Wildmind on Meditation

Every month Wildmind, Triratna’s meditation teaching website based in New Hampshire, USA, publish a collection of articles in their blog ‘On Practice’.  Written mostly by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, they relate to all aspects of life, the world, meditation and practice.  We aim to feature them here, but we’re way behind - so today we bring you a selection from the past few months. 

  

Transforming hurt and anger through self-compassion
by Bodhipaksa

Under every episode of anger - 

from mild irritation to outright rage - 

is a feeling of hurt or fear, 

Bodhipaksa says. 

By finding the hurt that gives rise to anger, 

and embracing it in a mind of compassion, 

we can prevent rage from taking root.

  

Four life lessons that bring happiness
by Saddhamala

We all want to be happy. 

Book stores have aisles and aisles of self-help books, 

many of which include chapters 

on how to be happy. 

But happiness still remains elusive. 

Here are four lessons Saddhamala has learned 

that she's found bring happiness.

Getting your meditation practice back on track
by Sunada

You committed to yourself that you'll meditate. 

And you do, for a few days or weeks. 

But then something happens. 

You miss one day. Then another. 

And before you know it, you've stopped entirely. 

Hmmmm... What happened? 

And what can you do about it!?

Enlightenment in a myriad of beautiful ways
by Sunada

Sunada recently found a beautiful article by Jack Kornfield, 

which begins with the question, 

“Is enlightenment just a myth?” 

There are so many different descriptions of what enlightenment is like, 

we might begin to wonder 

whether it’s all made up, she says.

  

Being mindful of pain
by Bodhipaksa

Bodhipaksa points out that meditation offers us a powerful paradox - 

that becoming more mindful of our pain 

reduces the amount of pain we experience - 

and highlights research showing that meditation 

does in fact reduce the amount of pain we feel.

For many, many more articles, check their archives - or even better, subscribe to their free newsletter. 

Ever been curious about the meaning of mantras like Om Mani Padme Hum?   They’ve also got a new double CD out on Mantra Chanting and Sacred Sound, linked to Bodhipaksa and Sunada's audio course of the same name.  On it they take you through the origins of mantra meditation, explain how mantras can be both a mindfulness practice and a devotional practice that calls forth inner wisdom, and give you tools to help free your voice and connect with your creativity.