Another way to meditate in your everyday life

Sunday, 11 July 2010 18:17 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

Have you ever tried meditating on sound? It's easy. If you like, bring your awareness to your two ears and listen so the sound around you -- even as you are reading this message.. 

Listening becomes meditating when you keep your awareness focused on your ears for an extended period of time -- perhaps a minute or two..  Of course you'll lose the focus, but then you refocus -- over and over again.  That's the nature of the practice. 

I like to take a few moments to meditate on sound when I'm in a restaurant. The sound of people talking to each other happily, joyously, often with outbreaks of laughter fills me with pleasure.  Try it.  I think you'll like it.

And then let me know what happened.

There are many ways to meditate

Monday, 28 June 2010 19:08 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

Have you ever tried meditating while washing the dishes?  Just keep your focus on the present moment..on the feel of the warm water on your hands, on the gentle caressing of a plate.  When thoughts arise, gently return to the warmth of the water.

Know that the mind's job is to think, and it will return to that activity whenever it can. As a meditator it's your job to accept the mind even as you let go of the thoughts and return to the water and the dish in your hands.   

The next to Biggest Challenge

Tuesday, 22 June 2010 20:39 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

The next biggest challenge was to allow the mind to do its thing, which is to think. 

To this day I keep my awareness focused on whatever happens in any of my 5 senses, and that includes what happens in the thinking mind. Then I simply observe internal talk arise, manifest and fade without any judgment .  

What Are the Greatest Challenges to Meditation?

Saturday, 19 June 2010 09:44 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

For me, the greatest challenge was to develop a daily practice.  It took years.  At first, I would only sit when I went on retreat with Shinzen Young, my teacher, and that was once or twice a year!  And then I would go through periods, perhaps as long as a month, when I sat everyday, but inevitably something would happen. Perhaps it was a summer cold or a work deadline, and  the result was that I stopped meditating.

Maybe it was a week or even a month later that I would once again find myself sitting on my cushion at 6 in the morning and it felt good.

Now my practice is moslty steady. When I awaken in the morning, somewhere between 5:30 and 6,  I roll out of bed, visit the bathroom, make my way to the place where I meditate and set my alarm for a half hour  It takes very little effort.

It's much like learning to run.  At first it's hard even to get those sneakers on but then it's almost as though a switch has been flipped and it's easy. I think of learning to meditate as a developmental process.  It takes time. There's no point in fighting it.

When good things happen to someone else

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 20:04 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

Think about what you  feel if someone you care about lands a good job or a clean bill of health.  Most likely you feel happy. You want the best for him or her.  

However, you're a human being. And human beings are subject to a particular virus called comparison. Just about all of us have the virus, so there's no point in feeling guilty about it.  Maybe, just maybe, when the person you love lands a good job you compare your job with hers and feel jealous. One thing you know for sure now is that you're human. That also means you have the opportunity to develop the skill called letting go, in this case, of  jealousy..

Perhaps you are also aware that you're very happy, even joyous, for her.  It's time to celebrate.   

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Don't believe everything you think

Sunday, 02 May 2010 20:10 Written by Barbara Miller Fishman, Ph.D

 Another look at near enemies:  Pity is the near enemy of compassion

Thinking that separates you from the other person; it creates distance, a distance that diminishes caring and compassion.