I’ve mentioned before that I don’t have the easiest time meditating. It’s often a struggle for me as calming my mind might be my greatest life challenge. I’ve always been a pretty wired and stressed individual, which is why I’ve been practicing yoga since I was thirteen years old. I very much need the calming […]
Can Meditating Be Dangerous?
In other posts, I’ve mentioned my troubles with meditation and the struggle I have to achieve that blissful mental state. However, I’ve been practicing a lot more, specifically before I got to bed, when my mind tends to race. At Christmas I received a meditation CD and haven’t really given it a run for it’s […]
The Power of Visualization
photo credit: ariefhary As of late, my Grave’s disease symptoms have returned with a vengeance and I’ve been feeling quite sick. I’ve learned through my yoga practice that the power of visualization can be vital to my body’s ability to heal. Now, I’ll admit to being a little skeptical about this. With the number of […]
Meditation Rituals
The word “ritual” has gotten a bum rap. Because it appears so often in print and speech preceded by the adjectives “meaningless” or “mere,” we’ve come to have a kneejerk, vaguely negative reaction to the word. More often than not, it’s come to describe the leftover, mindless activity of a religion that no longer has […]
Boundless Joy
There is a sacred stillness to which we may return, There to rediscover our true nature. In this present moment, merely breathing in and out, Illusion falls away and we are free. This is a minimalist poem I once wrote immediately after meditating. I was really “blissing out” after twenty minutes of mantra meditation that […]
Vipassanā Meditation: The Honing of Insight
Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning “insight” or “clear vision.” Vipassanā or Insight Meditation is an ancient meditation technique that emerged thousands of years ago in India. It is traditionally credited to Gautama Buddha, but it is more likely that he resurrected it from an earlier tradition and popularized it. The Insight Meditation practitioner sits […]
Happiness: One of the Major Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
The Buddha taught that all sentient beings seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. Other wise teachers, both religious and secular, have understood this truth, and recommended becoming happy by bringing joy to others. Jesus of Nazareth taught “Do to others what you would have them do to you;” the Jain scriptures advise, “In happiness […]
The Benefits of the Metta Prayer
“May she dwell in safety. May she be happy and healthy. May she be free of afflictions. May she be at peace.” * * * Siddhartha, after he had become the Buddha, prescribed the Metta Prayer for his disciples. While I am not a Buddhist (I’m a Humanist who practices holistic spirituality), I’ve found this […]
Cobra in the Grass…
…and Other Yogic Joys! I love the Cobra asana! I’m a writer who spends about ten to 12 hours a day in front of a computer screen; as a result, I get some monumentally stiff necks, sore backs, and headaches. I find Cobra to be one of the most liberating poses…and on the rare occasions […]
Sacred Spaces
Do you have a “sacred space” devoted to your times of meditation? Most practitioners do. Of course, any place can be deemed sacred by the meditation practitioner; it doesn’t have any specific physical requirements. The picture below… …shows my outdoor space of choice (see the bench at the top of the waterfall?). My indoor space […]