Do you want to meditate like the Buddha? First, let’s imagine what it was like to be him. You are sitting quietly at dusk under the boddhi tree, enjoying the pure peace of being. Nothing is wrong. Everything is right. The silence and stillness is so deep you can hear the bells of a temple […]
Meditation Techniques: 2 Paths to Freedom from our Busy Minds
Despite the huge variety of meditation techniques available to spiritual seekers around the world, there’s a secret that every meditator needs to know. There are really only two kinds of meditative practice: focused awareness and free awareness. Generally speaking, every meditation technique can be classed under one of these two categories, which have traditionally been […]
Meditation for Beginners: A 3-Step Guide for Daily Meditation
I was first introduced to meditation through a book on martial arts. Kneeling on the floor of my bedroom as a teenager, I did my best to follow the book’s instructions, closing my eyes and attempting to visualize a bright, perfect sphere of light. I was only able to do it for a minute or […]
The 4 Foundations of Mindfulness
Mindfulness, as explained by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a renowned mindfulness meditation teacher, “means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgementally.” In other words, it is a conscious direction of our awareness. To be mindful, one must be purposely aware of oneself. Michelle Fajkus of Elephant Journal describes the four foundations of […]
2 Ways to Meditate Anytime, Anywhere
You may meditate regularly and have found the profound benefits of relaxation and stress reduction associated with meditation practice. But there might be times when stress still gets the best of you and you just wish you could get back to your cushion to settle down. You may not be able to stop and meditate, […]