Meditation-Eradicate Suffering

The way to eradicate suffering or purify the mind is to practice vipassana or insight meditation. This is the only way to free people from rebirth and to attain the ultimate truth of Nibbana.

Vipassana meditation is not a technique for closing the eyes and seeing magnificient sights or attaining psychic powers. It is the study of life and how to eradicate suffering from one's own life. It also solves the complex problems of life and leads to perception of the truth. The way to practice is to look into one's own life, to notice the movements of body and mind, to notice whether there are wholesome or unwholesome thoughts in the mind.

That will be the ultimate truth that you will find!!

The four foundation of Mindfulness

Hi all, just got friends who emailed to me about what is Satipatthana Sutta? Well Satipatthana means " Presense of Mindfulness". This is in relation to The Four Foundation of Mindfulness which you may have come across. They are:

1. Mindfulness of the body
2. Mindfulness of feelings
3. Mindfulness of consciousness
4. Mindfulness of mental objects (dhammas)

Thus the four foundation of mindfulness forms part of the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment.

Hope that clears your mind.

Cheers

Satipatthana Meditation

In its spirit of self-reliance, Satipatthana does not require any elaborate technique or external device. The daily life is its working material. It has nothing to do with any exotic cults or rites not does it confer " initiations" or "esoteric knowledge" in any way other than by self-enlightenment.

Using just the conditions of life it finds. Satipatthana does not require complete seclusion or monastic life, though in some who undertake the practice, the desire and need for these may grow.

Sadhu Sadhu

Vipassana Meditation- Ven Mahasi Sayadaw

In Vipassana meditation, what you name or say dosen't matter. What really matters is to know or percieve. While noting the rising of the abdomen, do so from the beginning to the end of the movement just as if you are seeing it with your eyes. Do the same with the falling movement. Note the rising movement in such a way that your awareness of it is concurrent with the movement itself. The movement and the mental awareness of it should coincide in the same way a stone that is thrown hits the target. The same thing goes with the falling movement.

The above is the teaching by Ven Mahasi Sayadaw on keeping bare attention while meditating.

Well this is a simple practice, try it. It will improve on your concentration level and tame your monkey mind. See if you can do this for half an hour.

Cheers

Cause and Effect

Hi, remember cause and effect. There is always causes and the results are the effects.Without the causes there will not be any effects. Therefore that is the end of suffering which is one of the Four Noble Truths Buddha teaches.

Whatever your situation you are in, there always factors leading to it. Just think carefully, you will be able to understand. Were the defilements the causes and how to overcome them in future is what's important. So do not lose hope because the power is in NOW. The precious present moment.

Cheers

Meditation Practice- What have I gained?

I also asked myself " What have I gained from my meditation practice?" I pondered this for a while and realized that it not what I gain but what I have diminished, mainly, greed, hatred and delusion. These are the three main cause of suffering I myself will try to overcome.

May all be happy and free from suffering!!!

Meditation Practice- What have you gained?

Mediation is not for acquiring but for giving up- To become selfless. Often practitioner has this quest for new sensation or experiences, i.e. lobha. Many seek from meditation the very same thing they seek from drugs-i.e. an overwhelming ego-immersing experience of sensations, perceptions, colours, emotions, and "transcendental states beyond words." But these feelings often pass into memories and your old moods will come back in again.

Therefore, " What have you gained from meditation?" the correct answer should be "nothing"

Cheers

Meditation - Things to consider

Seclusion and isolation from noise are important considerations, especially for beginners. In an urban environment complete seclusion is rarely possible, but even relative seclusion is of value. How this is achieved must be determined by the practitioner's individual opportunities and circumstances. The time and duration of meditation will also vary with individual situations. Ideally, one should choose a time when one's mind is alert. Fifteen to forty-five minutes is recommended for lay beginners, and many persons are of the opinion that it should be at the same time each day, preferably in the early morning. A good night's sleep and moderation in eating are valuable.Click Here!

Heat Element During Meditation?

