WHY IS THE BREATH SUCH A GOOD OBJECT TO USE AS AN ANCHOR FOR MEDITATION?

The breath is a great object to start to practice meditation. It is an external object that we don’t intentionally create when we are open to its natural movement. It is always present and available. 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 that comes in to our awareness?

– Phil Blustein

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION?

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION?

Mindfulness is mainstream now. It is on the cover of Time magazine and Scientific American. If it is on those journals it must be good. It is reassuring to know that there is scientific evidence to support the value of meditation. Some of the proven benefits of meditation are stress reduction, decreases depression relapses, helps sleep disorders, better coping with cancer, decreases hypertension, helps the irritable bowel syndrome, improves psoriasis, helps cope with pain and promotes loving kindness and compassion.
– Phil Blustein

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF MEDITATION?

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF MEDITATION?

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