Mindfulness

Early mindfulness training?

It was 1985 and I visited mainland China for the first time in my life. I was in Yonghegong, the main Tibetan Temple in Beijing, known for his close relations with the Chinese authorities, and has just reopened after the cultural revolution.Was widely rumoured and potentially truth that monks here was only civil servants, and that as soon as the tourists went home, the monks would return for spouses and life outside Temple; in other words, this was not the place you'd expect spiritual achievement.

One room, an old monk stood on the corner of mumbling mantras or sutras (couldn't tell the difference) while the fingers went over the Rosary.Then insert a group of visitors, and am reminded noisy Chinese very little and plump Chinese woman, who pointed out in a device in the ceiling, they turned to the monk and called loudly "what is this?"I was wondering if the monk of deep UV absorption will notice it at all, or perhaps there will be a sudden pulling of meditative state and lose track; instead, he's just slightly lifted his head, said the little what the device of the ceiling, and returned to aloud.

Another form of mindfulness training?

It was very impressive.It was also a very powerful image of one of the effects of Meditation. Although one may be less spectacular to look at from the monk saw many of us have yet to experience Meditation helps us to act and react with a little more freedom is less guided us from external forces (such as noisy woman) and also less than internal constraints (such as our internal tensions). the laity, psychological approach to Meditation, Acem seems far removed from the monk in Yonghegong. But this kind of mindfulness training can be a feature that we have in common.

Tags: Meditation, mindfulness, non-religious

View the original article here

Meditation as a circus

One of the main elements for the Norwegian master new TV broadcast tonight (18 Oct) was on David Lynch – come and Norway not only to promote films, but mainly on the market of Transcendental Meditation Norwegian media on both Cabinet Ministers in direct meetings – see link. Why this is so has area, is, of course, that seems strange. This is overenthusiastic, promises wonders, a revolution of the school system, etc. Broadcasters news love stars make a kind of fool themselves. As part of what somewhat immodestly I would call a more realistic animation meditaion, where also former practicioners of TM may find a very interesting approach to meditation, ambiguity awokes Lynch-episode. On the one hand, makes Meditation seems strange and unreal. On the other hand, this can help more people become aware of organisations such as Acem.

Tags: film, media, Meditation

View the original article here

Empathy

I read somewhere recently that Mother Teresa was concerned with "sees" the poor in Calcutta as fellow human beings, and that is not "see" them was letting that both them and ourselves. One could read that haughty attitude of extreme kindness, but one could also read as practice and actually quite introspective meditative.

Sympathy presupposes the ability to recognize that the other person is coordinated through your mind. When consciously or unconsciously ignore someone, either because they're poor or because they don't want their looks or opinions or anything else, actually fail to recognize a part of yourself. Therefore "sees" someone who used to overlook that involves fishing contact with your hidden self.Meditation goes the other way around. First, it helps to see yourself clearly and, based on this, develop compassion for others.

Tags: charity, compassion, introspection, Meditation

View the original article here

The Sex Guru. When it is wrong?

I'm still somewhat surprised after seeing the film documentary "Guru – Shree Rajneesh, bodyguard and the Registrar" a few days ago. The Indian Shree Rajneesh was a celebrity in the 70 's and 80 2', 4' s, gather a huge following for (almost) spiritual movement based on therapy and meditation. Became notorious for arranging voluntary wild orgies, daily for the sake of tantric exercises, enticing during normal human emotions such as envy, shame and longing for mature, lasting relationships.

The documentary tells the story of Shree Rajneesh rise and fall through the stories of bodyguard and Registrar. Rajneesh was carismathic, smart and cunning, with a hypnotic attraction for people. Demonstrated was also deep narcissistic, dangerous and willing to exploit vulnerable persons satisfying the wishes.Thousands of people flocked to the utopian commune (have we heard this before? messianic sects, political movements, etc.), hoping to be unloaded from the Weltschmerz. and gurus promised them on the moon.

