Buddhist Meditation Techniques

There are as many techniques of Buddhist meditation as there are ways to just sit and think. A Buddhist meditates to strengthen their concentration, to -- send good vibes --, to clear their cluttered minds, or to be more aware of their surroundings; and these are just a few examples.

As a formal student of Buddhism, I will focus on the styles of posture and meditation that we use at the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism. Our credo of -- i sit, i watch -- reminds us that we mostly meditate to strengthen our awareness of the world around us and to remind us of the dependent origination of all things.

Posture is the most important element in any meditation. The body should be centered over the hips and a point of balance found for the upper body and the head. Ideally the alignment of the spine should allow the muscles of the back, shoulders and neck to relax. This will minimize the strain of long periods of sitting and keep the airway fully open from inhalation to exhalation. Four meditation postures are taught at the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism. These are the half lotus, Burmese, chair (for those with muscle and joint problems), and seiza positions. The full lotus is also used by those able to sit in that difficult position.

We practice five different styles of meditation. Each one is meant to bring us closer to recognizing what goes on in our consciousness as we sit and watch the arising of each thought. These techniques can be used singly or in tandem. A period of watching the breath followed by bell meditation, walking meditation followed by awareness cultivation, or other combinations. Different techniques bring the bodymind to focus on different aspects of the consciousness.

Watching the breath is a well-known meditative technique. It is simply being aware of each in-breath and out-breath. Breathing is an autonomic process that creates a rhythm that will draw the bodymind to a deep sense of calm. This is how most students begin their meditation practice, but most find it is not as easy as it sounds.