stillpoint

simple buddhist practice

a very simple loving-kindness meditation

awareness of breathing

the air that I breathe....

You can add these practices to Monday Metta or use for a few minutes at any time. Click on the links above.

New practices will be added regularly

Can Stillpoint help me with my meditation practice?

We are sorry we don't have the resources to answer enquiries personally at the moment. We don’t have any teachers or experts – we simply came together as a group of beginners to share our experiences and encourage each other.

Everything that Stillpoint has to offer is available here on the web site, and we recommend that those with problems in their practice seek help from a teacher. The Buddhist society can help you find a teacher from a recognised Buddhist organisation.

Patient Meditation Groups

Find out what's available in your area

Meditation instruction specifically tailored to the needs of those with chronic illness or pain are sometimes run by charity/voluntary sector organisations or NHS patient groups. In some cases, joint ventures between both sectors lead to local initiatives bringing meditation instruction to patients (see below). If you want to investigate whether such an initiative has been carried out (or is being considered) locally, try the appropriate self help groups and outpatient clinic for your health condition(s). Try to ensure someone logs your request, even if the answer is ‘no’, and state that you hope it would help you manage your health condition: in this way the growing interest in meditation is more likely to be taken into account by decision makers who develop services. Other useful sources of information include disability forums, local health centres and your local library.

Setting up a group - a case study

Simon Ounsley, a former committee member of the Leeds ME self help group, told us about a successful meditation class he helped to set up for their members. “Funding can be obtained in some cases from the Local Authority or Health Trust via a Joint Community fund”, he advised, adding, “probably the best way to find out is to contact the local umbrella organisation for voluntary groups, who can usually provide information on sources of funding.” As for the teacher, Ounsley made an arrangement with the local branch of the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) to be the group’s instructor. Some individuals prefer this to learning how to meditate at a mainstream course or retreat, as a class can be tailored and allows the instructor to focus on specific physical or mental difficulties related to symptoms, eg posture, concentration etc. It can be embarrassing to always be the only one in a group who’s ill or can’t sit for long periods due to pain. “You feel less self conscious when everyone in the room knows what its like to have mobility problems or pain,” says one participant of such a group. At the time of the Leeds course, Simon found that their teacher had ‘no problem with people lying down to meditate if they find sitting difficult, and problems with meditation were discussed at our last session.' Simon wants to make it clear that projects such as his are rare. Doing the organising yourself requires considerable energy for form filling, locating a venue, organising publicity; added to which you may need the back up of a willing committee or fellow members some personal interest in meditation.

What about those too ill to attend?

If you are too ill to attend a group, you could try an audio guided meditation -

see reviews of guided meditation tapes and CDs

Monday Metta

by Antoinette, Jane and Joelle

‘Every time one of us truly rests, the world rests a little, so intimately connected are we with one another.’ Dolores Leckey

The 'Monday metta' practice is what connects the Stillpoint virtual community.

We’re all living with chronic illness that fluctuates, so you never know if you'll be able to practice or not on any particular day. Monday metta is for everyone who is prevented by ill health from physically attending a meditation group, especially those who feel isolated.

Every Monday at no specific time, some of us are at some stage during the day dedicating our meditation to other Stillpoint users. Depending on our state of health at the time - it could take the form of anything from a meditation to just lighting a candle - we are in each other’s minds and hearts. We hope that it will be a comfort for everyone to know that they are not alone and that powerful loving light is being sent, bringing courage, strength and peace of mind. So if you're feeling isolated or low or just want to feel connected and feel up to sending and receiving love and positive thoughts, please join our virtual meditation group on Mondays.

Light a candle at any time on a Monday and know you are not alone

Whether or not we can meditate - even if we are lying in bed - we can send loving-kindness to ourselves, and to everyone in our community. “The spirit of metta is unconditional: open and unobstructed. Like water poured from one vessel to another, metta flows freely, taking the shape of each situation without changing its essence.” Sharon Salzberg. Loving-Kindness: the Revolutionary art of Happiness. Shambhala, 1995.

What is Metta?

The Pali word 'Metta' ('Maitri' in Sanskrit) is commonly translated in English as 'loving-kindness.' Metta signifies friendship and non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others."  More on metta from Prairie Sangha

Read an outline of the loving kindness practice, as described by Jack Kornfeld: ‘With a loving heart as the background, all that we attempt, all that we encounter, will open and flow more easily. The power of loving-kindness… will calm your life and keep you connected to your heart.'

How it began:

Antoinette sent an email saying,

“I have been able to meditate a bit just lately I am going to dedicate every Monday session to everyone who uses Stillpoint. If I can't get to meditate I'll definitely be lighting a candle and saying prayers for everyone, wishing you courage, equanimity, faith and love. If anyone would like to join me it would be really good to know that someone else is doing the same thing.”

Update: Here is a very short practice you can add, as you light your candle

Please print this page off if you know someone who is bedbound /housebound without a computer, who would like to share our virtual meditation community.

Participants say:

“I have enjoyed 'doing' metta as a way to feel connected to everyone. It's lovely to know that you are being thought of, when you are going through a bad patch or feeling lonely.” Nicola, Northants

“Thank you for bringing people together, sharing makes us stronger.” Rosie, Edinburgh

“It feels much better knowing I am not meditating alone.” John, Essex

4. When meditation is too hard

by Dido Dunlop

These suggestions can be for simple relaxation. They are also for people who have learnt meditation, and have difficulty maintaining it when ill. When I got ME 17 years ago, I was already trained in Buddhist meditation. I couldn't sit cross-legged for an hour any more. I developed approaches which are possible when you can only lie down all day. With M.E., you need to live in the present moment, rather than worry about what you're going to do or haven't done. It is enough just to be alive, in a body, hearing and seeing, and achieve nothing at all. When you are in the present moment, body and mind miraculously let go. There is warmth, acceptance, release, freedom, and pleasure. You can rest - not just mechanically relax.

