Risks of Meditation

Meditation Tips

Sure there are at least 10 articles on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga detailing all the wonderful benefits of meditation.  Here are 2 of these, Top 10 Profound Benefits of Meditation and Amazing Health Benefits of Meditation.  I am also sure there are thousands of such articles all over the internet and that is how it should be, since meditation is the best and most important part of human life.  But meditation can also lead to problems in your life and in order to deal with these problems, it is important to be aware of them.

So, in this article I am going to discuss the risks of meditation and give you some tips on how to deal with them.  In particular, I am going to focus on 3 affects of meditation which could create problems for you.  These dangers of meditating are surprisingly more applicable to the serious meditator, than to the casual dabbler.  So if you are just starting out with your practice, here are some potential challenges you will have to learn to deal with.

3 Risks of Meditation:

1. Using Meditation for Escape:

Using meditation to escape from the harsh realities of your life is not the purpose of this practice.  Meditation is the profound art which teaches you how to live with great compassion, wisdom and composure IN your life.

By practicing meditation, you are developing into an entirely different type of human being.  A human being who is free from the clutches of the ego and endless selfish interests.  Such a person is then a force for greater good, and is available to life to use as she sees fit.  Hiding in the corner of your house, concentrated on your mantra or breath, is not the objective, no matter how peaceful that is.

So who are the people most in danger of confronting this problem?  Let’s discuss that next.

Concentration Meditation Junkies:

This danger is most prevalent amongst those who practice concentration techniques.  Don’t get me wrong, concentration based techniques are an important part of the meditative process, as with a “monkey mind” jumping all over the place, you are not going to get much meditation done.  But, once you have developed expertise in this type of meditation, you know as well as I do, that it can become a handy form of escape, when life gets too much to handle.

To some degree this too is ok.  As getting a break during a difficult time is life, can be refreshing and healthy, but the danger lies in this becoming a pattern or addiction.  In other words, as soon as life gets difficult, you run away from the problems, by indulging in your meditation.  This is then just like using TV or another form of escape to avoid the challenges in your life.  This is not the purpose of meditation.

Again, I want to emphasize that developing concentration is an important part of meditation, it is a prerequisite to real meditation, but be careful in letting it became a form of escape from life.

2. Misusing Meditative Powers:

Meditation is known to bestow a great many blessings onto the practitioner over time.  Some of what one obtains from long term meditation are various psychic powers or abilities.  In addition, to these paranormal powers, the meditator certainly also evolves in various other ways, growing both in character and persona.  The risk here lies is the misuse of these of powers and abilities.

I have written about how to approach psychic powers previously and emphasized that their use should be only for spiritual growth or truly helping others.  You can read the following 2 articles for more on this topic, The Right Way to Acquire Psychic Powers and Free Psychic and Clairvoyant Development Tools.  But, the other “enhancements” one gets from meditation should also be wisely used.

Meditation certainly makes a person charismatic and attractive.  It also gives the person great power and magnetism.  There are other character enhancements as well and what is important is that the meditator does not use these blessings for selfish and wrong reasons.

So, be on the lookout for this as well.  Don’t get tempted into doing the wrong thing.  Don’t fall into the trap of becoming a master manipulator or one who influences the weak or vulnerable for personal gain and pleasure.  We have all read about various Gurus, Priests and Swamis who have abused their influence and powers in this way.  Lets not fall into their category .

3. Becoming Robotic:

Witness, witness, witness.  Stay in the moment.  Listen.  Power of the now.  Watch your thoughts.  Observe.  Be aware.  Stay alert.  If you have read this blog or wandered around the spiritual landscape for any length of time, I am sure this advice has been impressed upon you.  This is good, because in witnessing lies the answer, but there is a consequence to all this witnessing and thought/feeling watching, and that is it can make you detached and apathetic.

This is a very real danger of endlessly standing apart and bearing witness to that which is taking place.  Not getting drawn in, means that not being emotional and not getting attached.  This can then lead to becoming robotic and cold.  Fortunately, the path eventually leads to love, compassion and joy, but there will be phases when you will feel and appear quite dry and machine like.

So, be aware that such phases will come and that it is not something bad.  It is just part of the process as well.  As I have mentioned in the past, a balanced person is a very rare occurrence, so be patient in your practice and just allow your spiritual work to work on you.  In time you will have evolved into a true masterpiece, which life will then hold up for all to marvel at.

