How do you meditate?

Question

I am trying to convert to buddhism. I try to do that thing where u cross your legs and say ummm but nothing happens.

Answer 1

I really don't think the crossed-leg humming thing is for me... I've tried it, too, and found it to be a little less than satisfying - in fact, it was darned uncomfortable and annoying after about five minutes of working at it.... No thanks.

My type of meditation has been better conducted during favorite times each day... I'm not Buddhist but I understand the basic concepts of a lot of Buddha's teachings and although I don't specifically find myself recalling his words during my most meditative moments, you could say that my mind goes to similar considerations pretty frequently.

My very best time to consider myself and my surrounds, the how do I fit in sort of thing, is in the early morning. I like the onset of daylight and watching the birds starting their day; and too, between stretches and yawns, I always enjoy the few minutes I find just for me... just to enjoy the simplicity of being. I frequently find myself smiling before I leave the front porch.

If a daily activity similar to this isn't the ideal parallel to traditional meditation, then I don't know what is. Perhaps I'll in add an occasional monotone hummm at some point in the future just to see if anything gets better.... LOL.

Good question, thanks for asking it.

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Answer 2

Get comfortable and relax your whole body so that you feel completely comfortable or as best as you can get it .Take a few deep slow breaths inhale and exhale slowly, then when you feel your ready take in a deep breath and in your mind count 1 and then exhale then repeat it until you get to 10, if you have a thought come into your mind while your counting acknowledge it and then restart the counting, most of all stay calm during this and dont be frustrated. The key thing is to clear your mind and the breathing with counting helps to make that happen. When you finally get to 10 you can say whatever you want or jus listen in your mind, when you are ready to stop, count from 10 - 1 and breath like before. This method has helped me alot and things just melted away for me. If your converting to a religion involving meditation there should be a local religious leader that you can speak to to help guide you, if not or if you want to gain more knowledge on it find a meditation book at a nearby book store and read it. For some people soothing music helps for others just a calm place all alone is enough, its a personal thing.

Answer 3

When you meditate you are not looking for results, but rather experiencing this moment, and nothing else.
Meditation is not restricted to only a quiet room on a cushion. There is a walking meditation, dish washing meditation, phone conversation meditation, anything. All the buddhist monks, like dalai lama, the rinpoches, thich nhat hanh, would tell you that.
The whole point of meditation is enjoying this moment. What is the rush.
Yes, you would become psychic after a while, you might have lucid dreams. These come as a by-product of your discipline to meditation, that is devotion to only this moment. But you should not pressure for these things to come.

Answer 4

Take a walk. Feel the swing of your arms, feel the blood rush to your fingertips. Feel the texture of the pavement underneath your toes, through your shoes.
Walk a little faster than your normal shuffle. Walk with a purpose, to get the the next corner, the next stoplight.

Just walk, and watch. As thoughts rise up through your mind, re-focus on the crunch of the pavement under your toes. Feel the light sweat on your back.

Try and walk for half an hour if you can. Longer if you have time.

And if you start doing this every other day, or every day at the same time, you will get many benefits. Good luck.

Answer 5

I am Atheists..

I do a bastardized form of Yoga stretching, holding positions and relaxing my mind and body..

I do not chant as the monotonous drone agitates me rather than relaxing, I enjoy listening to sounds of nature (biirds chirping, rain falling, a gurgling stream)

I especially like to do my form of Yoga during rain storms (summer storms are the best) I get nude and sit on the center of my 14 foot trampoline (on the trampoline because I can avoid wet dirt and grass and such up there) I stretch and hold positions while enjoying the feel of the warm rain on my skin and I close my eyes and listening to the sounds of the storm (the rain pounding the ground and other objects, the thunder, etc).. The sudden brightness of lightning flashes...

When I have relaxed and feel like jello I lay on my back with my eyes closed my arms and legs spread and enjoy the feel of the rain on my whole body..

As you might imagine my husband also enjoys my Yoga during storms he sees it as a spectator sport LOL

Answer 6

I use candles and incense. They help to put me in a peaceful place. I focus on the candles flame. Pick a scent that is pleasent to you and soothes you. Soft comfortable pillows. Everybody has different methods, these are a few things that help me. I actually like to meditate in a hot bubble bath.

