Beyond Zen...

Mantra Meditations & Chenrezig

2010-08-10T22:58:50Z

In past posts, we have talked about how there are many types of meditations and under that many more ways of meditating. Meditation styles will differ; from transcendental meditation to meditation on an object, for example. Under Buddhist meditation you will find many varieties as well, some are breathing based and some are matra based. Breathing meditations are where we use the tickle of air going in and out of the tip of our noses for Vipassana or “breathing” meditation, in Mantra meditation we will use the reciting of phrases to both be a focus for our minds and a sound for greater awareness.

“Om Mani Padme Hum” is one of the more well known mantas you will hear. From pop movies with Buddhist themes to how-to CD’s, this one phrase is the sound of Buddhist meditation. To recite this over and over, one is attempting to bring on the power of the mantra, or the blessing of Chenrezig, the one the mantra is really speaking with. All mantras will be speaking to a subject, some will be asking for the embodiment of one who is now enlightened for instance. Chenrezig is in Tibet one of the most recognized deities of Tibetan Buddhism, he is the embodiment of compassion.

So, when we meditate by reciting the mantra, it helps to know what the mantra is about and whom it’s speaking with; it helps to focus on those attributes as you meditate. If you are seeking greater compassion, then you recite “Om Mani Padme Hum” and you are meditating with Chenrezig, like using a key to unlock the door by which Chenrezig sits behind. To access them, you use this mantra.

One doesn’t have to sit and recite the mantra either, often we will see spinning copper wheels that look almost like lint rollers. I’m sure my analogy will make a few laugh. The wheels can be seen as the main photo of this post. The more you spin the more you send the words out and seek compassion from Chenrezig.

How to pronounce the words is important, the mantra is pronounced as follows: Om (ohm), Ma (mah), Ni (nee), Pad (pahd), Me (may), Hum (hum).

Before we begin with this meditation, I want you to read and become familiar with whom Chenrezig is; one of the best sites to explore that are www.chenrezigproject.org/chenrezig.htm.

Now to perform the meditation we need to again find our meditation spot or a comfortable spot where we will not be interrupted. Often I’m asked whether we need to be sitting in a particular way or position, and the answer is yes and no, we will try to cover that later but for now we just want to pick what is comfortable and what you might be used to. For some, that might be half lotus and for others it could mean sitting upright in a chair. So long as you keep your focus and don’t fall asleep, it’s up to you.

After we have settled, we want to think about why were are here, it’s to seek help and feel the energy of Chenrezig, using this powerful intention of compassion to help our minds focus. Now we want to take a few deep breaths and relax.

When we are ready, we want to start to recite the mantra but not in a hurried manner. Maybe at a count of two, if a measure of music is in 4/4 time we want to recite each to a count of two. This is a nice rhythm for feeling each of the words. Try not to speed up and just get through the meditation but feel the resonance of the sound. If 2/4 time is too quick and you can’t feel the vibrations in your body, slow it down. You do not want to only hear but feel the words. As you say the mantra you want to try to get the full mantra out on one breath also a full mantra recited on an inhalation of breath:

Inhale…ommmmmm maaa neee paaaaddh huuummmm

Exhale…ommmmmm maaa neee paaaaddh huuummmm

When you go from word to word, let them blend into each other, almost like one constant sound. The only real mistake one can make in this process is to say them too quickly and not feel them int he body.

Recite for as long as you like, of course, the goal is to be able to sit for longer and longer periods of time, using the mantra as a way to keep your focus and surround yourself with vibrations. Start with 10 minutes and move further and further in time as you practice. Try to also stay with one mantra for a while, we want to focus on the principles of the mantra as we meditate on them. Let the words steep into your consciousness. This could be a year, a month, a week but know that the less time you spend the less benefits you will receive.

Meditation is a process and not a flavor of bubble gum to be picked that morning out of a box of colored bits.

Other popular mantras:

Simple English phrases such as; “I am at peace” or “I am calm.”

“Om,” or the sound created by the vibration of the creation of the Universe in Hindu thinking.

