Into Motivation

Some Eastern practitioners say that many people do not really understand meditation. Here in the West, we are fairly new to this Buddhist practice that is over 2,500 years old. We often confuse meditation and relaxation, assuming they are the same, even though they are not. Relaxation releases stress and emphasizes “letting go,” whereas meditation focuses on disciplining the mind and maintaining an altered state of consciousness. It’s true that relaxation often occurs as a result of meditation, but meditation is so much more. There are many different meditation techniques to help you get started.

Most of the modern techniques for mediation fall into one of two categories: Zen-based forms (which involve insight meditation) and Hinduism-based forms (which involve concentrative meditation). With Zen-based meditation, like vipassana or mindfulness meditation, you will become aware of the passing of thoughts and feelings, without becoming emotionally involved. The person meditating sits quietly and allows any thought to pass through the mind, while gently redirecting the focus to the here and now. Breathing and observing body sensations helps to block out distractions to achieve perfect concentration, although there is always a consciousness about the process of achieving meditation.

The concentrative method of meditation focuses the attention

on a particular subject, such as one’s breath, an image or a sound. The idea is that clarity will be at the end of the tunnel. This type of meditation absorbs the mind on the continuous rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. While absorbed in that thought, breathing becomes even slower and deeper, as the mind becomes more and more aware. Transcendental meditation and yoga nidra (sleep of the yogis) are Hindu-based concentrative, meditation techniques and methods that encourage a retreat into the inner self.

When learning meditation techniques, it’s a good idea to read a few books on meditation to learn the history behind this spiritual practice. Many people find they are busy but would like to devote 10-20 minutes per day to the study of meditation, so they purchase a meditation CD or DVD for help getting into the mood. Naturally, the best way to attain enlightenment is by taking meditation classes that are led by a trained teacher. You can find a center near you at www.shabhalasun.com.

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