"The first stage of meditation is to make our mind clearer and
more lucid. This can be accomplished by practising 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. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to
prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.
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.
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 we practice patiently in this way, gradually our
distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of
inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious
and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned
up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud
gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when
the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed
through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid
and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while.
Even though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation,
it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is
possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling
the mind, without having to depend at all upon external conditions.
When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind
becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from
within. This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope
with the busyness and difficulties of daily life.
So much of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from
our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health,
are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing breathing meditation
for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we will be able to reduce this
stress. We will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and
many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will
become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well-disposed
towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually
improve."
Introduction to Buddhism
© Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and New Kadampa Tradition (1992, 1993)
We should try to make meditation as a natural part of our day as taking
a shower - we don't think twice about preparing our body for the day.
In the same way we can spend ten or fifteen minutes in the morning each
day preparing our mind with a meditation. As a result we will be completely
ready for what the day has in store for us!
Meditation classes |
Kadampa Buddhism |
Books on Buddhism
Top of page
|
Home