Photo By coquetboy

Books I own and love, for just the right mantras:

How to Meditate on a Koan

2010-08-02T23:40:41Z

A koan is a simple saying that a Zen Buddhist (Zen Buddhism is a form of Mahayana Buddhism) teacher will give to a student, the answer to that saying or question is not important; rather it is the journey and intuition gained while meditation on that koan that is the key. Koan’s are key concepts in Zen Buddhism where the koan is a reflection of an enlightened mind, meant to bring a mind into awareness. The really great part about koan, I think, is how steeped in history they are. Koan’s are usually tales or small stories from the lives of great masters in the past. Moments that they experienced that in themselves are enlightened moments. Practicing these meditations will help focus the mind. Much like focusing on breath in a Vipassana meditation.

Koan meditation is very intricate and very difficult to perform alone, meaning you really should have an experienced teacher to guide you. Not that it’s hard to ponder and focus on a saying but the role of the teacher is to help guide your mind back by asking more questions. All this is part of the process, from the Zen Buddhist perspective, of separating the self from the ego.

Two koans that give me a chuckle but also have given me insight over the years are also two very classic koans:

If you meet the Buddha, kill him.

-Linji

Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand?

-Hakuin Ekaku

The first time I saw those two, they came up on a “365 Days of Buddha Calendar” I had on my desk. Yet think about those two sayings, think about them. There is no right answer but there is right thinking, and this is at the heart of Buddhism. This is the “how-to” part of this post, I want you to meditate on those two sayings and when you think you have the answer, think again.

Sit for as long as you like, preferably in a comfortable position, and work the koans in your mind until you have the answer. If you liked this exercise, you might consider buying a Zen Card Pack, much like a deck of cards, a koan for each day of meditation.

Zen Koan Card Pack (Book and Cards in Case)

*Photo by Hamed Saber

Best Meditation for Anxiety; 4-Square Meditation

2010-07-29T23:21:16Z

Before I started my study of Buddhism and meditation, I suffered greatly from anxiety. Throughout my life, medication was my best friend when dealing with anxiety. I’m not going to tell you that you can toss your anti-anxiety or anti-depression medication away that would be wrong. What I can tell you is my Doctors all noticed a marked improvement in how my anxiety diminished over the years. I associate this improvement with meditation and an overall calm I now enjoy naturally every day.

Many meditations I didn’t find particularly useful when I could feel the anxiety starting to creep upon me, an example would be during turbulence on an airplane. I’ve traveled a ton in my life, but I still get anxiety when a flight hits some bumps in the air. Often, the subtle “breathing meditations” of Vipassana just won’t hold my attention well enough. So I started to turn to what I call the “4-Square Meditation,” this is how you do it:

Sit in as comfortable position as possible
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths

We are going to focus on our breath as well as a counting routine

Take a deep breath and let the breath take as long as it takes you to count to four by saying the following in your mind: “1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand, 4-one thousand.”
Then hold that breath for the same count of four as above
Next exhale slowly to the same count of four as above

You might notice your body rushing to get rid of the air, it’s ok if you have to exhale quickly, your pulse and blood pressure will soon slow and you will be able to hold the count

Now, after exhaling, hold that for the same four count as before, then start to take your inhalation.
Repeat, inhale for four seconds, then hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and then hold the lack of air in your lungs for four seconds.

Repeat this pattern until you feel you have gained control back, I recommend keeping it up and keeping your focus on the breath and counting for as long as you want.

Often, when I do this meditation I will go much longer in time than I think I do. Once on a bumpy flight from Idaho to Oregon I did this the whole flight and really didn’t realize I had done it, and done it without anxiety.

I can’t promise you the anxiety will go away but what I can promise is your ability to see it and be able to head it off, and mellow it out will come with meditation practice.

We would love to hear about your experience with this meditation, feel free to drop us a note or post a comment on how it worked.

10 Must Have Tools For Your Meditation Practice

2010-07-27T03:08:51Z

1. Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition

Geared towards Mindfulness and Buddhism, still the most simple and easy to follow book for using breath in sitting, I can’t recommend this book enough and often have several copies to give out as people need it.

2. Winsome Wood Craftsman Coffee Table, Antique Walnut

Simple and inexpensive coffee tables from Target.com or this one you can buy at Amazon and help us at the same time are perfect for meditation.

