Here and Now Meditation
Here and Now Meditation
Here and Now Meditation
This booklet was created from the full version of The Here & Now Meditation: A Quick and Effective Way to Overcome Suffering published by Here & Now Publishing, Copyright 2004 Mimi Khuc and Thanh-Trieu Nguyen, ISBN: 09763491-3-2.
The Here & Now Meditation Foundation Goleta, CA 93117 Email: [email protected] Website: www.hereandnowmeditation.com
Table of Contents
Preface Chapter One: An Introduction to the Mind Suffering and Its Accomplice: The Mind The Workings of the Mind: The Minds Imprecision The Minds Shoulds and Shouldnts The Minds Endless Past & Future Chapter Two: The H & N Meditation Basic Here & Now Concepts Using the Here & Now Experiencing the Here & Now Level One: Entering the Stillness Sitting Meditation Sleeping Meditation Self-Healing, Anti-Aging & Stress Control Neutralizing Forces of Past Karma Characteristics of the Here & Now Meditation Chapter Three: New Perspectives The Nagging Mind Must and Should Wants or Needs? The Bondage of Criticism The Past and the Future Judgment Happiness and Suffering Changing our Significant Other Changing Places Forgiveness Self-Pity Separation and Love The Measure of Success and Failure Religion of Origin Mines Better Than Yours Is That So? Inter-Relationship Why are We Here in This Life? Unconditional Love Love versus Need Experiencing All is One: Woman and Child Other Chapters in the Book Version Summary
Preface
The book, The Here & Now Meditation, started out as just a few pages outlining a simple meditation technique. These pages eventually expanded into a small booklet to help people find inner peace, happiness, and harmony in their lives. That booklet was made available free of charge and was also offered as an e-booklet on the internet in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Vietnamese. The bookan expanded form of the original bookletwas in response to our readers requests for clarification on certain aspects of this meditation practice. Included some of the new information we developed in the book, this booklet here is the newly condensed version, and once again, is available in various languages on our website free of charge. The full book has eight chaptersfour of them have been adapted for this booklet. You will find a brief description of the other four chapters in the middle of the booklet. To serve the general population, we use only simple terms and concepts about meditation so that we can reach the beginner everywhere. We will not be discussing viewpoints of any particular religion or school of thought. Throughout this booklet, when we do make comparisons or evaluations, they will be based solely on one meritthe effectiveness of a method in liberating a person from suffering. A few things to keep in mind while you read: This booklet combines Eastern and Western concepts in a way that may ask its more traditional readers to consider new and different ideas. For all readers, traditional and untraditional, please read with an open heart and a quiet minda mind that does not respond to its need to analyze, argue, criticize, or compare with available preconceptions and standpoints. And please read slowly. The substance of this booklet resides not only in the written words but also in the silence behind them. This booklet is meant to be read for both the knowledge obtained through the mind and the wisdom found by the heart. Happy reading.
Chapter One
An Introduction to the Mind
he following conversation took place during a counseling session between one of our spiritual counselors and a young woman in her mid-thirties:
Counselor: Hi, how may I help you? Woman: Everything is going wrong. I need help. I need a stable job. I also need a better place to stay... Right now, I share a room in someones basement. I want my family to love me. My husband left me. I need a nice man... a nice husband. My car keeps breaking down Counselor: What you just said you need, I think is reasonable. I think everyone would want the same Do you know of anyone who has all these things? Woman: Yes. Some of my friends. Counselor: And are they happy? Woman: Wellnot really. Counselor: Do you think if you had all these things, you would be happy for good? Woman: Maybe... Well, not really... Not for good. Counselor: If you dont mind, I have a personal theory why. I may be wrong but lets just take a look at it. I think we come from a place where we are absolute love and peace. Maybe thats why we always feel needy and lacking now. To cope with this lack, we cling on to the love of our parents, then siblings, then friends, lovers, spouses, children We keep feeling that lack so we try to fill it with fame, power, status, wealth. Everything works for a little while, but then that feeling of lack comes back. I dont have the magic wand to give you what you were asking, but I can show you how to truly fill that lack. Once we do this, nothing else really matters. You have those things you asked forfine. You dont have themthats fine, too. You are at peace with yourself and with the world anyway... By separating from that place of completeness, we have created a secondary mind that uses words. Our original mind is always wordless and quiet; all perceptions are without interpretation, judgment, analysis, comparison, or deduction. Everything just IS. The secondary mind is what you and I are using right now. It rants endlessly about things that cause unhappiness. Once we learn how to tame that mind, we can return to the state of our original mind. We can transcend that feeling of lack permanently. Would you like to learn how?
