Buddhist Meditation

[fidella]

<FONT color=#000099>Why do Buddhist people meditate?</FONT>

[David H]

Basically, whatever your beliefs, the only way to make yourself feel better than you do now (ie remove suffering as Buddha put it) is to do something. The easiest and best method is meditation, and almost any method carried out on a regular basis shuold get results. Their aim is enlightenment but though very few people get that far most experience quite good results sooner or later. I've been at it some years with varying results but will never give up.

[tellboy]

You don't have to have any Buddhist beliefs at all to meditate even Christians or Aetheists or people who live in Wigan like me can do it ! It is great. I am a Buddhist but have no shaven head (just mostly bald), or the yellow robes, or the daft grin and I do not have to meditate as in "you must do this or else you ain't a Buddhist." It was nice to learn how to do it formally at "Buddhist School" but that is not necessary.In my case I can just stop typing right now and look up from the keyboard out of the window and do it. If you have ever done those Magic Eye puzzles in the newspapers where something turns into a 3D pictue, know what I mean ? At the point where you concentrate on it is the meditation bit and the few seconds as it appears and strange feeling is a bit of enlightment. Its great. You cant generally do this magic eye thing or meditation if it is very noisy, or you are thinking of the gas bill that needs paying or what the meal is for tonight. Not a good idea when you are going down the motorway but that actually is very easy. Hope this helps not hinders ?.

[tellboy]

Now I have brushed the dust off my notes perhaps I can add.

"Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Buddhist meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, and emotional positivity. By engaging with a particular meditation practice one learns the patterns and habits of the mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being."

When you know something that is really good it is very difficult not wanting everyone else to know it (whether they want to or not ) I have only just learnt the warning signs, the glazed look, look out here comes the nutter etc.. Wnen your cat comes in from the garden after cruelly playing and killing a bird or a mouse they bring it to you feeling very pleased with themselves and purring as their conscience is completely clear that is what they are supposed to do.

When I see a bunch of young hoodies coming down the street, kicking cars, kicking over wheely bins, giving everyone loads of lip what do I do. I get hold of one and give him a good hiding until someone calls the police and then the police ask him if he wants to prefer charges. I do because for the moment I still have to, but I dont feel bad about yet it just like the cat but Oh dear Bad Metta. So if there was a scale of Buddhist progression 1 to 100 I am still about 5 I guess but trying hard.