Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight1 Introduction Meditation Meditation Mindfulness & Insight Session 6 Inspiration What Next

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight2 Zengetsu To a sincere student every day is a fortunate day. Time passes, but he never lags behind. Neither Glory nor shame can move him. Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe. Pass each day in peaceful contemplation.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight3 The Suffering Process Negative Circumstances Filter Personal History Complexes Expectations Emotions Anxiety Fear Thoughts Dramatization Woe is Me! Blame! Anger! Negative Actions Physiological Heart Rate Blood Pressure Neurotic Suffering Rumination – Segal Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight4 How Meditation Helps Meditation is time consuming and doesn’t make sense People need to understand why they should spend time. Zen Practice - Mental discipline Avoids rumination Mindfulness - Concentration – present moment experience Tantric Practices Stops Rumination after it has started – Mantras – shift focus Dog whisperer – substitute behaviors Modify our complexes through repetition / Compassion / Mantras We live in a Buddha Field Meditation Effect Like Xanax – Shifts attitude – Actual induces equanimity w/o we are trying to logically talk ourselves into equanimity. Spontaneous Reverence / Humility and compassion

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight5 Awareness Negative Circumstance Non Judgmental Skip the Drama Forgiveness Insight Clarity Psychology Compassion Awareness/ Mindfulness Equanimity Acceptance Of things we can not change Inspiration Sacred Strategic Actions Stop Be Mindful Be Conscious Detach Disidentify Observe Think Gratitude Positive Circumstance Inflation

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight6 Faith / Spirituality What is the opposite of Fear? Gives us the strength to face life’s greatest challenges. Faith / Spirituality Being Inspirited Feeling full of life (respiration) Deeply personal choice Specific Religion Something more important than our own self interest Cosmic Consciousness Daily meditation practice is a chance for cultivating spirituality.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight7 Christianity Mennonite family Had a dinner with a Mennonite family Pile of dishes to be washed. “This is the work that the lord has made for me.” Not only was she in the moment, but each moment was special and treated with reverence. Something beyond logic and reason can be awesome. Faith can be a deep wisdom in our hearts that can not be found with our thinking mind. There was a deep internal sense of “letting go” and “letting be” Spirituality can bring meaning to each and every moment of our lives.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight8 Judaism Bal Shem Tov – Humility Finding a successor. Find someone with no conceit. How can you tell who has no conceit? Anyone who thinks that they have no conceit, has the most conceit of all. Notice what he wasn’t looking for: Piety Knowledge Reverence for the divine can manifest as humility

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight9 Enlightenment - Tibetan A monk hears about Patrul Rinpoche who has the most profound teaching and travels to see him. When the monk finds Patrul Rinpoche he tells the monk to just travel with him for a while. After 10 years of traveling with Patrul Rinpoche the monk asks for the profound teaching. The Patrul Rinpoche teacher says, lay on the ground and tell me what you experience. The monk says I see the stars in the sky. I feel the wind on my face. I hear the birds in the trees. I notice the gap between my thoughts. The Patrul Rinpoche tells the monk– Now you understand the most profound teaching. Moment to moment awareness with an open nonjudgmental sense of awe

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight10 Transformation Hatred Arrogance Fear Despair Unconsciousness Compassion Humility Confidence Fearlessness Hope Awareness Insight

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight11 The Process Monkey Mind – Constant thoughts of fear and anxiety Recover from big things more quickly See a broader perspective when big things hit Change your reactions to small things Awareness of the monkey mind and habitual reactivity Life is more calm and serene Others treat you better Become a calming influence to others

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight12 What Next Develop a Daily Practice. A daily practice / Make it a daily ritual Create a special place to do it. / Make it a daily ritual Guided meditation / Jon Kabat-Zinn – From this class OR Develop your own set of prayers, quotes and meditation using what you have learned in this course. OR Read – Cheri Huber, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Pema Chodron, Thich Nat Hahn – (see reading list.) At some point meditation alters your attitude You just feel better in spite of circumstances. The meditation experience comes when it comes… Find a group practice

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight13 Groups Cheri Huber Retreats are accessible to Westerners / Classes Great series of books Tibetan – Anam Thubten Rinpoche Second and Fourth Wednesdays Tibetan tradition modified for American Culture MBSR – Meditation / Group Discussions Micki Fine – Psychologist - Certified MBSR Teacher

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight14 Groups continued Vipassana Great 10 day retreats Houston Meditation Group – Beltway 8 and ml#course Zen – Houston Zen Center Local Teacher – Gaelyn Godwin Insight Meditation - Houston Mary Rees -

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight15 Cheri Huber’s The process Awareness CENTER - Focus on present moment experience Rest in Equanimity The Philosophy – 3 keys Pay Attention Don’t Take it personally Complexes are likely dominating We are not the center of the universe Believe nothing Question the beliefs that cause negative reactions.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight16 Self Observation Find Your own truth (Individuation) You can observe a lot by just watching - Yogi Bera Question your own thoughts and beliefs and habitual patterns Become your personal authority Are your Expectations / Aspirations supportive? Are you dramatizing Difference between worrying and planning See if you can “Let go” of some disturbances Observe carefully your physical state Are you breathing slowly What are the thoughts that you are thinking?

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight17 Mindfulness: As much as you are able Whatever you are doing, put your full attention on it. See every experience and every event as something special. Show gratitude for all of the things in life that we take for granted: This precious moment is your life!

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight18 Guided Meditation CD Jon Kaba-Zinn Guided Meditations Sitting Meditation

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight19 Guided Meditation

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight20 Can we look at life from a universal perspective ? Pelican Fishing

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight21 Universal perspective From the pelican’s perspective it is the happiness of a meal. From the fishes perspective it is a catastrophe. From a universal perspective it is the cycle of life. What would happen if we looked at our lives from this universal perspective? When someone cuts us off in traffic, we get a red light, when the market goes down and the market goes up.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight22 We see ourselves as the center of the universe The world isn’t really the way that we see it! Our perception of reality is changed by our own self interest. Good or bad are always evaluated based on how people and situations impact us. If it is good for us it is good. If it is bad for us it is bad. My values, religion and politics are the best! Examples People who praise us vs people who correct us. The ones who correct us might help us grow. Our desire to be heard and praised is much stronger than our desire to listen and to give praise.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Insight23 Thanks / Good Luck! Thanks For your openness Insights Wisdom Good luck Making the most out of every moment that we have