what is meditation

[mark7]

i have read various books and watched various videos, and podcasts on HOW to meditate.
the majority of these explinations seem to center on the method of placing your focus on one single thing, this could be the breath or a mantra recited internally or externally.
i was not taught to do it this way, 19 years ago i practiced lau gar kungfu for around 3 years before this i had done karate for about 4 years.

every kungfu lesson had 30 mins of meditation at some point in the class
i was always taught to compleately empty my mind of any thought,
weather it be about a future event, a past event or a physical sensation i was having at that exact moment in time.

this is the method i use now, and even after having taken a break from meditation for 10 years i find i can sink into very blissfull states of mind or emptyness very easily and quickly

is it then the case that when one is instructed to use one of the other methods, the person is doing so, so as to basically blank out any other thought or sensation by focusing on the mantra or breath ?

because to me this can only be counter productive, as if a person is focusing on something bodily or physical , then it will take them a very long time to feel the mindfullness that is meditation,

me explanation of meditation to someone would be,
to release yourself from all physical feelings and sensations
so as to become only spirit or oneness
and not spirit and physical body

if i were to use a mantra or breath awareness i would be holding myself, or rather tying myself to the physical me, as i would be placing my entire awareness on a physical aspect of myself, causing the effect of duality
i then will become me the spirit me and me the physical me,
is this not compleatly contradictive to the aim of oneness ?

if you agree that the spirit or soul of a person is the real person, and that the body is just a vehicle or vessel, then to constantly place ones focus on a physical aspect of that physical body, will never trully lead you to oneness,
there will always be duality present.

i have never used mantras or breath awareness, maybe i should try it for a few months to see what if any differences are realised with this practice as opposed to the practice i use of not acknowledging anything physical.

any thoughts or comments on this ? gladly welcomed

[philm]

Hi Mark,

I came across an interesting definition of Meditation by the Dalia Lama who noted in Tibet it means 'becoming familiar'. i.e. with our ultimate Nature. What i call 'Creative Awareness'.

In that sense, i dont think its necessary to seek "release yourself from all physical feelings and sensations" as in a sense that is in a sense rejecting whats is experienced believing conceptually it somehow takes away your Oneness. How so ?

The trick is not to chase it or reject it, neither the sensations, nor the concepts that interplay.

If we really wanted release from all feelings and sensations we wouldn't need mediation. We'd just need a big iron bar.

all the best : )

(PS: Persevere with the mantras if they appeal. If you need some i can give you some & can PM you some if need be, though there more on the Buddhist Tantric side with visualisations.)

[Anagogy]

Sometimes the mind is best thought of as a turbulent pool of water, with many waves crashing about.

Meditation is a state where we turn inwards toward the tumultuous waters and say, "peace be still".

When the waters of our mind are still, we can clearly see the beautiful jewels on the bottom of the pond, or observe the reflection of the world on the surface.

We can use this inner silence as a base from which to listen to the creator.

This is how we establish independence from our thoughts.

[mark7]

to quote the most enlightened one

"Breathing in long, he understands: 'I breathe in long'; or breathing out long, he understands: 'I breathe out long': Breathing in short, he understands: 'I breathe in short'; breathing out short, he understands: 'I breathe out short'.

He trains thus: 'I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body';
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe in tranquilizing the bodily formation':
He trains thus: 'I shall breathe out tranquilizing the bodily formation'.

notice the words "TRANQUILIZING"
most people choose to ignore this word and continue to focus on the breath

when he quite clearly teaches us to "tranquilize" the body

the process of focusing on the breath is just the initial stage of
meditation, a practice that should only be used, to relax
the bodily formation to a state of stillness.

once stillness is achieved the focus should be shifted away from all bodily functions, thus "tranquilizing" it.
at this point when the body ceases to exist within the mind does meditation or oneness begin

personally i tend to agree, after all who am i to question the buddha lol

[philm]

after all who am i to question the buddha

mark,

Why not who told you so ? Do you think Buddha would of needed servants ? Buddha wasn't looking for that or followers or religious imitators to put oranges in front of his statues. We've completely missed the point then. You're much better than that.

: )