I'm not deep into it by any means but have been a lot more curious about it lately. It's something I've experimented with doing in the morning after I wake up. I toyed with when younger doing martial arts.
I'm finding myself really interested in Vipassana Meditation lately. I recently watched Dhamma Brothers, really good documentary about the results of a 10-day meditation "retreat" they held for hardened criminals in Alabama. It seemed to work with these guys like nothing else had, and then the Christians in the community raised a stink and got the program cancelled. Now they're finally getting it back again.
I've read it's springing up other prisons around the nation as well.
Last night I went and attended a Zen Buddhist Group and then a Vipassana Mediation meeting to see what each had to offer. The Buddhist meeting didn't even have a teacher - we just meditated - and with the other group, while I did learn a few things, the people seemed flaky and out-of-touch. I also was struck with a real irony that, while meditation is mean to be a solitary endeavour, these people meet on a regular basis to meditate together...Why not just meditate alone at home?
It seemed a bit pointless, but I sense that Vipassana is supposed to be a lot more effective with some kind of guidance on what you should be doing with your mind. The teacher didn't seem that great. Everything that came out of her mouth was backtracked on or repeated in five different ways to make sure a) no one got somehow offended or b) she counter-acted every possible way to misunderstand what she said.
I appreciate a lot of these spiritual practices and recognize the benefits of meditation, but sometimes I find it difficult to relate to people who are so PC and don't seem very grounded on Earth.
Buddhist practices are really interesting to me as well. But again, I take issue with some real ironies within the religious side of it.
I've been watching some documentaries about Buddha lately, and he was essentially supposed to be a regular guy (albeit royalty by birth) who emphasized that he was not a deity and his entire path to enlightment was about realizing everything was impermanent and to let go of material possessions.
Yet Buddhism, at least as it exists in Southeast Asia, is fanatical in holding on to "material" objects representing the Buddha. They worship his statues and cling to him - seems to fly in the face of impermanence. The erect huge, luxurious structures. The city of Bagan in Bhurma built so many of these temples that they obliterated the land around them for the materials and everyone had to leave the city because it became unlivable.
And while reaching nirvana, or enlightenment, supposedly means you escape the cycle of reincarnation, they act as if the statues of their enlightened idols still have their spirits inside them. They pull them out to get sunshine. They bring them food and water.
Finally, Buddha reached enlightenment by sitting under a tree and meditating alone. Yet all his followers meditate together.
I guess just as with any other religion people make a mistake of getting caught up in the customs and losing sight of the goal.
Anyways, I'm rambling now. Was just initially curious if anyone here is big on meditation. I know some of you dabble, but how far have you gone with it?
And has anyone done a meditation retreat? I've been looking at doing one in Thailand for quite some time (not a tourist-centric one) where you live like the monks while you're there and meditate for days on end, with no speaking, eating after lunch, etc. There are also 10-day Vipassana retreats here in the states where they let you participate for free (donations recommended).
Thoughts? Experiences?
I'm finding myself really interested in Vipassana Meditation lately. I recently watched Dhamma Brothers, really good documentary about the results of a 10-day meditation "retreat" they held for hardened criminals in Alabama. It seemed to work with these guys like nothing else had, and then the Christians in the community raised a stink and got the program cancelled. Now they're finally getting it back again.
I've read it's springing up other prisons around the nation as well.
Last night I went and attended a Zen Buddhist Group and then a Vipassana Mediation meeting to see what each had to offer. The Buddhist meeting didn't even have a teacher - we just meditated - and with the other group, while I did learn a few things, the people seemed flaky and out-of-touch. I also was struck with a real irony that, while meditation is mean to be a solitary endeavour, these people meet on a regular basis to meditate together...Why not just meditate alone at home?
It seemed a bit pointless, but I sense that Vipassana is supposed to be a lot more effective with some kind of guidance on what you should be doing with your mind. The teacher didn't seem that great. Everything that came out of her mouth was backtracked on or repeated in five different ways to make sure a) no one got somehow offended or b) she counter-acted every possible way to misunderstand what she said.
I appreciate a lot of these spiritual practices and recognize the benefits of meditation, but sometimes I find it difficult to relate to people who are so PC and don't seem very grounded on Earth.
Buddhist practices are really interesting to me as well. But again, I take issue with some real ironies within the religious side of it.
I've been watching some documentaries about Buddha lately, and he was essentially supposed to be a regular guy (albeit royalty by birth) who emphasized that he was not a deity and his entire path to enlightment was about realizing everything was impermanent and to let go of material possessions.
Yet Buddhism, at least as it exists in Southeast Asia, is fanatical in holding on to "material" objects representing the Buddha. They worship his statues and cling to him - seems to fly in the face of impermanence. The erect huge, luxurious structures. The city of Bagan in Bhurma built so many of these temples that they obliterated the land around them for the materials and everyone had to leave the city because it became unlivable.
And while reaching nirvana, or enlightenment, supposedly means you escape the cycle of reincarnation, they act as if the statues of their enlightened idols still have their spirits inside them. They pull them out to get sunshine. They bring them food and water.
Finally, Buddha reached enlightenment by sitting under a tree and meditating alone. Yet all his followers meditate together.
I guess just as with any other religion people make a mistake of getting caught up in the customs and losing sight of the goal.
Anyways, I'm rambling now. Was just initially curious if anyone here is big on meditation. I know some of you dabble, but how far have you gone with it?
And has anyone done a meditation retreat? I've been looking at doing one in Thailand for quite some time (not a tourist-centric one) where you live like the monks while you're there and meditate for days on end, with no speaking, eating after lunch, etc. There are also 10-day Vipassana retreats here in the states where they let you participate for free (donations recommended).
Thoughts? Experiences?
Beyond All Seas
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling