Essay - Meditation: Theory & Practice Reflections of the Practices and Concepts...

Meditation: Theory & Practice

Reflections of the practices and concepts learned in class

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The practice and belief ***** the art of Meditation is as old as ***** sayings of ancient sages and yet in its' antiquity the ***** of meditation from a holistic view still remains one of validity and possibly even more so than in earlier days of man's existence garnered by the fact that meditation has stood the test ***** time and trial throughout the history of mankind to remain even yet that which has within ***** essence that which through transcendental means ***** power to refresh the heart, mind and soul ***** man and as well to draw the persecuted flesh near to relief ***** ********** through a spiritu*****l and inner door.

I. Breath

Although most of the ***** it is something we do quite unconsciously, to brea*****, or our breathing is the essence of life as ***** as a link between our body ***** the outside world. *****ing ***** ***** biological function and is foundational in ***** means of human ***** as well as being associated with our spirit ***** min. There is a Japanese letter that stands for breath and represents "the *****d of self." Breath ***** many character*****tics that are inseparable ***** the state ***** mind; ***** example our breath becomes shorter when we are tense or afraid but a slow deep breath relaxes and calms ***** mind. When following the *****, we ***** balancing our ***** and mind. Following ***** breath results in our creation of inner harmony and thus ***** find we are expl*****ing the living frontier where body, mind, and ***** meet.

II. Concentration and Mindfulness:

Upon the realization of ***** meaning and significance ***** these things, I always return again to the breath. The times ***** ***** find myself distracted or lacking in awareness I return to the breath and ***** the place of *************** and of meditation. Within this process of regaining composure ***** is made to be the objective of meditation. The ***** is through stating within my own mind the word "in" which provides a rem*****der of the inhaling of breath and "out" for the exhaling ***** breath as a reminder of incoming ***** outgoing *****. As this process occurs and the present is gradually returned to ********** comes the following ***** my breath with focus on the tip of my nose. The art in ***** I realize is ***** enjoying ***** each breath appreciating ***** I am in the "here and now." *****, because it is always available, is a useful object ***** not only med*****ation ***** also in daily life for concentration ***** com*****g back to the present as a method in relaxing and quieting the mind.

***** are four mindfulness components:

***** of *****;

Feeling;

Mind; ***** Dyn*****ic ***** mind

***** mindfulness meditation, I st***** focusing on my breath as I noticing coolness and warmness through my nostrils, smoothness, speed, length, and other descriptive sensati*****s involved in mindless meditation. I gradually expand *****