Is it true to only use one mantra for your mala?
The only definitive answer would be if you have a Guru and they TELL you what to do. Otherwise much of what you read comes from others who have been told, maybe by their Guru or just random people, and act as though the message is meant for everyone. So I would not worry about mixing mantras but I would recommend sticking to ONE anyway as there is an old story of a man walking along the river bed during the dry season in India - he was searching for water and began digging. He dug ten feet, didn't find water so he moved to another spot and dug ten feet, nothing, so he moved on, trying again and again; he tried about a dozen times and then came across a very large hole and looked down into it - at the very bottom he saw a man who had finally reached water who yelled back up "If you just dig about 140 feet in ONE spot, you will find water!!
So mantra recitation is like this.
You main gain some fruits from different mantras but really the greatest fruit comes from dedicating yourself to one and obtaining the fruits of all practices by focusing your attention on one path that eventually leads to the same end. Otherwise it would be like starting from your house and walking numerous short little trails on your way to the store but never getting there because you constantly have to start over again from your porch, trying other little paths ;)
What are the branches of Buddhism?
This was a kind offering from Lauren who felt this would serve the larger community so we are pasting the recommended website to this page for all to learn more on Buddhism, its history and branches.
Blessings.
How long should I meditate for?
Time is not so important at the start because the focus is to find that moment (sometimes only a split second) where you are just in the present moment and clarity of all arises. As you continue to meditate and experience other states of consciousness these moments will inspire you to meditate longer.
Once meditation is established you will find that hours pass!
A good tool to use during meditation is a mala or some form of counting to follow your breath or recite a mantra. In this way you are able to gauge time if this is an issue (say you only have 15 minutes in your schedule prior to work). PLEASE DO NOT USE AN ALARM CLOCK! This is not the proper way to rise from meditation...this only removes any tranquil state that may have arose during meditation.
How often should I meditate?
At least once a day but preferably in the morning when you rise and the evening when you rest. This helps to clear your mind for the day and subconsciously process your dream state and deep sleep of the night past; as well to meditate in the evening is a way to settle the mind from the days activities and create a restful state prior to sleep that can bring you into a deep sleep and more restful state quicker.
“What is the best way of controlling your thoughts while meditating?”
-Question asked and answered by a customer in England.
My response would be: I don’t know. For me meditation is simply an experience. However, to properly answer that question based simply on my own experience and on no structured teachings, I have found that the best way of controlling your thoughts while meditating is to let go of the need to. I like to get clear about how I want to feel once the meditation is over and take that feeling into the meditation. I have found that heart focused breathing (breathing through your heart – feeling your heart- down to your stomach then back out through your heart – focusing on feeling your heart again) is a great way of feeling the way that I want to feel in the present tenses. I think of it as losing your mind and the need to control it by coming to your heart felt senses.
Is it recommended to have a meditation teacher vs. being self taught?
I never had a teacher until July 2007 when I found my guru. Prior to this I read every book possible on anything that interested me and absorbed and practiced as much as I could. Over these years I had various experiences and when I met my teacher they all made sense.
This is my personal experience and from my own understanding I would say to read as you wish, keep your eyes open to possibilities, learn as you go and clarity comes in its own time.
Sages, gurus, swamis, Buddhas speak to many people and not all of them obtain enlightenment :) or Absolute Realization so this tells you that it is IN THE HEART OF THE MEDITATOR to understand when they are open to understanding.
I recite Om Mani Padme Hong when doing my Mala rounds...Is initiation required to recite other mantras???
Yes. Some people wonder why but these mantras are powerful tools in the meditators practice and the powers can be intense or unexpected. A teacher is helpful to guide you on the journey to your heart :)
I made the mistake (in my words) of pursuing a lot too fast and the advanced stages of that practice were challenging for me to understand and fear of the unknown set in. I left sitting meditation for a couple of years because of this.
What would your recommendations be for someone who wishes to begin a daily meditation practice...?
Slow and steady. You are not trying to prove anything to anyone. If you are shy about your practice then do it in a room where there is no chance of someone entering. Reserve a set of clothes, a cushion, and THE SAME spot and THE SAME time (if possible) for EVERY meditation. The reason for this is that the shakti (or life force) that is generated in your meditations permeates the spot as well as the material involved in that meditation. Using all the same elements helps the meditator return to the state of meditation and as your practice matures so will the right effort.
The meditation can be as simple as following your breathe, when the mind wanders come back to the breath, the breath is not to be contrived...let it flow naturally. In time you will find other practices that work for you.
Understanding the calming one minds is a journey...as is Buddhism...how...at the beginning did you train yourself to clear and calm your mind...?
Years of trying to control my meditations, trying to envision, trying to sit properly, trying to FIGHT the thoughts...at the point of exhaustion it was evident that letting go would be the solution.
Upon reflection if I was to speak of training per se I would say that sitting in a quiet space and envisioning did help and the struggles of meditation never cease. But as our practice evolves we come to peace with the way the mind works and adjust the focus of thought. (Ex. instead of playing ficticious conversations in my head, I think of the bliss of life and my interconnectedness to all...an understanding that divine thoughts help clear all the idle chatter of the mind).
If I choose to focus on an image, what are appropriate ones?
Whatever has been given to you by an Enlightened being that you trust as your teacher. Too many people simply pick one and work with that and then when "nothing happens" they pick another and so on. This only causes confusion in the mind and frustration on the path.
Keep it simple and seek out a teacher that you can trust.
Simple clear images that you can focus on that are not related to any practice and actually are common across the faiths is the understanding of chakras or lokas. The third eye and the heart are the common ones to focus on and getting a chakra book may be a good start if you are without a teacher or time to find one.
"The Book of Chakras" is a good start published by BARRONS and authored by Ambika Wauters. It gives you visualizations as well as affirmations for each chakra.
What is the significance of choosing a mediation word or tone?
MANTRA (sacred word or phrase) has been passed down for millenium from sages, yogis, and gurus. In their state of union with God or Absolute Ground (as described in Buddhist texts) they have found their way through the use of a mantra. When they obtain Absolute Realization or Enlightenment they are able to see the truth of this mantra and thus empower their devotees with this mantra and guide them in their practice.
It is not advised to simply PICK a mantra. The best thing to do if mantra is of interest to you is to use HUM SA or SO HUM to follow your breath and if you find a qualified teacher that you trust to be an enlightened being than accepting a mantra from him/her would truly be blessing for you because it is empowered by that very person.
And what kind of time is my goal? Or is there one?
There is not one. What happens is that your state becomes absorbed in the divine and in this union all knowledge becomes one and all that was ever to be known is known and everything you every questioned becomes nothing but dust. There is no time designated for this sort of experience as it all happens on a different parallel of time and may seem VERY LONG but is only 5 minutes or less!!
The goal is not time but "connectedness", stillness, awareness, non-attachment, acceptance of change and flux, and embracing what is.
You will learn more about yourself and your abilities as your meditation advances and the goal should be to still your mind (without force) and accept what arises in your mind to be preoccupations and focus on the VERY present second in time and stay there being aware of the changes of your body and environment as those seconds tick by and find peace in knowing that you are part of this flow. We create irritation in the mind when we FIX our opinions or imagine that something is PERMANENT.
If I start meditating 5 minutes a day, how do I know when to increase that time?
The time will naturally increase as your comfort level increases. It cannot be planned. You will soon feel that this is not enough time and be inspired to sit longer.
PLEASE DO NOT USE A TIMER! This is not a way that is advised to sit because the moment an alarm goes off it creates even subtle levels of irritation in the mind and the time you spent meditating can be interrupted. The recommendation is to use a mala or wrist malas or some sort of bead or counter and pace this with your breathe or mantra recitation. You will soon learn how many repetitions it takes (roughly) for five minutes and when you reach that number you will know that the time you alloted has been reached.
What are some tricks to help quiet my mind when I sit down to meditate?
Visualization: envision a lotus in the heart and the stem of this lotus reaching down to the base of your spine. Focus on the beauty of the blossom within the heart where love permeates unconditionally.
