Why Meditate?
THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
The purpose of meditation is to cultivate positive mental states and overcome negative habits. Through meditation we learn that happiness is a state of mind and that the real source of happiness lies within, not in external situations. When our mind is peaceful we are free from worries and mental discomfort, and we experience true happiness. Meditation is the method to make our mind peaceful and can be practiced by anyone.
REDUCE STRESS
Experience a calm mind & reduce
mental tension and anxiety
FIND INNER PEACE
Improve your sense of well-being
& experience real happiness
BENEFIT OTHERS
Develop a positive outlook and
caring attitude to others
How to Mediate
SIMPLE BREATHING
MEDITATION
Step 1
Sit in a comfortable position with
your back straight and relaxed.
Rest your hands in your lap,
partially close your eyes and let all
your stress and tension fall away.
Step 2
Turn your attention inwards and
become aware of your breathing.
Don’t try to control your breathing
– just follow the inhalation and
exhalation of your breath.
Step 3
Gradually become aware of the sensation
of the breath as it enters
and leaves the nostrils. Focus on
the sensation of the breath and
try to forget about everything else
Step 4
Remain focused on the sensation
of the breath. If your mind
wanders away from the breath,
immediately let go of the
distraction and come back to the breath.
Step 5
Gradually your distracting
thoughts will subside and you will
begin to experience inner peace
and relaxation. Stay with this
feeling of mental calm for a while.
Step 6
When the turbulence of
distracting thoughts subsides and
our mind becomes still, a deep
happiness and contentment
naturally arises from within. Enjoy!
A Daily Practice
DISCOVER YOUR INNER PEACE
As with any skill, the more consistently we practice, the better we become. Making meditation part of our daily routine is the key to making progress. By initially setting aside just ten minutes each day, you can gradually develop the skills you need to generate a peaceful mind and experience happiness from within.
Once we have become familiar with settling our mind, we are ready to practice contemplative meditation, which focuses on “an object of meditation” such as love, compassion or gratitude.
Once we have found our meditation object, we allow ourselves to move deeply into the insight or the experience itself. This is called placement meditation and results in insight and authentic experience through continued practice. All of the classes at Amoghasiddhi KBC, as well as the books and audio products in our bookstore, are wonderful resources to help you become familiar with these states of mind.
