Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Today I went to TARA Buddha Centre in Derbyshire. This week at school is Enrichment week and we are going on all kinds of trips and doing different activities daily. The trip today was very interesting, and the monks and nuns really did help us to be calm and relax via meditation. The meditation was amazing, your mind goes blank and you feel as if you are swaying from side to side. Immense. I really would like to try it again, but how can you meditate at home? I love finding out about other peoples cultures etc. It is one of my interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 That's wonderful that you embrace other cultures Martin, a great example and relaxation is going to be very helpful as you get older..believe me. Can't meditate very well myself but find nice ways to realx like a nice walk in the countryside BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 I thought that the meditation was very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Oh I can't meditate either. My brain just won't switch off! I make up shopping lists ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 FOCUS IS THE KEY! Over 9000 posts, give me a chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Meditation is a big word that covers a multitude of different practices. Most meditation isn't really about emptying the mind - it's about filling it, it's not about switching off the brain - but using it more "wholly"... there are a thousand and one techniques and "methods".. You'll probably find you do meditate - you just don't call it that. I#t quite possible that Buffie meditates as she walks in the country - though she may not call it meditation... (rather, "walk with the dog!") Phil PS - not do you have to go "ommmmmmmmmmmm...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Hmmm - interesting. I have had that experience of doing something (usually creative) and getting so absorbed in the task that I completely loose track of time. Would you say that was meditation, Phil, or just using the right side of the brain (for a change)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Wow Martin, what a great experiance. I grew up in London and I will never forget going to the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park for the first time with my primary school. By chance we met a Monk at the Pagoda and he was kind enough to take us all back to where he lived in the park (the old monkey house) and showed us where he and the other monks prayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 I bet that was exciting. Did the old monkey house really have monkeys in before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Oh yeah. Battersea Park had a small zoo (not sure if it still does) and it was a really old part that the monks lived in. If you are ever in that part of the world, it is really worth a look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 Will remember that thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 many definitions of "meditation" would cover that... (Kannie) but I'm only really comfortable defining what I know - meditation describes - as I said - a thousand and one things - some religious, some not. the only familiar ground to me is christian meditation I quite like Thomas More's description which starts... Give me thy grace, good Lord, to set the world at nought to set my mind fast upon thee and not to hang upon the blast of men's mouths to be content to be solitary not to long for worldly company little and little utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind of all the business thereof what he's getting at is the meditation is the practice of silencing the call of trivial things to concentrate on something deeper it isn't (necessarily) sitting is silence - it's musing, pondering, reflecting, considering - the biblical word for meditate also means "muttering" - which is something we all do (don't we) when we are on our own and thinking deeply about something important. modern christian mediation is often accompanied by creative arts - painting, writing, sewing, collaging - maybe that's as you suggest kannie - a way of disengaging the left hand side of the brain for a while... Archbishop Anthony Bloom defined meditation as "a piece of straight thinking under God's guidance"... it's to immerse yourself in something so deeply that (yes - just as you describe it - time becomes irrelevant - the "world" fades away - you are lost in something bigger then yourself...) does that make any sense...? Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yep - lots. So I can do it! In fact it brings to mind our old allotment, which I think was quite a meditative place for me. And the sculpture room, working with clay (evening classes). And hanging in my air chair at the end of the garden. I don't think I could meditate sitting in a circle in a room with loads of others, so its good to know thats not the only valid way of doing it. Thanks Rev Nev! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Martin,I am so glad that your School is doing something like this for your ciriculum enrichement week & that you have enjoyed it At Devons School they were gived a choice of about 12 different themes for the week,including Environmental issues & green living ,a CSI topic (where there was a "murder" to solve),garden design & Brazilian carnival. Each had a really good day out during the week too. Devon chose to do a documentary week,& yesterday travelled to the BBC in London & was shown all the studios,dressing rooms & editing suites. Needless to say she had a fantastic time & is really enjoying her week. I sure wish we had had ciriculum enrichement when I was at school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I sure wish we had had ciriculum enrichement when I was at school At least Martin's passing it on as forum enrichment!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I used to meditate pretty effectively, but after I had Rosie all that went out of the window, and like Kate - my mind is too busy now for 'regular meditation', but I do relax and 'meditate' while baking or gardening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I sure wish we had had ciriculum enrichement when I was at school [/color] my 14yr old had a curriculum enrichment day last week - it was an army recruitment drive thinly disguised as an assault-course and "fun" day!! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 13, 2006 Author Share Posted July 13, 2006 Tomorrow is ENTERPRISE day! Had an ecological trip to the local woods today to study pollution and its efect on the enviroment etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
