All posts tagged “learning”

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Kyletin — 13 years ago — permalink

I love the internet. While of course everyone would suggest you go to a meditation master for introduction, when you're sort of just dipping your feet into the pool, you want not for someone to try to get you to do backstrokes right away, but instead let you feel around a bit for yourself. 
As such, a lot of my sources are online. I find this very inspiring, for I am not trapped into one school of thought as of yet. Eventually, I hope to settle down in a place/practise that I find most suitable for me. 

 

Some of the sites I find the most helpful are: 

 

http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/  — This website appears to be put together by an individual. It's not a leading book on finding your "inner zen" but is almost like a very user-friendly wikipedia article. Of course, as with all information online, take everything with a grain of salt. I  think this site may focus on Tibetan Buddhism/information, but it at LEAST explains the other schools as well. All-in-all, I find reading a page every day or so to be good practise for expanding my knowledge, without feeling like I am adding another 3-credit course on my load. There is information on meditation here, including several styles of meditation as well as "hints" for meditation on certain topics. 

 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe49/index.htm  — If I feel particularly zealous, I sometimes poke around on this site about Mahayana Buddhism. It's not really about meditation, but for MYSELF, meditation and Buddhism work together.

 

I don't really look for too much advise on meditation. I think if one allows it to get too complicated, it is easy to get trapped in pedagogical fretting. 

 

Good luck! :D

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davidbhayes — 13 years ago — permalink

Thanks for the resources, Kyle. I'll have to look at them a little closer when I get time. 
I have the same basic sense of you. Meditation studied too closely probably becomes a not-too-helpful head trip.
And I'm more comfortable trawling the internet for resources than busting into a specific center for a specific kind of practice I know little about. That said, I think there's a lot of merit into being the kind of person who just does that. It's bold, and you almost certainly learn the reality of that type or practice in that place quite quickly.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!

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russcpt — 13 years ago — permalink

One important resource for my practice has been this book...http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Mind-Beginners-Shunryu-Suzuki/dp/1590308492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381883222&sr=8-1&keywords=Zen+beginner%27s+mind

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fredclaymeyer — 13 years ago — permalink

One of my favorites, too.

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Lullabyehaze — 13 years ago — permalink

This is difficult because I'm not sure who to go to. I turn to the internet, mostly. I wish I had a person to ask, and I am working at finding more of a community of meditators.

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davidbhayes — 13 years ago — permalink

If you don't mind my asking, are there specific reasons you're interested in mediation? That's a great place to start if you're looking for somewhere to get more information.
For me, I really came into it as an idea because Buddhism as a philosophy (not trying to start any fights) was appealing to me. Thus in a series of fortunate coincidences, I ended up listening to some Buddhist podcasts — I listen to lots of podcasts — that are very regularly giving me interesting ideas and thoughts about meditation. 
I can't really begin to guess what brought you to it but I'd love to help you look for or find resources if that'd be helpful. You could reply, message in Medivate (it's the envelope at the top), or email me at david@medivate.com.

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elouneda — 5 years ago — permalink

Yes but I don't know where to start

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Lullabyehaze — 12 years ago — permalink

I have learned through books, in-person classes and events, YouTube videos, etc. The things that have helped me the most were books by Thich Nhat Hanh and an 8-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Management (Jon Kabat-Zinn) which included a few guided meditation tracks to do at home. 
Though, "learned about" all of a sudden seems like not quite the right word for me. Certainly it is important to learn about meditation, but I'm realizing that there is "learning about meditation" and there is "learning meditation." Much as I love to read and research, it is only actually meditating that teaches me meditation. For this, I have to say that what helps me and disciplines me most is meditating in a group. The Mindfulness class was great for that, and there are continuing alumni sessions which I like to attend. In addition, though I don't know a lot about Zen, there is a Zen Center in my area that has multiple sittings each week. I have found these to be excellent for helping me to deepen my practice.

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patricia1958 — 12 years ago — permalink

I hae two teachers, my non sectarian lama and my Gelug Lama. I get teachings frm my non sectarian lama by skype and through the telephone and through email. I get my Gelug teachings from My lama's blog chat as well as teachings from his pastors. The books I read are currently Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones, which is my non sectarian root text, Breath of Loe and Buddha's Map, both are great books that simplify Buddha's teachings on mindfulness. I also read texts that my Gelug lama recommends. Right now I am studying his articles and ideos in order to prepare for Friday's blog chat.

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davidbhayes — 12 years ago — permalink

The biggest lesson I feel like I've learned is that there is always space and a fundamental "okay-ness" available. It's down there at the base, waiting to be known. Your mind can run itself into ragged circles of crazy thoughts of desire or discomfort or rage, but that root calm and comfort is still down there, just hard to find. And don't mistake me, it can be VERY hard to find. But it never goes away, and it can't be taken from us.
I wrote a bit of an essay about this, but basically for me it comes back to this: "You're just a guy sitting in a room." I can always go totally crazy, angry, happy, whatever, but I'm just a guy sitting in a room (or a woman standing outside, whatever). I'm a person having experiences, but those experiences don't take away from the the simple wonder, peace, and beauty of being a living human being.
It's such a simple idea, but it's so hard to drop all our stories and find it down there. But you can do it, if you have the patience to "wait until the mud has settled and the mind is clear." And I think that's the most important thing I've learned from meditation.

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hanjini — 12 years ago — permalink

I looked online for a regular podcast. Amazingly, I found a weekly podcast by a former teacher, Peter Carlson, of Orlando Insight Meditation, where I used to live. They're exploring the Anapanassati Sutta - it's been great! I also re-dedicated myself to a local sangha, led by two Sri Lankan monks. It's very good to sit with real people who are studying the dhamma.

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NEBULABUFF — 7 years ago — permalink

     Never have served as an instructor in meditation.  Closest I've come to that is when I was a guide for people wanting to try LSD for the first time and wanted someone hanging with them to help them through some of the sharper curves in the road on their trips.  But, that was over fifty years ago.
     For anyone trying meditation for the first time I would have only three basic instructions.
     First, put yourself into a comfortable sitting position.  That may be cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, or in some relatively comfortable chair with your back straight but not stiff or ridged; hands resting gently in your lap.
     Second, start by taking three slow, deep breaths and then allow your breathing to return to a slow, steady pace, upon which you will set your awareness.
     Finally, be aware how your thoughts rise and fall through your mind without allowing yourself to be captured by them.  Just sit.  Just watch.  Just breath.  And, as you become aware of being carried away by a thought, gently, without anxiousness, bring your awareness back to watching their rise and fall; their coming and going; the appearance and disappearance: without attachment.  That is all there is to it.  That is the beginning . . . . . and end.  That is the heart . .  . of zen.  Blessings!

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