Body and mind are not separate

Every thought or feeling causes a bodily response, of tension or letting go. Preoccupying thoughts cause most of the tension and stress. Thoughts stored up from the past are also reflected in body tensions. The body is the deepest and most effective place to release them. When the mind rests on body sensation, body and mind work together. Mind lets go of thoughts, and body tensions can shift, heal and regenerate. Get to know your precious body. It may be a mess, but it's still the palace you live in, your home and vehicle.

Method - awareness of body sensations

The method is simple: becoming aware, in an accepting way, of what is happening in the body. You don't have to do anything extra. Your body is already there, vibrating with sensations we normally don't notice. Don't push yourself. You can be aware for a few seconds now and then, with no effort, even when you are exhausted. Scan the body and choose one sensation that draws your attention, to start on; not necessarily the strongest. Where is it, exactly? What shape is it? Go right into the sensation itself. Find an image or texture it is like - sandpaper, needles, glue? (Don't launch into a complicated description; that takes you away from the sensation, into the head.)

Coping with pain

We need to accept and befriend the discomfort of our bodies; include in our lives the whole range of discomforts and tensions and tirednesses, rather than try to shut them out. And the uncomfortable mind that is unable to concentrate, unable to let go, worried, confused, pushing for clarity or to remember things. A natural reaction is to struggle against pain and discomfort. It doesn't work. We don't know our body very well to start with; we need to pay it attention, get to know it, accept how it feels, give it kindness, co-operate with it. The best way to reduce pain is not to fight it, or avoid it, but go right into it. Practise on small manageable pains. Don't tackle the big ones first, like thumping headaches. Observe all the variations of discomfort. What kind of sensation is it now? Even painful sensations can be a kind of pleasure to notice and stay in the moment with. You may want to distract yourself from pain and discomfort, and try to focus on pleasurable things. If the pain is too big, it is helpful at times to focus elsewhere, and let the pain stay in the background; for example, concentrating on the feet instead of the headache.

Pleasant sensations

It is very important to increase your contact with pleasure in the body. There is plenty, at any moment; but we tend to focus on discomforts instead. Sometimes, make a conscious decision to bring out the pleasant parts and get to know them. It can be harder to "pin them down". They move around, seem vaguer. When you find one, expand it; let it spread out through the body. Explore the sensation, so you become familiar with it. Then you can contact it easily when it appears again.

Emotional pain

Again, see what the body sensation is. If you are sad, what is happening in the body? Observe that, just as with any other bodily sensation. Feeling your way into the bodily sensations that go with the emotion allows them to move through. Don't be distracted away from the body by the story - "he said this and he doesn't understand... I'll tell him...." let those thoughts go

Being aware

Being aware is the most releasing thing I know. However, you can be aware and still remain tight, when you are aware of a pain, but tense up against it. Or, aware you feel upset, but thinking you shouldn't be. We need to be aware in a relaxing, freeing way. Awareness that releases, doesn't judge. Don't say, this pain is bad and I don't want it. Let go all ideas about how you would like to feel. This is the sensation that is here at this moment. Take an interest in it. What is it like? Say, I accept you, whatever you are, you are what my precious body is doing. I simply open my awareness to you and embrace you with it. It is tempting to try to relax, try to make the pain go away. This sometimes works in the short term; but it puts you in a struggle, resisting the pain.

What about thoughts?

To relax, you want minimum stress from thoughts, so your wandering mind doesn't take off into stressful, exhausting and repetitive patterns and drive you bananas. It's an art, to let go of pushing to control the mind, yet not allow it to wander and torment you. To let the trains of thought soften and leave you space. When thoughts take you over, switch into observing the body. Doing that even for a moment or two breaks the train of thought, and the tension that goes with it.

With ME, you probably aren't able to maintain steady focus, or concentrate for very long. Let go of the idea of it. This is why I suggest doing the exercise for brief moments, not pushing yourself. If you do it for longer, let your focus come and go. Concentrate for a short time, then let your mind wander a little, then bring it back, gently, to the body sensation. If you are in a clearer state, try 5 or 10 minutes, whatever is easy. Stop when you are still fresh. If you are tired, one minute every now and then, or 5 seconds, is great. If you only bring your mind back once every half hour, it will change your quality of life. Don't try to force yourself to concentrate. You have a base to come back to - awareness. That is stabilising and relaxing - something you can do to help yourself. Allow yourself to be soft and vague, and feel it as positive, creative and healing, not a failing. Gentleness is a self-loving attitude to living.

Note -

Don't push yourself. You can be aware for a few seconds now and then, with no effort, even when you are exhausted.

Concentrate for a short time, then let your mind wander a little, then bring it back, gently, to the body sensation.

Aids to Meditation (I)

by Joelle Marlow

The one certainty about meditation is that our ‘monkey mind’ will try its best to distract us. This is the case for beginners and experienced meditators alike. Here we look at specific methods to help focus our concentration when developing our practice. This part covers posture, mindful activity, the body and breath. Part II covers nature; mantras; audio material. None of these is intended to be taken in isolation - they overlap and are outlined here so you can experiment to see which are most useful to you. These articles were written with M.E specifically in mind, but many of the ideas will also apply to other chronic illnesses.

Posture

Posture is important, but doesn’t need to be punishment - especially if you spend much of your life already in pain or discomfort. There are ideal postures explained in most meditation instruction literature, but here we will assume that special conditions apply.

Having the spine straight is advised for meditators who are physically fit enough to manage it, as this has beneficial effects on the whole physiology. Even in good health, Westerners attempting long periods of unsupported sitting can end up with joint and muscle pain however. Some gentle exercise can help [but is recommended only with a qualified instructor and your GP’s consent]. Gentle yoga is recommended for those who want to build strength in their musculature and flexibility in the spine, whilst tai chi and chi kung movement aids the management of core energy within the body. Both of these methods have some exercises that can be done whilst lying down.

