What benefits will I notice from Bhuddist meditation ?

Question

...and how long does it take to start noticing the effects?

Answer 1

You will notice benefits right after your very first time. However, do you think you can leave your computer long enough to do this?

Answer 2

Hey you're in good company, an Indian king asked the Buddha himself a very similar question when he asked the Buddha whether there were any fruits of the spiritual life that were visible here and now. The Buddha answered with one of his comprehensive graduated discourses which began by listing the mundane worldly benefits and working up through the various meditative attainments culminating in enlightenment itself ! This particular conversation is recorded in the 'Samannaphala Sutta' and rather than bore you, if you're genuinely interested I recommend you read 'Visible Here & Now - The Buddha's Teachings on the Rewards of Spiritual Practice' by Ayya Khema. This is a translation of the 'Samannaphala Sutta' with a very practical commentary by the late Ayya Khema, a fully realised Western nun belonging to the Theravada tradition.

You also asked 'How long does it take ?' Well that's down to you alone. All I would say is that Patience is extremely important and the sooner one learns to let go of 'expecting' the better. As regards the higher fruits, the mind will unfold naturally by itself when the conditions are right, the thinking 'I' can't force them.

If you're totally new to Buddhism there are other introductory books worth reading, but this one answers your question. Anyway, try it, it works ;-)

Best wishes !

Answer 3

You will feel whole, calm, and at peace. Well, when I first started I didn't notice anything because I hadn't accomplished it yet I was 15 and could not calm my mind. It isn't easy, there is so much you have too do to prepare yourself.
But once you are prepared
Meditation liberates you and makes you sharper. There are many different ones to choose from, and there are ones that become unique to you.
It feels like waking up from a good night sleep. Your body rests and you feel recharged right, well your mind doesn't get much sleep while your body does, Meditation lets your mind get rest.
Meditation is used by healing for those who are that in tune with themselves. Your mind is the master tool and your body is an instrument of it alone so like working out in a gym, you must nurture the mind. United body and mind that are well cared for makes the soul sing.

Answer 4

There is a similar question which may give light to your wondering about meditation:
What benefits will I notice from money? ...and how long does it take to start noticing the effects?
Money is a newer, more concrete and more popular thing than meditation. More people are still rushing to it and possessing it, so its benefits may be more evident and more attractive.
After answering this question, if you still don't see the benefits of meditation, you can put it back with the replacement of money by gold, diamond, education...
To me, the benefits I notice from meditation is getting to know what is my destiny on earth and what and how I should do to accomplish it. It doesn't take anytime to see the effects.
As soon as I put the verses of Baha'u'llah quoted below into my memory, I realize the great benefits of meditation. And the more I keep on meditating, I realize that the One True God is ushering in the Most Great Peace for all mankind and no power on earth can go against this.

These are the divine verses:
"…MAN SHOULD KNOW HIS OWN SELF, AND KNOW THOSE THINGS WHICH LEAD TO LOFTINESS OR TO BASENESS, TO SHAME OR TO HONOR, TO AFFLUENCE OR TO POVERTY. AFTER MAN HAS REALIZED HIS OWN BEING AND BECOME MATURE, THEN FOR HIM WEALTH IS NEEDED. IF THIS WEALTH IS ACQUIRED THROUGH A CRAFT AND PROFESSION, IT IS APPROVABLE AND WORTHY OF PRAISE TO MEN OF WISDOM, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE SERVANTS WHO ARISE TO TRAIN THE WORLD AND BEAUTIFY THE SOULS OF NATIONS."
-Baha'u'llah, Baha'i World Faith, p. 167-

Pray for your success.

Answer 5

Hi yogaman. I am so glad to hear that you are practising meditation. I am too and it is wonderful. Just be patient and relax because it is a lifetime journey. And a very peaceful journey. I have been feeling the benefits of meditation in my life for a long time. It is the gift that just keeps on giving! There is always something new to the experience. I am sure you will find it to be that way too. I am sending you lots of love and good karma.

Answer 6

"The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results. (IMPORTANT)
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances."
=> Atisha.

Obviously, you seem to be a beginner in these things.

Answer 7

and here are the negatives....

Boredom
aching butt
nodding off
expense of buying a mat
delusion that it has any effect
wasting time that could be better spent doing real excercise
knowing you've been suckered by the latest Madonna-type fad
uncertainty in back of mind wether this is useful or pointlessness
The embarrassment that you need to practise on how to breathe

Answer 8

The whole aim of meditation is,
1. to calm your mind, and
2. to focus the mind on one thing.

The benefits of meditation is immense. You will notice them from the first day itself.

The mind of a normal person is like an uncontrolled monkey jumping from one thought to another. To process all these thoughts a lot of body energy is used. Thus if your mind cease to process thoughts you will be saving a lot of body energy which can be used to cure a lot of ailments in your body. That is why a person who continues to meditate regularly even gets a nice body complexion.

Anapana or concentration on the breath is the best form of meditation.

If you sit down and close your eyes you will notice that your mind is jumping from one thought to another. Even though you want to concentrate on your breath you will find other thoughts also coming in between.

In learning to meditate you must first learn to calm your mind. You do this by following every thought that comes into you mind. You must be like a Manager of a Hotel who stands at the entrance and observes the customers coming in. Without getting attached to the thoughts try to observe them. You will find that a thought comes in and that it goes nowhere and another thought follows it - try following that too - with same results. This way you will find that your thoughts gradually subside. Do not try to force out your thoughts. This not only improves concentration it also reduces stress.

