Wildmind's meditation blog
Wildmind's blogs are where you'll find book reviews, commentary, podcasts, and articles that don't fit neatly into the more structured guides to meditation that you'll find on the main part of the site. Articles are arranged below by date, and you can also browse by author and category using the links on the left.
Meditation Zeitgeist, August 28, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
Dazzling treasures of the heart
Karunachitta introduces us to Ratnasambhava, the Buddha of abundance, and issues a challenge: Dare we discover the extent of our inner riches?
When I was a child I kept going back to certain fairy stories. There was King Midas’s quest for riches. He was so delighted at the beauty of trees and flowers when his touch transformed them into gold but horrified when those he loved became solid gold statues.
Then there was Aladdin with … Click to read more »
Healing the mind’s wounds
How do we heal wounds in the mind? Author and performer Vimalasara offers advice, and a poem.
Every time we have a thought tinged with ill will, jealousy, anger, hatred or revenge, we are self-harming, and we are causing a wound to the mind. Whether the thought be about ourselves or another being, or an inanimate object, we are injuring the mind.
Lama Rangdrol, at a talk in the Bay Area, spoke about how we don’t … Click to read more »
U.S. looks at new age, holistic therapies for veterans
The Courant: The U.S. military is spending $4 million to figure out whether New Age practices and holistic therapies can mend the wounded psyches of its troops. Concerned with the high number of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries, the government is handing out grants to conduct clinical studies on everything from yoga, to Reiki, to animal assisted therapy, to transcendental meditation. Read more here.
Meditation zeitgeist, Aug 25, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
True wealth…
Although the Buddha encouraged his householder disciples to create wealth, he also repeatedly pointed out the relative worth of outer and inner riches. This short teaching outlines seven sources of inner abundance.
Then Ugga, the king’s chief minister, approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: “It’s amazing, lord, & awesome, how prosperous Migara Rohaneyya is, how … Click to read more »
To lower blood pressure, open up and say ‘om’
National Public Radio: In his 20 years as director of the hypertension program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Randy Zusman has maintained a rather traditional approach. He writes plenty of prescriptions for standard medications to treat high blood pressure. But in recent years, Zusman has gotten more assertive with patients about lifestyle choices. Lately, Zusman has added a new recommendation: meditation. Read more here.
Meditation helps people find inner serenity
The Earth Times: Who doesn’t know the daily aggravations brought on by work, relationships and the pursuit of one’s own needs, and who hasn’t sometimes wished for more peace and quiet?Meditation is one possible means of achieving them. Lutz Hertel, a psychologist at a German wellness association in Dusseldorf, is convinced of one of its effects: “We see a lot more value in meditation than in massages or wellness packs. When meditating, you are active, which is the opposite of … Click to read more »
Meditation zeitgeist, Aug 21, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
Jules Petit-Senn: “It’s not what we have that constitutes our abundance, but what we appreciate.”
The words “abundance” and “spirituality” may not seem to go hand in hand but, Bodhipaksa argues, mindfulness, properly seen, is inherently enriching.
Once, on retreat, I was in a discussion group in which we were discussing the metaphors that encapsulated how we saw our spiritual practice. We all had very different ways of seeing what we were trying to do with our lives.
One person thought in terms of becoming a kinder person, … Click to read more »
Flash of genius
The New Straits Times: Meditation is a process by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, “thinking” mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.
It often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. Meditation is recognised as a component of traditional medicine especially Ayurveda. We know Albert Einstein was keen on spirituality. But did he practise meditation? Could this give us an insight to his genius? Read more here.
Meditation zeitgeist, August 19, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
Meditating through mental illness
Globe and Mail: The patients are sitting still, their eyes closed, meditating, on the floor of a group therapy room at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. It is the fifth week of an eight-week training course in mindfulness meditation for people recovering from depression. Mindfulness-based psychotherapy is growing rapidly in popularity, and these patients are part of a clinical trial to assess whether it can prevent relapses as effectively as antidepressant medications. Read more here.
Choosing your religion
The Huffington Post: Many of us feel a need to believe in something larger than ourselves. And now researchers are beginning to uncover the biology behind this urge. Scientists say that some people may have a gene that makes them more spiritual, and they are discovering that religious feelings may come from specific areas of the brain. Read more here.
Meditation zeitgeist, August 15, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
Meditation zeitgeist, August 11, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
Practice, practice: how to hone your meditation skills
The Huffington Post: To meditate means to examine. It doesn’t mean you have to sit in a lotus position in silence (although you can). It means you are attending to what’s going on within you - perhaps with your breath and senses, your internal thoughts and feelings, or the space in between these objects of attention. This investigation of mind becomes somewhat habitual the more you practice. Read more here.
Study shows meditation helps immune system
The Daily Bruin: Sitting back, getting comfortable and concentrating on the breathing patterns of your own body is how some people use mindfulness meditation to focus. People learn from mindfulness meditation to deal more effectively with many aspects of everyday life, including stress, said David Creswell, a research scientist at the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA. In recent years, the practice of becoming more mindful and tuning in to ones internal experiences has gained scientific momentum. Multiple research studies … Click to read more »
Meditation zeitgeist, Aug 7, 2008
A not-entirely-random selection of blog posts on meditation.
“The Buddha’s Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World” by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula
It’s a widely held view that the Buddha taught his followers to disdain wealth and worldly success, or at best tolerate them as necessary evils. Sunada reviews a book that shatters these misconceptions and repositions the lay life as one of dignity and happiness, and full of opportunities for personal growth.
Here’s a pop quiz for you: What famous spiritual teacher taught that the way to happiness is through … Click to read more »