Summary:

The last thing I want to do of course, is dissuade you from meditating.  Meditation is the answer to all human suffering, but I do want you to be aware of the risks that come with meditation practice, so that you are more prepared to handle these situations when they arrive.  So use the tips and suggestions above to help yourself navigate though these problems that meditation tends to create.

If you are new to meditation and want to learn this profound art, here are some good starting points.

How to Meditate

Learn to Meditate | Beginner’s Meditation Class

If you are looking to make meditation a greater part of your life and are interested in uplifting the world, then I suggest joining the Mastery of Meditation Meditation Certification Program.  Here is the link to that.

Meditation Teacher’s Training and Certification Program

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Self Help Lessons | Don’t Make these Big Mistakes in Your Life
• SM Meditation Program Daily Yoga & Meditation Practice: Chapter 8
• Meditation Help | How to Silence the Mind During Meditation
• Helpful Approach for Hard Times in Life
• Inspiring Osho Quote on How to Live Courageously

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One of the flamboyant entrepreneurs making it big in booming Vietnam unveiled a massive precious stone on Monday that he plans to transform into the world’s largest jade Buddha.

Dao Trong Cuong, the owner of a Vietnamese gem mine, purchased the 35-ton stone in Myanmar last year for $2 million and imported it to Vietnam in October. By the time a team of 50 artists and sculptors finishes chipping away at it, the finished Buddha is expected to weigh nearly 20 tons.

Read All About It

PBS has an interesting piece on the environmental movement that’s growing in Thailand and the role of the “tree monks,” a group of Thai monks who are championing ecological conservation in the country.

Watch the video here

Self Help

Life Lessons to Help Yourself

One of the most popular survey’s on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga is Your Biggest Mistakes in Life survey.  Life is really not long enough to make and recover from every possible mistake, so it is very important to learn, not just from your own mistakes, but also, to learn from the mistakes of others.  For this reason, I think this survey is one of the most important ones we have running, and for those really interested in true Self Help, it is priceless.

So, I would like to update you with the results of this ongoing survey, as now more than 160 responses have been processed.  This means we can help ourselves by learn from the experience of these 160 people and help avoid making the same mistakes that they regret making.   This survey really helps us learn some very important life lessons.

Please note, that since multiple answers were allowed for each participant, the percentages will not add up to 100%, but instead reflect the ratio of that response to the total number of participants.

Survey Results of Biggest Mistakes in Life

Lessons Learned to Help Yourself:

Still number 1 on the list is “Delayed Your Spiritual Practice.”  So just don’t procrastinate anymore!  This is the biggest mistake people have made in life, and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of avoiding this mistake if you have the chance.  Start your practice today.  Do not wait for things to be perfect.  Do not wait for the perfect time, place, guru, etc.  Just start, as best as you can, everything else will fall into place.

Once you start your practice, other self help issues will start to resolve themselves.  The insight you will gain from a strong spiritual practice will help you understand relationships better.  It will help you uncover your real passions.  It will give you the heart and courage to take the necessary risks.  And of course, it will improve your health DRAMATICALLY.  Nothing is better for your health and longevity than a good yoga and meditation practice.  So what are you waiting for?  Jump in and let the adventure begin.

Here are some popular self-help articles that explore each of these topics in greater detail.  Find the ones in the category that you feel you need some work on and follow through.  Good ideas are just ideas.  You must implement these ideas in order to grow personally and spiritually.  Make a reasonable commitment and follow through on it.  Your muscles of willpower will grow, as will your intuitive abilities and courage.  Then you will find yourself able to align your life with your passions, and that is the key to living a meaningful and joyous life.

Stop Procrastinating Now:

Golden Rule to Stop Making Excuses and Start Meditation Now

10 Keys for Turning Ideas Into Reality

Understanding Money and Finances:

Money Money Money and the Path to Enlightenment

Role of Money, Pleasure & Career in Spirituality

Importance of Passion in Life:

Stop the Madness of Self-Discipline

Having the Courage to Take Risks:

Osho Speaks on Courage

New Kundalini Yoga Classes & the Courage to Live Dangerously

How to Improve Your Health and Longevity:

Please take a look at the free online classes and the articles on Ayurveda

Free Online Yoga & Meditation Classes

Ayurveda Category

Improving and Understanding Relationships and Love:

