Tuesday 21 September 2010

A Quick Introduction

I was first exposed to Buddhism and its various meditative processes when I began my training in Shaolin Gong fu at the Shaolin Temple UK [www.shaolintempleuk.org]. It was here that I came to understand how important meditation is for the individual. These first experiences were, and still are, precious gems to me. Now, at the age of twenty two, I look back to the first time, as a young boy, I sat cross legged at my master's feet and devoured his teachings.

But what is meditation, and how are we to define it? dictionary.com provides this meaning:
1)The act of meditating. 2)Continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation. 3)Transcendental meditation. 4)devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.
A myriad of things could be considered meditation then. There are psychological explanations to fit modern materialist based understandings of humanity, and these do have their place. However, in the end, meditation is something very subjective. This requires us to create our own definitions of meditation according to how we determine its uses.

What I hope to do is give my view on what meditation is and how it can transform our lives, personalities and our very nature. I want to examine the many faces of meditative practices, from its Western roots in Christian mysticism to the more common ideas found in Eastern philosophies, such as Taoism and Buddhism. I really hope to show that meditation is a vital part to discovering who we are, enriching our lives and our minds no matter what your spiritual beliefs are.

Walking together in Buddha's gentle rain, our robes are soaked through.

6 comments:

  1. I look forward to your insights. Meditation, once understood and followed, is life changing. I can't wait to read your thoughts on it, as I only have my philosophical experiences.

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  2. just lovely, waiting most patiently to see what comes next.

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  3. looks great!
    i like it.

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  4. You've made some interesting points... I also have some points (actually bubbles) on Enhanced by MS Paint :)

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