The Buddha said that it’s our mind which makes our world. The mind is the source of all our experience. It’s not our eyes that see but our mind. It’s not our tongue that tastes but our mind. Our mind is truly powerful.
Neurological scientists have found that our mind is pliable. Repeated experience can change the way our brain works. The point of meditation is to change the mental habits that cause us unhappiness. Through retraining our mind, our brain can develop new neuronal connections so that we move beyond anxiety and pain to happiness and peace.
Meditation is a very simple exercise in resting the natural state of our mind. We focus on our breath ( sometimes it's a mantra or a koan but breath is the easiest) and when a thought or feeling comes up, we neither reject or accept it, we simply let the experience pass. This place of stillness and peace is what the Buddha called our true home. It's our inner gold.
Thoughts, worries, anxieties and problems are the mud for our lotus to bloom. Rather than trying to stop them - which would be impossible - we simply observe them and stop reacting to them. There is no way to have lasting peace and contentment unless we can rest our mind.
Many people believe that the only way to meditate is to sit on a cushion but sitting meditation is just one type. At the Shaolin Temple of Zen, everything we do is meditation. All of our Shaolin Workouts are done with these guidelines. We simply focus on breath and movement together.
It can be the same in your day-to-day life. You can use these guidelines to turn anything you do into your meditation. If you already do sitting meditation, try it after your Qigong or Kung Fu session and you will find that your mind is far more settled. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, I strongly recommend you do a Shaolin Kung Fu or Qigong. This will really help you to open to your bodies automatic wisdom and your mind's inner gold.
And remember, now you no longer need to get frustrated in a queue. It’s a great place to meditate!
Need a reminder to be mindful? Wear Jade.
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