Quote From: gessabeanBorn and raised a catholic, try to be a Buddhist.
Classes I've been to (woman Lama – head Buddhist monk) taught, that in accordance with Buddhist principles:
meditation is undertaken to try to calm your mind. The thoughts, the feelings. To try to give your mind/brain a rest, in order to see reality.
To explain, Buddhists believe that emotions (7 i.e anger, jealousy, hatred etc) are the cause of your suffering. If you can just stop (take a breather) then you (o.k, easier said then done) will be able to see clearer = less suffering.
If you can enter a state of mind that is not just hurt / reacting to how you feel, then you will be able to think clearer and feel better.
Breathing? Do whatever you need to do - breath heavy, shallow, eyes open or closed. However, whatever makes you feel "into it". But be careful (1) you don't think about something i.e dinner / familiy etc. etc and/or (2) you don't fall asleep.
Take from this what you will.
xx
I've been doing some reading on Buddhism and looking for a meditation center close by. So far they are all too far away to attend regularly. I would like to participate in a more communal setting as my meditations so far have been self guided. I have always kept myself aside from religions, learning things about different ones without committing to any. In my life I've recieved a message that it doesn't matter what we believe, whether it's "real" or not "real", what counts is that we get the message, which is much the same in all the major religions. I was happy to find that Buddhism embraces this very concept! But it seems that Buddhism, like other religions, also has it's radical adherants. On the whole though, it's been a very rewarding experience. I also believe wholeheartedly in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
