Meditation 101

What is Meditation?

Simply put, meditation is the training of one’s mind.

Two broad categories of meditation:

• Shamatha: Calm abiding.

  • Shama means ‘peace’, tha means ‘to dwell’ or ‘stability’

  • Shamatha with an object:  breath, bead, image etc.

  • Shamatha without an object

• Vipashyana(Vipassana): Clear seeing, insight.

  • Vi is short for vishesa, means ‘special’, ‘superior’. Pashyana means ‘to see’ or ‘to look’.

  • Mindfulness: Be aware. Establish mindfulness on Body, Feeling, Mind, and Phenomena to diminish sufferings of daily life.  

  • Visualization/Contemplation: Loving kindness, Compassion

  • Mantra: many different mantras, e.g. Transcendental Meditation

Where and When to Meditate?

Where?

• Quiet place, turn off or mute cell phone

• Not too dark or too bright

• Not too hot or too cold

• Meditation cushion or bench, or chair

When?

• Morning

• Evening: some mediation will put you in a better sleep

• Anytime! The best time is the time when you can keep doing it every day!

• Duration

  • For beginners, try 10-20 min a day, and gradually build it up.​

  • Remember persistence is the key, don't give it up!

Tips​

• Don’t eat too much or too little

• Get enough sleep so you don't fall asleep during meditation!

Preparation - Relaxation

• Wear comfy loose clothing not binding. Don’t wear tight jeans or tops

• Remove glasses or watches if needed

• Do some stretches to relax and soften your body

• Use a blanket keep warm on knee and back when sitting

• No pressure, do not be too attached to a certain goal

• Sit comfortably, whatever posture 

• Calm down if agitated, otherwise do sth like listen to music and reading first

• Relax from the crown of head to toe through out whole body

Preparation of Body - Meditation Posture 

7-point meditation posture of Vairochana gives the best support to the body and mind.

However, it is not essential. You can sit on a chair if needed.

1. Legs: lotus, half lotus, or just leg crossed

2. Hands in the lap meditation mudra, or on the knees

3. Back spine straight and relaxed

4. Shoulders and arm slightly open

5. Head slightly inclined forward, neck chin slightly lowered

6. Eyes gazing past the tip of the nose, half open. Closed eye ok.

7. Mouth: tip of the tongue touching the palate

Preparation of Speech - Expel Negative Mental States 

• Breathing and Visualization: 3 x 3 = 9 times

• Vajra Fist: press thumb to the base of ring finger and make a fist

• Press left fist into the channel point in the fold of top of our left thigh

• Right hand into fist, lie it on right knee, then press right index finger on right nostril, inhale deeply, then exhale from left nostril

• Visualization very important: expel all of our negative mental and emotional states, which takes the form of very thick filthy black vapor

• After 3 times, switch to the other sides for 3 times

• Both hands into Vajra fists, exhale from both nostrils 3 times

• Visualize our bodies as extremely clean, pure, crystal,  pristine and transparent vessel, as clean inside and outside as a glass bottle, expelled our negative thoughts and left in a pristine and clean state

Preparation of Mind - Make a Wish

• Establish a positive mindset: I am taking the time to do the meditation, so wish I can focus on this meditation session. 

In Meditation

• More details on meditation practices see Teachings.

• Take it easy, try to focus and enjoy ... 

Concluding the Meditation​

• Dedication: by meditating you've done sth really good to yourself as you tried to improve yourself,  and thus accumulated some merit. Now it's time to harvest it, so dedicate the merit to a wish you want to make and also share your merit with everyone and wish them the best. A secret about sharing the merit, by sharing the merit will not be lost or diminished but actually be saved and grow as it goes into a universal merit pool which are shared by all the practitioners. 

• After meditation try to do quiet things and not rush about, try not to break the “soft gentle” feeling, but allow for a slow and easy transition out of meditation and into your day

• Some physical sensations you might experience during or after meditation – slight tingling and warming overall is normal 

Homework - 30 Day Challenge & Collective Practice​

• Take the 30 day challenge to start building up your practice.

• Try to meditate for 15 mins per day for 30 days

• Can start with shorter duration: three 5 mins,  5+10 min, then 15min

• Reserving the same time of the day helps, building a new rhythm, eventually it will not be an effort and you will look forward to it

• Collective/Group Practice more powerful than practicing alone due to peer pressure and pooling of the energy and merits.

What's Next? - A Higher Level Class

Congratulations on completing the introductory workshop, and maybe even the 30 day Challenge!  .