Pranayama is the formal practice of controlled breathing. There are many techniques… each one is as accessible and beneficial as the breath itself . Squared breathing is one of those techniques and it has a calming effect. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which is often referred to as the body’s rest & digest system. Typically … More Practicing Pranayama, Practicing Presence
If shamatha is the foundation for all levels of meditation, then what is the foundation of shamatha? The great sage Patanjali states that it is “to still the patterning of the consciousness.” (Sutra 1 of Book I) He furthermore states: “Then, pure awareness can abide in its very nature. Otherwise, awareness takes itself to be … More Intermediate: Liberation from the ego
This Intermediate meditation focuses on a breathing technique (pranayama) that is very simple. That does not mean that it is easy to do! Breath underlies all meditation practices. Breath also leads to shamatha, or peaceful abiding. This state of ease in concentration, of stability of meditative equipoise and altitude is part of the full body, … More A pranayama that produces shamatha
The choice is ours on how to flow with a moment. One of the great discoveries within a meditation practice is that …. life isn’t really about oneself! Choices of reaction that reinforce personalization and drama make things about oneself which aren’t. Yet, the choice of response with patience, or with appreciation for the situation … More 3c: The flow of the moment
“The river makes the banks; it’s not the other way around.” Also, “our inside creates our outside. Then the outside (that has been created) conditions our inside.” Or from the words of Invictus that inspired Nelson Mandela during his decades of imprisonment, “I am the master of my life.” Ultimately, it’s this simple. This is … More Creating a happy life: flow
I want to remind meditation practitioners of the weekly discussion of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that are posted on Blazing Light, my blog. Patanjali was an enlightened teacher who gave the world the system of yoga and codified meditation practice. Siddhartha Gautama then used that system to bring meditation to a whole new level: … More Developing peace in the mind-stuff (chitta)