However, being realistic, people with weak musculature, a high level of fatigue, or severe ME (which medical research has established makes it hard to maintain an upright position) - should experiment to find a suitable position. “I never attempt to sit up to meditate,” says Dido, who has been practising Buddhist meditation with ME for 25 years and run an ME meditation group. Sheila wrote: “if I attend a meditation group, I ask for a seat with a back or I sit up against the wall with cushions keeping me upright.”

If you lie down to meditate it is suggested that you find a location that is not the one you usually take to sleep at night. This helps to make the practice in some way set apart from the ordinary, to aid your concentration. Strategies can be as simple as moving the pillows where your feet would be and lying the opposite end to the bed to normal. Ideally however, find a surface softer than the floor and harder than a mattress. A full length thin foam mattress or the cushioned part that comes with some sun loungers can be useful. If lying on your back you might want to place cushions under your knees to prevent lower backache, and use a neck cushion pillow under your head.

Observing the posture can be a simple aid to concentration: we can carefully bring our conciousness to how we are sitting or lying, how our muscles and joints feel, how our clothing, as well as the seat or floor feels against us. As or minds wander, we return over and over again to our position, and the nuances of the body’s relation to its environment. It can be particularly relaxing to imagine the surface we’re resting on holding us as we sit/lie passively on it.

Mindful activity

Enlightening chores?

Although most people think of meditation as sitting still, your practice can be directly nourished by activity. By perceiving ordinary activity as special and worthy of total attention, we can transform our experience of it. Some who are housebound discover a surprising freedom in having a life pared down to the bare essentials.
“The biggest hurdles of an average day with ME are washing, and eating.” Tina says. “It varies depending on what care is available to me and my level of illness. Sometimes I’m able to wash dishes or prepare food whilst sitting on a stool. They then have to be my daily aims and I focus on them completely. It’s like climbing Everest for a healthy person. I have to be careful not to risk the relapse that comes if I go beyond my available energy. But I have found that sometimes, if I do the tasks really slowly and mindfully, chores are less tiring. They become almost a meditation. I can find a strange pleasure in just staying with the task, doing it with all my attention.”

Zen practice: 'every minute meditation'

"I would like to share with you… a practice common to many schools of Buddhism known variously as 'working meditation' or 'every-minute meditation'. The method can be summarised in five steps:

1. Do one thing at a time.
2. Pay attention to what you are doing.
3. When your mind wanders to something else, bring it back.
4. Repeat step number three a few hundred thousand times.
5. But, if your mind keeps wandering to the same thing over and over, stop for a minute; maybe it is trying to tell you something important."

by Rev. Daizui MacPhillamy (excerpt from An Introduction to the Tradition of Serene Reflection meditation, [out of print].

Crafts and concentration

Crafts and mindfulness seem go hand in hand. Many people notice a calm centredness when they work in a garden, bake bread, or use their hands in some kind of craft activity. The process harnesses our ‘busy’ mind, and brings us closer to the place where thought stops taking over. The act of creating requires concentration as we use our skills and our senses. We need to concentrate just enough, but not think too much. “When I’m at the wheel, I have no choice but to be in the present.” says Clara, a potter. “If I try to follow a line of thought, even something simple like deciding where to go for lunch, I just have to stop as my work starts to suffer!” For Marion, knitting is as integral to her life as her Buddhist meditation practice, since each influences the other. “The concentration required seems to be very similar”, she notices, “as you notice thoughts but don’t allow them to take over. It has definitely helped my practice.”

The body

'The more consciousness you bring into the body, the stronger the immune system becomes. It is as if every cell awakens and rejoices. The body love your attention. It is also a potent form of self-healing. Most illnesses creep in when yo are not present in the body.'   Eckhart Tolle

The body offers us a wonderful tool when beginning to meditate. The best known technique is to scan the body part by part from head to toe - or toe to head, noticing which muscles are tense, and noticing sensations as the meditation proceeds until the whole body has been surveyed.

Another way is to focus your attention on the hara/tantien, the place just below the belly button. It can help to place your hand lightly on the area. If the mind wanders you simply return to this place with your awareness. One member described a meditation exercise that involved imagining a flame in the hara, and warmth coming from it which then radiates to the rest of the body.

An further method still is to spend your meditation period taking the cue from the body: search for where any the sensations are, and use them as a focus in practice. Notice them without judgement. When distractions come, return to the body. If you struggle with an analytical, busy mind it can help to employ a ‘right brain’ approach that is more abstract. Rather than labelling, naming or explaining what you feel, (eg this is tension/pain in my leg because xyz happened and I am taking xyz medicine) which acts to close down our intuition with a full stop, you might ask in open way… ‘in which part of my body does the sensation reside? What quality does the sensation have?’ Bring felt sensations into your consciousness rather than names. eg. you might sense the feeling as hot, cold, hard, soft, give it a texture or a colour. When your attention rests on it, if the sensation changes, try watching that too in the same way with imagery rather than labels or explanations.

Body Scan resources: There are free guided audio body scan meditations from Wildmind, Dan Darnell (both online only) and Insight Meditation Center (online or download). Note that these meditations assume a sitting posture, but it's easy to practice them lying down too. There's a written meditation at abc-of-mediation.com.

Breath

‘The breath is a very good one-point for concentration, because it’s fresh every second; it helps us bring the mind into the present moment,’ wrote Bo Lozoff, in We’re all Doing Time, the excellent resource he produced to accompany his project bringing meditation to prisoners. ‘And the present moment is the only place that true meditation every happens (in fact, it’s the only place anything ever happens).’ Using the breath as a focus for meditation practice is to be distinguished from breathing exercises, such as those used in Yoga, which seek to change the pattern of the breath in some way, in other words use it actively. In meditation we observe the breath without judgement.

