6 Tips Meditation

Buddhism/Zen, Meditation, Interconnectedness, Self, Development and Mind.
Learning any new skill takes time to master. Meditation is not exception. Beginners, with any new skill are generally frustrated at their lack of progress or speed of development. Below are a few tips that have helped me progress to deeper, more peaceful sessions.

• Meditation is the result of practice. There is No Thing to look for in meditation.
• Observe what is happening, regardless of the nature. Do not judge, just watch and accept. This is the tool of mindfulness.
• To see the mind working is to allow the understanding of the mind.
• Talking to other minds (not people; there is no ego/self), will better allow you to see your mind. There is a reflective quality in talking to other minds. Seeing how other minds work, allows you to see your mind work, via reflection. The practice of talking to mind, engages many of the Noble Eightfold Path(Right Intent/Right Speech/Right Action).
• Meditation is not just sitting down on a zafu, or chanting. As above, the Eightfold Path(I will expand upon this another time) is applied in all aspects of life, from talking to others, to breathing, to understanding things correctly.
• Do not focus on anger or negative thoughts, accept them and let them be. Focusing on anger/negativity will create a feedback loop growing anger/negativity. The mind, wants to be peaceful and calm. By not focusing on anger and negativity and simply accepting them, the mind will find its own peace and calm. Tranquility, which is the result of a peaceful and calm mind, is the source of happiness

Final pointer on feedback loops; Practice that does not cling to anger or negative feelings/emotions will create a feedback loop of calm and happiness that will be distributed like seeds to all you interact. They will notice your calmness, you will notice their calmness around you, and you will begin to feed of others as a result of your practice.

As Thich Nhat Hanh says, continue to water the seeds of Dharma, and like an experienced gardener, when the right conditions are present, a beautiful flower will grow.