Meditation
The purpose of meditation is to cultivate those
states of mind that are conducive to peace and
well-being, and to eradicate those that aren’t.
Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.
- Sata Baghavati
If we examine our life we will discover that most of our time and energy is devoted to mundane activities, such as seeking material and emotional security, enjoying sensory pleasures, or establishing a good reputation.
Although these things can make us happy for a short time, they are not able to provide the deep lasting contentment that we long for. Sooner or later our happiness turns into dissatisfaction, and we find ourselves engaged in the pursuit of more worldly pleasures.
Directly or indirectly, worldly pleasures cause us mental and physical suffering by stimulating attachment, jealousy, and frustration. Moreover, seeking to fulfill our own desires often bring us into conflict with others.
If true fulfilment can’t be found in worldly pleasures, then where can it be found? Happiness is a state of mind, therefore the real source of happiness lies in the mind, not in external circumstances.
If our mind is pure and peaceful we’ll be happy, regardless of our external conditions, but if it is impure and not peaceful, we will never find happiness, no matter how much we try to change our external conditions.
The purpose of meditation is to cultivate those states of mind that are conducive to peace and well-being, and to eradicate those that aren’t.
Begin to Meditate
Happiness is a state of mind, therefore the real source of happiness lies in the mind,
not in external circumstances.
The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practicing a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair or even lie down. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.
Meditation can happen anywhere.
Daily meditators like to smudge the room before they begin, light a candle, and play some very soft background music. Bring your crystals with you!
No phones, no tv, no outstide distractions make for an easier and more pleasant experience.
As we sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breathing. we breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation.
We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else. Feel it come through the nose, hold softly in the back of your throat, then exhale warmly through your mouth. Concentrate on those feelings of breathing - inhaling, hold for a few seconds, then exhaling.
At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath.
If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath. If you need more focus than breath, in your minds eye, focus on a scene, a face or even begin to chant a specific sound or word. Bring it all back to the breath. Control the breath, control the mind.
Take your time with this practice. I don't recommend starting a daily 30 minute meditation practice. If you are unsure, start with a few minutes, even one minute. Then work your way towards two minutes, three minutes and eventually five to 10 minutes. Bringing your crystals to your session will keep the vibration soft and very high.
Meditation is a great way to unwind from a long day. If you are having trouble finding the time for a few extra minutes, try this simple routine before bed, or while laying in bed. It is perfectly acceptable for you to fall asleep as well. The benefits are all the same. Peace and quiet.
Om Mani Padme Hum
"The jewel is in the lotus or praise to the jewel in the lotus," by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet
The first, OM, is composed of three pure letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha. Can impure body, speech and mind be transformed into pure body, speech and mind, or are they entirely separate?
The development of pure body, speech, and mind comes from gradually leaving the impure states and their being transformed into the pure. How is this done? The path is indicated by the next four syllables. MANI, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factor of method- the altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love. Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfills the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfills the wishes of sentient beings.
The two syllables, PADME, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom. Just as a lotus grows forth from mud but is not sullied by the faults of mud, so wisdom is capable of putting you in a situation of non- contradiction where as there would be contradiction if you did not have wisdom. There is wisdom realizing impermanence, wisdom realizing that persons are empty of self-sufficient or substantial existence, wisdom that realizes the emptiness of duality (that is to say, of difference of entity between subject and object), and wisdom that realizes the emptiness of inherent existence. Though there are may different types of wisdom, the main of all these is the wisdom realizing emptiness.
Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable, HUM, which indicates indivisibility. According to the sutra system, this indivisibility of method and wisdom refers to one consciousness in which there is a full form of both wisdom affected by method and method affected by wisdom. In the mantra, or tantra vehicle, it refers to one conciousness in which there is the full form of both wisdom and method as one undifferentiable entity. In terms of the seed syllables of the five conqueror Buddhas, HUM is the is the seed syllable of Akshobhya- the immovable, the unfluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything.
Thus the six syllables, OM MANI PADME HUM, mean that in dependence on the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his SUBLIME CONTINUUM OF GREAT VEHICLE (UTTARA TANTRA) all beings naturally have the Buddha nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity, the essence of a One Gone Thus (TATHAGATAGARBHA), that is to be transformed and full developed into Buddhahood.
From a lecture given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet at the Kalmuck Mongolian Buddhist Center, New Jersey.
Om Mani Padme Hum is often chanted with the Mala beads. The use of the Mala beads are a way to focus your mind during meditation.
If 108 times for a whole strand of beads seems a bit daunting, try
a smaller Mala bracelet of 27 beads.