The True Purpose of Relationship

Relationship Issues for the Spiritually Inclined

Special Technique for Fun and Healthy Relationships

Final Word on Self Help Lessons:

An important final word I do want to make, is that another purpose of this survey is to ensure you make thoughtful decisions and don’t rush into commitments that are then hard to get out of.  Of course, all challenges are learning opportunities for us, so technically there are no “mistakes” in life, but it is also up to us to live intelligently and try to do our very best always.  The results are, of course, always in the Lord’s hands.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Important Life Lessons to Learn from Biggest Mistakes In Life Survey
• Survey: What Are the Biggest Mistakes You Have Made in Life?
• Top 5 Mistakes in Establishing a Daily Meditation Practice
• Vast Benefits of Meditation Confirmed by Survey
• 11 Requirements for Becoming a Champion Meditator

Easy Yoga Posture

Simple Yoga for Stretching

During my Kundalini Yoga teacher’s training course, we were required to take yoga classes from different types of yoga, as well as yoga classes taught by other teachers.  One such class was a Hatha Yoga Class, with an excellent teacher.  During this class, one of the poses we practiced was a very simple and easy looking pose, designed to stretch the entire body.  Sure it was an easy yoga pose, but boy did this simple posture end up giving us a great sweat and workout.  Today’s yoga pose is a variation of this very pose and I am sure you too will learn how to use this simple exercise as a great full body stretch.  The pose is called the Palm Tree Pose in Hatha Yoga and the variation we practiced was called Mountain Pose.

One of the first rules of of doing yoga is to make sure you do easy poses first and then after you are nicely warmed up move onto more difficult poses and sets.  Palm Tree Pose is perfect for the warm-up section of your practice.  Since it is a very simple exercise, it is also very safe to do, and in addition, it helps to stretch the entire body nicely, thus preparing it for the tougher yoga that is to come.  For more guidelines on doing yoga properly please refer to the following to articles:

Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice

Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

I noticed recently that although we have many yoga poses in our Free Online Hatha Yoga Book, our Standing Poses Section needs to be beefed up a little.  Palm Tree pose will contribute nicely towards this section and I will be adding some more standing poses in the near future as well.  In general, the standing yoga postures tend to be easier and simpler than poses from the other categories.  Palm Tree pose will also be added to our Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises e-book.

Below you will find an illustration of this posture, along with practice details, benefits and other related information.

Easy Yoga Pose – Palm Tree Pose

Illustration of Palm Tree Pose

Palm Tree Pose – Easy Yoga Pose:

A. How to Do Palm Tree Pose:

• Stand straight up with feet about shoulder width apart.

• Keep your eyes open and focus on a point in front of you to help you keep your balance. Advanced practitioners can also look upwards.
  
• Interlace your finger, stretch your arms up and have your palms facing UP.

• Now slowly slowly rise up onto your toes and STRETCH UPWARDS.

• Breathe normally and hold this pose for the duration of the exercise.  Keep STRETCHING.  The key to getting the most out of this pose, is to keep stretching upwards.  This aspect makes the pose very effective.

• This pose has a few variations to this exercise and below I give 2 good ones.

• Variation 1: After you reach up, bend to the left and hold, then come back to center.  Then bend to the right and hold.  Repeat stretching gently from side to side for the remainder of the exercise. This is called Swaying Palm Tree, and is also a nice easy way to stretch and warm-up.

• Variation 2: In the version I referred to above, called Mountain Pose, you don’t interlace your fingers.  Instead keep the palm wide open, facing forward with the fingers all stretched and pointing upwards.  Then STRETCH upwards, consciously stretching every joint and reaching towards the sky.  In this pose, you can also stretch left and right if you like.
  

B. Duration for Palm Tree Pose: 15 seconds – 3 minutes.

C. Benefits of Palm Tree Pose:

• Great easy stretch for the entire body.
  
• Helps stretch and strengthen up the joints.
• Helps stretch the ligaments as well.
  
• Stretches the side abdominal muscles and back as well.
• Good for your back and spine.
  
• Good way to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
• Helps build balance and mental focus.
  

D. Practice Tips and Cautions for Palm Tree Pose:

• This is a nice easy pose which almost everyone can practice without any problems.
• If you really stretch well, you will be able to break a sweat even while doing such a simple pose.
  

Here are some more simple and easy yoga poses to help you develop your practice.

