October 2009

Hard lessons in meditation

Pilgrims (Ganges India)

Image by Ahron de Leeuw via Flickr Amanda Hamilton Suppose you had the opportunity to free yourself from all worldly responsibilities for 10 days. You’d have a room in a quiet, secluded retreat, free from all disturbances. All your basic needs would be met at no cost to you. The only rules you’d need to follow [...]

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Capsaicin could stop a heart attack in progress, scientists find

Chilli peppers

Image via Wikipedia (NaturalNews) The late, famed herbalist Dr. John Christopher was nicknamed “Dr. Cayenne” because he was constantly recommending the healing powers of cayenne, the substance found in chili peppers that produces a sensation of heat. He especially advocated using it for cardiovascular health and even made the claim that doses of cayenne could [...]

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Prison inmates go Zen to deal with life behind bars

Kenneth Brown, a former inmate, learned to meditate during his nine years in prison.

By Stephanie Chen, CNN RIVERDALE, Georgia (CNN) — In his darkest moment, Kenneth Brown lost it all. His wife and kids, the housebroken dog, the vacation home on Cape Cod all vanished when he was sent to prison for an arson in 1996.Kenneth Brown, a former inmate, learned to meditate during his nine years in [...]

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The Three Faces of God

Religion peaceful side by side (in my shelf)

Image by kogakure via Flickr by Corey W. deVos Just as human beings intrinsically possess 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-person perspectives of the world, so do we possess those same perspectives in our experience of spirituality.  And while these dimensions of the divine can be found in just about any spiritual lineage—Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Islam, [...]

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Simple Meditation Instruction

non existence

Image by mindfulness via Flickr Sit in a comfortable position, one that you would not need to change duringthe sitting. If you do need to change your position, do so slowly and consciously. You may also lie down, but try to adopt a position that you would not normally sleep in. Bring your attention to [...]

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The Problem with Meditation Instructions

On how we can add flexibility and choice to a meditation practice that has become rigid and restrictiveBy Jason Siff @ www.tricycle.com BEFORE WE MEDITATE for the first time, we have ideas about what meditation is, what it does, and where it should lead. Then when we get our introductory instructions—either out of a book [...]

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