Taraloka

Meditation and the Practices We Teach

There are many things in life that are beyond our control. However it is possible to take responsibility for, and to change, one's state of mind. According to Buddhism this is the most important thing we can do, and Buddhism teaches that it is the only real antidote to the anxiety, hatred, discontentedness, sleepiness and confusion that beset the human condition.

Meditation
is a means of transforming the mind. By engaging with meditation one learns the patterns and habits of the mind and this awareness can open into new levels of clarity and more positive ways of being. Through meditation our mind can deepen into profoundly tranquil and energised states, which can lead to a new understanding of life.

Retreats offer ideal conditions to explore meditation. Motives for learning meditation can vary; you need not be interested in Buddhism. Some people want to improve their concentration for work, study or sports; others are looking for calm and peace of mind, and some are trying to answer fundamental questions about life. With regular practice, meditation can help all of us to find what we are looking for.

Learning Meditation
Each year thousands of people learn meditation. At Taraloka we teach two foundation meditations that develop qualities of a calm and positive mind. These meditations are the Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving-Kindness meditation or Mettabhavana.

The techniques of meditation are very simple, but reading about them is no substitute for learning from an experienced and reliable teacher. A teacher will offer you guidance in how to apply the technique and also how to deal with difficulties. Perhaps most importantly, a teacher can offer the encouragement and inspiration of their own example. Retreats offer ideal conditions to explore meditation.

Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation
This meditation uses the breath as an object of concentration, making us aware of our tendency to jump from one thing to another. This simple discipline turns us towards our present experience and the richness that it contains. Mindfulness - the faculty of alert and sensitive awareness - is a good antidote to restlessness and anxiety and has a positive effect on one's entire physical and mental state.

The meditation has four progressive stages of concentration. Five minutes per stage is a good period of practice for someone new to the practice.

In the first stage you silently count after each individual breath. Breathing normally, you breathe in and breathe out, and count one; then you breathe in and out and count two, and so on up to ten; and then you start again at one.

In the second stage you subtly shift your awareness, counting before the in-breath. So you count one, then breathe in and breathe out. Then count two and breathe in and breathe out, counting from one to ten, and then starting again at one.

In the third stage you drop the counting and just watch the breath as it comes in and goes out.

In the final stage the focus of concentration narrows and sharpens, so you pay attention to the subtle sensation on the tip of the nose where the breath first enters the body and finally leaves the body.

Loving-Kindness Meditation
The original name of this practice is mettabhavana, which comes from the Pali language. Metta means 'love' (in a non-romantic sense), friendliness, or kindness: hence 'loving-kindness' for short. Bhavana means development or cultivation, so this is the 'cultivation of loving-kindness'. The commonest form of the practice is in five stages, each of which should last about five minutes for a beginner.

In the first stage, you feel metta for yourself. You start by becoming aware of yourself, focusing on feelings of peace, calm, and tranquillity. Then you let these grow into feelings of strength and confidence, and then develop into love within your heart. You can use an image, like golden light flooding your body, or a phrase such as 'may I be well and happy', which you can repeat to yourself. These are ways of stimulating the feeling and intention of metta for yourself.

In the second stage you think of a good friend. Bring them to mind as vividly as you can, and think of their good qualities. Feel your connection with your friend and your liking for them, and encourage these feelings to grow by repeating 'may you be well; may you be happy' in your mind. You can also use an image, such as shining light from your heart into theirs. You can use these techniques - a phrase or an image - in the next two stages as well.

In the third stage, you think of someone you do not particularly like or dislike. Your feelings are 'neutral'. This may be someone you do not know well but see around. You reflect on their humanity, and include them in your feelings of metta.

In the fourth stage, you think of someone you actually dislike, someone you find difficult. Try not to get caught up in feelings of hatred, but send your metta to them as well.

Finally, in the fifth stage, you think of all four people together - yourself, the friend, the neutral person, and the enemy. Then extend your feelings to include everyone around you, everyone in your neighbourhood; in your town, your country, and so on throughout the world. Have a sense of loving-kindness radiating out from your heart to all beings everywhere.

Then gradually relax out of meditation, and bring the practice to an end.