You could also just sing this silently in your head, as phrases to focus your meditation.
It's also very meditative just to sing this repeatedly with a group of people.
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Friday, October 5, 2007
Breathing and chanting
Thanks to my classmate, Morgan, who brought in this breathing meditation chant. When a small group sings it, several people can take turns sitting out while the other people sing. Take a long breath in on the first phrase and blow a long breath out on the second phrase.
You could also just sing this silently in your head, as phrases to focus your meditation.
It's also very meditative just to sing this repeatedly with a group of people.
You could also just sing this silently in your head, as phrases to focus your meditation.
It's also very meditative just to sing this repeatedly with a group of people.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Attention: present, not extorted or exhorted
Pay attention!
"For many of us, the phrase "pay attention" conjures up memories of parents, teachers, and maybe even bosses who would scold us for not being focused on what they felt we "should" be focused on." ~Curtis G. Schmitt
Being present is a gift, and cannot be extorted or exhorted, scolded or shamed into being. It only requires now, no past, no future, no money, no action.
"Try this exercise, right now. You might be in a passive reading mode and telling yourself you'll do it later, but please take this opportunity to do it now.
1. Sit quietly with your eyes closed and notice what you are experiencing. Don't judge it. Just for a moment, let go of the feeling of wanting a different experience, and pay attention to the Now.
2. Focus your attention inward and notice what you're feeling. What mood are you in? Resist the urge to judge your mood or change it. Is there a particular emotion you're feeling that you might not have been aware of a moment ago? Is there another emotion below that one, maybe subtler but still affecting how you feel?
3. Now focus your attention outward. What sounds and smells do you notice that you weren't aware of a moment ago? What sensations can you feel in your body that your mind has been filtering out until now? Focus on your big toe on your left foot or how it feels to sit in your chair. Now focus on the temperature of the air that you're breathing, the feeling in your chest as it expands and contracts, and the sound your breath makes.
Don't you feel more alive when you are present? Are you surprised by all of the things you noticed--inside and out--that you hadn't noticed before? These sensations were there all the time, only you weren't paying attention to them.
What you just did was a meditation. What I love most about this kind of meditation is that it can make the mundane feel magical. Try it the next time you brush your teeth."
~Curtis G. Schmitt
Welcome to now!
"For many of us, the phrase "pay attention" conjures up memories of parents, teachers, and maybe even bosses who would scold us for not being focused on what they felt we "should" be focused on." ~Curtis G. Schmitt
Being present is a gift, and cannot be extorted or exhorted, scolded or shamed into being. It only requires now, no past, no future, no money, no action.
"Try this exercise, right now. You might be in a passive reading mode and telling yourself you'll do it later, but please take this opportunity to do it now.
1. Sit quietly with your eyes closed and notice what you are experiencing. Don't judge it. Just for a moment, let go of the feeling of wanting a different experience, and pay attention to the Now.
2. Focus your attention inward and notice what you're feeling. What mood are you in? Resist the urge to judge your mood or change it. Is there a particular emotion you're feeling that you might not have been aware of a moment ago? Is there another emotion below that one, maybe subtler but still affecting how you feel?
3. Now focus your attention outward. What sounds and smells do you notice that you weren't aware of a moment ago? What sensations can you feel in your body that your mind has been filtering out until now? Focus on your big toe on your left foot or how it feels to sit in your chair. Now focus on the temperature of the air that you're breathing, the feeling in your chest as it expands and contracts, and the sound your breath makes.
Don't you feel more alive when you are present? Are you surprised by all of the things you noticed--inside and out--that you hadn't noticed before? These sensations were there all the time, only you weren't paying attention to them.
What you just did was a meditation. What I love most about this kind of meditation is that it can make the mundane feel magical. Try it the next time you brush your teeth."
~Curtis G. Schmitt
Welcome to now!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Mindfulness: Breath as an introduction to meditation
Jon Kabat-Zinn introduces the relationship between breath, mindfulness and meditation.
He writes:
1. A good place to start cultivating mindfulness is in the body.
2. Befriending your breath is a good idea, since you can’t leave home without it – and it is so related to our states of mind.
3. See if from time to time you can just feel the breath moving in and out of your body.
4. Locate where the breath sensations are most vivid, and “surf ” with full awareness on those breath waves, moment by moment – in the belly, at the nostrils, or wherever.
5. Try lying in bed for a few moments after you wake up, and just ride on the waves of your own breathing, moment by moment and breath by breath.
6. Experiment with expanding your awareness around your breath until it includes a sense of the body as a whole lying in bed breathing.
7. As best you can, be aware of the various sensations fluxing in the body, including the breath sensations.
8. Just rest in the awareness of lying here breathing, outside of time, even if it is only for a minute or two by the clock.
9. When you notice that the mind has a life of its own and wanders here and there, keep in mind that this is just what minds do, so there is no need to judge it.
