Category Archives: Meditation

Exercise 11: Contemplation

August 25, 2019 – 10:43 AM

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

When mindfulness is practiced, thinking becomes contemplation. Problems are solved by looking at them non-judgmentally and recognizing the relationships. One looks around to get the missing information instead of trying to “figure it out”.

Purpose:

To contemplate thoughtfully.

Pre-requisites:

Complete Exercise 10: Name and Form.

Instructions:

In this exercise you contemplate thoughtfully. You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

Prepare yourself as in earlier exercises. Observe the environment and the people in a casual, easygoing manner. Observe name, form, characteristics and all possible associations.

When you perceive some anomaly (inconsistency, disharmony or discontinuity) become very alert. Do so even when explanations are provided. Look more closely around the subject area that seems out of place and focus on what does not make sense.

Be non-judgmental and follow the trail of what continues to be puzzling. The trail may take you to some childhood question that never got answered, or to some confusion in school that never got resolved. Apply all aspects of mindfulness to these unresolved questions, confusions and emotions. Consult references from books and Internet as necessary.

The trail may also take you to some traumatic incident that you feel emotional about. Let the attitudes, emotions, sensations and pain purge themselves out. Follow through with what does not make sense to the end of the trail. Exhaust all such trails until the missing piece is found.

Continue this exercise for at least 20 minutes. You may repeat this exercise as many times as you wish.

End of Exercise:

When you can contemplate thoughtfully by following all trails until they are exhausted, then this exercise is passed.

.

By vinaire | Comments (0)

Exercise 10: Name and Form

August 25, 2019 – 10:28 AM

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Name acts as a broad reference point to something. Form is one of the many ways that a thing may be represented. The perception of a thing goes beyond its name and form. Fixation on name and form may act as built-in judgment of what is there. To know something, one must go beyond name and form and look at it more closely including all its associations.

Purpose:

To practice not getting hung up on name and form.

Pre-requisites:

Complete Exercise 9: Associate Data Freely.

Instructions:

In this exercise you observe things beyond their name and form. You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

Prepare yourself as in the earlier exercises. Observe the environment and the people in a casual, easygoing manner. Notice the name and the outer form of the object that you are observing. For example, you may be observing an apple (as Newton did).

Contemplate on the ideas associated with the name and form of this object. Contemplate on its properties. Contemplate on the purpose, possible uses, and history of this object. Explore all such associations. Contemplate over this object looking at it in the context of the whole universe. Do this with as many different objects as the time allows.

There should not be any strain in such contemplation. Do it in a leisurely manner. You may consult references on internet, in books, etc.

Continue this exercise for at least 20 minutes. You may repeat this exercise as many times as you wish.

End of Exercise:

When you can look at something without getting hung up on its name and form, then this exercise is passed.

.

By vinaire | Comments (0)

Exercise 9: Associate Data Freely

August 25, 2019 – 10:09 AM

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

In order to practice mindfulness, you will have to let your mind associate data freely. Mindfulness is being comfortable with the very activity of thinking itself. So, let the mind associate data freely on its own.

Purpose:

To practice associating data freely.

Pre-requisites:

Complete Exercise 8: Do Not Suppress.

Instructions:

In this exercise you associate data freely. You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

Address any medical condition appropriately before starting this exercise. Make sure the body is well-rested, well-fed and free of stimulants. Make sure the environment is safe and free of disturbance.

As you observe let the mind associate that data freely on its own. Observe the mind without interfering with it. Expand your span of attention to as wide a context as possible, and let the physical and mental perceptions pour in. If you go into deep meditation let it happen. You will certainly come back out from it.

Review earlier exercises as needed to ensure that you associated data freely.

Continue this exercise for at least 20 minutes. You may repeat this exercise as many times as you wish.

End of Exercise:

When you are confident that you can let the mind associate data freely, then this exercise is passed.

.

By vinaire | Comments (0)

Exercise 8: Do Not Suppress

August 25, 2019 – 9:53 AM

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Not suppressing anything from yourself is being totally honest with yourself. Follow your attention wherever it goes and do not suppress. Do not avoid something just because it seems shameful or painful. It is the suppression of perceptions, memories, knowledge, visualizations, thinking, etc., that causes all difficulties in life. By not suppressing you establish complete integrity of your perceptions.

Purpose:

To practice not suppressing anything from oneself.

Pre-requisites:

Complete Exercise 7: Experience Fully.

Instructions:

In this exercise you practice not suppressing anything from yourself. You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

Address any medical condition appropriately before starting this exercise. Make sure the body is well-rested, well-fed and free of stimulants. Make sure the environment is safe and free of disturbance.

Observe without suppressing anything. Be totally candid with yourself. If something shameful appears then observe and experience the shame. If something threatening appears then observe and experience the threat. Do not pre-judge and avoid something just because it seems painful. Experience it without suppressing anything. The pain won’t be as bad as you thought.

Allow all thoughts, memories, visualizations, etc., to come up regardless of their nature. If you feel sleepy or blank, then do not suppress it. Simply go through whatever reaction is there.

Expand your span of attention to as wide a context as possible, and let the physical and mental perceptions pour in. Review earlier exercises as needed to ensure that you didn’t suppress anything.

Continue this exercise for at least 20 minutes. You may repeat this exercise as many times as you wish.

End of Exercise:

When you can comfortably look at even your darkest secrets without suppressing anything, then this exercise is passed.

.

By vinaire | Comments (0)

Exercise 7: Experience Fully

August 25, 2019 – 9:24 AM

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Experiencing is the deepest form of mindfulness. A person is deeply mindful of his feelings, emotions and impulses when he is experiencing them. So, dive into the very heart of whatever arises in the mind without resisting. If the mind is racing, then experience it racing without contributing to it.

Purpose:

To experience fully whatever comes up naturally in your mind.

Pre-requisites:

Complete Exercise 6: Un-stacking the Chaos.

Instructions:

In this exercise you simply experience whatever is going on in the mind without reservations. You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

Address any medical condition appropriately before starting this exercise. Make sure the body is well-rested, well-fed and free of stimulants. Also make sure that the environment is safe and free of disturbance.

Look at your old family album or old pictures. Whatever emotions are arising in your mind experience them fully. Visit some old familiar locations if you can. Experience any nostalgia fully, as long as it lingers. If you are afraid then experience the fear fully. Dive into the very heart of the feelings without resisting them.

Expand your span of attention to as wide a context as possible, and let the physical and mental perceptions pour in. Review earlier exercises as needed to ensure that you fully experienced what was needed to be experienced.

Continue this exercise for at least 20 minutes. You may repeat this exercise as many times as you wish.

End of Exercise:

When you can experience fully whatever comes up naturally in your mind, then this exercise is passed.

.

By vinaire | Comments (0)