With evidence growing that training the mind or inducing specific modes of consciousness can have beneficial health effects, scientists have sought to understand how these practices physically affect the body. A new study by researchers in Wisconsin, Spain, and France reports the first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body following a period of intensive mindfulness practice. The study investigated the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness practice in a group of expe […]
The Buddha famously said that the cause of suffering (dukkha) is clinging. In fact, it is the second of his Four Noble Truths. For most people this idea speaks to the things in our lives that we like and want to hold onto, and the things we do not like and we want to make go away. While there is truth in this view, it is nonetheless one step removed from the deeper truth that most fail to see. The attempt to identify everything that I like or don’t like and what I am holding ont […]
Buddha was asked, “What have you gained from meditation?” He replied, “Nothing.” However, Buddha said, “Let me tell you what I lost : Anger, anxiety, depression, insecurity, fear of old age and death.” […]
Lucid dreaming is one category of dreams that many people experience. It occurs when the individual is dreaming and during that dream the individual is completely aware that they are dreaming. Some people report a low-level lucidity state where one is aware they are dreaming but not able to alter the content of the dream. Other people have experienced high-level lucidity where one is aware they are dreaming but are also able to alter the dream, and have the freedom to do whatever they des […]
At first glance, Quiet Time – a stress reduction strategy used in several San Francisco middle and high schools, as well as in scattered schools around the Bay Area – looks like something out of the om-chanting 1960s. Twice daily, a gong sounds in the classroom and rowdy adolescents, who normally can’t sit still for 10 seconds, shut their eyes and try to clear their minds. I’ve spent lots of time in urban schools and have never seen anything like it. This practice – meditation rebra […]
The basic idea of the sitting practice of meditation is that it is what the Buddha did, and because of that, he attained enlightenment. That’s the basic point. And we have been told how to practice that way too, so that in turn, we can attain enlightenment. One of the basic ideas is that generally, when we are about in the world, we want a lot of things and we can’t get them. And sometimes we get angry with other people. Then we want to destroy them. Sometimes we have so much […]
Therapeutic interventions that incorporate training in mindfulness meditation have become increasingly popular, but to date, little is known about neural mechanisms associated with these interventions. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), one of the most widely used mindfulness training programs, has been reported to produce positive effects on psychological well-being and to ameliorate symptoms of a number of disorders. Here, we report a controlled longitudinal study to investigat […]
There are two modes of Son Buddhist meditation: “Son in the midst of stillness” and “Son in the midst of commotion.” I simply call them the “quiet” and “active” modes of meditation. Quiet meditation commonly refers to traditional seated meditation but includes any meditative form where you’re not moving. Active meditation refers to meditating while in motion in the midst of daily life. Read more… […]
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There is nothing you cannot be, because you are everything and from everything. You are part of all that is. You have devised a veil which keeps you from remembering our true history. It keeps you from remembering your true origin of who you are and where you came from. The true power of humanity is so great that it was necessary to create this reality full of limitations and duality. Otherwise, it would not be a game at all. We would all realize our true power and the game would be over […]
