Meditation
Published on Jun 11, 2016
Tools for a simple seminar on mindfulness meditation.
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Meditation
An Introduction to Mindfulness
Short, silent meditation to open (2 minutes), followed by personal introduction.
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What is mindfulness?
Not only means to meditate, but also a way of directing attention in everyday life. What we're going to do is interweave the 2 into a useful practice you can use any time.
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Paying attention to your present-moment sensory experience in a nonjudgmental manner.
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Pali language:
1) vipassana ("insight")
2) sati ("to remember")
From at least 2 Pali words. "Insight" or "clear-seeing", and "mindfulness" or literally, "to remember" to pay attention to what you are doing.
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So...the technique is "insight Meditation" (vipassana) which involves a lot of "mindfulness" (sati)!
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Mindfulness meditation is now commonly used to emphasize a departure from its religious roots.
While mindfulness does originate from Buddhist practices, it can now be a completely secular practice, or can support any religious lifestyle.
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Mindfulness can mean either a type of meditation or a way of being in the world...
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What mindfulness is NOT...
And we are referring to mindfulness as meditation right here.
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Does not mean "to clear your mind" or "have no thoughts".
The goal is not to empty your mind of thoughts, but to pay attention to some aspect of
your current sensory experience. You may actually have A LOT of thoughts, and that's ok!
your current sensory experience. You may actually have A LOT of thoughts, and that's ok!
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There are many types of meditation; no one is better than the other.
It is based on preference. Find a style that is comfortable to you.
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You will not disappear into a cloud of ecstasy!
Not necessarily meant to be blissful...
(...as often described in yogic literature). It involves paying attention to what is happening right now NONJUDGMENTALLY: whether painful, pleasant, positive, negative, happy or sad.
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If bliss happens, that's fine!
But you're not trying for it. And you're not trying to hang on to it.
That's where the nonjudgmental part comes in!
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You don't have to sit cross-legged on the floor,
with incense and candles lit.
Though you can if you want! Whatever it takes to get you in the mood.
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To summarize, mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to your present-moment sensory experience in a nonjudgmental way.
It doesn't necessarily mean stopping thinking or emptying your mind, or feeling blissful. Thoughts and negative feelings are fine if they arise.
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A recent experiment was conducted @ U. of Virginia & Harvard to test how happy people are while just "sitting and thinking".
Let's go back to our first few minutes of "just sitting". Was it hard for you to sit still for 2 minutes?
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Sit alone for 6-15 minutes
Hundreds of volunteers were placed alone in sparsely furnished rooms for "thinking periods".
Their instructions were simple. No phones. No games. No television. Just sit and think.
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They did not like it.
(the general conscensus)
....even when they were moved from the test rooms to their homes. (Note: participants were aged 18-77)
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Rather than just hang out and think, subjects could choose to give themselves a painful electric shock.
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25% of women & 67% of men chose to self-administer an electric shock rather than sit quietly with their thoughts!
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The point: It's not easy for people to sit quietly swimming around in the contents of their own minds.
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How does this relate to meditation?
Some first-timers can attest that that their first meditation session is uncomfortable or slightly unpleasant. This is not a strict rule.
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Beginning meditators sometimes have a really hard time sitting with the activity of their own minds.
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But even if you had a tough time sitting, there is hope.
In mindfulness meditation, you're not letting your mind wander. You are directing your mind toward contacting your body sensations.
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It's a structured mental investigation of your own sensory experience.
Not just a time of free-association and mind-wandering.
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In short, the human mind is a wandering mind.
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And a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.
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One of the most powerful ways to feel better is simply to concentrate on what you are doing in the moment.
Which is, of course, the essence of mindfulness practice. As you sit more and more, you'll probably notice that you're feeling better more often.
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Beginner's Technique
- Sit down in a firm, stable posture. Sit up straight.
- Relax your entire body. Take a few deep breaths.
- Start at the feet. Allow yourself to become aware of the sensations there. Tune in to whatever feelings you're having.
This is just a simple way to get started. Experiment. Find what works best for you. It can help to have an area set up for this specific purpose, or a set time everyday, until a regular practice is established.
(Remember, there is no way you are supposed to feel. All is fine. Just allow and accept whatever's coming up.)
(Remember, there is no way you are supposed to feel. All is fine. Just allow and accept whatever's coming up.)
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Untitled Slide
- As you make contact with the sensations, mentally say "feel" or "feeling".
- Explore the sensation in your feet with curiosity & openness. How does it feel? If pleasant, enjoy it. If not, try to relax and accept it.
- Move to another body part (ex- hands). Repeat the process.
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Untitled Slide
- Continue as long as you would like, feeling the sensations. (5, 10, 15 minutes)
- When finished, spend a few minutes sitting quietly.
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Awareness.
Curiosity.
Acceptance.
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Reference Materials
- The Art of Letting Go- Stephen Schettini
- The Mindful Geek- Michael Taft
- The Art of Stillness- Pico Iyer
- It Begins With Silence- Stephen Schettini
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Lawrence Akers, mindfulness teacher.
Mindful Living Atlanta (on Facebook)
lawrence.akers3@gmail.com
With Special Thanks!
Stephen Schettini, Michael Taft, Jim Eubanks, & Roy E. Davis
Photo by jenny downing