10. Just note what is on your mind if you are no longer in touch with the breath or with the sensations of the body lying in the bed, and without judgment or criticism, just let that be part of your awareness in the moment, and feature once again the breath and the body center-stage in the field of your awareness.
11. Repeat step 10 a few million times.
12. It is very easy to fall into the thought stream and get caught up in the future (worrying, planning) and the past (remembering, blaming, pining) and in reactive and often painful emotions.
13. No need to try to stop any of this from happening when you can just bring a big embrace of openhearted, spacious, accepting awareness to it and, lo and behold, you are once again sitting on the bank of the thought stream, listening to the gurgling but not so caught up in the torrent for the moment.
14. You can cultivate mindfulness in this way lying in bed for a few moments in the morning, or in the evening before going to sleep.
15. You can also cultivate mindfulness sitting, standing, walking, and eating – in fact, in any position or situation, including brushing your teeth, taking a shower, talking on the phone, running, working out at the gym, cooking, picking up the kids, making love, whatever is unfolding in your life in the present moment.
16. It helps to be present for it and for yourself.
17. Remember – the real meditation is your life, and how you inhabit it moment by moment.
He writes:
1. A good place to start cultivating mindfulness is in the body.
2. Befriending your breath is a good idea, since you can’t leave home without it – and it is so related to our states of mind.
3. See if from time to time you can just feel the breath moving in and out of your body.
4. Locate where the breath sensations are most vivid, and “surf ” with full awareness on those breath waves, moment by moment – in the belly, at the nostrils, or wherever.
5. Try lying in bed for a few moments after you wake up, and just ride on the waves of your own breathing, moment by moment and breath by breath.
6. Experiment with expanding your awareness around your breath until it includes a sense of the body as a whole lying in bed breathing.
7. As best you can, be aware of the various sensations fluxing in the body, including the breath sensations.
8. Just rest in the awareness of lying here breathing, outside of time, even if it is only for a minute or two by the clock.
9. When you notice that the mind has a life of its own and wanders here and there, keep in mind that this is just what minds do, so there is no need to judge it.
10. Just note what is on your mind if you are no longer in touch with the breath or with the sensations of the body lying in the bed, and without judgment or criticism, just let that be part of your awareness in the moment, and feature once again the breath and the body center-stage in the field of your awareness.
11. Repeat step 10 a few million times.
12. It is very easy to fall into the thought stream and get caught up in the future (worrying, planning) and the past (remembering, blaming, pining) and in reactive and often painful emotions.
13. No need to try to stop any of this from happening when you can just bring a big embrace of openhearted, spacious, accepting awareness to it and, lo and behold, you are once again sitting on the bank of the thought stream, listening to the gurgling but not so caught up in the torrent for the moment.
14. You can cultivate mindfulness in this way lying in bed for a few moments in the morning, or in the evening before going to sleep.
15. You can also cultivate mindfulness sitting, standing, walking, and eating – in fact, in any position or situation, including brushing your teeth, taking a shower, talking on the phone, running, working out at the gym, cooking, picking up the kids, making love, whatever is unfolding in your life in the present moment.
16. It helps to be present for it and for yourself.
17. Remember – the real meditation is your life, and how you inhabit it moment by moment.
Mindfulness: Breath and progressive muscle relaxation
Herbert Benson is well-known for his work on the connection between the mind and body, and the work on the relaxation response. Here is an excerpt from his website:
Elicitation of the relaxation response is actually quite easy. There are two essential steps:
A. Repetition of a word, sound, phrase, prayer, or muscular activity.
B. Passive disregard of everyday thoughts that inevitably come to mind and the return to your repetition.
The following is the generic technique taught at the Benson-Henry Institute:
1. Pick a focus word, short phrase, or prayer that is firmly rooted in your belief system, such as "one," "peace," "The Lord is my shepherd," "Hail Mary full of grace," or "shalom."
2. Sit quietly in a comfortable position.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Relax your muscles, progressing from your feet to your calves, thighs, abdomen, shoulders, head, and neck.
5. Breathe slowly and naturally, and as you do, say your focus word, sound, phrase, or prayer silently to yourself as you exhale.
6. Assume a passive attitude. Don't worry about how well you're doing. When other thoughts come to mind, simply say to yourself, "Oh well," and gently return to your repetition.
7. Continue for ten to 20 minutes.
8. Do not stand immediately. Continue sitting quietly for a minute or so, allowing other thoughts to return. Then open your eyes and sit for another minute before rising.
9. Practice the technique once or twice daily. Good times to do so are before breakfast and before dinner.
Regular elicitation of the relaxation response has been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for a wide range of stress-related disorders. In fact, to the extent that any disease is caused or made worse by stress, the relaxation response can help.