Second, the mind is just one of the many parts of the human being such as the heart, eyes, and nose. This mind cannot be taken as the total self. We are not our minds and our minds are not us. Therefore, we are not the minds reactions or deductions that lead to the emotional states of sadness, pain, or anger. This book will guide us on how to cure this dysfunction and how to recover the high quality functions of our minds such as creativity, inventiveness, and awareness. By the time you finish reading this book, you will be equipped with an understanding of the workings of that mind as well as the skills to deal with it.
In short, whenever the mind draws a conclusion, be aware of the process it is using. What are the correct mind processes? They are the processes used when the mind is operating in perfect Stillness. They occur without judgment, criticism, suggestions, or deduction. They are only peaceful observations and perceptions.
Here, the mind defines family and close relationships as linked with certain responsibilities. If these responsibilities arent fulfilled, the mind judges and blames. Children should obey and be dutiful to their parents. Parents should give love equally, foster and care for their children until they are solidly successful. The roles of child and parent are heavily linked with certain responsibilities and expectations in the mind. These expectations can be carried out to extremes without awareness at all. For example, in an actual case we know, a mother expected her daughter to prostitute herself to support the mothers gambling habit. In a family, women are responsible for homemaking and the care of their husband and children. Men are responsible for finances, and material comfort. If a person falls short of his/her expected role, both the person and others around the person will suffer the minds nagging, judging, and blaming. With respect to the mind, relationships are the most troublesome aspect in our lives. New perspectives can help lessen our problems. For example, we should see our spouse as follows: This is a human being, who prior to meeting me, has already lived in this world for decades, owns a complete set of personal concepts already misled by his/her own mind, and whose body and soul are completely independent of me. Has it ever occurred to you that this person may exist in this world for other purposes besides being your spouse? This perspective will help the mind accept and respect others around us; it will no longer require others to give up their own knowledge and valuesmisled or notfor our misled knowledge.
When a man mumbles and talks to himself all day, we say hes mentally ill. We fail to notice that all of us also talk to ourselves endlessly all day and all nightexcept we do it quietly in our heads. This is a serious chronic problem, but because everyone is
affected, we think it is normal. So instead of us being the owners who operate and control the mind, in reality, that mind endlessly runs and controls us. As long as we are unable to turn off that mind when necessary, we are not beyond suffering. It is not our goal here to forget the past or to not plan for the future. Nor is it to have no opinions or viewpoints. The problem with the processes in the above list is that they happen automatically and habitually. When we say we want to turn off the mind, we mean that we want to regain control of its processes. We want to turn off its auto-pilot. The goal then is to be able to have a choice over these very processes and applications we want to be able to choose when to apply an opinion or prior knowledge, or when to reminisce of the past, or when to build images and emotions within ourselves. The human mind is not a disaster for mankind. On the contraryit is an extremely valuable mechanism IF we know how to use it. Once we become owners of our own minds, we can cultivate its positive qualities such as creativity and awareness. Eliminating suffering requires three things: an understanding of the mind and its habits; a method to tame that mind; and, most importantly, a cultivated awareness of our selves and our relationships with others. We have already presented an introduction to the minds processes; in the next chapter, we would like to present a simple method that can be used to cultivate the necessary awareness. This method is only one of countless meditation methods in the worldbut we have found it to be one of the simplest and most effective for our goals. Here, we present it for those who have not yet found a useful tool in their search for lasting happiness.
