 Beer, booze, wine smoking...
Life's lovely vices are not typically associated with the practice of meditation. How can they coexist? Well over a decade ago, I came across a Buddhist principle that helped me answer this question, and has shaped my life to this day.
2 Comments
 Another month has passed.
And it feels like you’re going nowhere. Stuck. Your dreams of accomplishing your new year’s resolution are long gone. And it feels like you’re trapped in Groundhog Day...reliving the same day over and over again. But what’s really eating at you. What’s really festering under your skin is much more frustrating—you feel like you’re failing at just about everything. You’ve failed to start exercising. You’ve failed to get a promotion at work. You’ve failed to maintain a lasting relationship. How did you get here?  You failed again.
You tried to make a change, but instead ended up plopped on the couch with a six-pack and pizza...sulking in your defeat. Failure is hard to accept. And when you try to change a habit and fail, it can be deflating—having a negative impact on multiple areas of your life. Whether you’re trying to quit smoking, to establish a regular exercise routine or eat right, a failure can leave you feeling helpless.  You’re ready to change.
You want to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise regularly or read more books. You have a goal. You’re determined. So you get started... The first week is easy. As you successfully form your new habit, you gain confidence and tell your friends how simple it is. But as one week turns two, three and a month, life starts to get in the way. Distractions pop up, you get sick, unexpected emergencies change your plans. Life happens. How do you maintain your focus? How can you accomplish your goal?  Credit: electrosawhq.com Meditation sounds confusing.
With dozens of styles to choose from - such as breathing, mantra and walking meditation among others - it can be difficult to know which is best. Or more importantly, which is easiest. Because let’s face it, some of these sound downright complex. With names like Transcendental, Zazen and Kundalini, it’s no wonder meditation seems like it was invented on another planet. So let’s just cut the bullsh$%#$#. Meditation can be incredibly easy. And I would like to share with you the simplest style I know...one I’ve been doing for over a decade.  It’s frustrating, isn’t it?
You really want to meditate regularly, but it’s just so darn difficult. You don’t feel like you have the time, unexpected activities cause you to miss out on a session, and you struggle to meditate longer than a few minutes. The whole thing feels futile...  Meditation has made its way into the mainstream. And for good reason. Its benefits have been proven and scientifically backed. In fact, a quick Google search on the topic will bring up multiple types of meditation—like breathing, transcendental and zazen among others. With all these options, you may feel so overwhelmed that you give up on meditation before even trying it. Not to worry. There is an incredibly easy way to meditate that almost everyone overlooks. In fact, it’s so easy, even a 2 year old could do it. What is it? It can be summed up in one word.
 Relationships can be messy.
Anyone who’s been in one for more than a few months knows arguments eventually rear their ugly head, and the euphoria and sweetness that accompanied those first blissful months begins to fade. Yet the challenges that accompany long relationships are not without their rewards of personal growth and a stronger, more intimate bond with your partner. Of course, the success of a long-term relationship is never guaranteed. While there are a million reasons why relationships end, sometimes it’s a result of one or both persons not taking responsibility for their thoughts and actions - each partner blames the other for their shortcomings. This is where my story comes in.  What is meditation? This is a question that's been asked thousands of times. And for good reason. From breathing to transcendental to zazen, there are a mind-boggling amount of meditations types out there. For the newcomer, this can not only be confusing, but probably leaves you wondering, “What possibly could all these meditation styles have in common?”
 The following blog is an excerpt from An Ordinary Dude's Guide to Meditation
Many newcomers to meditation have a lot of questions when they're just getting started. Here are 3 of the most common, along with their answers. |
RSS Feed