Meditation...

Jesus and Meditation

Jesus often left his apostles and the crowds to distance himself in the wilderness areas of Palestine to engage in long periods of dynamic-mind, spiritual meditation wherein he communicated with God. The 40 days following his baptism were spent in such a manner.

Samadhi

In the Samadhi or Shamatha, or concentrative, techniques of meditation, the mind is kept closely focused on a particular word, image, sound, person, or idea. This form of meditation is often found in Buddhist and Hindu traditions including Yoga, as well as in Medieval Christianity, Jewish Kabbalah, and in some modern metaphysical schools. Eknath Easwaran developed another, related, method. He called it "passage meditation" -- silent repetition in the mind of memorized inspirational passages from the world's great religions. Easwaran believe that, "The slow, sustained concentration on these passages drives them deep into our minds; and whatever we drive deep into consciousness, that we become."

Mindful Awareness Traditions

Vipassana and anapanasati are parts of broader notion of mindful awareness, which is part of the Noble Eightfold Path, the ultimate goal in Buddhism that leads to Enlightenment, and expounded upon the in the Satipatthana sutta. While in anapanasati meditation attention is focused on the breath, in vipassana, however, the mind is trained to be acutely aware of not only breathing, but all things that one comes to experience.

The concept of vipassana works in believing that the meditator's mind will eventually take note of every physical and mental experience "real-time" or as it happens, the goal being that it will gradually reveal to the practitioner how one's mind unknowingly attaches itself to things that are impermanent in nature. Thus, when such things cease to exist, one experiences the suffering from its loss. This very wisdom, achievable solely through vipassana meditation, in turn gradually frees one's mind from the attachment that is the root of suffering.

For one practicing this form of meditation, it is also very important to note that the wisdom presents itself into the mind of meditator only when he/she is NOT thinking but yet possessing an acute awareness of what goes on in their mind, body and surrounding. The nature of vipassana is sophisticated; one may desire a veteran instructor to provide initial guidance.

In other words, in Vipassana (insight, or seeing things as they are) meditation, the mind is trained to notice each perception or thought that passes without "stopping" on any one. This is a characteristic form of meditation in Buddhism, especially in some Theravada traditions, and is also a component of Zazen, the term for meditation practice in Zen.

However, in at least some forms of vipassana, one does not attend to whatever perceptions arise, but purposely moves one's attention over their body part by part, checking for perceptions, being aware and equanimous with them, and moving on. This form of meditation has some resemblance with "choiceless awareness" — the kind of meditation that J. Krishnamurti addressed.

Specific Traditions

Specific classifications include:

Observation (e.g., exploring the mind and all its thoughts)
Focus (e.g., exploring one thought to the exclusion of all else)
Trance (experiencing emptiness)
Theravada Buddhist practice involves both Samadhi and Vipassana, as well as the developing of "loving kindness" (Metta).
Zen Buddhism practices Zazen, similar to Vipassana.
Abrahamic Traditions practice forms of meditation that use God, Saints and/or Prophets as concentration focus
Some people, including the controversial Guru Rajneesh (also known as "Osho"), taught forms of "Dynamic Meditation" that involve violent exercise and hyperventilation, akin to aerobic exercise or those like the Sufi whirling.
Meditation based on questioning "Who am I" draws from various traditions, especially Vipassana, Insight Meditation, Zazen, and with the express purpose of getting to know one's true nature, and/or experiencing Kensho, Satori, Enlightenment. This method teaches to be wary of trance-like states of relaxation, and advocates intense inquiry into the nature of thought, mind, ego, self, and desire.
Jesus-style, dynamic-mind, spiritualized meditation engages the spiritized creative consciousness and full awareness. The mind and thinking processes are expanded rather than shut down, by-passed, distracted, or dulled. The only requirements are sincerity, persistence, and God-consciousness.
Other styles of meditation incorporate physical fatigue, fasting, psychic dissociation, profound aesthetic experiences, vivid impulses, fear, anxiety, wild dancing, or psychotropic drugs to initiate "mystic communion". Often these trancelike states of visionary consciousness are considered as a religious experience or spiritually enlightening.
On every mountaintop of intellectual thought are to be found relaxation for the mind, strength for the soul, and communion for the spirit. From such vantage points of high living, man is able to transcend the material irritations of the lower levels of thinking -- ego, worry, jealousy, envy, revenge, and the pride of immature personality. These high-climbing souls deliver themselves from a multitude of the crosscurrent conflicts of the trifles of society, thus becoming free to attain consciousness of the higher currents of spirit concept and celestial communication through the art of meditation.


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The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies
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