Elicitation of the relaxation response is actually quite easy. There are two essential steps:
A. Repetition of a word, sound, phrase, prayer, or muscular activity.
B. Passive disregard of everyday thoughts that inevitably come to mind and the return to your repetition.
The following is the generic technique taught at the Benson-Henry Institute:
1. Pick a focus word, short phrase, or prayer that is firmly rooted in your belief system, such as "one," "peace," "The Lord is my shepherd," "Hail Mary full of grace," or "shalom."
2. Sit quietly in a comfortable position.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Relax your muscles, progressing from your feet to your calves, thighs, abdomen, shoulders, head, and neck.
5. Breathe slowly and naturally, and as you do, say your focus word, sound, phrase, or prayer silently to yourself as you exhale.
6. Assume a passive attitude. Don't worry about how well you're doing. When other thoughts come to mind, simply say to yourself, "Oh well," and gently return to your repetition.
7. Continue for ten to 20 minutes.
8. Do not stand immediately. Continue sitting quietly for a minute or so, allowing other thoughts to return. Then open your eyes and sit for another minute before rising.
9. Practice the technique once or twice daily. Good times to do so are before breakfast and before dinner.
Regular elicitation of the relaxation response has been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for a wide range of stress-related disorders. In fact, to the extent that any disease is caused or made worse by stress, the relaxation response can help.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Qualities of peak emotional, mental and spiritual health
What are the qualities of peak emotional, mental and spiritual health?
I got started thinking about this when I read an excerpt that described a person doing meditation as an Olympic level emotional or spiritual athlete. We each could probably describe the physical characteristics of an Olympic level athlete, and what they had to do to get to that level, and even how we might compare to an Olympic caliber athlete, but what would be the equivalent characteristics of peak mental, emotional or spiritual health, and what would you need to do to get to that peak level, or even just "fit?" We talk about people who are mentally ill, or emotionally unstable, or spiritually deficit, but what are the positive ways to describe health in those areas and what practices and exercises would we have to do to get to a level of fitness mentally, emotionally or spiritually?
"These are the Olympic athletes, the gold medalists, of meditation," Davidson says. … "In Buddhist tradition," Davidson explains, "'meditation' is a word that is equivalent to a word like 'sports' in the U.S. It's a family of activity, not a single thing." Each of these meditative practices calls on different mental skills, according to Buddhist practitioners. The Wisconsin researchers, for example, are focusing on three common forms of Buddhist meditation. "One is focused attention, where they specifically train themselves to focus on a single object for long periods of time," Davidson says. "The second area is where they voluntarily cultivate compassion. It's something they do every day, and they have special exercises where they envision negative events, something that causes anger or irritability, and then transform it and infuse it with an antidote, which is compassion. They say they are able to do it just like that," he says, snapping his fingers. "The third is called 'open presence.' It is a state of being acutely aware of whatever thought, emotion or sensation is present, without reacting to it. They describe it as pure awareness." ("Is Buddhism Good for Your Health?" by Stephen S. Hall, New York Times, September 14, 2003)
Post a comment with your list of qualities that describe Olympic caliber spiritual, emotional and mental health.
If you have ever been or are affiliated with a religion or religious institution, how does that community or institution affect or contribute to your spiritual, emotional and mental health or practices of relaxation, reflection and restoration?
I got started thinking about this when I read an excerpt that described a person doing meditation as an Olympic level emotional or spiritual athlete. We each could probably describe the physical characteristics of an Olympic level athlete, and what they had to do to get to that level, and even how we might compare to an Olympic caliber athlete, but what would be the equivalent characteristics of peak mental, emotional or spiritual health, and what would you need to do to get to that peak level, or even just "fit?" We talk about people who are mentally ill, or emotionally unstable, or spiritually deficit, but what are the positive ways to describe health in those areas and what practices and exercises would we have to do to get to a level of fitness mentally, emotionally or spiritually?
"These are the Olympic athletes, the gold medalists, of meditation," Davidson says. … "In Buddhist tradition," Davidson explains, "'meditation' is a word that is equivalent to a word like 'sports' in the U.S. It's a family of activity, not a single thing." Each of these meditative practices calls on different mental skills, according to Buddhist practitioners. The Wisconsin researchers, for example, are focusing on three common forms of Buddhist meditation. "One is focused attention, where they specifically train themselves to focus on a single object for long periods of time," Davidson says. "The second area is where they voluntarily cultivate compassion. It's something they do every day, and they have special exercises where they envision negative events, something that causes anger or irritability, and then transform it and infuse it with an antidote, which is compassion. They say they are able to do it just like that," he says, snapping his fingers. "The third is called 'open presence.' It is a state of being acutely aware of whatever thought, emotion or sensation is present, without reacting to it. They describe it as pure awareness." ("Is Buddhism Good for Your Health?" by Stephen S. Hall, New York Times, September 14, 2003)
Post a comment with your list of qualities that describe Olympic caliber spiritual, emotional and mental health.
If you have ever been or are affiliated with a religion or religious institution, how does that community or institution affect or contribute to your spiritual, emotional and mental health or practices of relaxation, reflection and restoration?
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