A Method for Meditation

A wise man once told me that you are only happy when your thoughts are clear.

The outside world only brings happiness when we are first happy on the inside.

Buddhists will tell you to "not live in the past or think too much about the future.”

So meditation allows the mind to be completely in the "now", and allows us to see the beauty of the present.

Stress is the body's way of dealing with problems. Research has shown that folks

who meditate regularly have an edge in terms of relieving stress. Meditation also helps us to build better focus.

With the above in mind, here is a "method" of standing meditation taught to me

when I was in Taiwan:

Stand comfortably, feet together, arms at your sides.

Raise the right leg (balancing on the left) and cross it at your left knee.

Link the ring finger on your left hand with the left thumb, and the middle

finger of your right hand with your right thumb. Join the two "rings". Touch your pinkies together, as well as the index fingers, and touch the "unused" ring and middle fingers

together.

You've just employed a Five-elements hand position. This position is one used to

focus on balance. How, you ask? The one straight leg, and the one bent leg are in balance.

The middle finger touching the thumb is the "ring" of fire, and the ring finger

and thumb touching is the "ring" of water. They are in balance also. In terms

of one five-element-theory practitioner, water puts out fire, and fire

evaporates water, so the two cancel out or are "in balance."

Now the breathing. Use the 2-2-2 breathing cycle, and "meditate" on some

isue that you need to solve, or some thought-provoking saying like one of

the thousands of Zen koans. Or simply practice awareness of your surround-

ings, your breathing, whatever you hear around you.

Don't be concerned if you find your mind has wandered. Bring it back on task

and try to extend the amount of time you can concentrate on mindfulness.