Beginner's Guide to Meditation?

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

The teacher appears when the student is ready. Life itself is the greatest teacher, if we pay attention.

The extension of this is found in another quote:

"When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready the teacher will disappear."

The presence of an outer teacher may be necessary for a while, but at some stage we have to look to the teacher within, the inner Guru. Everyday life will bring us all the lessons we need to learn.

Peace

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Starman

Meditation today is not practiced or viewed as in was in ancient times, or even in the recent past. It used to be that when a person wanted to learn how to meditate they had to go through a preparatory program before being taught how to meditate. ... The aim was to humble the ego before attempting to meditate. My preparatory, or aspirant program, lasted two months, and it was supervised by Mahatmas (spiritual teachers) who would determine when you were ready to learn meditation techniques.

Regarding the need for months or years of inner preparation before receiving a spiritual initiation as opposed to just jumping straight into it, there are good reasons for both approaches. Yes, of course there are benefits if we have years of preparation prior to learning a practice. Or we can be initiated into a practice with very little preparation and then we have to learn on the job, so to speak. In the long run, does it make any difference?

My own experience was three months of preparation before I was initiated into Shabd Yoga. That served the practical purpose of enabling me to go from no meditation experience to sitting for one hour each day, morning and evening. But in terms of inner preparation I was barely ready and it was a steep learning curve after initiation. But it all worked out.

Humans change and develop. Whatever was appropriate for one time and culture may not be so appropriate now. The issues of today may call for a different approach to how these things are taught.

Peace

[sky]

Originally Posted by Catsquotl

I do wonder why not being pedantic about it, but pointing out contradictions that wouldn't be noticed by any beginner and start to discuss intricacies of meditation in a thread that asks for pointers and tips is a bit much though.

You bring up a very important point , and truthfully I personally would be put off Meditating as a beginner if I had just read certain comments on here.
I think being attached to one way, one Teacher, or one technique is a big mistake, imo it's about finding the path that suits you in this moment in time and take it from there, see where it leads you and when you feel the need to change, then move on....

In one of the Suttas, Magandiya asks the Buddha how one realizes inner peace. Buddha said that it is only by taking tradition as the means and not grasping it as an end in itself that one realizes inner peace.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Each journey is unique and as such we cannot compare. For example, in my case, I was always an agnostic and my parents never imposed any religious beliefs onto me. I led a largely materialistic life although I was inwardly drawn towards silence and always was cognisant of the inner sound current and tingling fontanel. I never talked about it simply because I assumed everyone was the same.

One day I realised that the eternal cannot be found in the ephemeral and only then, reaching exhaustion, I shifted my attention inward. This was sometime around 2017-18. The shift required definitive behavioural changes in my approach to people and situations in daily life, involving ‘sacrifices’ so to speak. A conscious shift. After that, the ‘awakening’ process was spontaneous and rapid, mostly energetic, entwined with wisdom downloads, lucid clear telepathic communications etc.

This is the reason I advocate the pathless path or no-method, since I never adopted any. On the other hand, I respect that others do or have employed a this or that technique. Whatever works.

My understanding is that all that is needed is first, a prioritisation of living internally. We must walk the talk. Secondly, receptivity, acceptance, surrender. Third, a pure heart. That’s it. I don’t see a part time mediation ‘clubbing’ yielding substantial results. However, on the other hand, if someone affirms it has worked, I’d concede ‘good for them’. Anything is possible. We don’t know the whole story.

I was fortunate in having two good friends who are connected with universal consciousness so we exchange notes. One of them died a few days back though.

Whatever I post is based on direct experience and not from any book, although I have read a fair amount here and there.

I am no longer drawn towards debate since there is no point to prove. The journey is about transmutation, maybe transfiguration and certainly not about speculation or imagined knowing or even knowledge of scriptures.

If kundalini, chi or Holy Spirit is real, we must feel it in our bones.
If God is, we must see Him face to face.
If we are not mind-body, we must, in active cognition see who we truly are. The Self.

[Starman]

iamthat, I think it is mainly culture, because today in some cultures there are still aspirant programs, there are still teachers who believe in preparatory activities before showing a student, or devotee, meditation techniques.

I believe it depends on the complexity of a person’s mind. Living in a place like Sri Lanka, which has a spiritually oriented culture, or living a simple life on one of the small Pacific Islands, one might be able to slip into a meditation practice without any great preparation.

But I would think that living in U.S. or European cities, with all of their distractions, prep would be more beneficial. Meditation preparation to me is really about spiritual surrender and humbling ego. Learning these things before jumping into meditation techniques, in my opinion, would be helpful, especially if living in a complex fast paced distracted society, or living a complex life.