Walpola Sri Rahula teaches how to begin awareness of breathing meditation. “You breathe in and out all day and night, but you are never mindful of it, you never for a second concentrate your mind on it. Now you are going to do just this. Breathe in and out as usual, without any effort or strain. Now, bring your mind to concentrate on your breathing-in and breathing-out; let your mind watch and observe your breathing in and out.”

There are a variety of additional methods of using the breath. A commonly taught technique to beginners of Buddhist meditation is the Mindfulness of breathing: observe the breath without changing it, and count the breaths. ‘In, out, one; in out, two,’ etc. Count to ten, and start again. Resume at the start if you lose your focus completely (as most people do when they start!).

The aim is to observe the breath from within the body, not the mind. So you can also try focusing on relevant parts of the body as you breathe. There are two well known methods. In the first, one concentrates on the exact part of the nostril where the air enters and leaves. It can take a while to establish exactly where this is depending on the person’s physiognomy. Once you have found the spot, this is where your attentions rests with each in and out breath. Alternatively, bring awareness to the lower abdomen as it gently rises and falls with each breath. The area of the second chakra, also known as the Hara or Tantien, is a powerful area for healing the mind/body connection.

Why is it so hard to meditate on my breath?

The bad news is, however, that for many people with ME, the breath just doesn’t feel like a friend in our meditation - nor is the counting helpful. Our feedback usually has been that it’s the opposite. Margaret was exasperated with her experience of breathing meditation practice. “My breathing has got so rapid in recent years (but still abdominal) that just watching it is exhausting and v stressful!” She was not alone. In her ME meditation group, Dido Dunlop recalled that “working with breathing in meditation has been such a problem that we have had to avoid it most of the time and do other things. It has produced tension, distress, and even near panic - because as soon as they watch their breathing they get in touch with how shallow, or hyperventilated, or fast, and uncomfortable it is.” These difficulties arise as a result of the predominance of hyperventilation in ME/CFS. Some health commentators feel that hyperventilation is epidemic in Western society - see the treatment section (find page at top of left hand side bar) for suggestions for tackling hyperventilation.

Using imagery

If counting finds you too stuck in your analytical, left-brain mode, it’s possible images and a more flexible awareness will enhance your meditation on the breath. Gary recalls his Soto Zen teacher’s imagery was most effective for him for meditation on the breath: “we used the image of a gate swinging open and closed with each breath in and out.” Stella, who has practised for some years, emailed, “I do recognise what you say about the counting. I found it unhelpful and it kicked into all sorts of obsessional anxiety stuff. Nowadays I tend to just drop in words as a way to encourage my focus and occupy the ‘wordy’ part of my mind with something helpful to the meditation. I tend to use words like - stillness or depth or space of aliveness or whatever seems helpful at the time. I also use images to integrate more of my faculties with the breath watching - a rising and falling waves image works well for me.”

Dido found using an abstract, imaginative approach enabled a breakthrough with breath- related anxiety. “Just by chance we found that for at least one person, it began to be possible when we were meditating on the air element. We were being aware of the air all around us, in the room and outside, the breezes and winds... and how that air was flowing in and out of our lungs. - then she felt there was at last enough air to breathe and was able to be relaxed enough with it.”

Exercise:

 “Let yourself be breathed. This exercise is best done while lying on your back ... close the eyes, let your arms rest alongside your body and focus attention on the breath without trying to influence it. Now imagine that with each inhalation the universe is blowing breath into you and with each exhalation withdrawing it. You are the passive recipient of breath... As the universe breathes into you, let yourself feel the breath penetrating to every part of your body, even to the tips of your fingers and toes.” Excerpt from Andrew Weil, Spontaneous Healing, p205.

::next: part II - nature, mantras, audio material and Don't give up!

Aids to Meditation (II)

by Joelle Marlow

Nature

Many people find nature offers a rich focus for calming the mind. Watching nature is something newcomers to meditation practice can ‘do’ without feeling they are trying to achieve anything. Connecting to nature brings us in touch with our senses and ourselves. Watching the rhythm of wildlife or the stillness of trees helps to train your mind into being here and now. Lying in bed, some people can only see the sky through their window - but watching clouds as they gently change shape is a long established traditional focus for contemplation.

Those who are fortunate enough to live in the country in a moderate climate can spend much of their time close to nature. Some have written about how meditating whilst lying on the earth felt deeply healing. It’s worthwhile bringing nature right to your bedside if, like many, you can’t do this. You might have no garden or view, and physically be unable get outdoors. With the eyes open or half open you can meditate using natural objects as a focus for concentration: a potted plant, freshly picked flowers, leaves, stones, crystals or sea shells. “I have a stone I like to either use as a visual focus, or sometimes actually hold in my hand when I meditate. I find the weight of it grounding,” Jane wrote. Invite the balance and sensory stimulation pieces of the natural world offer by engaging fully with your senses. Placed by the bedside, they invite you to share the stillness inherent in the earth. “Once when I was very ill after a relapse, my ex-colleagues sent a huge bouquet of flowers,” remembers Jade. “I have loved eucalyptus leaves ever since. As I lay there day by day I entered the world of each grey green leaf, and the richness of each peach rose petal. Watching the flowers was my meditation. Since then I have kept flowers or leaves by my bedside whenever I can.”

Last but not least, our users have often talked about pets - especially cats - as a guide to, and much loved companion in their newfound contemplative life. Gillian says “I feel as if my cat has taught me how to live with my illness and the solitude that comes with it. I can watch her for hours.” Having said this, they can also prove an amusing distraction!

