60-Meditation

I had a fascinating college professor who really blew my mind one lecture. He stated "if you are thinking, you are not aware" and then gave a lecture on Eastern philosophy. That totally confused me because I realized I 'thought' all the time & assumed everyone else did too. That talk eventually led me to the Atlanta Soto Zen Center where I practiced 'not thinking' and eventually went on many different types of silent meditation retreats ranging from 3 to 10 days (even a 5 week silent vipassanna meditation retreat about 10 yrs ago)
Some spiritual teachers, like the late Osho, claim that most people are not ready for a meditation like Vipassanna because they have too much repressed energy that needs to be released before doing a long sitting meditation. Perhaps it is best to put on some dance music & shake around for about 15 minutes before trying to meditate!
Actually, there is never a time when we are not 'meditating'...Are you aware now of your posture?(is your back straight?) Your breathing?(the inhalation & exhalation thru the nostrils or the rise & fall of your abdomen) Any sensations or tensions in the body? The background noises? The words on this screen & all the colors & forms surrounding the computer? If you are, then you are practicing 'meditation'...
Unfortunately the Mind rarely wants to stay grounded in Reality, the timeless Present Moment...It wants to stay in the Past of memories or the Future of fantasies,planning,or 'worries'....So by practicing mindfulness meditation & bringing one's attention over & over to the Reality of the NOW moment One starts to have a clarity & spaciousness of Mind...
The breath is a good tool to stay present because breathing is always taking place in the NOW...on some Vipassanna 10 day retreats the first 3 days will just be spent following the sensations of the breath(not trying to control it like some yogic teachings but just being aware of whether it is deep/shallow, short/long)
Later, one starts to focus awareness into the various sensations of the body & realizes how they eventually fade away...one does a 'body scan' and feels what parts of the body are vibrating with feeling & which are not..
Moving meditative disciplines such as Tai Chi,yoga,and various martial arts, and sitting meditations such as Zazen,Dzochen, or Vipassanna are about deepening one's concentration and awareness of NOW...When the practice is over one starts to realize that Eternity, the timeless Present Moment, has no beginning or end...We can either stay AWAKE and pay Attention, BE mindful, of the NOW or go on 'auto-pilot' and stay 'lost' in the Maya/Mind...
There are numerous books to help one awaken...perhaps one of the best teachers is Eckhart Tolle & 'Practicing the Power of the Now'...May you bring 'The Miracle of Mindfulness'(Thich Nhat Hanh) to all your activities...breathing,talking,walking,eating,typing...and especially listening..
"When will the Kingdom come?" asked the pupil.
"The Kingdom will not come by expectation.The Kindom of Heaven is spread upon the Earth and Men do not SEE!"-Jesus (Gospel according to Thomas)
The purpose of Life is to SEE!-one Zen Master
LOOK! LISTEN! FEEL! YOU ARE ALIVE!!!
May all beings be happy,peaceful, and free from suffering