Answer 7

I don't know how Buddhists meditate personally. I understand that they seek to empty their minds and achieve a state of nirvana similar to the Hindus from which Buddhism originated.

As a Christian I meditate like a cow chews it's cud. I think about the Word of God over and over again as I consider how it could apply to a variety of circumstances and how it relates to other verses in the Bible and see how I can apply what it teaches to my daily life. Here's some info on Buddhism that you might be interested in.

Buddhist Teachings http://www.greatcom.org/resources/areadydefense/

....The former prince, now a beggar, spent his time wandering from place to place seeking wisdom. Unsatisfied by the truths taught in the Hindu scriptures, he became discouraged but continued on his quest. He tried asceticism but this gave him no peace. The fateful day in his life came while he was meditating beneath a fig tree.

Deep in meditation, he reached the highest degree of God-consciousness, known as nirvana. He supposedly stayed under the fig tree for seven days. After that, the fig tree was called the bodhi, or the bo tree, the tree of wisdom. The truths he learned he would now impart to the world, no longer as Siddhartha Gautama, but as the Buddha, the enlightened one.

When the Buddha emerged from his experience under the bo tree, he met with five monks who had been his companions. It was to these monks that the Buddha began his teaching ministry with the sermon at Benares. The sermon contained the following:

These two extremes, monks, are not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the world. What are the two? That conjoined with the passions and luxury, which is low, vulgar, common, ignoble, and useless; and that conjoined with self-torture, which is painful, ignoble, and useless. Avoiding these two extremes the Blessed One has gained the enlightenment of the Middle Path, which produces insight and knowledge, and leads to calm, to higher knowledge, enlightenment, nirvana.

And what, monks, is the Middle Path . . . ? It is the noble Eightfold Path: namely, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

After the sermon at Benares, the Buddha started to spread his teachings to the people of India. The Indian people, disillusioned with Hinduism, listened intently to this new doctrine. By the time of Buddha's death, at age 80, his teachings had become a strong force in India.

Some time after his death, the Buddha was deified by some of his followers, even though veneration of the Buddha is against the basic teachings of Buddha himself.

Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism

Early Buddhism was confined largely to India and is usually referred to as Theravada Buddhism. Later Buddhism, which became very popular outside India (notably in China and Japan), became known as Mahayana Buddhism:

A key concept in Buddhism is nirvana, the final goal for the Buddhists Donald K. Swearer gives insight into this important concept.

Nirvana has been a troublesome idea for the students of Buddhism. Just what is it? The term itself does not offer much help. Like not-self (anatta), nirvana is a negative term. Literally, it means the "blowing out" of the flame of desire, the negation of suffering (dukkha). This implies that nirvana is not to be thought of as a place but as a total reorientation or state of being realized as a consequence of the extinction of blinding and binding attachment. 23/44

There are five precepts taught by Buddhism that all Buddhists should follow:

1. Kill no living thing (including insects).

2. Do not steal.

3. Do not commit adultery.

4. Tell no lies.

5. Do not drink intoxicants or take drugs.

There are other precepts that apply only to monks and nuns. These include:

6. Eat moderately and only at the appointed time.

7. Avoid that which excites the senses.

8. Do not wear adornments (including perfume).

9. Do not sleep in luxurious beds.

10. Accept no silver or gold.

Answer 8

Lack of passion in oblivion moments. Do 15 mins one day, the next time try 20 mins and add 5 more mins each other week. Keep on trying.

Answer 9

y do u want to convert 2 buddhism ,plzzzzz answer me ?

Answer 10

Meditation is simply learning to live in the moment, when nothing distracts you and when you are not tied to the past or anxious about the future. In meditation you become peacefully aware of your real self. The more you use it, the more aware you become. When you learn to live life for each moment, to enjoy and appreciate life to the fullest at that moment, you suddenly become impervious to the myraid of doubts and fears that you've lived with all your life.

While there are many folks that seem to believe their particular mantra has "magical power", it really is the mindfulness that matters. The mantra is just one of the vehicles you can use to get there.

I developed a simple nonsectarian practice, but my background is in Buddhism - specifically Jodo Shinshu (aka Shin) Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, and the nonsectarian teachings of the Bright Dawn Institute (aka Kubose Dharma Legacy).

Here is the simple, yet potent, meditation technique that I use with some recommended resources as well. Specific posture does not matter. If you are uncomfortable sitting on the floor, you can sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor.

