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Meditation

Meditation. In the Buddhist Tradition. The Context for Meditation: A Path of Gradual Self-Cultivation. The Role of the Posture. -Back straight -Gaze downward -Shoulders relaxed -Tongue on upper palate -Hands in posture -Legs in asana -Breath awareness. Contemplation.

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Meditation

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  1. Meditation In the Buddhist Tradition

  2. The Context for Meditation: A Path of Gradual Self-Cultivation

  3. The Role of the Posture -Back straight -Gaze downward -Shoulders relaxed -Tongue on upper palate -Hands in posture -Legs in asana -Breath awareness

  4. Contemplation • Performed in a very relaxed state • Conceptual • Slow consideration of a single topic from several angles, or • Progression through a series of contemplative steps • Bookended by meditative practice [shamatha] • Examples: Compassion practice, impermanence/death contemplation. • Intent: To become deeply familiar with a specific topic or concept, to recondition thoughts and emotional patterns [relationship to CBT]

  5. Meditation • Deep relaxation • Sustained focus/concentration • Non-conceptual • Often uses a method that involves repetition • Begins with physical stillness, but can progress to include movement. • Intent: To calm the wildness of the mind/nervous system, and to achieve insight, even enlightenment, over time.

  6. Shamatha • Tranquility/Calm Abiding Meditation [aka ‘mindfulness meditation] • Types • With a focus [visualization, mantra, seen form] • With no focus [mahamudra] • With neither focus nor not-focus [the breath] • A balance between focus [concentration] and relaxation [looseness] • Goal: To calm mental activity and the nervous system, to achieve peace of mind, to become one-pointed

  7. An Example: The Breath • Bring attention to the body • Bring attention to the breath • Light, relaxed focus on the breath • Thoughts allowed to come and go • Returning to the focus [repeated return, application of mindfulness] • Release of focus and resting

  8. Vipassana • Insight Meditation [The ‘best seeing’] • Purpose: To stimulate insight into the truth of things • Types [examples] • Self-Inquiry • Inquiry into the nature of thoughts/ appearances • Discernment between thoughts/emotions and their underlying nature • Initially introduced after a stable Shamatha practice has been achieved • Result: Insight into the nature of things, shift in overall perspective,

  9. An Example: Self-Inquiry • Begin with shamatha • After while, ask the question, ‘who is meditating’, and look inwards to catch the looker • Rest in that, finding or not finding • Return to the breath • Release

  10. Compassion Meditation: an ancient practice, a new area of researach in America • Referential Compassion [examples] • Contemplation of the sameness of self and other • Contemplation of our relatedness • Tong-len • Benefactor Practice • Natural Empathy • Non-referential Compassion: • The union of compassion and wisdom • Mahamudra and Dzogchen • An advanced practice

  11. An Example: Natural Empathy • Begin with body/breath awareness • Bring up a situation that is difficult, ‘the story’ • Notice the feeling-reaction • Sit with the story and the feelings non-judgment, acceptance, relaxation: “This is how I feel, and it is okay.” • Consider, “This is how so many others feel” • Commune with those many others • Breathe: may they be free, may they be well • Release

  12. MHG-Emory Compassion Study • Study with general public • Study with foster kids • Study of natural empathy’s effect on depression

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