What is the definition or essence of meditation?

[cypres]

What's the commonality in all types of meditations? Why do you have to sit, or don't you?

I'm not satisfied with this definition: "to engage in contemplation or reflection". Is that really it?

Can it be something like, the practice of learning to direct focus?

Quote

Mindfulness is the awareness of “some-thing,” while meditation is the awareness of “no-thing.”

I liked this the best so far. Do you agree with it?

[Consilience]

I've found the commonality to be concentration/stability of attention. In all forms of meditation, the scattering of mind is not conducive towards whatever you're trying to accomplish. The only exception would be the "do nothing" technique, which I don't find to be particularly useful anyways.

I've also heard the essence of meditation being described as concentration and surrender. I've also heard it being defined as building mindfulness, concentration, and equanimity, which I find to be a really good model. Building mindfulness is essentially the same as expanding one's awareness, concentration would be the stability of attention aka single pointed focus, and then equanimity would be the ability to be content, perhaps even happy, with simply being and nothing more. 

This last model is how I view the end "goal" of meditation itself, but I use quotations because if one is trying to achieve this state, you're already unable to actualize what this model points towards. That being said, this is the direction my practice has led me to: the cultivation of awareness (mindfulness), concentration (stability of mind/attention), and equanimity (life's good mayne). 

[Forestluv]

What comes to mind for me is “Being Now”

I often notice my mind a try to manipulate an environment to achieve a result. I may manipulate a “meditation environment” to achieve some state - no-self, attention, peace, insights, bliss, relaxation. This has it’s benefits, yet also it’s downside because this orients meditation. Orientation isn’t necessarily bad. If I want to travel to Mexico, I better orient myself south. Yet with orientation comes a price. . . Some of my best meditations are spontaneous. Just me sitting on my couch staring at the window and just Being Now. No bells or whistles. Just Now-ness.

[Bill W]

So i guess the definition for mindfulness meditation would be the awareness of some no-thing? 

The do nothing technique people sometimes refer to is a strange one. Because if your intent is to do nothing then you are actually doing something. 

Anyway for me meditation is about giving monkey mind some gardening leave.

 

[Bill W]

I actually prefer this definition 

 "to engage in contemplation or reflection" to this one "Mindfulness is the awareness of “some-thing,” while meditation is the awareness of “no-thing.”

The latter definition to me is just a cop out.

[Bill W]

14 minutes ago, cypres said:

@Bill W The reason I don't like it is because you can engage in reflection without meditating. So while it's accurate it's not precise. How is the other one a cop out? (With that definition many meditations would rather be mindfulness exercises, including mindfulness meditation).

Point taken but describe the "awareness of no-thing" if you can please?

And also the definition says Mindfulness is the awareness of “some-thing,” are we not always aware of "some-thing" during all our waking hours? Whether we are being mindful or not?

[erik8lrl]

Beingness.

[Lento]

Grace.

Connection.

Acceptance.

To me, meditation is simply the act of non-doership, as paradoxical as it sounds.

[Leo Gura]

Presence

[Lento]

6 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Presence

I totally agree.

Although I don't think the term 'presence' drives it home. I mean, presence is obviously all there is, so how can someone ever not be present?

I don't mean to oppose you Leo, but I think being a little indirect here can be of more help.

[Preety_India]

To me it represents 

Focus 

Grounding 

Love 

Acceptance 

Escape 

Contemplation 

[cetus]

10 minutes ago, cypres said:

So if you are in a conversation with someone or doing anything, would it be meditating if you're present with yourself and them and your surroundings?

Even the simple task of pealing potato's can be a most insightful meditation when one is totally present.

[VeganAwake]

Meditation can help completely quiet the Whirlwind of the minds constant monkey chatter.  Meditation is the one technique that no matter what I always recommend to help in self realization. ❤

Meditation=Calming whirlwind of mind=High Quality Presence=High chance of awakening ?

Edited November 28, 2019 by VeganAwake

[pluto]

Meditation is one of the most effective ways to find inner-stillness, inner-silence, true-relaxation. When this occurs, you start to awaken to the natural self, the true self. You eventually find you are not the body, you are not the mind and you can detach from either anytime you wish.

When one is fully in the present moment, still, silent, relax, calm ect.. one has accessed what i call Superconsciousness.

All is seen, all is heard, all is felt, all is understood in the eternal now.

Ultimately its a let go, so the paradox shows its head once again.

Trinity!

[Leo Gura]

2 hours ago, cypres said:

So if you are in a conversation with someone or doing anything, would it be meditating if you're present with yourself and them and your surroundings?

That's a big if.

And presence has many degrees. You can be 1000x more present than you are right now. And it's also a matter of consistency. Can you stay present for 1hr straight? If you could, you'd already be enlightened.

[DivineSoda]

Meditation is many things.. to me the essence is in being able to embody your awareness into the present moment, as opposed to our default which is ego/thought embodiment in past/future.  The more you refine your ability to do this, the more you read/understand the teachings, the more you will experience the fruits in the everyday moments. 

[Eu Sint]

Be aware of your own presence.?

[Socrates]

@Leo Gura I can but I don't consider myself enlightened.

[Leo Gura]

2 hours ago, Socrates said:

@Leo Gura I can

I highly doubt you can.

[remember]

On 11/27/2019 at 11:05 PM, cypres said:

  Quote

Mindfulness is the awareness of “some-thing,” while meditation is the awareness of “no-thing.”

awareness is not limited to a thing mindfulness is not limeited to a thing or to nothing, even though it sounds very nice and contains partial simplified truth, awareness is the notification of everything that arises and the full dedication to the moment that arises and one step further it is the understanding of how it arises, meditation though is the attempt to be aware of the moment, bare of external arising and the listening towards its coming and going. while mindfulness awareness includes all external arising, meditation awareness is about all internal arising. therefore you can`t meditate while you are in a conversation, that would be rude . but you can have a conversation while you meditate.

Edited November 29, 2019 by remember