Posts Tagged ‘Meditation’

Top 5 meditation tips – make it a daily habit

Tuesday, March 26th, 2013

Modern practitioners of meditation face the same age-old question that meditators have asked themselves and each other for thousands of years: how can I motivate myself to meditate every day? We are aware that meditation is good for us, and yet the pressures of daily life and our various commitments can make it hard to ensure we fit a meditation session into our busy schedule each day. These days, when even major news outlets have sections on meditation tips, we can look to the 2,500 years of Buddhist meditation experience for inspiration.
Here we offer five tried-and-tested meditation tips to overcome the most common problems that beginners and experienced practitioners can encounter in motivating themselves to sit regularly.

Girl meditating in a field

Meditation is one of the healthiest habits we can make

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H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje guides a meditation

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

New Delhi, 1 April 2012: H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje guides a meditation in the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute.

Lama Ole Nydahl – Introduction to Mahamudra

Saturday, October 8th, 2011
Lama Ole Nydahl teaching in 2010

Lama Ole Nydahl teaching in 2010

This teaching was published in 2001 in edition 9 of the magazine “Buddhism Today”

Buddhism Today Vo.9

Buddhism Today Vol.9

Any observation of the outer and inner worlds refers one to mind. Only mind is constantly and truly present, although not as a “something.” Consciousness is like space, unchanging and timeless, while its objects are conditioned. Both the outer world and beings’ inner states appear, change, and disappear. Only the experiencer is timeless, limitless, and everywhere.

The Great Seal, Mahamudra in Sanskrit and Chag Chen in Tibetan, was taught by Buddha to fully awaken mind’s potential and to seal its enlightened nature. Whoever rests in the radiance of the mirror while enjoying its images, and recognizes the indestructibility of the ocean beneath the play of the waves, has reached this goal.

The path there is a steadily increasing experience of richness and the bliss which enlightenment makes permanent. It already begins to manifest in short and weakened forms during the moments when no habits or expectations distract mind. Also non-meditators may taste some of this power during the free fall before the parachute opens or on a fast motorcycle, and all (hopefully) know it from sexual union. It appears in a flash when sneezing, as the joyful “a-ha” at a new and striking insight, or when one shares in the goodness or joy of others. Meditation, however, is the concise and scientific way to make this state permanent. In particular, the three “old” or “red hat” schools of Tibetan Buddhism, which focus on the Diamond Way practices of view and transformation, can make such moments into a lasting experience. Even a short exchange with a holder of the Great Seal of awareness can set off this maturation process, but a close friendship with him, or one’s co-operation in his groups is always the most effective method. In meditation, as in life, one will then experience a growing and joyful oneness with phenomena until suffering and frustrations are definitely seen as something unnecessary and odd.

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Karma Kagyu Meditation Forms

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

The pictures below show some of the most common forms used in the meditation practices of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Buddhism. They are from the website www.thanka.buddhizmusma.hu.

Click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge the image.

16th Karmapa Thangka2nd Karmapa ThangkaRadiant Goddess ThangkaBlack Coat ThangkaKarma Kagyu Refuge Tree ThangkaDiamond Mind ThangkaLoving Eyes ThangkaRed Wisdom ThangkaHighest Bliss Thangka

Top row, left to right: 16th Karmapa, 2nd Karmapa, Black Coat in union with Radiant Goddess. Middle row left to right: Black Coat, the Karma Kagyu Refuge Tree, Diamond Mind. Bottom row left to right: Loving Eyes, Red Wisdom, Buddha of Highest Bliss in union with Red Wisdom.

Buddhist meditation guided by Lama Ole Nydahl

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

This short Buddhist meditation, guided by contemporary master Lama Ole Nydahl, is a perfect introduction for beginners to Buddhist practice. Guided meditation is used by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, to learn a particular meditation method, and to meditate along with realised masters.
This video provides an easy access to meditation and shows that it is not something mystical or inaccessible:
 

 
Lama Ole Nydahl is a highly respected teacher of Buddhist meditation. He gives an empowering approach to daily life focusing on what we truly are: human beings full of potential and living manifestations of love. This direct and practical meditation helps you realise your true potential and make the most of every day. By meditating on the Buddha, who embodies our own inherent qualities of unlimited clarity, compassion, fearlessness and joy, we can develop these qualities in ourselves, manifesting them skilfully in our own lives. Although simple and short, this guided meditation on the Buddha, if practised regularly, has the potential to change our habits and our perceptions.

Shamar Rinpoche on “advanced practices”

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Shamar Rinpoche wearing the Red Crown


“Many people turn towards those practices reputed to bring quick results, even immediate enlightenment. Perhaps this is courageousness, perhaps merely pride. Perhaps the assumption is that if they can say they are doing an advanced practice, this makes them an advanced person.”

Shamar Rinpoche
From “A Change of Expression” (Editions Dzambhala, 1991)

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche on Meditation Posture

Monday, February 28th, 2011
3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)

“The physical posture is most important for one’s meditation to go well. There are seven points to take into consideration, called the sevenfold posture of Vairocana. He is the central Buddha in the Mandala of all Buddhas. The seven points of Vairocana are:

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17th Karmapa on Impermanence

Monday, November 29th, 2010

These questions and answers were taken from H.H. 17th Karmapa‘s ‘Black Hat Lama’ MySpace blog:  

17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje

Q: What is Buddhist meditation, and what are the benefits of it?

H.H. Karmapa: Buddhist meditation is a way to relate to death, but the term we use is known as impermanence. So it is possible to see the beauty of impermanence finally through meditation. Before meditation we have to focus on learning and contemplating on impermanence. 

Q: How do you relate to death? 

H.H. Karmapa: Often one relates to death mainly by fear, and also by hope. So the Buddhist approach is to approach it without the two. 

Q: Are Buddhists afraid of death? 

H.H. Karmapa: Sentient beings are not born as Buddhists, so due to that it becomes a very difficult question to answer. (more…)