Meditation Methods
Meditation
is an ancient spiritual technology that was discovered long before the establishment of the world’s major religious
institutions. All religions, at some point in their development, have utilized meditation methods in accordance with the goals
of each path. Buddhism is no different.
There
are hundreds of different methods of meditation. Meditation brings stability of mind, and psychological studies have shown
that practitioners can gain practical benefits, such as reduced stress, improved relationships, and a change in mental outlook
and moral reasoning.
All
methods in Buddhism can be put into two main categories: those that develop wisdom (spiritual knowledge) and
compassion (goodwill). Two well-known meditations to develop compassion are metta-bhavana, from the Theravada
tradition, meaning “the development of loving-kindness,” and tonglen from Tibetan Buddhism, meaning “taking
[suffering] and sending [love].” The methods for developing wisdom are shamatha, meaning “calm abiding,”
which works on concentrating the mind, and vipassana, meaning “insight,” which is a more involved type of reflection.
If
anyone is interested in pursuing meditation, it is recommended that you consult a teacher with real experience. Here are some
links to credible meditation instruction.
Zazen
as taught by the Zen Mountain Monastery: https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/meditation-instructions/
Shamatha as taught by Sakyong
Mipham Rinpoche: https://shambhala.org/frequently-asked-questions/#howtogetstarted
Satipatthana as taught by Nyaunggan-Aye Sayadaw: http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/nga02.htm
Anapasati instructions on Tricycle Magazine website: https://tricycle.org/beginners/buddhism/meditating-with-the-breath/
Loving-Kindness
Meditation as taught by Pannyavaro: http://www.buddhanet.net/metta_in.htm
Tonglen as taught by Pema Chodron:
www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/insp/tonglen.html