As a Thai people who used to be a monk two times in my life This video is one of the best Western explanation of meditation I have ever seen He knows exactly what meditation is 👍🏻

I heard this attributed to zen. "If you are too busy to meditate for 20 minutes you should meditate for an hour" Gassho

This cleared up soooo much for me as someone new to Buddhism! Thank you! A few things I have learned from meditation so far: 1). be kind to yourself. If you experience a great deal of back pain, don't be afraid to use a back rest of some sort. 2). If you cry during a loving kindness meditation, just let it happen. The surge of emotion can be overwhelming, but like any other sensation, simply be aware. (I looked into crying during loving kindness meditation and apparently I'm not odd. It's quite common! Especially for newbies!) 😊🙏❤

as someone who has struggled most of her life with insomnia, it's extremely useful to meditate before going to bed. anyone who's overwhelmed with work and has difficulty setting aside time to meditate should definitely try before falling asleep!

Great.I am from Myanmar. I have experienced meditation since 2003.In my opinion Meditation is for everyone.You do not need to change your religion. If you can control your mind everything be okay.Less of anger is my obvious experience.

Thank you, Doug! I come from a psych background and I really find Buddhist teachings and practices similar to psych. I see a lot of psych journal articles proving the benefits of mindfulness. I feel like this is the reason why I am drawn to Buddhism.❤

I researched a lot of channels on Buddism and nothing appealled me like your channel which I found by chance (when I was not looking specifically). Seriously you made it very simple and significant. Thank you!!!

Great video, thank you very much, may all being be freed from suffering and the causes of suffering

Great video Doug! It’s a good intro for beginners, but also a nice refresher for more experienced practitioners. So I meditate for at least 1 hour a day, possibly longer and more than one sitting if I have the time. For the bulk of my meditation time in one sitting I do anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) which is a calming meditation. I find anapanasati has aspects of mindfulness meditation as well since I non-judgementally observe any thoughts, sensations, feelings, memories that come up and see them arise and pass away. After my mind has calmed down, I do some asubha meditation, contemplating the unattractive aspects of the body as described in the suttas. Next, I do metta meditation and instead of repeating phrases I first try to contemplate how I, at the core of my being, deeply wish to be happy and avoid suffering. I then contemplate how other beings wish the same and feel their subjectivity as well. So I put myself in others’ shoes and deeply feel how they also wish to be happy and free from suffering. This often gives rise to a natural feeling of love and compassion. In succession, I first contemplate myself, then a friend, neutral person, and a difficult person and try to feel a deep love and compassion for them all. This line of succession is inspired by the Visuddhimagga-style metta meditation steps. Then I wish loving-kindness and compassion to all (metaphoric) hell-beings, hungry ghosts, animals, human beings, and all beings without exception, recognizing all beings’ wish to be happy and free from suffering. This latter extension of metta meditation I have adopted from the Lamrim practices in the Tibetan tradition. When I refer to the different realms of existence such as the hells and hungry ghosts, this is not necessarily a literal belief in these planes of existence. Rather, these planes of existence have their counterparts in human, animal, and other actual realms where hell represents the extreme forms of suffering sentient beings undergo, hungry ghosts represents the restlessness, anxiety beings experience, and so forth. In this manner, one meditation sitting can take up to 1 to 2 hours. If circumstances permit, I will do more such sittings in a day. Doing the asubha and metta meditations after a lengthy session of anapansati makes the subsequent meditations more powerful and effective. I have also benefitted a lot from Ajahm Brahm and the Thai Forest Tradition’s approach to meditation and the Dharma. My meditation practice really took off when I started learning Ajahn Brahm’s approach to the practice. His teachings have given me a clearer understanding of the Path. For example, he uses words such as “stillness” instead of “concentration” to translate samadhi and what should be happening with regular meditation practice. Before coming across Ajahn Brahm’s teachings and those of the Thai forest tradition in Ajahn Chah’s lineage, my experience with meditation had met with paltry success. Part of the reason is that words like “concentration” are used to talk about meditation and its results, e.g. Right Concentration. “Concentration” connotes a somewhat strained, wilful activity which can often lead to a wrong understanding and approach to meditation. But with Ajahn Brahm’s explanations one sees that stillness and the beautiful silence and happiness of the mind is to be expected when one eases into the practice and let’s go of more and more things in meditation. This is just one small example of the benefits I’ve gotten from Ajahn Brahm and his disciples’ teachings. All for now. Thanks again Doug for your inspiring videos as well!

Really good video, gave great insight in the techniques and purposes of meditations, in a simple way. Inspiring!