Hi, I hope you all been practicing meditation. Not sure about you, but recently I feel intense heat in my body when I was practicing. Could feel the heat element moving in my body. Anyone has that feeling before?

Cheers

Another good book for Meditation

Amazon.com Review
If you'd like to read about meditation and then go back to your regular life, don't get this book. Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, warns us that vipassana meditation is "meant to revolutionize the whole of your life experience." In one of the best nuts-and-bolts meditation manuals, he lays out the fundamentals of basic Buddhist meditation, the how, what, where, when, and why, including common problems and how to deal with them. His 52 years as a Buddhist monk make Mindfulness in Plain English an authority on a living tradition, and his years of teaching in America and elsewhere give it the clarity and straightforwardness that has made it so popular. If you'd like to learn the practice of meditation, you can't do better. --Brian Bruya --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Some of other reviews:

• "A masterpiece. I cannot recommend it highly enough." -- Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are
• "Of great value to newcomers...especially people without access to a teacher." -- Larry Rosenberg, Director, Cambridge Insight Meditation Center --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Great book for a begginerI love this book, my dad recommended it to me, and even that I have been doing meditation for couple of years, it helped me so much, gave me new tips and understanding. Read more
  Published 26 days ago by Aleksandra Ambrozy
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Easy to DigestHighly recommended~ Imagine that this book is a close friend who's a life long meditator. Imagine that you have a genuine curiousity about the meditative process. Read more
  Published 1 month ago by B. Denhoff Dworkin
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Just get it now.This book is a must-have if you're interested in the very practical matter of setting up a regular meditation practice. Read more
  Published 2 months ago by Adi
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Mindfullness In Plain EnglishThis is a fantastic book on Mindfulness. It is clearly written (by an expert) and very easy to read and understand. Read more
  Published 2 months ago by Charles L. Sales
• 5.0 out of 5 stars- Simplcity at its best... There is really no other way to aptly describe this work... I have this book twice and plan to read it once more. Read more
  Published 3 months ago by Frank E. Lawatsch III
• 2.0 out of 5 stars -Another Buddhist "Pop Culture" BookAfter all the 5 star reviews listed here I couldn't wait to read this book and find out how wonderful it is. Read more
  Published 4 months ago by Mark Twain
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Excellent 'how to' book on insight meditationI came across Buddhism and meditation before coming across this book, but after about 12 months practise - including a 5 day retreat - I seemed to be 'stuck' and not moving... Read more
  Published 4 months ago by Seeker
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -The cookbook for mindfulnessAs a beginner Buddhist I've read a handful of books regarding Buddhism and mindful living. All too often the books I've read have been more of what I call "Buddhist Porn". Read more
  Published 5 months ago by alan joseph
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -This is one book I keep coming back to.I started reading this book in electronic (PDF) form, and liked it a lot, so I got a paper copy. I felt that it spoke directly to me, pointed out the turbulent states of mind in... Read more
  Published 5 months ago by M. A. Sridhar