Chapter Two
The Here & Now Meditation
ur key to eliminating suffering is a simple technique that enables us to liberate ourselves by turning off the mind. This key is especially geared towards inexperienced practitioners of meditation. Anyone can practice it easily at any place and any timeeven while sitting comfortably in a chair, lying down, standing, walking, or working. This Here & Now meditation neither requires us to leave the normal life of the material and social world nor expects us to abandon loved ones for solitary contemplation for any length of time. Furthermore, it does not belong to any religion. Anyone can use it. The Purpose of Meditation Meditation has been in existence for many thousands of years ever since people learned how to be quiet both in words and in thoughts. This quietness has helped reenergize the body and bring about true and complete rest to the mind. Within the framework of this book, we shall focus on eliminating unhappiness for ourselves and on preventing us from hurting others again. After the true root of unhappiness is dealt with successfully, you will find that true lasting peace and happiness shall be yours to keep. Basic Here & Now Concepts The very first goal of many meditations is to quiet, or still, the thinking mind. Normally, if we were to focus our attention on something, the thinking mind would be the one directing this action. This thinking mind leads and directs nearly all of our daily actions and thoughts. Some meditation techniques use it to manipulate itself into quietness. Others also resort to mindful methods where one uses this thinking mind to stay aware of the senses, thoughts, and actions such as eating, chewing, walking, thinking certain thoughts, etc. The Here & Now technique, however, does not attempt to wrestle with that mind. At the beginner level, the thinking mind is sitting at a designated place, unthinking and unfocused during meditation. The mind and body get to rest deeply and thus experience profound peace and tranquility. As one becomes more proficient, this state of being will free the mind from its own habits of endless chatter. At higher levels, the True mind carries out normal daily activities while constantly keeping awareness on or connectedness with the inner Stillness. In addition, the method includes a means to continue practice even while you are asleep so that you can reach the subconscious mind.
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So what exactly is Here & Now? It means literally being here and now. It results from keeping the mind where the body is and from the absence of thought while in a heightened state of awareness. In this state, the mind stands still, unthinkingnot darting to the past, jumping to the future, or analyzing and drawing inaccurate conclusions. Mind and body become One, uniting the physical body with its inherent inner Stillness; a state that transcends time and space. Simply put, if we can keep our minds quiet when not in use, we are already way ahead of the game. Then, if we can keep our minds quiet even when we use it and when we are asleep, we are at a much higher state of mind that no longer suffers needlessly. With this Here & Now method, most people can enjoy great improvement in their emotional and mental well-being within a few days. You do not even need to believe in the method for it to work. All you have to do is try it and put in sincere effort.
especially helpful in preventing the imagination from getting out of control and bringing harm to us or those around us. To change the minds expectations and judgments, we may need to explore new perspectives on life events. Chapter Three contains examples of new perspectives that can help us cultivate awareness and perhaps change the way the mind habitually applies its opinions and expectations to ourselves and the people around us.
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Sitting Meditation
While we call the daily meditation a sitting meditation, remember that this meditation technique may be practiced at any time, any place, and in any posture. Just make sure you are as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Step One: Inhale slowly through your nose. As you slowly exhale through the mouth, feel as if a wave is sweeping from head to toe to relax your entire body. You can keep your eyes open or closed. If open, they should be gazing but neither focusing nor concentrating on any object. Step Two: Tell the mind, The body is here, knowing the minds arrival at the heart area of your chest. Let go of yourself and relax with the mind unthinking and unfocused. Especially relax the muscles around the eyes and forehead whether the eyes are open or closed. Every so often, vaguely know that the mind is sitting quietly at the heart area. If the mind starts wandering away or thinking, just quietly remind it, The body is here, and settle it again at the same location. Then immediately let go of thoughts and relax your body and mind again. Remain in that unthinking and unfocused state for a minimum of one minute and maximum of 30 minutes. New practitioners should not meditate longer than 30 minutes at first. After about a month, you can go as long as comfortable. Step Three: To end the sitting meditation, take a slow deep breath. As you slowly exhale, open and focus your eyes fully. Stretch your body if desired as you end the session. If you wish to continue the session with some other methods of contemplation, then after fully re-focusing, sustain the Stillness while in the normal state of wakefulness. Quietly gaze at or observe the surfacing images and passing thoughts without analyzing or reasoning. This practice can be performed for as long as desired. If your goal in meditation is developing your higher Mind, we advise that you
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work with a teacher who is accomplished in this area to guide you personally. The regular mind can be easily mistaken for the higher Mind.