Thanks Doug! I came across your videos and love them! Looked for something like this and didn’t find. Your explanation about rituals is wonderful! Keep going! I’ll follow from BRASIL!

This is indeed informative video with suggestions.

Doug, I loved this one. i am starting a meditation class tonight and got a few ideas from this. My meditation started with T M in 1971 and a number of different ones since, I now follow Chogyam Trungpa meditation, it is the best for me. Keep up the good work, you are doing a great job.

Mindfulness is what seems to work the best for me. I also like that I can practice it outside of a formal meditation setting. Yesterday I was anxious about something and I was able to use the skills that I learned from mindfulness practice to calm myself down.

Hi Doug! I have been doing a lot of reading as well as research on Buddhism and have found so much interest in it, the Majjhima Nikaya being my main source of focus. Here lately, meditation practice has been kind of a brick wall in my path. This video has been so helpful in clearing some misconceptions I had about it. Just wanted to say thank you for what you do and your videos have helped me in many other similar situations.

Wonderfully presented as always.

Thank you very much! Very useful!

Thank you.You are doing a great job.

Thank You , even I did not know about these practises .

thank you this was very helpful!

Living in a very complex economic pattern, we miss the Dharma and there is truth in the Buddha's Dharma.🇱🇰

Great video Doug, I spent many years close to the Thai Monastic tradition and have also studied Zen to a limited degree, I use a meditation timer that has an interval bell to separate a 30 minute sitting into 3 10 minute blocks, I start with Samatha and often achieve rapture but not always and I try not to make this a target, then Vipassana followed by Metta, for Metta I was taught to bring an acquaintance to mind and imagine them as a baby - vulnerable and fragile and allow a natural feeling of protection and good will to develop, then to repeat this someone closer like a friend or colleague, then someone I have held I'll feelings towards in the past, then myself finally allowing this positive protective feeling to grow to encompass my Town,City,Country and finally the entire earth. My problem has always been establishing a consistent practice I am a natural procrastinator and struggle with this, your videos are helping to inspire my practice though!

Great video! Been interested in meditation for 3-4 years but never got a solid daily practice going until around a year ago! Started with just 5 mins a day of calming meditation then found The Mind Illuminated which really gave me some clear instructions and a clear path to progress on. Around xmas last year I started vipassana meditation and it has been a pretty wild ride since then! My current meditation practice is now 30 mins TMI- based samatha and then 30 mins vipassana daily! I tend to neglect metta meditation a bit but for the rare times I have tried it, it has made me feel really good and generally mood improves. Also will be attending my first mahasi style vipassana weekend retreat this weekend (virtual) which I am very excited for!

Thank you. This has been the best and easiest explanation of meditation I’ve ever heard.

Hi Doug, thank you so much for your video. I am new to Buddhism (I because a Buddhist about two years ago). Currently,my default meditation is calming meditation, which I was first introduced to by a former therapist under the label of MBSR to help me with extreme anxiety. I just went a step further and embraced Buddhism fully. I have also done loving kindness meditation and mindfulness as well, but I am going to pay more attention to these types of meditation practices. May you be well. Take care .

I realy like buddhism thank you so much for shareing

Great video!!

I meditate each day for 30 minutes starting with a short calming meditation followed by body scan and hearing meditation (choiceless awareness). I end by chanting to myself the Buddha's Words on Loving-Kindness with one change at the end (born again to born again into ego-self) that is more in keeping with Buddhadasa's secular interpretation of Dependent Co-arising. [This is what should be done ] By one who is skilled in goodness, And who knows the path of peace: Let them be able and upright, Straightforward and gentle in speech, Humble and not conceited, Contented and easily satisfied, Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways. Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful, Not proud or demanding in nature. Let them not do the slightest thing That the wise would later reprove. Wishing: In gladness and in safety, May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there may be; Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, The great or the mighty, medium, short or small, The seen and the unseen, Those living near and far away, Those born and to-be-born - May all beings be at ease! Let none deceive another, Or despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill-will Wish harm upon another. Even as a mother protects with her life Her child, her only child, So with a boundless heart Should one cherish all living beings; Radiating kindness over the entire world: Spreading upwards to the skies, And downwards to the depths; Outwards and unbounded, Freed from hatred and ill-will. Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down Free from drowsiness, One should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. By not holding to fixed views, The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision, Being freed from all sense desires, Is not born again into an ego-self. www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html

About the 3rd, kindness, Thought has power and consequence. This is something I've only recently become aware of. HPB says that "Elementals" are created when you send these thoughts to individuals or groups. Amazingly, if you send thoughts to someone you have not heard from in years, they will find you and contact you. Also, you can make someone that you are having trouble with start being quite friendly! This is what made this type of meditation real to me. It's just amazing how this works. It may take a week or two to see the result.