Of course do not expect results in one or two days. Practise it for at least 40 minutes every day for at least 2 months you find that you have 'killed' your train of thoughts. I have practised for nearly 2 years and still vagrant thoughts come in.

Thereafter start concentrating on your breath. Notice the breath coming in and going out. You should not concentrate only on the tip of your nose. Notice the breath coming in and thereafter your lungs getting filled and then gradually exhaling the breath.

After you finish that for the day start to think of a person or several persons whom you hate most. Having those people in mind start to think in a compassionate manner "may he be healthy, may he be happy, may he go up in life, may he live long". Keep on doing this for about 10 minutes a day for a few months you will find that you do not get angry even when you have to get angry.

You should be able to get some guidance from the following sites,

1. http://www.dhamma.org/vipassan.htm/
2. http://www.meditationexpert.com/ and click on the free articles on yoga meditation - it includes articles on all types of meditations.

Answer 9

You will notice as time goes on that your mind is more disciplined, you can concentrate better and you are able to relax yourself without drugs. Then you begin having insights more often. I don't remember how long it took, there is no hurrying this.

Answer 10

Effects on physical body
(1) Healthier: One's resistance to disease is increased. That means when colleagues fall sick, one can destroy the same germs or viruses in one's own body due to the increased immunity developed from our daily meditation. Similarly, as cancer cells are popping up in our bodies everyday the meditators can also eradicate these malignant cells as they arise. Conversely, stress reduces our immunity and it may be so reduced that the cancer cells takeover, and start to form a primary colony in the body. The danger of cancer is that it is wild and unruly, and will grow incessantly to the detriment of the healthy body.
(2) Memory and Concentration: The meditator having achieved good concentration, has also a much better memory. He is now less tense and has an increased capacity to handle stress. He appears also to have increased energy with greater physical agility. He is able to sleep better, and the incidence of insomnia is greatly reduced. There is less tension headaches, and irritability. Aches and pains of the body begin to diminish. As mind-body co-ordination greatly improves, the meditator works more efficiently.
(3) Personality: He is now friendlier, and has a more attractive personality. He has more time for others, and is more tolerant of other religions. He is now able to deal with emergency situations without panic. Although he is more patient, he is more charismatic. He is also more sensitive to other people's moods and feelings. Additionally, he is able to take losses and bereavement much better. This adds up to an increased ability to let go: to be less greedy and more charitable.
(4) Psychosomatic illnesses: Conditions such as asthma, neurodermatitis and gastrointestinal problems (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome) begin to disappear as one continues to meditate. Weight is normalised. High blood pressure is also reduced.

Mental-emotional effects
After at least six months, one would notice that there is a reduction of anxiety neurosis and nervousness. Depression disappears completely. There are no longer feelings of inadequacy. Being much calmer than before, irritability has also more or less disappeared. On the positive side there is more self-esteem. The meditator can now solve problems better, because his mind is not cluttered with anxiety and unnecessary information. As one's thoughts become more orderly, one's thinking is much more organised, thus increasing one's creativity and productivity.

Spiritual well-being
Meditation tends to make us a better Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist. Our affiliations to our religions are strengthened. It also tends to foster trust with a greater capacity for intimate contact. One develops more compassion for our fellow human beings, and there is also a greater capacity for unconditional love, which means that the meditator does not expect any gratitude or thanks. There is an increased satisfaction at work and at home, and consequently we develop inner wholeness. We now know that life is meaningful. Of course, the greatest achievement would be our ability to let go: to have less greed, hatred, pride and selfishness. These four foibles when considerably reduced will affect our spiritual well-being tremendously.

Hindrances (Obstacles)
There are five primary hindrances to all types of meditation and our spiritual path. These are:
(1) Sensual Desire: These are desires or cravings emanating from our six sense organs: they are the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin and mind. Of course, when you are sitting in meditation, the mind will give you the most obstacles.
(2) Ill-will: Irritation, anger, hatred, envy, jealousy and depression. These negative traits will hamper one's meditation, as peace of mind cannot be obtained.
(3) Sloth and Torpor: As one is more experienced in meditation one can go deeper into theta wave or access concentration. In this state, drowsiness is experienced and the tendency to fall asleep is overwhelming. The remedy here is to be more aware, using mindfulness to keep awake. If you have a very tiring day, then the evening meditation tends to be sloppy. If you are truly earnest about having a fruitful meditation, then get up and wash your face with cold water. Then continue your meditation with your eyes open.
(4) Restlessness and Worry: Here the restlessness could be of the body or of the mind. If it is of the body, then one could do some form of exercises or hatha yoga to squeeze out the excess physical energy out of the body. If it is of the mind, then one should concentrate more at the object of meditation.
(5) Skeptical Doubt: The main doubt here is that it is impossible to meditate, no matter how hard one tries. It is not true. Everybody can meditate. You must have patience, and a suitable meditation subject must be chosen. Persistence is the key word, but one must not be
stressed by the attempt.

These five hindrances can also be eradicated or counteracted by the five Jhanic factors:
(1) One-pointed concentration eradicates lust.
(2) Rapture abolishes ill will.
(3) Applied thought extinguishes sloth and torpor.
(4) Bliss eliminates agitation and worry.
(5) Sustained Thought suppresses doubt and uncertainty.