Walking Meditation

When most people think of meditation, they think of sitting in lotus position for hours at a time, either feeling quite peaceful, or feeling quite miserable, and desperately trying to feel peaceful.
This image of meditation, though partially correct, is not conducive to inner peace. It is based on two erroneous beliefs. One: that there is a right and a wrong way to meditate. And two: that you must leave every day life and sit quietly in order to meditate.
Neither of these two beliefs are particularly helpful, and, more importantly, they miss the spiritual principle that Life is the Best Mediation Practice.
Let us examine the above two erroneous beliefs, and see if we can clarify what mediation and "Life as the Meditation" are really about.
Firstly, there is no "wrong" in meditating. If you feel you are doing it wrong, then that feeling should become your mediation. Turn "wrongness" into "rightness." IN other words, do not try to change what you are experiencing. That is the key to joy. Nothing needs to change on the inside. If you are uncomfortable or worried then let those feelings flow. Take the breaks off. Trying to control them is futile. Instead, be at peace with them. Be at peace with your uncomfortableness.
Deep meditation always transcends ideas of right and wrong. It may sound strange, but just as there is no way to do meditation wrong, there is also no way to do meditation right. This means that deep and true medition is about the integration of apparent opposites. When right integrates with wrong, they cancel each other out. They blend and they merge, just like the yin yang symbol. Who you are, your truest nature lies in the middle. The middle is where the deepest meditation comes from.
One way to help integrate the opposites, and experience the center, is through practicing walking meditation. Walking meditation helps integrate "motion" and "stillness." IN walking meditation, you learn to be still on the inside, while moving on the outside. This is the sacred integration that engenders peace.
Once you get used to walking meditation, it starts to become obvious that anything can be a meditation. Doing dishes, walking the dog, folding laundry, and so on. There is no reason to separate meditation from daily living. You must join the two together. You must unify the poles.
All meditation starts now. It has already begun. Do not look for it in lotus position. It is always right here and now. Do not look for how to meditate correctly, instead let what ever arises be your meditation. You are whole and complete now, uncomfortable feelings and all, and your meditation is a reflection of that wholeness. Ride that reflection naturally and effortlessly, and you will discover true integration in your self.

Meditation - Stay Healthy

hi, important to stay healthy when you are meditating. Do not attempt to overeat or you will feel sleepy during meditation. Also if you are not feeling well, it will take up more energy to stay focus and increase your concentration level. So please stay healthy.

Cheers! This is my first attempt to do mobile blogging.

Breathing Meditation- Counting

Sometimes, I find mentally counting the breaths enhances concentration. I would usually count more than five to ten the max. Upon reaching ten the counting starts over. But how long do we need to use this method? From my experience, just do it for five minutes should be enough or until mindfulness remains settled on the in-breaths and out-breaths as its object. For counting is simply a device for settling mindfulness on the in-breaths and out-breaths as object by cutting off the external dissipation of applied thoughts.

Hope this is useful for your meditation practice.

Cheers

Meditation Retreats

Ever come across Meditation Retreat that requires you to observe 5 or 8 precepts? Do you know them? I listed them down briefly so that you can remember well, they are :

1. Avoid Killing;
2. Avoid Stealing;
3. Avoid engaging in activities that focus on sensual experience;
4. Avoid speaking;
5. Avoid intoxicants
6. Avoid overeating;
7. Avoid activities that arouse the emotions and scatter the mind;
8. Avoid slackening our resolve.

These eight precepts support the arising of the wholesome mental states that lead to concentration and wisdom. I sometimes find difficulties to observe all the eight precepts, especially the overeating part. But I guess these are precepts that we have to follow if we were to go for Meditation Retreat

Cheers

Meditation- Going Anywhere?

Sometimes when I am meditating, I felt the presence of expectation creeping into my mind. Will I reach the next stage? Maybe I will be able to attain jhanas in today's practice. But what I always remember from the Great Masters is that to forget and let go of these expectation that meditation can bring you and stay in the present. Just simply be present with a calm mind is enough for meditation to progress. Expectation is like bring the mind to future events that has not happened and will greatly hinder your progress.

So please do not let expectation hinder your progress. You are not going anywhere, you are just here doing meditation!!!