I always chose breathing meditation. It helps a lot.

thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏😇😇😇

Hi Doug, I repeat (usually mentally) Om mani padme hum before sleep, and whenever I wake at night. Also during my day especially when I find my thoughts on auto pilot. With this I aspire for the end of suffering cause of suffering and the liberation of all beings. thank you for your inspiring lecture! And thank you for so kindly asking for response.

Thank you!

Thank you.

I have been following some of Rudolf Steiner's amazing esoteric meditation practices. He sort of re-defines Budhdhist practice through a Western view. Great stuff!!!

i have a really hard time paying attention to anything/restless so mediation can be rlly hard but i am going to keep trying i hope i can get better at it, thanks for the helpful videos !

Thank u

Thanks 🙏

I subscribed here last week, then went through some vacillations back and forth as to whether I really thought there was much here I could use (to re-focus on practice for a few minutes before each sit early beginnings of often very busy days) --even where it's not new information, I was thinking, I would listen for a few minutes, then sit 40-60 minutes, then breakfast and work, all starting @ 3 or 4 AM. (my daily practice is established and consistent; Doug's Dharma would join other video channels for this morning pre-sit, joining channels like Tara Brach's and discussions with Stephen Bachelor). This video has re-committed me to this channel, especially the end part where questions are asked: "What is your practice? do you have time? (many people don't, or think they don't)..."---great questions, asked probingly but gently--so: what is mine? Each sit I do a metta visualization recitation (internally) first then I set timer and sit between 40-60 minutes-if necessary counting first, but usually just breath focus. This sit usually is comprised of alternating vipassana and Samatha-that is, alternating a more focussed present moment awareness with a calmer more blissful relaxed awareness. As a beginner, my timer would have originally been being set for 15 or 20 minutes, (but adding increments of time fairly quickly, over a span of an initial few weeks/month-20 minutes became inadequate within a few days) --for me that initial ramping up period was 18 years ago.

Namo buddhaya!!!!!

Doug, there’s this short video called “How to train your monkey mind”, where a Tibetan monk talks about simple meditation training. He mentions that there’s common misconception about having to concentrate too hard, and that simply remembering the breath is really all you need (while not pushing too hard). He goes on to say that one can then meditate while walking, drinking tea, while at a meeting, etc., as long as you remember to be aware of the breath. For me, it’s almost like I’m juggling between doing two things - whatever activity I’m doing v.s. Remembering the breath. What do you think of this method ?

Sadhus, Doug I would love to see a book about all the various ways of cultivating kindness. Like an academic one covering early Buddhism, Theravada, and some Mahayana. I don't take too readily to the really prescriptive formulas that probably date from the vidhuddimagga. I'm interested in other perhaps more embodied approaches. And the "radiation" of kindness etc that comes from a more early Buddhist context. That has a more holistic than simply repeating phrases - as helpful as I do sometimes find that. Tonglen I also find quite powerful with its more holistic sense of breathing it all in and sending it all out. I find this an area that is very good to work with critically and creatively.

For various reasons I have never really got into meditation, which I am starting to change now. However, one practice that I have started doing a few months back is heart coherence breathing, which I have found to really raise my mood during the day. From what I have researched, it seems quite similar to the "loving kindness" practice.

Enjoyed this video,. though I already knew most of this, I have practiced Zen meditation for some 30 years now. Zazen, "sitting,. I have never heard a distinction between the relaxing and mindfulness forms of meditation. I don't see much difference, as my "mindful" Zazen can be very relaxing. "Thirty Years" simply marks the time when I first became acquainted with Zen meditation. I haven't really practiced it continuously that entire time. There have been periods when I haven't done it for months, then other times when I am very consistent for months. For the past few months I have been quite diligent, not quite daily, but 5-6 days a week. Even if I don't sit formally, I practice the breathing through much of the day. I had some medical tests recently, and my lung capacity was greater than they expected, I think from the Zazen breathing. I'll look through more of your videos and perhaps make a few comments.

I feel we are a vessel for our conscience self to have a physical experience. Meditation seems like you stabilize the connection with your divine soul.