Sleeping Meditation
At first, we transcend suffering when we reach Stillness during the sitting meditation. Next, we integrate this Stillness into our everyday activities. Then, in the sleeping meditation, we attempt to deal with another part of our mind: our subconscious. For us to no longer suffer even in our dreams, we guide both the subconscious and our thinking mind to dwell in the Stillness even during sleep. This allows us to wake up each day feeling fresh and at peace with ourselves and our world because it prevents the mind from continuing its habits at night. The technique is as follows: whenever you feel drowsy and are about to fall asleep, tell your thinking mind and your subconscious, Take refuge in the Stillness during sleep. Then, let go of all thoughts and muscles, and fall into a peaceful sleep.
Each time you are about to fall asleep, take a slow, deep breath, relax, and tell your mind and your subconscious to dwell in the Stillness during sleep. Every time negative thoughts or feelings arise, take a slow, deep breath and enter the Stillness for at least 30 seconds
Dont forget to take pictures of your face to see the before & after affects.
secular, non-religious life. The meditation helps bring about clarity in both mind and spirit, allowing you the freedom to follow any path you choose and often even helping you proceed along those paths. Lasting happiness is a human goal that belongs to no single tradition and to all people everywhere. ~Compassion and World Peace: Besides providing inner peace, this Here & Now key also helps us develop compassion and loving-kindness. We can build world peace only after we have achieved compassion and inner peace for ourselves.
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*This chapter has been taken directly from the original chapter.*
Chapter Three
New Perspectives
n this chapter, we present perspectives that we feel are useful in alleviating suffering. These stories are not meant to be strict guidelines, rules, or even instructions. Again, the main goal of this book is to help you find paths to lasting happiness. Unless you feel it will help you personally, you do not need to change your life perspectives in any way. Because we and many of our practitioners have found some of these stories and ideas helpful, we decided to share them with you and let you choose among them those that resonate with you. Most of the ideas below deal with the mind, its opinions, and its insistence in applying its views on others. This is because this aspect of the mind can be the most confining part of our lives, causing suffering in the forms of anger, hurt, frustration, outrage, self-righteousness, and more. As we grow up, our minds accumulate opinions, views, and beliefs from our parents and others around us. These views are not inherently harmfulmany of them are good, teaching virtues such as kindness and generosity. What changes these opinions into things harmful to us and others is the minds insistence that others must believe as we do and others must behave as we think they should. When we interact with people, objects, and situations, we often come upon things that contradict our minds views of how things should be. Our minds become uncomfortable because that man should be more decent, that woman should be a better mother, my daughter should be respectful, my son should call me. In coming in contact with other beings and objects, our minds immediately analyze and judge using its long-stored opinions, often even demanding the people and situations around us to adjust themselves accordingly. He shouldnt have been latehe should be more prompt. It wasnt supposed to rain today. There isnt supposed to be traffic at this time. These thoughts run through our minds constantly, leaving in their wake continual suffering. So, our first step is to end in our mind the demand that others must comply to our minds points of view, especially the points that we and the majority of people believe to be good and correct. Our minds need to understand that if we have the right to have our own opinions, so do others, so long as these opinions do not lead to harm to the community or society. Instead of imposing our opinions on other people and on life situations, we apply our opinions only to ourselves. This is a necessary beginning step in the construction of happiness. The second step is to sort through all our minds opinionswhich now only apply to ourselvesand make decisions about which opinions are useful and which are useless in our path to happiness. We may find that many of these opinions are restrictive even though we no longer apply them to others. These opinions are restrictive on ourselves. Find the views that cause you unhappiness, such as certain expectations of yourself, and choose to change them. Once youve identified them,
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you can begin working on changing them through the Here & Now meditation (see italicized text below). The following selected perspectives may help you identify views within yourself that you would like to change. Again, these stories have been chosen on one merit: the ability to liberate us from suffering. Thus, any view that still holds us in bondage, that still restricts us, including those well-established in traditional value systems will not be discussed. We will not assert whether something is right or wrong, or good or bad. We offer only what we have found to be useful. If you wish to change any of your perspectives or adopt new ones, do the following before meditating the Here & Now: repeat once to yourself the main point of that perspective, then put it out of your mind, and immediately enter the Here & Now meditation. The deeper the Stillness, the more effective this method will be.
