The benefits of meditation can be hard to parse, because the practice is often presented as one of two extremes. Meditation and mindfulness are either a panacea, a kind of one-size-fits-all solution to all life’s problems, or an overhyped fad with little or no tangible benefits. So which is it? As is often the case, the truth is somewhere in between. This article covers some … [Read more...] about The Practical Benefits of Meditation
Meditation
3 Meditation Techniques for Mindfulness & Concentration
Update: I don't subscribe to these models anymore. Check out The Mind Illuminated for much better ones. This post covers three broad meditation techniques for developing mindfulness and concentration. To understand these techniques we'll use a model of the mind and some pictures. In this context it can be helpful to look at the mind visually. (There are of course other ways … [Read more...] about 3 Meditation Techniques for Mindfulness & Concentration
10 Day Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat in Chiang Mai, Thailand – My Experience (Pictures & Video)
I recently completed a 10-day silent meditation retreat here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In this video I talk about the experience, what I went through and what it was like to spend 10 days not talking, fasting for ~19 hours a day with only 2 meals, and meditating 6-7 hours a day. This is a fairly long video - if you go over to BitTube you can see time stamps in the video … [Read more...] about 10 Day Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat in Chiang Mai, Thailand – My Experience (Pictures & Video)
Peak Experience, Consciousness and Ego (Ananda Mandala Meditation Pt. 2)
Last week I wrote about an experience I had during a breathing meditation called Ananda Mandala. This experience was one of intense love, gratitude, inner peace and what you could call “bliss” - as well as strong feelings of oneness and an almost complete lack of sense of self. In the first post I described the experience and - since it’s what my rational mind likes to do - … [Read more...] about Peak Experience, Consciousness and Ego (Ananda Mandala Meditation Pt. 2)
Gratitude, Bliss and Oneness with Ananda Mandala Meditation
We’re sitting on cushions in a circle and my mind is going at it - This is interesting - I wonder what will happen? - That girl over there is cute - I heard people cry and scream in these things - What if I throw up or shit myself or something? - That would be bad - Oh look, here comes the teacher - His name is Punnu and he looks the part: Indian, turban-clad and bearded … [Read more...] about Gratitude, Bliss and Oneness with Ananda Mandala Meditation
A Simple Grounding Meditation in 5 Steps
Here is a simple grounding meditation you can use to get in touch with yourself and become more grounded in everyday life. This is a follow-up to the body awareness meditation, and there is some overlap. The beginning stages of this grounding meditation are basically the same as the body awareness meditation. This grounding meditation also combines two separate grounding … [Read more...] about A Simple Grounding Meditation in 5 Steps
Why Life Tastes Better with Meditation
This is a guest post by Nic Gregoriades from Digital Communion and the Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood. I was actually planning to do a post on the same topic, but this one is much better. Enjoy! ---Aaron There’s a gift waiting for you. This gift is worth more than anything you will ever own, and yet you could not purchase it with all the money in the world. It is a blessing … [Read more...] about Why Life Tastes Better with Meditation
A Simple Body Awareness Meditation in 5 Steps
Some readers have been asking for more information about meditation, so here is a simple one you can do to calm the mind and get more in touch with your body. I learned the basics of this meditation from listening to the Headspace program. 1. Beginning Begin sitting upright in a chair (or cross legged on the floor) facing forward with your eyes open. Take 3-4 deep breaths in … [Read more...] about A Simple Body Awareness Meditation in 5 Steps