Of course, his supporters were linked to are frustrated, and after the initial first years on free from friction, started to go downhill.Rajneesh fled in Oregon, USA with the Indian tax authorities against the heels. After some years in the USA really bad is enabled.The city was filled with conflicts, cruelty and paranoia, and Rajneesh was finally expulsion and sent back to India.

The bodyguard and Registrar, who met as smart, but naive person, say their versions of what happened. They paid a heavy price for their involvement with the gurus: bodyguard was banished, tried to commit suicide and spent almost a year in a psychiatric hospital himself trying to claw back to a normal life. the Registrar for 3 1/2 years in an American jail. as regards the question of when it started to go wrong, and they both say that there was from the beginning, embedded the gurus imperfect personality.

Tags: India, narcissism, sex

View the original article here

Autumn meditations

I took some photos during a visit to the city centre retreat Halvorsbøle earlier this autumn. You may not be perfect, but at least it made me see the place with new eyes.

Tags: Halvorsbøle, meditation, nature

View the original article here

Autumn leaves

I live near the botanical gardens in Oslo, a meditative silence oasis in the middle of noisy streets Tøyen. Changes of autumn are exciting and encouraging the reflective mind frame. The poetry of fall leaves is also a source of inspiration for me as a painter.

View the original article here

Climbing turn spontaneous activity

Climbing in a constantly changing environment

When we meditate, we feel a spontaneous activity is continuously changing.We have lots of thoughts, feel the Meditation is chaotic, restless, or it can be calm, you may fall asleep. sometimes, we are unhappy with what's happening in spontaneous activity.

When climbing this is slightly the same.Never really know how it will be like. the path you've chosen can be harder than you anticipated, you may find you can take to tackle or you may find an exceptional view. All just happen, there's nothing you can do with it.

While the climber is challenged by a steep mountain or weak muscles in our Meditation, meet our internal limits Is often like a. creeping sense of unease. We want our Meditation was somewhat different, and we will try to transform the way we want it to be. We will focus a little.

When the climber has difficulty to get, it doesn't help to get ´ t angry at mountain or wish that it was much stronger.Is simply to adapt what they are and can do everything.In this Meditation is the same, we just leave things that make no attempt to take control or try to achieve something.

Easier Said than? maybe. good luck!

Tags: freedom, meditation, spontaneous

View the original article here

Sound or breathing

After an interview with Acem founder Dr. Are Holen Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, one of the several hundred readers who went ahead and learn the technique called the tip of the yoga teacher who writes for the local paper:

I joined a beginner course and found very stimulating. Years ago I practiced Meditation based on maintaining the correct attitude towards the world and himself, and visualisations. In contrast, the method Acem puts it doesn't matter any of this, but is based simply on repeating a sound intellectually for half an hour twice a day. There is no emphasis on breathing. And instead of classic lotus position, you're in an armchair with support for your lower back.…What do you think?

The yoga teacher seems to be open-minded:

As I can tell my students often: "If you're ok with this, then it's OK." Let each person can take advantage of what it can to help him become more mature, more balanced and shrewd.

A funny twist logic, however, he concludes by suggesting breathing Meditation:

But, of course, meditating on the breath is more ideal.It is so very reassuring and a good instrument for enhancing concentration and get one-pointedness of minds.

There's nothing wrong with breathing Meditation, and it is often taught as part of yoga in Acem and in other contexts. from our experience, based on sound Meditation goes deeper than breathing Meditation and other techniques based on the Body, but the simplicity of a technique breathing is also The most problematic charm. aspect of the response of Yoga teaching lies in its emphasis on concentration and one-pointedness. Truth, sometimes Meditation brings about a kind of calm and mental absorption that is both pleasant and beneficial. But also techniques that opens the mind to do the opposite. you get in touch with the tension and anxiety inside you, and so let you deal with these things instead of just letting them remain put. too much talk about concentration tends to restrict the mind and to stop the process.

Download the original piece in Spanish.

Tags: attitude, breathing, concentration, meditation, audio

View the original article here