Mantras

The use of mantras as a focus for meditation goes back thousands of years. ‘Mantra’ is a sanskrit word that means ‘mind-sound’ or ‘mind-protector’.

As part of spiritual practice, a mantra is a way to manifest the Divine in sound. In some traditions an accumulation of blessings, or the benefits associated with a deity, are bestowed on the person who chants a particular mantra. If you prefer a pragmatic explanation, just think of mantras as tools for helping you stay with your awareness. The word, sound or phrase might be anything you choose, for instance something likely to put you in a more positive or calm mental state. We know from research that repetition of words, or words spoken in a certain tone and in certain conditions can have a marked physiological effect, and alter our beliefs and perceptions.

Rebecca, a Yoga teacher, explained, “In yoga we do a lot of humming and chanting, and particular practices have specific effects upon different parts of the body. Humming different sounds sets up vibrations in different parts of the body and has a salutary effect - the syllable 'aum' is a simple example - try humming a long 'aaaa' on an outbreath, then a long 'uuuu' sound, then 'mmmm'. You should feel the first vibrating low down in the chest/upper abdomen, the second higher in the chest, and the third at the top of the shoulders and in the head. There are various theories about how such humming works, involving chakras and nadis (energy channels) and so on, and also the idea that particular sounds (Sanskrit syllables are thought to be especially effective) vibrate at particular frequencies which resonate with particular parts of the body. Anyway - whatever the theory, it's pretty effective.”

We can see then, that the rhythm, tone and sound can soothe us and connect us to our body in very real ways. However we don’t need to make a lot of noise. When the voice is weak due to extremely low energy, whispering your mantra once softly is enough to bring it into your consciousness - or say the sounds/ words silently in your mind.

Transcendental Meditation was brought to the west in the ‘60’s and inspired Dr Herbert Benson’s groundbreaking study of the health benefits of meditation, The Relaxation Response (1975). It is a method of repeating a simple word or sound to yourself throughout your meditation to help focus your thinking and achieve a state of calm. The mantra may be a Sanskrit word chosen by the teacher or one you feel to be effective. The idea is to adopt a passive attitude and use the wound to bring you back to concentration.

Experiment with this way of talking to yourself or the universe, and experiment until you find a mantra that works for you. Some Stillpoint friends have shared words or phrases that came to them and became a vehicle to inner connection. Edwina’s mantra, ‘this very second’, was very effective for bringing her back into connection with the ‘now’ in her daily life. Stella uses words spontaneously in her meditation. “I tend to just drop in words as a way to encourage my focus and occupy the ‘wordy’ part of my mind with something helpful to the meditation. I tend to use words like - stillness or depth or space of aliveness or whatever seems helpful at the time.”

Recommended:

• Stephen Austen, The Sacred Aum.
• Wholehealthmd.com meditation article

Audio Material

How would you like a Tibetan Buddhist lama to come and give you one to one instruction at home? Ok, it might not be the revered master himself, but all you need today is a cassette or CD player (or mini disk/MP3) and through mail order/the internet you can access life-changing spiritual guidance, along with a wide range of meditation resources, from wherever you are. It’s worth remembering that many of these are teachings that people in the West at one time rarely heard of, and if they did, they’d wait years and travel thousands to miles to hear them. We have never before had such access to teachings and meditation instruction from all traditions, and all nations. Such audio material has been a lifeline to many Stillpoint users, some of whom have never set foot in a retreat centre or meditation group.

A huge selection of tapes and CDs designed to help us with meditation are now available. Using headphones will help to eliminate background distractions and make the experience more immediate - as well as making it possible to do anywhere. Attaining the Alpha state to support your relaxation is made easier using musical sounds, created synthetically and in some cases, even designed on neurological research. Sounds such as flowing water and birdsong recorded from nature can also be purchased, whilst in many New Age recordings these are combined with soothing music to help you to drift into a calmer state. Then we have guided meditation resources in many forms, some with visualisations, some with instruction on techniques. Specialised titles deal with specific emotional or health issues. Finally, lectures by highly respected Dharma teachers can be purchased via publishers or the parent organisation. (See the Reaching Buddhism page - top of the left hand side-bar).

If you’ve ever had the exasperating experience of trying to sustain an image in your mind with brain fog, you’ll understand why we don’t have a section on visualisation techniques here, but refer to it in relation to audio material only. Most of our feedback is that concentration is so poor where factors of poor brain circulation and chronic fatigue are present, our users don’t find this method helpful unless perhaps with a person guiding one’s visualisation, or using audio material. It’s still better to begin with an assumption that your concentration will fade in and out. Also, the imagination is sometimes easier if using ‘felt’ sensation rather than visual pictures, for instance, imagine cold or the wind or physical sensations if you can’t keep a clear image of a place; and one strongly felt aspect of a person’s qualities or appearance may be easier to ‘hold’ in the consciousness rather than a detailed picture.

If a fogged or busy head is making it impossible for you to hold your concentration, it can help to use a meditation tape or CD. This can bring the mind back in a gentle and unobtrusive way, acting as a good substitute for your own 'witness' mind. The Stillpoint audio meditation page reviews several good meditation tapes and CDs.

Don't give up!

Support

We all need relationships and community to keep our practice alive. As Stephen Batchelor, author of ‘Buddhism without Beliefs' states, ‘Dharma practice is not just a question of cultivating resolve and integrity in the privacy of our hearts. It is embodied in friendships. Our practice is nourished, sustained, and challenged through ongoing contact with friends and mentors who seek to realise the dharma in their own lives.’

If you struggle to stay motivated, reach out to like minded people. Foster relationships that support your interest in meditation and keep you inspired. Even in socially isolated conditions, we can connect to others by a variety of means. Our members have shared experiences via self-help networks and web forums, developing friendships of mutual support over hundreds if not thousands of miles by telephone, letter, email.

