An antidote to busyness
‘Zazen (sitting meditation) is in and of itself the alternative to our usual state of grasping, clinging, and goal-orientated life in general. By sitting down, we have arrived.’ Barry Magid
Enjoying meditation
There is no doubt that meditation is not always enjoyable.
Obstacle as path
‘The obstacle is the path.’ Zen saying
A good meditation
When we reflect on the expectations we have of ourselves, we might notice that we often tend to set the bar pretty high.
Excessive doubt
The final of the five hindrances to meditation in the Buddhist tradition is excessive doubt, sometimes also called paralysing doubt.
Stilling the mind – Part 2
Fortunately, mindfulness offers us a whole range of practices which can be very helpful when we are dealing with ongoing restlessness and anxiety.
Stilling the mind
‘Breathing in, I calm my body,
Breathing out, I smile.
Restlessness
Restlessness and worry are the forth of the five hindrances to meditation in the Buddhist tradition, and it’s one that probably most of us can relate to quite well!
Working with sleepy mind
One of the most effective (but definitely under the category of ‘don’t try this at home’!) strategies for combating sleepy mind must be sitting on the edge of a deep well during meditation.
The greenhouse
One of the most common questions people ask when they are first introduced to mindfulness is ‘can I practice mindfulness without having to do a formal practice, such as sitting meditation?’