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A meditation student complains to the master about a friend. Master, all day he tells me what I must and should do, and I feel annoyed and frustrated. How do I solve this? The master answers gently: Have you noticed how you want to argue or defend yourself to him? Know that his use of words like must and should, especially when they have the subtle meaning that something is wrong with you, is a form of violence. He is unconsciously attacking you. But your need to defend and explain yourself is also a form of violenceit is violence within yourself, within your mind. Your mind attacks and resents him. We can only find true inner peace when we no longer feel that dire need to explain, defend, argue, or even wonder
Wants or Needs?
When I want something I cant have or when I want others to do something and my wishes are unmet, I sufferI feel frustrated, angry, disappointed. My mind complains constantly about these unfulfilled wishes and demands. If you experience these feelings, then ask yourself this: Do I want it, or do I need it? If the answer seems to be need, then ask further: If I dont get my wish, does it kill me? If it actually harms you, then it is need. However, if it doesnt, it is want. And if its wantif you dont really need itperhaps you would not suffer if you chose to no longer want it.
hunger and I fear it. Even now, when I sit in front of a lavish meal, I remember when we had no food, and I worry that something might happen in the futureI worry that someday this food wont be here anymore. I worry so much about those what ifs that when I try to eat, the food then tastes like nothing at all. I was willing to sacrifice and put off my own wants to build a future for myself and my family. I worked hard towards my goal. Now, I have achieved that future. But I look back and realize that my childrens childhoods have long passed, the youth of my spouse has been lost, and my health is no longer vibrant enough to enjoy an active and passionate family life. The forgotten present has long become the past She suffers over something that happened or did not happen in the past. He never stops worrying about something that has not yet happened or that might happen in the future. They seem to have forgotten about living in the present. Perhaps she would no longer suffer if she realizes that she cannot go back into the past to make changesno matter how much the mind wants to. And he would suffer less if he understands that the act of worrying does not influence or change anything in the futurewhether he worries or not, the outcomes will be the same. Worrying itself does little to influence anything or anyoneexcept it may cause suffering to the worrier.
Judgment
With our limited minds, we do notand cannotfully comprehend the reasons behind things which we perceived as good and bad. Knowing how limited our minds are, perhaps, we should hesitate and pause whenever our minds pass judgment so quickly, easily, and often. Judgment is the habit of an active mind that imposes its opinions, values, and beliefs on the self and on others. Although morals and ethics are important for social order, many judgments can be a form of violence attacking the people being judged. And the person being judged can also be the selfas long as the ability to pass judgment on others exists, so will the ability to pass judgment on the self. Both these abilities are forms of bondage that lead to suffering. The true mind does not judgeit only observes in silence and peace. I tried to live one whole day without allowing the mind to pass any judgments or make any accusations. Thats when I realized that my mind judges and accuses all day
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Changing Places
Last night on the news, I watched a man waiting on death row. I knew he committed crimes but as I looked deeply into his numb and staring eyes, I couldnt help wondering: If I were in his place, how would I feel right now?
Forgiveness
A meditation student asks, I suffer so much from how others treat me. My loved ones have hurt me, betrayed me, and disappointed me. How do I get rid of my resentment and hatred? The master answers, Meditate and forgive all of them. A few days later, the student returns with success: I have learned forgiveness, master. Thank you. The master answers: You are not finished yet. Meditate, open your heart, and love them. A week later, the student returns, again with success. But again, the master gives new instructions: Now, meditate and be appreciative and grateful. Without them and the roles they played, you would not have had the opportunity for such personal growth. The student returns again, convinced that the lessons are finished. The student proclaims, I have learned to appreciate these people for giving me the chance to learn forgiveness! The master answers: Then you should go and meditate again. They have played their roles correctly and wellwhy is there even a need for forgiveness?
