Sunday, August 23, 2020
Via Lion's Roar // How to Practice Zazen
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| Jules Shuzen Harris teaches the meditation practice at the heart of Zen Buddhism. | ||
There
has been a lot of attention recently on the many practical benefits of
meditation. It reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and is effective
in working with depression, anxiety, and anger. These are all good
reasons to meditate, but ultimately Buddhists practice zazen and other
meditations to realize what Buddhism calls our true nature, which is
beyond self-identity with its self-imposed limitations. From a Buddhist
perspective, our main problem is attachment to our deluded idea of who
we are, and what we need to do to maintain this delusion.
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Via Lion's Roar // How to Practice Shamatha Meditation
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| Shamatha meditation — mindfulness or concentration — is the foundation of Buddhist practice. Lama Rod Owens teaches us a version from the Vajrayana tradition. | ||
Shamatha
meditation allows us to experience our mind as it is. When we practice
shamatha, we are able to see that our mind is full of thoughts, some
conducive to our happiness and further realization, and others not. It
is not extraordinary that our minds are full of thoughts, and it is
important to understand that it is natural to have so much happening in
the mind.
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Via Lion's Roar: How to Practice Walking Meditation
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| Step-by-step — pun-intended — instruction from Leslie Booker. | ||
Walking meditation is often described as a meditation in motion.
In this practice, you place your full attention on the process of walking — from the shifting of the weight in your body to the mechanics of placing your foot. Walking meditation is an integral part of retreat life in many traditions and is used to offset and shift the energy of sitting practice. It is a bridge to integrate practice into daily life and can be more accessible than a sitting practice for many people. |
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Via Daily Dharma: Weaken the Power of Anger
Patience
is the only thing that defeats anger. Don’t be disappointed if you
can’t do it right away. Even after years of practice you may find that
you’re still losing your temper. It’s all right. But you will also
notice that the power of anger has weakened.
—Nawang Gehlek Rimpoche, “Anger and Patience”
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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - August 23, 2020 💌