Since I have medical issues, I do a simple form of secular mindfulness meditation to relieve stress and anxiety. This helps to reduce high blood pressure and the frequency of headaches. It is a practice recommended by my primary licensed physician and is not encumbered by any superstitious nonsense.

I have actually studied a wide variety of religions and paths. Being more musically inclined, I was initially attracted to the practices of Jodo Shinshu (aka Shin Buddhism) and Nichiren Buddhism - with the combination of chanting a rhythmic phrase (Nembutsu or Odaimoku) and/or sutra recitation to a visual object (a scroll of Amida or a Gohonzon). This is a more active form of meditation as compared to the silent form (see below for that). So I decided to create a nonsectarian alternative in that vein. One practice that I find helpful in the vein of the Way of Oneness (the realization of interdependence) is to chant “Be One, Be Peace” in a position of gassho (palms together in front of chest with fingers pointing upward - a traditional gesture of respect) to an object such as a Dharma Wheel or a drawing of enso (a circle - you can paint one on a while sheet of paper with a Chinese style brush - traditionally the circle is not fully enclosed - just do a Google search on enso to see examples) as used in Zen. Five minutes of this every morning before work does wonders for my blood pressure and stress level.

You are more than welcome to use the chant if you think you may find it possibly useful.

I use two forms: “Be One. Be Peace.” for those who prefer a four syllable “mantra” like “Namandabu.” Or “Be One. Be Love. Be Peace.” for those who prefer the pace of a six syllable “mantra” like “Nam(u) Myo-ho Ren-Ge Kyo” or “Na-Mu A-Mi-da Butsu.” People who like (or are drawn) to chant are attracted to the rhythm.

For me, the purpose of any practice is to encourage self-reflection, internalizing this awareness , and wonder/gratitude/awareness of the interdependent forces of the Universe (Dharmakaya - in Shin this is symbolized as Amida Buddha which allows practitioners to perceive these forces as “compassionate” and “caring” thus allowing us to relate to them easier, or as the Gohonzon in Nichiren Buddhism which is a calligraphic representation of the “Ceremony in the Air” from the Lotus Sutra which is also a representation of the interdependent forces of the Universe).

There are a couple of simple techniques for silent meditation as well. You do not have to sit on the floor. You can sit with erect back on a chair. Many people say try for 15 minutes twice a day. I say start with a simpler goal - 5 minutes twice per day. The benefits include stress management and relaxation benefits which help the body, increased mindfulness and focus, and increased energy. The mindfulness can be a benefit to your spiritual life, but meditation also has "non-spiritual" benefits. Here are two easy techniques:

Breathing meditation - 1) Check posture. 2) Close your eyes and relax. 3) Focus on your breath entering and leaving your body. 4) Count breaths mentally one to four. Repeat. 5) Don't fight a wandering mind, but calmly direct it back to task. 6) Sit for a minute afterwards.

"Mantra" technique (choose a personal "calm" word or phrase that you will repeat in your meditation - it can be from your religion or something as simple as "one" or "calm" – I use the nonsectarian “Be One. Be Peace” or “Be One. Be Love. Be Peace.”) - 1) and 2) as above in the Breathing meditation. 3) Listen to your breathing and let it relax you with each breath. 4) Once you are relaxed, mentally "hear" your "calm" word or phrase in your mind. Let it repeat in your mind. 5) Don't fight a wandering mind, but calmly direct it back to task. 6) Sit for a minute afterwards.

That is all there is to these very simple but beneficial meditation techniques. Many people think that something "mystical" should happen during meditation. Most often "nothing" happens and "nothing" should be expected.

Oh yes, and it didn't cost me anything to learn nor were there any "initiations" involved.

Some good resources on "secular" meditation are "The Calm Technique" by Paul Wilson as well as "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson. If you need more formal "assistance" or "training" then I would look into Natural Stress Relief which was founded by former Transcendental Meditation instructors upset at the rising cost and ongoing superstition associated with TM. They charge $47 for their training compared with the $2,500 that TM would charge you.

http://www.naturalstressreliefusa.org/

Also look at these websites on Buddhism on the nonsectarian Bright Dawn teachings which have a heritage of Shin and Zen Buddhism:

http://www.brightdawn.org/

http://www.heartlandsangha.org

I hope these are helpful!