Calming meditation-quiet place, comfortable place, avoid moving to much, eyes closed, focus on your breathing. Breathing calms the mind 2. Mindfullness meditation, start by calming, open awarness of the present moment. Attend to sensations and mind. Dont be judgmental. 3. Lovingkindness - mantra "may i be... may all beings be..." daily practice

I practice vipassana meditation and metta every day, so it's 25 minutes walking with mindfulness and 25 minutes sitting with mindfulness and at the end of that like 10 minutes of Metta practice

Doug, I’m a bit confused between calming meditation and mindfulness. In the former, attention is on the breath, and when the mind wanders one should bring awareness back to the breath. In the latter , i understand that the wandering of the mind seems to be part of the focus of mindfulness- being non-judgementally aware of ones thoughts and emotions as opposed to shifting awareness away from these things. It seems to me as if mindfulness is getting us back into the place that calming meditation is trying to get us away from - rumination and fixation on thoughts.

Also loving kindness meditation can be described in terms of the four immeasurables

if you have time to breath, you have time to do Meditation as well what you don't have is Focussing your mind on the Present and throw away what interferring your focus

Meditation changed my life completely, it helped me defeat anxiety, Im currently doing a mix of the three you mentioned, or should I say the three techniques in a single session.

Very nice explanation. If i understand well you are describing Vipassana meditation right? I am practicing Vipassana and these are the three medications that we use

☸️✔

I am following Vipassana meditation.

I learned meditation at a Zen center, both "passive" kinds (though I'd say it takes a lot of effort and isn't very passive, at least for me) and lovingkindness meditation. So this meant facing away from others, towards a wall, with eyes open. I find that closing my eyes allows my mind to take off into creative spaces that are distracting from the purpose at hand (though very useful at other times). I sat at a Shambhala center for many years but never took part in any dogmatic activities. I am interested in Vipassana but am hesitant due to the dogma I have heard about in the trainings. I would like to find a non-dogmatic meditation group (as I find meditation with others to be easier to sustain than alone) but with COVID things are on hold.

okay so basically mindful meditation is to basically train the brain to focus on breath rather than thoughts, so in turn when you are not meditating you can better let go of certain thoughts such as anger etc... so in short training the brain to focus on your emotions you have towards every moment in you day, and to focus on your reactions to every moment of every day? if this is the case I practice that without meditation, because I am way busy, and even a few minutes a day I have a hard time finding. I really love your videos thanks so much for them!

Best meditation is insight meditation or vipassana, which is only found in Buddhism. Its called "Sathara Sathipattana"direct path to Nibbhana. Final destination of Buddhism. To do any form of meditation one need to have some sort of health. Esp spinal health. Thanks for sharing.

When I was younger I really struggled with many of negative emotions of life. Such as anxiety, depression and anger. I started meditating as a way to clear my mind. After years I developed my meditation. With out knowing it I taught my self mindfulness meditation. More recently I have found ways redirect negative emotions and develop them into positive emotions. It was not until a few days ago I really learned what buddhism is and about there practices. A lot of what I have taught myself through meditation aligns with buddhism. After doing more research I would honestly consider myself a buddhist. I really want to learn more about buddhism and it’s practices so that I can live a more pure and kind life do you have any suggestions on how to get plugged into The Buddhist community in my area.

This always gives me conscious breathing episodes where I struggle to get back into automated breathing

Namaste 🙏🏽 Ayubowan from Sri Lanka my new found Buddhist teacher from a far far away land!!! Doug, according what I hear there are 2 main Buddhist meditation practices namely Samatha and Vidarshana or Vipassana. So where does calming meditation (Anapanasati meditation or calming meditation) fit in the main Samatha and Vipassana meditation? I also hear about other practices such as Kasina and repulsive meditation. Where do all these other techniques fit in your explanation of 3 meditation practices?

Curious about your thoughts on Transcendental Meditation if you have done that or learned about it?

I'm like that guy struck by the arrow who wanted to know who shot it, what was the shooter's name, etc. before getting the arrow out: Before practising a form of meditation, I want to know what tradition I have most affinity with. From west to east: Cynicism? Stoicism? Hesychasm? Sramana? Taoism? In the sramana tradition we have the Buddhist meditation. What I like about Buddhism is that it is very articulate and detailed about meditation. Otherwise, Taoism seems to me to express the purest approach to meditation. Should I choose Zen, because it combines Buddhism and Taoism? Or should I find a more ancient tradition? What about in Africa, the Americas, or Australia: do they have their own meditation techniques but that are not (yet) called 'meditation' in our discussions? So, my issue is not time, but the shooter (or my shooter metaphor is a pretext just to hide an issue of time LOL). Hesychasm is too tainted with theology and dogma bla-bla. Cynicism/Stoicism don't seem to have an articulate technique (breath, etc.) but they have a simplicity that resonates in me (note that Diogenes' life is so similar to the Buddha's, and even without all that stuff about miracles and pageantry). Buddhism has some bla-bla but is more built around meditation.