Most people are just not inner focused; they put more emphasis on the outside world then they do their inner universe. Lots of people are not even in touch with their own feelings, in my opinion, most people are focused 100% in their head, on thoughts, logic and reasoning. Preparation can help us distance ourselves from that.

Although living in a fast paced complex society can be an excellent training ground for staying quiet inside in spite of what is going on around us. Maybe I am just bias because, like you, I also went through an aspirant program before learning how to meditate. But I would think a child, who is very simple, would not need any preparation to immediately connect with their deeper being.

[Catsquotl]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Also, having respect for the techniques being shown...instead of quickly discarding them as baloney.

Respect is a convoluted idea to some. But there is something to be said for not quickly discarding a technique. My understanding is that any technique will do as long a one is clear about the results one can expect.

Sitting zazen for instance is extremely valuable in a zen monastery setting where everything is done in a way that supports certain points of understanding. Where every meditator is gently guided and cared for in the way they understand their meditative experiences.

Sitting zazen for half an hour a day during the husstle and bustle of everyday life in between breakfast and your commute to work will not give anyone the same results.

For many the wish to meditate is either curiosity, or a longing to experience some form of silence as that is what is mostly emphasized when people talk about meditation. It is helpful to think about meditation in experiences that people go through. The way prolonged sitting will for many people be uncomfortable, full of thoughts and other distractions, even more than one experiences before meditation in some cases. All that will make one question if what they are doing is "correct". As the expected result is far from the reality of the first few sits... Well in my experience anyway..

2 books I can recommend that sort of paint a picture of the meditative landscape are "the core teachings of the Buddha" By Daniel Ingram which is freely available Here.

And even The mind illuminated by Culadasa https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Illumina.../dp/1501156985. PDF found Here

Both writers are a little controversial in the way they present their story or their behavior. But I feel they explain a great deal of what to expect at certain attainable stages during ones meditative practices. Where the mind illuminated may be more suited for beginners and the mctb is a very very thorough look at the core of (theravadan buddhist) meditation in all its stages, nooks and crannies.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Starman

iamthat, I think it is mainly culture, because today in some cultures there are still aspirant programs, there are still teachers who believe in preparatory activities before showing a student, or devotee, meditation techniques.... But I would think that living in U.S. or European cities, with all of their distractions, prep would be more beneficial. Meditation preparation to me is really about spiritual surrender and humbling ego. Learning these things before jumping into meditation techniques, in my opinion, would be helpful,.

Yes, there is a long tradition in some cultures of devotees waiting years for spiritual initiation. I cannot see Westerners being so patient. And true spiritual surrender and humility may take decades depending on what tendencies we bring with us, so I am not sure if it is feasible to expect people to attain this before receiving initiation.

In the group I was in back in the UK people were initiated very quickly in the early years. As the group grew to several hundred plus, the preparation time for initiation became six months then a year or even longer. I cannot say that this increased waiting time really improved the quality of the new initiates.

Peace

[Starman]

iamthat, I can see pros and cons for and against preparatory training. For one thing more people are being initiated when preparatory training is not used, but the con may be, is the quality and dedication the same?

I was in the army and I viewed my aspirant training as similar to basic training, which instilled disciple that I took into initiation. When initiated we were called “disciples,” which is a derivative of the word “disciple.” I believe that meditation requires a committed disciple.

I embrace what you have said, things change, and I have had to adjust to so many changes over the decades. Western society is a lot different than eastern societies, as you have referenced. So now I will withdraw knowing that there is no right or wrong in this, and grateful that meditation practice is spreading in many different society’s.

Peace to you my friend.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Catsquotl

How would you advise a beginner to commence so they ease into the process and not abandon it quickly after because of all the apparent contradictions that permeate the meditation space..

I think it's proper to point out contradictions because people come along as spiritual experts and say things that just don't add up. Other people may not like it but no one argues with me on the grounds of my inconsistency. They might like or dislike but the substance is consistent.
If I were to train beginners, I'd have to set up all the right conditions, because I'm pedantic about the 'right' way. There are proper moral foundations so it's necessary to be isolated from all the world's temptation and instill environmental conditions that enable generosity. I'm not really a 'ten minute meditation' kinda guy. I'm more into being serious about it... commitment, dedication, determination and doing the work.

I know that's unpopular and much more preferable to go with something whimsical, but unless there's something burning inside, a real desperation perhaps, a deep sense of futility, a burning for the truth, something powerful deep down... there's no motive to work. Until one has reached that point and realised their suffering and their purifications is a serious business... ...then they'll be prepared to 'do or die'.

I'd say just feel your breathing... but of course, for me, that incorporates a lot of detail and it takes a while to learn to refine it. Knowing all that makes me particularly pedantic.

[Catsquotl]

just breathe...