things have been going pretty well. i had a couple of things happened that cheered me up. I was listening to a commercial on the radio and there was a song playing in the background that i liked, and then i was like, wait a minute... thats my friend's band! i'm friends w/ the lead singer from a local band and have been following them for about 6 yrs. i kept thinking they were going to hit it big, but it was starting to look like they wouldn't. so i was really happy for them. maybe it will be the break they were looking for. the other thing that happened was even more awesome, but first some background. one of my former co-workers' daughter fell of his roof and hit her head several years ago. she was paralyzed and barely showed any signs that she was present. he worked so hard for her trying lots of alternative health treatments and the like. i saw alot of what he had to go through and really felt his pain. and i prayed really hard for her. i hadn't seem him since i quit work until last friday when he had a get together at his house. the first thing he did was take me in to see his daughter who was smiling, looking around at us, making noises and even laughing. he was talking to her and she seemed to be understanding him. it was one of the most beautiful things (if not the most) i have ever seen. i later thought to myself, if i had even a small part in that, then all the pain and sadness i have ever gone through has all been worth it. i'm glad that in a world where there is infinite sadness, there is also infinite joy. i am really starting to believe that prayer works. i have only prayed really hard for other people a handful of times, and more often than not they got better in a miraculas way (for example see this link. i'm sure they had dozens of other people praying for them too but even if my effort only added some small amount its still amazing. it makes me amazed at the world and a lot more excited about it.
i'm starting to get more serious w/ meditation again. i wrote the following for a friend and thought i would share it here, in case anyone is interested.
Meditation Instructions
Meditation is very easy to learn because you simply don�t do much. The most common form of meditation and the type most suitable for beginners is concentrating on your breath.
Sitting
Begin by sitting in a comfortable position. (lying down is not recommended because you will likely get sleepy or doze off. The aim of meditation is to experience the present as fully as possible, so being sleepy is not conducive for this). the person who taught me meditation said sit in whatever way is most comfortable to you. However a lot of resources stress the importance of sitting w/ good posture. I have included instructions on different recommended postures in the appendix. One of the main reasons for sitting with good posture is so you are balanced, allowing your mind to be freer from the duties of staying erect. I find sitting in the seiza position (see appendix) with a cushion the most beneficial.
(If the only time you can find to meditate is when you lie in bed at night, you will not be receiving the full benefits of meditation but it will still be beneficial and will likely help you fall asleep if your mind is racing.)
Eyes
you can close your eyes or keep them open. Zen (Buddhist meditation) suggests keeping them open. It says to lower your gaze so that it feels natural and don�t focus on anything in particular. The main reason behind keeping your eyes open is so you don't get sleepy. It also suggests sitting close to a wall (about 3 ft) and again don�t focus on anything in particular. Also very dim lighting is recommended. My teacher would stress trying different things and finding what works best for you.
Concentrating on breath
allow yourself to breath normally. simply notice and experience your breathing as fully as possible. it is helpful to sometimes concentrate on particular aspects, like how it feels as the air goes through your nostrils or how your chest or abdomen rises and falls. try and sit still. as thoughts come into your mind, simply notice their presence and gently return to your breathing. do not get upset at yourself, or decide �that was bad, I messed up�, just simply return to your breathing as often as it happens. also, notice the thought but don�t judge it, like you notice your breathing without judging it. however don�t concentrate on the thought (there is advanced meditation that focuses on that � but it must be worked up to they say) just notice it and return to breathing. to improve concentration Zen meditation recommends counting on the exhalations 1 � 10 and then start over at 1. This helps you stay focused because you will soon notice that you stopped counting or you�re at 12. if this happens, don�t get upset, just simply start over at 1. Inhalations can be counted along with exhalations to make it even easier to concentrate. Counting is kind of like training wheels in that it helps you early on but the goal is to get to where you no longer need to do it. I still do this to help my concentration but my favorite meditation is just noticing my breath without counting.
Some sources recommend breathing with your abdomen rather than your chest (abdomen expands on inhalation and contracts on exhalation). This is regarded as a healthier way to breathe in general by multiple sources, but some insist to breathe naturally so you are only observing rather than concentrating on doing something. I would recommend trying both and seeing which works better for you.
General Instructions
I would start out sitting 5 - 10 minutes at a time. as you get better and it comes more naturally you can increase the sitting time. Resources warn not to sit too long starting off because its not as efficient and you will likely grow to dislike it.
Walking Meditation
there is also walking meditation that is commonly taught. the speed of walking is not crucial but most do it at a very slow pace. while walking you can continue the same meditation you were doing while sitting. or you can also notice exactly how it feels to walk, concentrating on how your feet or any other part of your body feel. When I was meditating a lot I would sit for about 20 � 25 minutes and then get up and walk for about 5. Hardcore meditaters usually sit for a max of 30 - 40 minutes and then do walking meditation for a while before returning to sited meditation. This is to help the mind stay alert, and prevent restlessness of the body.
Meditating throughout the day
I do a lot of meditating at random periods during the day. This is particularly useful because it helps put the lessons of meditation into practice during your everyday tasks. For example: when you are washing the dishes, concentrate as intensely as you can on all the aspects of washing dishes. do not make judgments like "I hate this", "this is no fun" instead just observe. notice all the subtleties, sounds, feelings in your hands, sights, and smells. also if you are having trouble with this or are getting tired of it you can also go back to focusing on your breath.
Philosophy
Different people have different goals and philosophies about meditating but there are a lot of similarities and I will list my ideas about it here.
I believe our minds are the cause of the majority of our suffering. It is not the activity or situation itself that is usually so painful, it is the judgment made by our minds, and the repercussions that follow. meditation helps us understand that our minds/thoughts are not out of our control. this can help us learn to treat ourselves better, minimize negative self-defeating thoughts, and just be in more control. try going one day without making any judgments at all; take a vacation from working on your problems and just observe. if you're like me you'll find it enjoyable and at the same time realize how hard you were being on yourself.
The discipline learned through meditation can also be helpful during stressful or emotional times. As you are very anxious about something you are getting ready to do, stop thinking for a while and observe. you will probably realize that your breathing was shallow and unsteady, and that you are tensing certain parts of your body. as you correct these problems it helps with your emotional state. it also helps calm your mind down and bring it more under your control.
meditation also helps us learn to live in, and fully experience the present for what it is. Far too often our present is dominated by our reflections on the past and prognosis for the future.
Some do meditation to try and wake up and achieve a higher level of awareness.
In Conclusion
Don't get bogged down by all I have presented here. What's most important is taking some time on a regular basis to calm your mind and experience the present.
For recommended sitting postures see
http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php
10:22 p.m. - 2006-07-30
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