What about spiritual guidance? It is recommended that anyone embarking on meditation practice develops a relationship with someone who is properly trained. Courses [reaching buddhism #] that are now available offer guidance from a trained teacher by email.

Occasionally people find that meditation and Buddhist practice doesn't so much solve problems as heighten awareness of how much they've suffered. If your practice seems emotionally draining rather than nourishing, or is bringing up painful issues from your past, then you might want to consider long-term emotional support in the form of Buddhist-influenced psychotherapy.

Staying motivated

"Be disciplined about getting to the meditation cushion - but lazy once you've got there." This is a favourite quotation for those of us who have struggled to set up a regular meditation practice. In other words, it doesn’t matter what you do in the session, the starting point is just getting there. Make space for it in your day, even if its just a few minutes, and don’t have expectations. One member remarked that she had trouble setting aside a daily meditation slot, then a friend reminded her how she’d no problem remembering to watch a certain TV programme regularly, and she felt she had no excuse! Another was helped by an experienced practitioner saying that it was worth persevering at the start, as she had, and then missed it on days when she didn’t manage to sit: it had become a need, something with tangible benefits, and not an obligation.

There’s no such thing as a wasted meditation session

The effectiveness of meditation - as well as our own confidence - comes gradually. Integral to this process is our increasing willingness to look at the difficulties arising in our practice, whatever the causes, as part of the practice itself: because meditation, like life, is never perfect. As we mature, we see everything that arises into our awareness in the moment as another opportunity to look deeper into ourselves, rather than try to change or avoid them, or seek answers outside us.

If we develop our practice within a whole philosophy, rather than just as a physical exercise, the rewards are great. As anyone who wishes to pursue Dharma with qualified teachers will discover, Buddhism has thousands of years' worth of teachings on the many obstacles typically encountered on the path, and how to address them.

In conclusion, despite our particular health problems and the obstacles they create, there is much that can be done. And if you're still worried, some meditators have shared how they have successfully integrated the 'problems' into their practice. Remember, there's no such thing as a wasted meditation session, and there’s no perfect meditation; and as many of our members have reflected, ME can actually be the ideal opportunity to learn.

Meditates with Cats

(With apologies to Kevin Costner)
By Dorothy Scarth

In Buddhism, there are five hindrances which are recognised as having the potential to hamper or impede practice. These are:- ill will, desire, restlessness and anxiety, doubt and indecision and (my favourite) sloth and torpor. But this misses out hindrance number six - Cats! Definitely one that has predominated my attempts to meditate. So I have written this for anyone who is experiencing this very powerful hindrance.

Today is a day when I feel able to remain vertical for a few minutes without keeling over into an untidy heap. Today is the day when Enlightenment feels like more than just a far off dream. Today I am going to meditate.

I get up from the sofa and go and sit on my upright wooden chair and assume my best upright ( but relaxed) posture. My intention is strong. Today nothing will stand in my way.

I close my eyes, my hands resting in my lap and start to bring my awareness to my breath.

Cat, who has previously been snoring in his sleep, opens eyes and looks at me in an appraising manner. Something interesting is going on.

The Mindfulness of Breathing. Breathe in, breathe out, count one. Breathe in, breathe out, count two....

Cat, who is of some considerable weight due to addiction to Friskies Fish Shaped Delights, jumps on my lap and sits down facing me. Concentration momentarily broken, I return again to the beginning. Breathe in, breathe out, count one. Breathe in, breathe out, count two...

Think to myself, 'these thoughts are just a bubble in the mind of the Buddha'. Cat thinks, 'Owner is just a bubble in the mind of Buddha'.

After a few minutes of observation and realising that he is being completely ignored (and as we know what is ignored has a tendency to grow stronger), Cat stands upright on his hind legs and places paws firmly on each shoulder, nose half an inch away from mine. I know this because I sneaklily open my eyes, being careful not to open them too wide in case he knows I'm "there". Return again to the beginning, breathe in, breathe out, count one. Breathe in, breathe out, count two, breath in...

Still standing on his hind legs, Cat pats my cheek gently with his paw, in manner of "You know you love me really". I register the paw, the very persistent paw, pay it positive regard , take a deep breath and return to the count. Breathe in, breathe out, count one. Breathe in, breathe out, count two...

Cat, who cannot believe he is being ignored, now starts to pat cheek more insistently and then to rake my hair with his claws. Thoughts of returning Cat to RSPCA fill my mind, ill will and desire coming together all in one go. Think to myself, these thoughts are just a bubble in the mind of the Buddha. Cat thinks, Owner is just a bubble in the mind of Buddha. Back to one again. Breath in, breathe out...

Cat now pushes extremely wet nose up against mine - and keeps it there. I register the very wet gooey sensation, and my increasing thoughts of irritation and catricide, then imagine them dissolving into the air and falling like lotus blossoms to the ground. Cat imagines his thoughts of irritation dissolving into the air and falling like Whiskas Meaty Chunks into his bowl. Return to the count - again! Breathe in, breathe out, count one....

Cat butts nose hard up against mine, keeps it there and blocks off necessary airway.

I GIVE UP. I am defeated.! Nirvana will have to wait for another day. I open my eyes, see him standing there eyes fixed intently on mine, and scratch his head gently. . He purrs loudly, turns round and settles down on my lap. I look down at him and a shaft of sunlight illuminates his fur, highlighting the deep browns and black. I stroke him gently, feeling his fur soft and silky beneath my hand, his body sturdy and compact. I hear the bass hum of his purr. I smile and think of how funny he is, and how much I love him. He looks up at me and purrs even more loudly. This, he assures me telepathically is true enlightenment.

Mission accomplished.

Dedicated to Jesse
(sadly no longer with us),
a true Bodhisattva among cats.

audio: Guided meditation

Guided Meditations - Bodhipaksa.

