Why Meditate?
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| Leshan Giant Buddha in China 71 meters high! |
It's a good question, people sitting in silence with eyes closed may seem strange to
many of us. What is going through their minds and is this some kind
of religion? Some meditation practitioners do have a strong faith in
a God or a train of thought to focus on, it depends on the school
they have chosen. Others might be repeating a mantra or have their
eyes open staring at a blank wall while others have closed eyes and
observe the sensations that arise within the body. Whatever the
method of practice in most cases the ultimate goal is peace of mind,
and knowledge of the mind. We cannot dispute the fact that despite
vast technical advances and medical miracles, we as a species are
still deeply troubled. Despite the abundance of care and material
wealth that many of us have, millions of people still experience
problems with feeling isolated, anxious and depressed, detached from
the joy and spontaneity that we experienced as children. More than one in ten Americans regularly take some form of anti-depressant drug, a rise of 400% in recent years! So how do we
hope to regain the joy and compassion that we feel so alienated from
without trying to achieve them from drugs or the ever changing and impermanent
external world? Meditation has helped millions of people over
thousands of years to achieve a greater peace of mind and a happier
life. When I see the enormous statues from the ancient world I feel
that they validate the power of meditation and Buddhism, why would
people go to such lengths to express their gratitude?
The Preliminary Stages
of Meditation
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| An Early Starter |
The main reason people
begin to meditate is that they understand that the nature of
suffering arises from within their own mind. We all inherit problems
of one form or another from our past and most of us bring suffering
to ourselves with our thoughts. We cannot change the past and it all
adds up to the content of our minds, this can lead to distressing
thoughts and eventually to anxiety, instability and depression.
Buddhist meditation can alleviate our suffering and bring greater
awareness to our inner world. Through this awareness it is possible
to prevent ourselves from becoming overwhelmed by our emotions and
develop a steady introspective attention otherwise known as
'mindfulness and clear comprehension'. “Know thyself !“ ,
you will be in auspicious company if you live by these words and
begin to explore the rich temple of your inner world.
Click on link for meditation cushions and start today!
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