A simple and workable road map to overcoming anxiety

We all face a variety of worries and stresses on a daily basis. Top off our personal 'normal' daily stresses with the condition of world politics, wars, economies in crises all over the world and job losses here in the U.S. and, well, need I say more? Anxiety has become a familiar state of being for almost everyone these days. Such anxiety can easily become another daily stress in itself. If you seem to be burdened with excessive anxiety, you need to know that there is a way of overcoming anxiety, no matter how improbable that might seem. Here is a virtual road map you can use to succeed in overcoming anxiety.
Anxiety is your body's normal response to stressful conditions. It's really one way your body protects you. For example, if you're walking down the street at night and a suspicious character approaches you, you become anxious, as a result of a rush of adrenalin – the fight or flight syndrome. Instead of freezing on the spot, you run in the opposite direction.
However, it's also true that anxiety can be a result of intangible threats, such as worry over your kids, finances or a spat with your boss. Your body doesn't distinguish between real and intangible, or even imaginary threats. That rush of adrenalin comes on just as strong. The problem now becomes different. As they say, you're all dressed up with nowhere to go. This is when, instead of a brief spurt of anxiety and a subsequent corrective action – such as fleeing the suspicious character – that adrenalin just keeps on going, with the anxiety continuing apace. This is when you need some practical help in overcoming anxiety.
When your anxiety starts causing you some real discomfort, one of the best things you can do to get it under control is to do something physical, with vigor. That racing feeling will soon disappear if you engage in some hard work. Scrub the daylights out of the kitchen floor. If the weather's nice, go for a brisk walk or take a ride on your bike. Get the vacuum out and pretend your mother in law is coming for dinner. The more physical energy you expend, the better you'll feel.
Should you have a full blown anxiety attack, overcoming anxiety may seem impossible. Anxiety attacks can produce several quite uncomfortable symptoms. Your heart may beat frighteningly fast, you may experience a sensation of choking or not being able to breathe, with painful tension in your muscles and in the chest. This usually leads to hyperventilating. You may have heard that breathing into a paper bag will stop hyperventilating in its tracks. Good news. It's true. Just squeeze the neck of a brown paper bag until it's only wide enough for your mouth. Breathe in and out, as slowly as you can. The symptoms will subside.
If your anxiety occurs on an almost daily basis, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. Be aware that both food allergies and food additives, preservatives and substances such as caffeine can contribute substantially to increased anxiety. Discuss these possibilities at your appointment. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to help you in overcoming anxiety. Such medications may be taken on a temporary basis, until you can get at the root of the problems causing your anxiety.
Yoga, meditation techniques and prayer can also be helpful in overcoming anxiety. In order to get a handle on your anxiety, you also need to make some time to relax, no matter how pressed for time. It's your health we're talking about here. Try all of these techniques. They all work. Put emphasis on those that work best for you. One of my personal favorites, not yet mentioned, involves a nice hot tub and a good read!

Vipassana Meditation- Ajahn Chah

Hi friends, I would like to recommend " Food for the Heart" - A collected teachings of Ajahn Chan. In this book it has some of the collections of teachings from Great Master Ajahn Chan and also talked about his method of meditations. Worth keeping this as one of the reference book.



This rich collection is a real treasure. Profound, direct, earthy, and often funny. Food for the Heart will be especially precious for practitioners of Vippassana meditation in all Buddhist lineages.
- Larry Rosenberg, author of Breadth by Breadth

Be Patient you are Meditating

One must be patient in meditation. If one shifts or changes one's posture too often because one cannot be patient with the sensation of stiffness or heat that arises, good concentration (samadhi) cannot develop.

'Patience leads to Nibbana'

So my dear friends keep at it and do not give up.

Meditation by Ajah Chan

Hi all,

Acoording to Grand Master Ajah Chan, both samantha and Vipassana must go hand in hand. His teaching is that you not able to do one without the other. You practice samantha to calm your mind and proceed to Vipassana meditation after you reach certain level.

But there are other master who claim that you can proceed to Vipassana meditation without going into samantha.

So who is actually right. Well, Buddha has said that to reach enlightenment there are many paths you can use. It all boils down to you and whichever path suits you.

So do not be over attached to one type of practice.

Warning : You can explore various methods, but you must put your heart into whatever that you are practicing now and not mixed up with other methods you have learned.

