Meditation & Mindfulness
What is Meditation
A meditation or mindfulness practice is one of the cornerstones of a healthy, happy mind and body. It is practice that is beneficial for most people, and especially so when the mind is a very busy one such as in ADHD.
However I find that it is often a very misunderstood practice with the belief that is it about stopping thinking and going for a quiet still mind. This not the case, and going into it with that as the goal, it quickly becomes a frustrating experience.
The truth is that we get what we resist. So when we sit down to meditation and "not think" for 5 minutes, our thoughts will increase exponentially.
Things got confused initially with misinterpretations of words from the original texts in Pali or Sanskrit. English words were translated which were similar but did not convey the right meaning. Then western input came along with all the different ways and means of mindfulness, and it lost a great deal of its true essence. That is not to say there are not some good things out there, it is just hard to find amongst the chaff.
My recommendation is this programme - The Joy of Living. It is far and away the clearest instruction I have ever come across to train your mind in the practice of meditation. The lineage is pure through Yongey MIngyur Rinpoche, and the instruction is filtered through advanced western practitioners who understand western thinking. The Joy of Living is a path of meditation, study and practice that can be followed by anyone. It is non-sectarian, meaning it can be incorporated by anyone, regardless of religious or cultural background. And, it is all done online. Take a peek if you are interested :)
However I find that it is often a very misunderstood practice with the belief that is it about stopping thinking and going for a quiet still mind. This not the case, and going into it with that as the goal, it quickly becomes a frustrating experience.
The truth is that we get what we resist. So when we sit down to meditation and "not think" for 5 minutes, our thoughts will increase exponentially.
Things got confused initially with misinterpretations of words from the original texts in Pali or Sanskrit. English words were translated which were similar but did not convey the right meaning. Then western input came along with all the different ways and means of mindfulness, and it lost a great deal of its true essence. That is not to say there are not some good things out there, it is just hard to find amongst the chaff.
My recommendation is this programme - The Joy of Living. It is far and away the clearest instruction I have ever come across to train your mind in the practice of meditation. The lineage is pure through Yongey MIngyur Rinpoche, and the instruction is filtered through advanced western practitioners who understand western thinking. The Joy of Living is a path of meditation, study and practice that can be followed by anyone. It is non-sectarian, meaning it can be incorporated by anyone, regardless of religious or cultural background. And, it is all done online. Take a peek if you are interested :)
tergar.org/what-is-the-joy-of-living
