Meditation

What it (is|is not)
The definition of Meditation according to dictionary.com is:
 * med·i·ta·tion noun
 * The act or process of meditating.
 * A devotional exercise of or leading to contemplation.
 * A contemplative discourse, usually on a religious or philosophical subject.

Meditation according to etymonline.com is
 * meditation:
 * circa 1225, "discourse on a subject," from L. meditationem (nom. meditatio), from meditatus, pp. of meditari "to meditate, to think over, consider," from PIE base *med- "to measure, limit, consider, advise" (cf. Gk. medesthai "think about," medon "ruler," L. modus "measure, manner," modestus "moderate," modernus "modern," mederi "to heal," medicus "physician," Skt. midiur "I judge, estimate," Welsh meddwl "mind, thinking," Goth. miton, O.E. metan "to measure"). Meaning "act of meditating, continuous calm thought upon some subject" is from 1390.

So we see words like think, contemplate, reflect. We also see derivatives from words like 'to heal' and 'to medicate' and 'to measure'. These words are at the root at 'attending to' or 'paying attention to'. But they are not exactly the definitions that fit the model of meditation being discussed here.

So what do you think of when you hear the word Meditation?
Do you associate the word with buddhism, hinduism, new-agerism, or yoga? Or do you have a picture of an old wise looking sage sitting in a lotus pose with a smile or glazed-over not-exactly-with-us eyes? Or some very skillful and formidable warrior using not only external prowess and skill but also accessing internal realms that take years and years to get to through diligent practice in some remote region of the world?

There is a great deal of information 'out there' (no pun intended, read on to understand why it's a pun) about what mediation is. So as a result there is a good deal of confusion as to what meditation means. This page is not asserting that the explanation given is THE definition alone. No, the function of this page is to demystify and try to clarify in a practical approach what might be a very useful model.

So? What is it?
There are many answers to this so they will be listed
 * Meditation is said to be a technique to center ourselves and become aware of this present moment. Some would call it 'Present moment awareness' others 'living in the now'.
 * Meditation is said to be a way to calm, relax, access and focus inwardly.
 * Meditation is a way to become sensitive to the more subtler aspects of everyday 'reality'

Difficulties
The mind commands the body and it obeys. The mind orders itself and meets resistance.
 * -Augustine of Hippo

Some difficulties one might experience while trying meditation:
 * A wandering mind
 * Complaints from the body (lower back pain, itchy eyebrows, etc..etc..)
 * When you try to focus on being still you become too oriented in trying to focus.
 * You want something, anything but this! Watch tv, fly around the room, eat pizza, go to the dentist, be anywhere but here doing this exercise.
 * Doubts
 * "This is stupid why am i doing this?"
 * "Am I doing this right?"
 * Feeling of lack of progress.
 * Issues are like tissues they'll keep popping up. In other words, facing yourself, being with yourself. To some that is a very uncomfortable thought, let alone something very very unfamiliar.
 * The silence
 * Boredom

Benefits
"Your head's like mine, like all of our heads. Big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the weight of oceans and the turning stars. Whole universes fit in there! But what do we choose to keep in this miraculous cabinet? Little broken things, sad trinkets that we play with over and over. The world turns our key and we play the same little tune again and again and we think that the tune's all we are."
 * - Grant Morrison as Tom O'Bedlam (The Invisibles, 1996-2001)

The benefits are worth it, but the way to them is through trust, dedication and diligence. Sombunall parents, teachers, society and environement don't really give us a clue to the existance of an inner world within ourselves, if they do they don't explain it very well or aren't very good at passing on that information. The way our body is engineered we can see why this may be. Our senses are geared to pick up and report signals from the environment in which we are immersed. We are wired and taught to seek 'Outside', "The Truth is out there" we are told.

Our accomplishments, sense of self, and joy are hinged on an external sources and events. (These perceptions are preyed upon and exploited in these modern days by advertisement agendas to react by consuming the targeted product. Governing rulers who wish to keep our societies in cohesion and under control sometimes operate very similiarly.)

Techniques

 * 1) Meditation/Techniques

In the news

 * 1) Meditation/Feeds - Latest news with 'meditation' in it (constantly changing)
 * 2) Meditation/In the news Specific and noted articles added here (static)

To be constructed
Meditation | Hesychasm
 * 1) Proposal for a s23 meditation group to convene at a synchronized GMT hour for a weekly joint remote meditation
 * 2) How often are you alone with yourself? barring internet aswell, can you stand the feeling of just watching yourself and simply being?
 * 3) Mundane, buisness-as-usual coffee&donuts-consciouness reality

Related:
 * How to meditate primer
 * Meditation Flicks (flash format)
 * primer
 * Ananda site Extensive!
 * Noetic Institute Paper
 * Medition links
 * Breath
 * Posture
 * VerbalAbuse
 * Kunda/Yoga (Links to Academic studies of Meditation)

Commentary: Ever feel like there is "more" but you haven't been taught how to experience "more" ?