3.Buckwheat Zafu and Zabuton Meditation Cushion Set (2pc), Black

I sometimes love benches (see our products page) but usually I love a big square cushion and some round zabuton’s to sit on. It’s very adjustable and fits to how your body feels that day.

4. Meditation Timer – Sycamore

A timer is key so that your mind doesn’t constantly wonder how long you have been meditating. A real simple one would be a kitchen timer but I love wood and gong sounds. This timer sits on my table and is a trust pal from start to finish.

5. Sandalwood Mala Bead Necklace

Malas are used in several meditations so it’s great to have on hand, especially if you follow many of the meditations we have here on the site. Those who meditate or pray with a rosary will know exactly what this is for

Radio/Online Interview with Leslie Blackburn – Saturday 3/29

2010-07-22T02:12:31Z

Our friend Leslie had this to say about her upcoming radio interview:

I welcome you listen to Radio Free Nashville on-line this Saturday for a discussion on Sacred Sexuality and Sacred Geometry!

Leslie Blackburn of One Space, LLC, to be interviewed by Dawn Kirk, host of “Wake Up & Live” on Radio Free Nashville www.radiofreenashville.org

This Saturday, March 29, 10am -11am EDT.

See below for more details on Dawn’s full two hour show line up for this Saturday!

The topics on “Wake Up & Live” this Saturday may seem deep and challenging but join me as I talk with Dorothy Marcic then Leslie Blackburn about the possible interconnectedness between the Divine Feminine, Sacred Sexuality, Sacred Geometry and Sex Trafficing. For a year now, I’ve found myself curious about these topics and even more so since they’re arising in these important times.

Dorothy Marcic, a former Vanderbilt business management professor and writer, is more recently known for her hit “Respect: A Musical Journey of Women.” From Hollywood to Chicago, St. Paul to Atlanta, Dorothy’s gotten rave reviews for her use of Top 40 songs to trace the progress of women in our society. ( http://www.respectamusicaljourney.com/reviews.html ) Dorothy caught my attention upon returning from the recent 52nd Session of the UN’s Comission on the Status of Women where she was one of 6,000 women in attendance addressing issues such as the trafficking of women and children.

(http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803180377) As I write this I wonder ‘What was I thinking attempting to broach this topic?’ Yet Dorothy, Leslie and I will attempt to share hope and shed light on this topic and all to which it is connected.

In the second hour at 9:00 Central, I’ll talk with Leslie Blackburn about Sacred Sexuality and Sacred Geometry. Trained as an engineer, Leslie is also an artist, yogini and Tantrika. Leslie has combined her managerial and speaking skills with her creativity and passion for the spiritual path to form One Space, LLC, a conscious teaching/learning community and an avenue for the sharing of her art. Her artwork incorporates the principles of sacred geometry and balance and is a flowing exploration of the inner self as well as the power and beauty of the human form. Through her exploration and practice of sacred sexuality/Tantra, she has experienced deep healing and release on a personal level and is called to share this path of potential with others. Leslie’s personal path and work has been the integration of the ever-unfolding feminine in body and psyche with masculine direction and purpose- Love in action! See www.onespaceconnected.com

Join us as we bring sexuality out of the shadows and listen for the sacred this Saturday from 8-10AM Central time on ”Wake Up & Live’ at www.radiofreenashville.org . How exciting during this month honoring women that we get to hear from two amazing women who are utilizing both their right and left brain capacities to bring healing and wholing to the world.

Sincerely,

Dawn Kirk

Prior interviews archived at www.seedsthestory.com/wakeup

Tips for Being Mindfull…

2010-07-22T02:15:22Z

Morning all and Happy Sunday, I hope the sun is shining where you are, seems odd to see it here in the Pacific NW.

We’ve talked here about what Mindfulness is in several posts:

What it isn’t | Who exhibited it | Using Gratitude as a Tool

For the most part we have talked about using meditation and breath as a way to cultivate mindfulness yet our Friend over at The Middle Way has posted a fantastic list of cultivating it in many ways. Please check out the blog post here to see the full descriptions, the summarized list is below:

Take a breath
Smile in public (I’d also add “smile to yourself all the time”)
Spot your moods and how moods affect your life
Feel your body, how it is
Eat mindfully
Notice when entering a new space
Try feeling any jewelry you are wearing, as often as possible
Let the phone ring a big, breathe first

If you have other suggestions, head over the The Middle Way and post a comment.