The narrator has a soft, calming voice that gently takes you through each meditation, stage-by-stage, and makes the whole process fairly simple. It begins with the classic meditation on the breath (27mins), audio sample: Mindfulness of Breathing. Also includes a meditation to nurture Loving Kindness and a Walking Meditation. This is Amazon's best-selling meditation CD - not surprising considering the superb customer reviews it gets. The meditations are Buddhist in origin but no spiritual beliefs are involved. Guided Meditations for Stress Reduction is also worth a look.
>> CD from Wildmind Buddhist Meditation (also as MP3 download) and Windhorse Publications t 0141 630 4164; also from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Audio info To give best results with dial-up modems, clips are all lo-fi quality, either in RealAudio™ format (free RealPlayer® here), or mp3.

Breathing Peace - Richard Farmer

A simple yet effective method, ideal for beginners. The session begins by setting up a comfortable, balanced posture and relaxing the whole body. Then, with the out breath, the emphasis is on releasing and letting go. This sets up a state of receptivity for the in breath, so that with it you experience each new moment as it comes. Audio sample: The Peace of Stillness. 24 minutes. Track 2 is a meditation for the heart, 22 minutes.
>> Tape or CD from Living Dharma Tapes, e-mail, t 01432 840860.

Learn to Meditate Kit - Patricia Carrington.

A comprehensive course teaching 'Clinically Standardized Meditation', which was developed purely as a relaxation technique. An instruction manual and four audio tapes guide you step by step; the emphasis is on making meditation as easy as possible (audio sample) with advice on adapting the technique to suit each individual; much of the course is devoted to overcoming problems that might occur. I am not a natural meditator and had made several previous attempts to learn, but using this course I was finally able to establish a regular and satisfying practice. Not cheap, but well worth it if you have problems learning meditation.
>> From Bookplace Ltd (UK/Europe) t 01923 229933 and EFT (North America).

Vipassana Meditations - Ram Dass

If you have done some meditation before you might enjoy these practices of extended focus on the breath by the legendary Ram Dass (Vipassana audio sample). The tape also includes a short mantra meditation and a Q&A session.
>> Tape or CD from Living Dharma Tapes. E-mail, t 01432 840860.

Beginning Meditation Class - Jim Malloy.

Each of these four simple meditations uses a different element as the focus for your attention. The first uses the breath; you are gently guided into the meditation (audio sample), then continue for about ten minutes with music playing and the occasional gentle reminder to bring your attention back to the breath if it has drifted off - then the exercise is brought to a close. All the meditations have a similar format; one uses a mantra as the focus, another uses the light on the inside of your closed eyelids, while a fourth, Spiritual Sun, focuses on the more spiritual aspects of meditation. Includes a booklet with tips and information to get you started; e-mail support is also available. 56 minutes in total, on CD.
>> $19 inc. shipping to anywhere in the world from World Wide Online Meditation Center. 30-day money-back guarantee

Guided Meditations - Diana Lampen.

These ten short stilling practices use classic meditation techniques such as using a mantra and meditation on a candle flame; some of the relaxations also use imagery (imagine you're a bird riding a thermal...). A good way to try out different techniques and ideal if you just want a short relaxation, audio sample.
>> Tapes and CDs from Diana Lampen

Breath of Time 2 - Charles Vald

A good sound track for meditating on the breath. Ethereal synthesised music is mixed with the soothing sounds of flowing water, and the pace of breathing is set by the gentle chiming of a bell. Side 1 has five bells a minute (sample), side 2 just three bells a minute (30 minutes each side).
>>From Hypnosis Health Care (more samples); $19.99 inc. shipping worldwide.

Cosmic Candle (& Yoga Nidra) - Muz Murray.

Feeling adventurous? Try this: 'imagine yourself as a gigantic candle, sculpted in your own likeness, with your backbone as the wick, rising upwards into the middle of your head - and softly glowing with a gentle flame that illumines the interior of your mind', audio sample. You then proceed to melt. This is definitely a little weird, but I find it deeply relaxing as all the tension just melts away (and yes, you do get to put yourself back together at the end of the meditation). 35 minutes. Sold as Yoga Nidra, 'The Sleep of the Yogi's' - the title of the flip side. This is a method of deep relaxation by slowly withdrawing consciousness from the tips of your toes through to the top of your head; 45 minutes, with sitar music.
>>From Muz Murray (cheque payment). Or to buy online it's a hefty £8.95 (CD £15.99) plus £1.40 p&p from The Inner Bookshop, t 01865 245301.

Where to browse for more tapes & CDs
Sounds True has a vast catalogue of meditation tapes & CDs, many with audio clips. Amazon.co.uk's Relaxation and Meditation category (also Amazon.com) has many meditation tapes, and The Inner Bookshop also has a good selection.

Reviews of online meditations

 

All reviews by Simon McGrath (relaxationreviews.org).

RealAudio and RealPlayer are registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc.

Meditation as a Healing Attitude (I)

by Joelle Marlow

Here we examine two approaches which support the introduction of meditation to your life, and together which support healing. Part two looks at four more: kindness, letting go, patience and enjoyment. 

Stopping

For those on the move: finding ‘now’

The pace of life today is often overwhelming. There is so much information, so much activity, and constant demands on our senses. If our lives are too full, our minds are too full. Meditation practice demands (as well as creates) space. It requires us to stop.

If, despite poor health, you remain habitually busy, be prepared for a process of adapting to a new way of relating to time and to your body. If you take regular pauses throughout your day and slow down, you can be more aware of how ‘full’ your life feels, and ‘full’ your mind feels. This is just as important as the time spent meditating.

Darlene Cohen calls this finding ‘the one who is not busy’. It is vital to give ourselves permission to stop in order to look at the bigger picture. Many people are ‘running on empty’, ignoring stress related health symptoms, hoping they will go away. If we don’t allow time to pause and be aware of how we feel, then it’s not possible to know where the limits to our physical or mental energy are, never mind recognise when we’ve crossed them.