Self-Pity
Of all the pain causing thoughts, the self-pitying ones can produce the strongest pain. Justified or not, they can cause us to experience and re-experience pain: I am so unfortunate. How could that person say such horrible things to me? Why doesnt that person love me? God is so unfair to me! Everything goes wrong in my life
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Relationships never really end. They only change in form. When a person leaves our life, the relationship is not over. It only changes from spouse to not-spouse, or close friend to not close friend. We are always in some kind of relation to everyone around us. We do not lose peoplethey are always there, existing. What causes suffering is our minds desire to have a specific kind, or form, of relationship. It does not like changes. This applies even to deathwe want that person to be alive, a particular state of being and kind of relationship to us. Perhaps it would help to know that even in death, we are still in relation to that person, if not through souls and spirits, then through our memories and the relationship we have with that person in our memory and the love we shared.
Religion of Origin
Question: I was born and raised in a particular religious faith. As an adult, I felt the need to search further, beyond what I felt as the limits of that faith. My family is very upset about this, and I had to move out to ease the pressure for everyone. However, I am still very troubledI dont feel free from it. What should I do? Answer: Sometimes, there is little you can do to change how others feel. However, you can change your own emotions and feelings. You can use the Here & Now method to calm the conflicting emotions about your loyalties to your family and your new spiritual path. Furthermore, perhaps your past, your faith of origin, is not a coincidence in the first place. Perhaps there is a reason why you were raised a specific way and also a reason why you choose differently now.
Is That So?
The following is a summary and translation of a famous Buddhist story about a Japanese Zen monk: One day, a pregnant woman and her family arrive at the temple of a serene monk. The woman points at him and falsely accuses him of being the fa22
ther of her child. The family yells and curses at him for his sins. He listens patiently and then responds: Is that so? They leave only to return some months later with the infant to leave in his care. Again, he responds, Is that so? and takes the child. A few years later, they return again to apologize to him for their mistake and to take back the child. He calmly responds once again, Is that so? as he watches the child taken away.
Inter-Relationship
A meditation student asks a master: What is the best way to deal with human interaction in my cultivation? Should I seclude myself to avoid all interaction so I can prevent the accumulation of new karma? The master replies: Sure, you can if you want. But for some reason, I, personally, keep feeling as if I owe somebody something no matter what I do. When I eat my meals, I feel I owe the farmers for their labor. When I turn on the lights, I feel I owe the people who work at the power plant. When I do the laundry, I feel I owe the people who work at soap factories. But, of course, thats just me.
2. Karma
To believe in karma, the universal law of cause and effect, is to see all relationships and life events as a part of that larger cycle. So when someone hurts me or causes me loss, instead of suffering, I view it as a payment of an old debt from a previous life. I feel relieved, and my heart is lighter because the debt load has lessened.
money, power, beauty, and intelligence, because I know that they certainly are truly not anything less than I. They have actually granted me a great privilege by acting in these lesser roles.
Unconditional Love
What is unconditional love? To love unconditionally is to love without condition, without expectation or demand. It is easy to love someone who is perfect. But what of the imperfect? A mother may view her mentally handicapped child as a punishment from higher forces. But perhaps the child is a blessing. Perhaps the child is here to teach the mother true unconditional love. Unconditional love is the ability to love a handicapped child who cannot speak pleasant words to us, who has no social status and achievements of which a parent can be proud. How does one love a man or woman unconditionally? Loving people unconditionally is loving them totally, both their good and bad parts. It is not loving them despite their bad qualitiesit is loving them also because of those qualities. When we love people unconditionally, we are able to watch them living their lives, being themselves, without wanting or needing them to change anything. In fact, we love them without needing them to belong to uswe love them regardless of whether they return our love, whether they are with us or in our lives.