~LaBoheme

Great Quote….On Mindfulness

2010-07-22T04:22:23Z

How much of your life do you spend looking forward to being somewhere else?

-Matthew Flickstein, “Journey to the Center”

The Middle Way & eSangha #12

2010-07-22T04:24:33Z

My new friend @ The Middle Way has included our post on the difference between Namaste & Gassho, please check it out. This version of eSangha is fantastic and full of other posts on; Music, Meditation tips, Enhancing Attention, and an eBook on “Small is Beautiful”.

Gassho,

Kris

Links

The Middle Way

Beyond Zen Post: “Namaste or Gassho, Hola or Halo”

The Middle Way Post: “eSangha #12″

Inner Smile on a Cold Day

2010-07-22T04:27:16Z

Yesterday was one of those days, you wake-up completely on the wrong side of the bed. Tripping, spilling, cursing the morning away. I thought for sure it was going to be a horrible day. To boot, I’m late and there is ice all over my car. So, after de-icing the car and cranking up the heat I feel the heat of being late. Not that I was going to get in trouble, I just really hate to be late anywhere. So, there I am in my car, driving through my neighborhood, thinking of nothing but being late and how bad of a morning it was.

Freeze……Can you see how the day is shaping? It’s going to be bad and I’m determined to make it so. Ok Go!

As I get to a corner in my neighborhood I notice my neighbor and her grandchild waiting for the bus. This woman always waves to me and I wave back but it will take a huge undertaking to remove my negative thoughts. And then it happend. Although I might have been 20 degrees and ice everywhere, her Grandchild looked up with that pom on top of her knitted cap and her stripped mittens to “smile and wave” at me. I was stuck in my tracks, unable to move.

The moment of seeing a child smile and wave changed everything. I felt that “Inner Smile” blurb up and fill my body. The last thing to hit was the smile on my face. A simple act of joy and a smile melted me, turned everything around.

I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way to work…..then it cascaded to a spring in my step and my humor…….I felt like bouncing to every meeting.

The “Inner smile”, from Lao Tzu to Buddha, a concept of love from the inside.

What I felt was a massive amount of Qi cultivation at that moment, continuing throughout the day, thinking of my Qigong instructor saying “let a smile float up to your face” only brought more Qi. My practice of “Loving-Kindness” as of late came to mind as well and I was again washed in Qi and calm.

Some call it the Buddha Nature or Loving-Kindness and some call it the “Inner Smile”, I called it unexpected.

This just goes to show how much of a quality day we create by just thinking it as well as the power of a wave and a smile from another being.

For meditation and more articles:

Meditation from Yoga Journal

Metta: The Practice of Loving Kindness by Kris Vockler

Update “Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project”

2010-07-22T04:29:27Z

Photo Credit

As many of you know we were part of a wonderful project called “Spread the Love NOW! Group Writing Project“. Created by those wonderfully enlightened folks at [The Middle Way], [Zen-Inspired Self Development], and [UrbanMonk.net]. The project was fantastic and led me to a whole new group of enlightened ones to read and be a part of on this crazy path we each share yet walk alone. To read Beyond Zen’s part of the project, check out this post: A Story of Compassion and Dying.

I want all of our readers to also enjoy some of the great writing from this project; stories of compassion, concepts of compassion from many spiritual themes, and discussions on definition of the word “Compassion”. The list is below, enjoy!

~La Boheme

Entries

Ben Lumley at The New Horizons Project.

Kris Vockler at Beyond Zen.

Corinne Edwards at Personal Growth with Corinne Edwards.

Isabella Mori at Change Therapy.

Paula Kawal at Journey Inward Coaching.

Liara Covert at Dream Builders.

David Bohl at Slow Down Fast.

Deb Estep at Deb_Inside.

Swami Nirmalananda Giri and ReddyK at the Atma Jyoti Blog.

Mary Jaksch at Goodlife Zen.