When Joanna struggled to face up to a diagnosis of ME/CFS after years of a successful career, she discovered she’d forgotten how to relax. “There was no way I could sit and meditate. I realised I’d become completely caught up in a habit of being on the move, all my time being accounted for in some sort of useful activity. I started to allow myself ‘wasted time’ time with no intended outcome. Also, I realised there were situations presented to me daily that were an opportunity to learn how to sit still and rest my mind. I had always carried a book or walkman when I went out, but I started leaving them at home: I’d experiment with bringing my attention inwards quietly whilst sitting at a bus stop, queuing in shops or sitting in the doctors surgery. It was the beginning for me. It paved the way for my meditation practice because I began to make some space in my head.”

Bringing a more pure attention to the present, when it becomes a habit, eventually affects our whole life. It makes our choices more connected to our needs: whether trivial day to day decisions, or more serious decisions such as relationship or employment commitments. Where we need to simplify, how can we give ourselves some breathing space?

Recommended:
• Dr David Kundtz, Stopping: How to be still when you want to keep going, 1998, ISBN 1573241091. Suppliers include Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
• The Curly Pyjama Letters, by Michael Leunig. "It is worth doing nothing and having a rest; in spite of all the difficulty it may cause, you must rest, Vasco — otherwise you will become RESTLESS! I believe the world is sick with exhaustion and dying of restlessness."

Embracing stillness within illness

If you lead a life adapted to chronic illness - unable to work or confined at home or hospital - you may have found it isn’t necessarily any easier to meditate if you have time on your hands. It can be a challenge as a beginner learning in social isolation with no teacher.

The same strategies described above are needed. What matters is how our life is being experienced moment to moment from within the body/mind. We can still be ‘running’ in our head, and we can still be tense and overactive when not doing a great deal. Pain and uncomfortable symptoms dominate our attention… or we fill our minds with distraction so we don’t feel them so fully. Add to this the strain of our relations with carers, family, employers and medical professionals now we are incapacitated, and we can inhabit an inner world in which there is no peace.

Regularly pausing and connecting to our body and mind in the present moment is the beginning of enabling healing. It is also a necessary habit for managing finite energy levels. We start to rest more deeply and more frequently, and monitor more accurately how much energy is in the ‘bank’ for today. Relating to our health with mindfulness - as opposed to defensiveness or a sort of ‘survival’ mode - brings more perspective. We judge more objectively which treatment interventions are helpful and what exacerbates our symptom pattern.

Ricky Buchanan, author of a well known letter to non CFS sufferers also wrote about her difficulties with meditation. She noted however that even if meditation seemed too difficult, it was a breakthrough in itself for her to have complete mental and physical rest. "I might not do much physically but I do tend to fill up my time nonetheless, unless I'm really too sick I tend to be listening to the radio, or reading, or whatever, almost all the time." She realised she needed to introduce more total 'stimulation-free' time to rest more fully. This is a lesson for all of us. Before worrying about ‘whether we are meditating right’, learn what true rest is. How much of our environment (TV, radio, phone) usually drains our mental energy? How often do we enjoy silence, either in solitude or shared with others?

Recommended:
• Eckhart Tolle The power of Now: a guide to Spiritual enlightenment, 1999 ISBN 0340733500. Try Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
• On Being Still... The tale of the Buddha and the king

Noticing

Mindfulness is about noticing: observing what is happening in your body, and what is happening in your mind. Judgement of it isn’t helpful, and changing it isn’t necessary. Strengthening the ‘witness’ in us involves developing our concentration and awareness. What happens naturally as this habit grows in us, is we develop a greater ability to actually make choices about what we hold our attention to. We gain more control over our minds.

Inhabit the body. Listen to it. As soon as he came back from a day at his job as an IT manager, Jonathan’s approach was to lie down and - as he put it - ‘find the tiredness.’ This describes perfectly what the aim is - to spend time going towards the sensations of the body with an enquiring, curious spirit rather than avoiding them.

By paying closer attention, we become an expert on our own healing, and an agent in it. “By the time I was so ill I was rarely able to get out of the house, I felt powerless and scared,” remembers Jade. “One day I met a woman at a New Age centre when we ate a shared lunch. I noticed how she seemed to know a lot about what diet suited her. When I asked about this she simply said, ‘you have to be like a detective investigating your own body.’ I saw the sense in this. Slowly I began to observe the effect different things were having on me by noticing reactions and all the different physical sensations. I made important changes after that - changed my diet, and started being careful about the people and places I spent time with that were not going to help me heal.”

What’s happening in our minds? Noticing the subject and nature of our thinking is another adventure in observation. It’s noticing this that most shocks beginners in meditation. We learn just how much our mind grips and returns to thoughts, fantasies, stories, and self-talk. It turns out, to our astonishment, that we spend much of our lives lost in thoughts which, looked at objectively, are simply replays of events in the past (perhaps regrets), or imagined outcomes which may happen in the future (perhaps fears). We learn how we’re controlled by these thoughts rather than vice versa. From time to time in our daily life, as a support to a mindful and calmer life, we can bring in our ‘witness’ to see the nature of our thoughts - catch our mind in the act of creating illusions - then gently come back to the present again.

Recommended: Darlene Cohen, Turning Suffering Inside Out: A Zen Approach to Living with Physical and Emotional Pain, 2000. ISBN 1570628173. Try Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Exercise: take a 5 minute break, sitting or lying comfortably wherever you are, and choose one of your senses to be with for that time. All you will do is be with one of your senses...sight, smell, hearing, touch… whichever sense you choose to focus on, don’t judge or try to change what it’s telling you. Simply receive what it brings and sit passively letting it wash over you.