Buddhist meditation

guidelines. Part of the story includes making sure the client is autonomous. Whats the difference between prayer and meditation? I am always open to prayer. I sometimes will ask if prayer is needed within session. Personally I am uncomfortable with (and scripturally bound not to) praying to a deity other than my own. I am, however, open to practices of self rejuvenation such as meditation or yoga if they do not oppress my own beliefs. This becomes then a matter of the mind, and common sense. If…

to clear our heads. “Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box” and the rest of lyrics of my favorite Beatles song kept “drifting through my opened mind.” And of course I start to have a couching fit about fifteen minutes into the meditation. At the end of the 20 minutes, another bell was heard and we opened our eyes to see the Reverend Dr. RosanYoshida had appeared, “My! People come and go so quickly here!” We had been told earlier that the abbot of the Zen Center would join us…

down was “It’s a struggle to stay zen.” Out of everything I wrote, I felt that this was what most totally encompassed everything I was dealing with. I realized that the way I understood zen, yoga and meditation was a lot different than how most people around here understand it. Being raised by a Buddhist mother, these ideologies are, whether consciously or not, ingrained into how I think. I realized later on that these ideas are just not a part of where I live. Certain aspects that we do see are…

The book the places that scare you by Pema Chodron was very interesting. The title itself Caught my attention right away, but what really got me to read this book is that the author is a Buddhist nun, so she will not talk about religion or tell you what is right or what wrong. Before I read this book I thought the book was going to be about metal disorders only because of the title. I was completely wrong, this book is for all types of people who desire to face our fears in life with…

more prevalent in society. Mindfulness has been used in different types of programs to treat stress, improve psychological well-being as well as physical, and in some cases, improve overall quality of life. The root of mindful practices stems from Buddhist beliefs, but today, mindfulness has worked into society’s everyday use. Mindfulness encompasses a broad spectrum of ideas and practices, all with the foundation of bringing the one who practices it heightened awareness, better attention, and…

The general purpose for this experiment was to determine the effects of a 1-month Vipassana meditation retreat on experienced meditators, specifically looking for whether the retreat would “increase mindfulness and psychological well-being, prosocial personality traits, and whether psychological changes produced by meditation would be mediated and/or moderated by non-attachment” (p.3). The researchers’ hypothesis for this experiment was that they would be able to find an increase in the items…

In this chapter, some relevance of Buddhist thought in contemporary society will be presented. Firstly, an attempt has been made to describe the Buddha's teachings on resolution conflict in society, then analyze issues of crime and social control under the light of Buddhist thought. Finally, this chapter presents Buddhist social thoughts for awakening society. Resolve Conflict in Society under the Light of Buddhist Thought Conflict is used to describe both people and groups who have beliefs,…

about the religion. Unfortunately, I could not find a public Buddhist ritual in time for this assignment. Instead, I observed was a Hindu ritual, performed at the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine, located in the Pacific Palisades. I attended the Sunday service, on May 21st at 9 in the morning, though they do offer a second service at 11 as well. The location itself is beautiful, almost breathtaking; a perfect place for meditation and a balance of one’s Zen. Upon entering the grounds, I…

Would we be truly happy if we decided to always take risks? How is Buddhism related in terms of interpersonal communications? In Pema Chodron’s book, Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears, argue that, being the most peaceful and spiritual person you can be can make one truly happy. Pema Chodron’s information about shenpa, compared with the teachings of interpersonal communications, how she proves that her argument is true versus the teachings of interpersonal…

to the pressures of post-secondary education in a new environment. This transition is often a time of stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety can negatively effect their education and well as their overall well-being. Mindfulness was originally a Buddhist construct (David & Hayes, 2011) but has become increasingly popular. It has gained attention in the media but also in psychological research. In 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn outlines the psychological benefits of mindfulness and developed the first…