Mantra: HUM SA or SO HUM: you pronounce one of the characters as you inhale and one when you exhale. You focus on the sound and the reverberation it makes within your body. This is the sounds that is made by all of us when we inhale and exhale (Hum Sa) but we are unable to hear it when we have not slowed the mind down to embrace what is within.
** The benefit of mantra is that the sound of your recitation can settle the mind into its own divine activity and when entranced you are able to really enjoy the calm state.
Zen practice: Envision sitting by a stream with a tree overhead, each thought is a leaf that falls into the stream...as it floats down stream past you be aware of its presence but let the leaf continue on its course downstream and don't collect the leafs from the river to then bury yourself in the mound :)
Zanzen: Complicated for some but not for others. You sit with your right palm resting on the left palm and open your eyes slightly while staring down the bridge of your nose and focusing in this area and the third eye.
How should I expect to feel after meditating?
Relaxed.Irritated.Calm.Frustrated.At peace.Annoyed.
You go through varying emotions in meditation as you do in life, it is key to not place expectations on your meditations (hence the negative emotions when something is not accomplished that you had "planned").
The key to meditation is to be AWARE of the varying experiences that the mind goes through and not to embrace the positive and push away the negative but be AWARE of what is what and in that state of meditation you practice stability and tranquility of mind through all emotions.
Non-attachment is the focus of your meditations and in this state you then enter into life in the world with a clear understanding of balance and an expectance that NOTHING (good or bad) is permanent. "This too will pass"
What can I do to ensure I practice on a regular/daily basis without being side tracked by life??
Same time. Same location. Same cushion. Same clothes.
Routine in life is how we as humans function and to take up a new hobby like playing guitar would also take time out of a schedule.
What you have to do is convince yourself that YOU DESERVE QUIET TIME and to sit in peace is when the rest of life makes sense and you will be AMAZED how orderly and simple your life becomes WITH a regular meditation practice.
How does spending more time meditating save more time in the "world we live in"? Simple. A still mind is able to react to various situations in a timely manner and with clarity, no need to return to "finish the job". With this peace of mind comes added time, your efficiency will rise and you will have more strength to deal with what life has in store.
It is not about the AMOUNT of time either it is about that second of clarity, that second of bliss where you are unaware of where you start and everything else begins. In these states of mind it feels like you have been sitting for an infinite amount of time and when you finish your meditation it was simply MINUTES!
So schedule a time for your meditation and make it routine. There is SOMETHING you do EVERY MORNING that never changes (ex. brush your teeth) so have your meditation run parallel to this routine and take 5 minutes to sit and as it becomes routine you can extend the time if you wish.
The key is quite and stillness that brings tranquility and peace.
Don't be hard on yourself but be regular :)
what are some basic meditative poses, and what does each pose help to accomplish?
I am not able to answer that question as I know of some MUDRAS and ASANAS but cannot respond accurately on many.
I do a pose called the lions pose (I forget the asana name) and is with my left hand on left knee (shakti) and my right hand holding the text I recite (shiva). The eyes stay fixed on the text and I recite in a rhythmic chant.
Meditative poses (asanas) and mudras have very complex definitions that are beyond my ability to explain.
The key to meditation is to find your sitting bones and use them as support like a bridge for your spinal cord. Some practices want you to be rigid while others accept that you will rock with the melody of the mantra but the key is to sit comfortably and once seated to do your best not to adjust but work through some of the pain that arises.
Breath Control
The question i have is breath control - when during japa - does one count a bead by the breath sequence i.e in and out or by one chant of the mantra - i think this would be vital because when one relies on recorded mantra japa to stay tuned the speed can throw one off - maybe you can answer for me.
ANSWER: A meditator when reciting a mantra divides the mantra into two parts using the inhale and exhale. Pronouncing the first part of the mantra as they inhale (example: SO or OM NAMAH) and upon the exhale they pronounce the last part (example: HUM or SHIVAYA). Following tapes or CDs can be difficult because the person making the recording is often experienced and their ability to elongate the breath can complicate new meditators ability to "keep up". It is more important to follow your natural rhythm as opposed to contrived breathing.