What so you think of Sam Harris and the dzogchen practice ? Cheers

hey doug i was just wondering can i use visualization meditation because i find it easier to focus with that

I have a question. Why are we encouraged to close our eyes? Especially for mindfulness meditation, where we want to feel live and feel the current moment. Won't opening eyes will allow us to get more information related with current moment. When I close my eyes, my mind goes to the long-term problems and confusions, but watching a crowd in the city, or the nature, or the see or sky, help me to concentrate what I see and hear. In all cities I lived as an adult, I had certain locations of calmness, where usually I sit drinking coffee or tea.

I try to do shikantaza zazen mixed with vipassana. I watch my breath to start with until my mind slows with my eyes open. Once my mind has slowed to a certain extent I try to just sit and be aware of my field of view, my body, my hands in their mudra, almost like I’m sitting above my head watching myself and my surroundings at the same time. I know it’s kind of a mish mash but it works for me so far. I’m 30 and been meditating on and off since 14. I’d love to hear your opinion on whether or not you think my meditation is a good path or not.

Thank you Doug. Interesting. I noticed you did not refer to the Pali canon or any text/ reference in this video. What is your opinion about Sathipatthana Sutta? It has more practices one could follow. Of course for Loving-kindness meditation, there is Karaneeya Metta Sutta. And also I read somewhere else in comments you don't see much difference between the terms Samatha and Vidarshana. Are you sure? One popular opinion is samatha is the pre-buddhist practices and vidharshana is the core contribution of Buddha. If not, what makes buddhist practice distinguished from other practices? I do not think the term "Mindfulness" do justice to the term Vipassana.

I pray may all beings will be safe from corona

These videos serve us well but I suspect they will serve you most - merit-wise

Doug, would you equate mindfulness meditation to insight meditation?

I am an audiophile and often "meditate" by focusing mindfully on music for extended periods of time. I see this as a way to combine my love of music and hi fi with mindfulness training. Is this an acceptable substitute for traditional mindfulness meditation, or am I reaching?

How does body scan meditation fit in? Where did it originate?

Sometimes regular meditation can give me an increase in flashbacks. Do you have any advice on how to manage this?

how many types of meditations in Buddhism/ Can I get book or authentic reading?

Doug ever read Toni Packet.?

What is exactly Buddhist meditation? What’s distinctly Buddhist is (1) the application of right mindfulness to bring about right concentration; (2) the way right concentration is developed - the paradigm used to bring about jhanas i.e. right views with right mindfulness (3) the way right concentration i.e. the jhanas brings about total release and liberation.

Do you change the way something affects you or do you leave it were it's at??? Do Buddhist believe in change? Do Buddhist believe in a God for change? Who do you turn to....

1 1 1 ❤️

Is anapanasati a form of calming or mindfulness meditation?

goddamn it! where did my mind go?! uuughhh ill have to look ... woof woof! that sounds like my mind! ... WOOF WOOF! hes getting closer ... *WOOF WOOF!!* there! come back here! come on! there you go, lets go home

Why do you use english name for each meditation? Wheres samata and Vipassana? I want to know more about that two meditation.

When you say may I be happy, who are you asking?

I perceived a severe form of derealization after a mindfulness medidation which caused intense feelings of anxiety and insecurity. I started to perceive the world around me like a dream and people around me seemed like soulless robots. These feelings still occur quite often and are really frightening. Did I do something wrong or is this part of enlightenment? I actually feel hesitat to continue medidating and studying philosophy because of this experience which is actually saddening me.

I love to use clock ticking, and chant tick tock. I sometimes say tick and skip two seconds or more then say tock. This little game makes my mind less prone to go adrift.

I am a Catholic and recently realized I have been doing contemplation for many years. I just called it quiet prayer. I just lie down looking up towards God and love Him, no listening to breathing or focusing or anything. Without any effort suddenly there is the ecstasy of being in the presence of God and He infuses virtue. Not every time. I just want to adore him without selfishly always expecting favours, so sometimes nothing seems to happen. However I don't think anything can compare with being immersed in the love of a holy and awesome God. Its not cheap though. You just have to hand over your whole life and will to Him! I had to hit rock bottom before I did that. Why wait?

Can i do buddhist meditation even im not a monk ?

Calming meditation sounds like zazen. Did i get it wrong?

Do barking dogs disturb you - or the noisy kids? I've been wearing $40 industrial grade earmuffs for years. Ahh - what beautiful silence.