
Here you go: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=587032 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=587032 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=612276 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=612276 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1483583 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1483583

brunoc 16y ago

Qi-gong (sometimes spelled chi- kung). It is moving meditation, as opposed to still. There are many different kinds, but the one I'm most familiar with is called Chaoyi fan huan (cfq). I find it easier to move into a meditative state when my body is moving, personally.

seancron 16y ago
What would you recommend for someone looking to get started with Qi-gong. The idea of moving meditation appeals to me more than sitting still all the time.
- moozilla 16y ago
  Anything by Bruce Frantzis. He has written several excellent books and I believe he also has (more expensive) DVDs.

JonathanFields 16y ago

Mindfulness. It's also a pretty powerful tool to help lean into uncertainty while you strive to create something from nothing.

locopati 16y ago

Zazen. Mostly on my own - 1hr in the mornings plus chanting liturgy (which feels like a spoken form of meditation rather than a plea to some higher power). But, it's important to my practice to also attend the monastery or temple where my teachers are - I try to get to one or the other at least once a month (would love to go more often but I have to balance family and work as well). Though it's perfectly possible to practice meditation of any form on one's own, a good teacher is invaluable for helping work with obstacles that arise in practice. For those in the NYC area, I have learned a lot through the Mountains and Rivers Order, which has a temple in Brooklyn and a monastery upstate in Mt. Tremper (between Woodstock and Phoenicia). http://www.mro.org/mro.html http://www.mro.org/mro.html

skbohra123 16y ago

Osho Dynamic Meditation. www.osho.com

bluecobalt 16y ago

I've been practicing zazen for the past 6 years, and highly recommend it for clearing the mind, being more aware of everything, the oneness of it all, and your place and responsibility as an individuation within it all. 30 minutes to an hour, sitting, preferably in front of a white wall, but variations are good. Eyes open, gazing softly, breathing deeply but without forcing of any kind, and just be. Observe the thoughts and emotions that rise and fall within the bodymind without judgment, pulling toward or pushing away. Just be and breathe. If you notice your mind wandering, just bring yourself back to the wall and the breath. I've also found many teachings of awakened Zen Masters to be very helpful, such as Dogen or Hui Neng, but am completely non-religious and non-dogmatic. I would not consider myself a zen buddhist, as that's just a concept, a categorization. The information and success of the tools in cultivating awareness is what's important, not the dogma or labels.

alabut 16y ago

I've been doing Natural Stress Relief for about a month now, after reading about it on Alex Payne's post about staying healthy while doing a startup: http://al3x.net/2010/09/07/startup-health.html http://al3x.net/2010/09/07/startup-health.html It's not only easy to do but I also found the scientific research comforting because I'm an atheist that never really warmed up to some of the other more mysticism-based methods.

RyanMcGreal 16y ago

I don't know if this qualifies, but I get into a meditative state during my daily brisk walks (usually 3 20-minute walks a day as I go about my business). I become very conscious of the movements of my body, the flexing and relaxing of my muscles, the swell of my lungs filling with air, the rhythm of my stride. It gets easier to move into that relaxed state of awareness the more I walk, and I come out of it feeling refreshed and invigorated. One note: I've found that comfortable walking shoes really help. If my feet are cramped or sore or my shins start to ache, it's really hard to get into the flow of the walk.

percept 16y ago
Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_Marathon_Monks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_Marathon_Monks [I read a book about them, _The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei_, but it seems to be out of print and way expensive.]

Estragon 16y ago

I've been working from Wake Up To Your Life[1] for most of the last decade. (Ten years in April.) Mostly-Tibetan practices, stripped of the iron-age cosmology and religiosity. Seconding Mindfulness In Plain English, though. [1]http://books.google.com/books?id=-PrBkjz513YC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false http://books.google.com/books?id=-PrBkjz513YC&printsec=f...