Cheers and hope I did not confuse you

Powerful Prayers

Prayer is powerful. It can change lives and those lives can change the world. Many people are not familiar with truly powerful prayers. They are raised in religious traditions that emphasize going through the motions above anything else. They believe that if they say certain words at certain times of day, they will receive God's blessing. In reality, there is no simple formula for a powerful prayer. It requires skillful wording, pure intentions, and realistic expectations. You cannot expect God to act differently for you than he does for everyone else. You have to be willing to wait for everything to occur in its own proper time. If you can do that, you will be truly blessed in all of your undertakings.
Nonetheless, there are some formulas for making your prayers powerful. One of the most important things is to make them personal. Reciting a standard credo from your faith is a good way to set up your prayers because it gets you in the proper mood. Nonetheless, powerful prayers come straight from the heart. It is alright to pray for universal peace, but also don't be afraid to ask the lord For the thing that is foremost in your mind. If you want financial security, good health, or some kind of blessing in a coming venture, ask for it. There is nothing wrong with asking, and God may See fit to answer your request.
Sometimes, the most powerful prayer don't even need words. I have had experiences where it hasn't been a verbalized request that has been answered, but rather a strange and vague longing. Sometimes I get extremely overwhelmed with emotions, and cry out while I am praying. These are the times that I feel most in connection with God. I can almost see the face of the divine and feel it close to me. That is how you know that your prayers are likely to be answered.
Of course ultimately, it doesn't really help you to think about finding powerful prayers. The important thing to do is to trust God. If you try to make your prayers powerful, you are trying to manipulate divine forces. Although this isn't wrong per se, it won't necessarily work for you. Pray to God with a sincere heart and you will be blessed. Try to really talk God into doing something for you, and you will probably have less luck. Faith is crucial in a moment of prayer. Without it, you will get nowhere.

Lazy Meditation

At times, I may feel too tired to do meditation, especially after I returned from my office. My mind will tempt me with all kind of excuses and it will keep telling me like " Hey gimme a break, why not skip today and practice tomorrow!!". You know what I listened and has stopped practicing for two weeks before I get myself to practice again.

Moral of the story, I guess you must be disciplined and determined to do meditation or you will lose it. If you are that busy, just give yourself 5 minutes every day.

Cheers

The Practice of Vipassana Meditation Today

Since the beginning of the twentieth century the teaching and the practice of traditional Buddhist meditation have undergone a considerable evolution in two important respects.

First, there has been a decided growth in the practice of vipassana meditation on its own, without combining it with samantha meditation.

Secondly, there has been a much greater involvement of lay person in vipassana, not only as students in ever growing numbers but also as lay meditation masters.

Both these development are mutually interrelated and are manifestations of the same overall trend: an adaption to the conditions prevailing in the modern word and a response to the growing demand for these simple and effective methods of mental culture.

Thank you

Hi all,

First of all, like to thank all of you for visiting my sites.

Secondly, I would welcome any comments from you so that I can improve further.

Finally, again a BIG THANK YOU to take the time.

Cheers

Who is talking during Meditation?

Ever wonder who is the one talking in your head during meditation? Is that you mind that keep churning thoughts of past events and future plan? Just stay focus on the present. Be mindful of thoughts that are coming in as they will disturb your meditation practice. Just note of it presence and be aware. These thoughts will arise and disappear like all dharma. What is left is the present moment.

Cheers

Where do find the book "The Meditator's Altlas"

Hi everyone,
Many has asked me where I got my copy of the book. Well, I bought this in Kinokuniya BookStore at Takashimaya and you can try your nearest bookstores to see if they have any available. Or you can also purchase at my blogsites. Take a look at the Best Seller collumn.

Cheers

Recommended reading

Hi all,

I would like to recommend getting this book called 'The Meditator's Atlas' by Mathew Flickstein. Inside it teaches you on the "Path of Purification" as laid out in the great classic of Buddhist literature called Visuddhimagga.

I have read the book and think it is good roadmap to guide you through the stages of the practice.

Cheers

Meditation Retreat

Hi all, if you have a chance (knowing that all of you are busy), try to set aside some time to go for Meditation Retreat. It a very good experience and you will probably learned some new things from there. For those of you who not able to commit a long period, maybe you can look for a shorter days like a 3 Day Retreat? Based on my experience, a 3 Day Retreat is usually meant for beginners.

Cheers