She puts on the outfit of a master, pretending to disseminate wisdom to a group of students who she knows are none other than her own self. Though they may or may not be aware of this, she knows they need nothing from her or anyone else. Those who have paranormal power look at her Stillness and say they see gods and goddesses. She smiles lovingly... She knows they only see reflections of their own yearnings and needs. They are a part of her, are they not? So the woman and child go back to the beach. The woman again gazes into the deep water; the entire marine kingdom comes alive within her. The child again builds a sand castle and laughs when the wind sneaks up and pecks her on the cheek. And again, the wind asks softly, Who are you? Without looking up from the sand castle, the child smiles and whispers, I am You.
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Chapter Four: Self-Healing. This section discusses using the Here & Now meditation to heal. With this method, you can actually watch your pain subside within a few minutes. While the method is very effective, we know that many meditators, especially those whose goal in meditation is a kind of spiritual enlightenment, dislike the idea of using meditation for healing purposes. This meditation method involves both mind and body, however, so a person may use it effectively with either or both. Chapter Five: Managing Stress and Slowing the Aging Process. This section explains how to use the Here & Now meditation to relax and manage stress, or to slow the aging process. Chapter Six: Questions and Answers for Experienced Meditators. This section addresses various questions posed by meditation masters from varying disciplines and discusses more advanced concepts and techniques in a comparative manner. Chapter Seven: General Questions and Answers. This is a question and answer section. Topics include technical aspects of the meditation, advanced concepts on the mind, practical applications of the new perspectives, and suggestions for spiritual cultivation and personal transformation.
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*This chapter has been taken directly from the original chapter.*
Summary
H
~ ~
ere is a summary of the main points of this book along with a few tips on practice.
The mind is not the self. We are not that mind. The senses receive and transfer information to the mind. The mind perceives and then interprets the information based on its knowledge and feelings stored in the memory bank. When we misidentify ourselves with the mind and believe we are those feelings and thoughts, we will become sad or happy according to the minds directing. Suffering is any emotion that is not happiness, any state that is not peace, and any action that does not come from compassion. This includes emotions and actions we dont normally consider suffering such as anger and vengefulness. A state of profound Stillness can interrupt the minds control over our emotions and actions. This Stillness is not just a pause in thoughtit is a natural silence within us that allows us to be in a state of peace, a state of silent wholeness. In this state, we are untouched by the minds habits which have created need and expectation. In this state, we can bring peace to the mind and the body thus bringing peace into our lives. The Here and Now meditation offers a daily meditation to reach Stillness. To relieve our suffering and the suffering of those around us, we need to be able to bring a part of this Stillness into our daily lives. In whatever you are doing, try to maintain a certain connectedness with that inner Stillness. The most practical exercise is to listen and converse in Stillness. This means listening and responding with an absolute absence of the need for analysis, judgment, vindication, and problem-solving. When any of these tasks become necessary, we should perform them purposely and only in Stillness instead of allowing the mind to do them habitually and automatically. Making judgment on others comes from a need within us that the mind has created. This need is one of self-reassurance, self-consolation, and self-elevation. And this need drives us to act out in a form of violence that can be very hurtful to those around us. Instead of temporarily patching our wounds by attacking others, we can permanently realize our wholeness and peace by reaching the state of Stillness so that we no longer hurt others through judgment. Stillness is not the opposite of actionit does not mean inaction in life. Living in Stillness means living without an inner struggle with life and the situations we face. Externally, we still live our daily lives and still cope face-to-face with our present realities. Inner stillness does not mean outer motionless.
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~ ~
Thank you for taking your journey with us. We hope you found this book useful in some way. The Here & Now meditation is only one method among many used to first establish the sacred inner Stillness. Once you have found Stillness within yourself (with whatever method you prefer), please use it to cultivate deeper understanding and com-passion. Only these will create lasting happiness for you individually and for the world as a whole. May you and all beings find true peace, joy, and understanding in life. *****
This booklet is available in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Chinese and Vietnamese free of charge on our website. Here, youll find a text version to print and an e-booklet to download.
The Here & Now Meditation Foundation Here & Now Publishing Goleta, CA 93117 Toll free: 1-800-928-5211 Email: [email protected] Website:www.hereandnowmeditation.com
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