Basic Yoga Poses | Beginner’s Yoga Poses

Basic Yoga Poses for Balance

Basic Yoga Poses for Balance – Tree Pose – Part 2

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Free Online Hatha Yoga Poses Galleries
• Free Online Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Poses & Exercises E-Book
• Best Hatha Yoga Pose for Spontaneous Healing
• Important Hatha Yoga Posture for October Practice
• Lower Back Exercise – Yoga Spinal Twists

From About.com

Twenty-five centuries ago, King Suddhodana ruled a land near the Himalaya Mountains.

One day during a midsummer festival, his wife Queen Maya retired to her quarters to rest, and she fell asleep and dreamed a vivid dream. Four angels carried her high into white mountain peaks and clothed her in flowers. A magnificent white bull elephant bearing a white lotus in its trunk approached Maya and walked around her three times. Then the elephant struck her on the right side with its trunk and vanished into her.

When Maya awoke, she told her husband about the dream. The King summoned 64 Brahmans to come and interpret it. Queen Maya would give birth to a son, the Brahmans said, and if the son did not leave the household he would become a world conqueror. However, if he were to leave the household he would become a Buddha.

When the time for the birth grew near, Queen Maya wished to travel from Kapilavatthu, the King’s capital, to her childhood home, Devadaha, to give birth. With the King’s blessings she left Kapilavatthu on a palanquin carried by a thousand courtiers.

On the way to Devadaha, the procession passed Lumbini Grove, which was full of blossoming trees. Entranced, the Queen asked her courtiers to stop, and she left the palanquin and entered the grove. As she reached up to touch the blossoms, her son was born.

Read More

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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama prayed for world peace here on Tuesday.

Hundreds of Buddhists and followers of the Dalai Lama converged at the Kaal Chakra Maidan (Wheel of Time Ground) in Bodh Gaya, the place where Buddha attained enlightenment, as the five-day-long ‘Geluk Monlam puja (prayers)’ began.

“He (Dalai Lama) has given a lot of practical advise on being nice to the people and being transparent to yourself in your life so that you don’t have to hide things from people because you’ll have better relations with them and being open to them you’ll have more friends,” said James, a devotee from London.

Around 50,000 people from across the world are expected to assemble in Bodh Gaya over the five days to hear the Dalai Lama’s discourses.uring his stay the Dalai Lama would inaugurate a multimedia museum and visit new stone carvings on Buddha’s life erected in the Mahabodhi Mahavihara premises.

The 1,500-year-old holiest Buddhist shrine Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya is where the Buddha attained enlightenment 2,550 years ago.

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Whatever a hater may do to a hater or an enemy to an enemy, a wrongly directed mind will do us greater mischief.

-  Buddha

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• Tips from grannies, other great thinkers (boston.com)
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Below is an excerpt from  Barbra O’ Brien’s Blog on Buddhism – Barb’s words were a bit twisted by the Family Research Council to defend Brit “If It Ain’t Christian…It’s Crap” Hume.  It’s a good read.

Today I was disappointed to learn that the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian organization, has quoted from my “Let’s Forgive Brit Hume” post to “prove” the superior forgiveness/redemption power of Christianity over Buddhism.  Peter Sprigg of the FRC writes,

Has Brit Hume slandered Buddhists by mischaracterizing their theology? Not really. Barbara O’Brien, author of “Barbara’s Buddhism Blog,” admits, “Mr. Hume is right, in a sense, that Buddhism doesn’t offer redemption and forgiveness in the same way Christianity does. Buddhism has no concept of sin; therefore, redemption and forgiveness in the Christian sense are meaningless in Buddhism.”

From here, Mr. Sprigg proceeds to slander Buddhism by mischaracterizing our “theology.”

Read the rest of this entry

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has penned three songs for a forthcoming documentary film about Tibet, When The Dragon Swallowed The Sun.

Director Dirk Simon, who has spent seven years making the film, said Damien Rice and composer Philip Glass have also contributed music.

The film is about the ongoing fight of the Free Tibet movement.

Richard Gere, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and The Dalai Lama have all been interviewed for the film.

The film offers a perspective on the Tibetan community in exile and their struggle to gain autonomy from Chinese rule.

Related articles about Thom Yorke

• News Ticker: Michael Jackson, Thom Yorke, Limp Bizkit, Tim Hart (rollingstone.com)
• Radiohead’s Thom Yorke writes new songs for Tibet documentary (guardian.co.uk)