Basics of meditation.

No. You only need to have an open mind and be willing to help alleviate your own mental struggles. If you are searching for a deeper understanding of reality and your own inner world, then meditation is for you. It is for anyone who has a mind and experiences thoughts and emotions. Every human knows the pain that is caused by anger, confusion, anxiety, etc. It is up to you to learn to wisely approach and regulate these mental states.

Meditation is a practice to develop beautiful human qualities. It is a tool we use to eliminate negative emotions and grow those that bring happiness to our lives. The world is always in a state of strife and turmoil. Through meditation, you can help alleviate yourself and the world around you from the unnecessary suffering that engulfs your mind and our planet. One person, one mind, can make a difference.

This is common for everyone who is new to meditation. Don’t worry! It is because our body and mind are not used to this! This is totally new! However, as you continue to practice consistently, you will be able to overcome this easily.

If you sit down and see that your mind is engaging with insignificant thinking, you should notice this talking mind, and turn your attention away from these thoughts. If those thoughts are strong and significant, you should make space for those thoughts, rather than run away or suppress them. Have compassion for yourself and patience to endure the pain that they bring. As you progress in your practice, you will begin to see the true nature of the mind and be able to cultivate a mind that is quiet and steady.

Samatha meditation (stillness of mind) is one approach that is good for anyone who is new to meditation and for seasoned practitioners who have a very busy mind. To teach Samatha, we emphasize watching your breath (Anapanasati), repeating words of lovingkindness (also called Metta), and using visual anchors (Kasina).

Vipassana is a unique teaching in Buddhist philosophy. It is the best technique for those who have a busy life. It can only be developed with the support of daily mindfulness. With this technique, we learn to relate to our thoughts in a healthy and wise way. We understand the true nature of our mind and its underlying tendencies. We see the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self (Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta) characteristics of conditioned phenomena.

We also teach walking meditation as a samatha technique and as a vipassana technique. We focus on our physical body and movements to develop stillness and wisdom.

It is totally up to each individual and his/her schedule to choose a length of time to sit for meditation. For a beginner, we recommend sitting for at least 15 minutes every day. Slowly, you can increase the time by 5 minutes each month, until you are sitting for one hour or more.

Meditation doesn’t only happen when you sit down and close your eyes; it is actually a way of life. To have a productive meditative life, we need to have a desire and love for the practice. That desire and love should be nurtured by constant effort and inspiration for change. Irrespective of difficulties and obstacles that prevent you from daily practice, you should have a strong determination to overcome them and protect your love for the practice. Strive to cultivate love, a willingness to change yourself, and a strong determination. These 3, as well as wise planning, will cause your practice to be fruitful.

You should dress comfortably. Wear loose clothing that doesn’t restrict your breathing or cause physical comfort. Dress modestly to respect yourself and other practitioners. Some meditators choose white or muted clothing, but it is not required.

“Bhante” (pronounced “Bon-tay”) is the commonly used term to refer to a monk. It means “Venerable Sir” and is a title of respect. Some people bow or kneel before monks to show respect, but it is not a requirement of all meditators. Just be yourself!