Mindfulness is a unique way of how one relates to each moment. Normally we operate like robots controlled by unconscious habitual patterns. These come predominantly from conditioning from our parents and society. We want to feel loved and safe. We primarily function from the drive to grab onto something that we want or push away what we don’t like. Mindfulness cultivates being present in each moment with awareness, acceptance, non-clinging and non-attachment.
We are always trying so hard to get it right! We start off meditating with a goal in mind. I am going to maintain a fixed concentration on the breath. I am going to get this right! I will develop a constant awareness of the breath that will never waver. There is such striving in our practice. Meditation is all about making an effort without striving for an outcome. One is just trying to bring awareness to the present moment in a concentrated fashion. It is about ALLOWING what will happen to unfold as a consequence of your practice without expectation of outcome.
– Phil Blustein
The breath is a great object to start to establish mindfulness. No one breath is the same as another breath. Every inhalation and exhalation comes to an end. We don’t tend to personalize a breath and call it our own. In examining the breath we are able to see the true nature of reality. It is always changing and impermanent. Can we also develop the same self-less awareness of the breath for every other object?
– Phil Blustein
There is no best type of meditation. A form of meditation may resonate better with you than another one.
Individual choice is important. Starting off with focused awareness theoretically may be the best way to start as it is an initial way to create stability of the mind. The breath is always available to focus on. In open monitoring the multiple changing objects may be difficult initially to bring awareness and concentration to. For some individuals it may be better to start with focused awareness and create some stability of the mind. Then shift to open monitoring.
– Phil Blustein
One hears about TM or transcendental meditation, Insight meditation, Metta or loving kindness meditation, Zen meditation, Yogic meditation etc. There are so many choices. How does one figure this out? It may be easier to look at how the meditation is done rather than what it is.
There are 2 main types of meditation. Focused awareness and open monitoring. In focused awareness there isconcentration on one object. One could choose the breath, a saying, sound, body sensation, silence or visualization. No breath, body sensation, sound etc. remains the same. We are bringing our attention to one object that is constantly changing.
In open monitoring whatever object is dominant in one’s awareness is what one brings the attention to. It could be the breath, a sound, thought etc. We are bringing our attention to constantly changing objects. Ultimately the main purpose is to develop awareness of the present moment.
– Phil Blustein