Importance Of Meditation And The Kind Of Mindset Yoda

Beginning with Greek philosophers, mankind has constantly pondered the meaning of happiness. Questions of how to attain joy, and how to keep it have been debated for centuries. Various religions provide roadmaps to achieve contentment: Christians preach the Ten Commandments and Heaven, and Buddhists prize the idea of karma and reincarnation. Yet others seek a more material form of satisfaction; especially in the United States, increasing emphasis is placed upon personal wealth.

Buddha said the evils created by bad karma done during the past life can be cancelled by inner strivings and we can always overcome sufferings and depression .

However one can not meditate without wisdom. This idea seems to say that the practices of the bhikkhu must include meditation and gaining wisdom. The Buddhist monks engage in these practices because it is the way of the Buddha. Within the text, it is very clear that the Buddha finds meditation of great importance. If not directly speaking about meditation, the Buddha speaks about having a disciplined mind. “It is good to restrain one’s mind, uncontrollable, fast moving, and following its own desires as it is. A disciplined mind leads to happiness” (V. 35). As well as having a disciplined mind, the mental state that the bhikkhu strives to cultivate is one that is at peace, developed, and guarded. “…the bhikkhu whose mind is at peace experiences a more than human joy...” (V. 373). Just the same, a mind should be guarded because a guarded mind brings happiness. “A wise man should guard his mind for it is very hard to keep track of, extremely subtle, and follows its own desires. A guarded mind brings happiness” (V. 36). Through cultivating the mind, the bhikkhu has certain effects on society and in turn society has certain obligations with respect to the bhikkhu. Because the bhikkhu leads a life without desire and hate, he becomes an example for society; showing what kusala is and what a person should strive to be. In return, it is up to society to make donations and offerings to keep the bhikkhu content.

Mindfulness is another way of meditation. Meditation was used to seek to improve one’s psychological or physical health, or spiritual growth. (Brantley, 2007). The history of Mindfulness comes from Buddhism and his search for enlightenment and a foundation of the four noble truths. The Buddha teaching focus on the four noble truths which consist of knowing suffering exists, there is a cause of suffering, there is cessation of suffering and there is a path that leads to the cessation of suffering. (Van Gordon, 2015). The four noble truths were not only there to represent the Buddha’s experiential understanding of suffering, but also to express the truth (Van Gordon, 2015). Studies of Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths teach us that there is always going to be suffering in our life but to find ways to overcome suffering (Tsering, 2005).

in world centered on happiness in which there is no despair. However, this is not the case when it

The stories you hear growing up about the monks who are still and quiet, yet very powerful, reminded me exactly of who the Jedi are in the movies. They are calm and always practicing mindfulness but will react in defense quickly and proactively. The Jedi ways have caught my attention because mindfulness is something I could practice a little more in my hectic life. Dr. Sturgis mentions the “Shaolin Monks in China who built their temple in 495, put it near the imperial capitol, not unlike how we see the main Jedi Temple located near the Senate Chamber in Star Wars.” This example helps shows the influence of the Monks on George Lucas while creating the “Force” and the powerful “Jedi”.

It is easier now than ever to become lost in the cycle of life. Every day, we face a plethora of distractions: cell-phones, social media, jobs we hate, and time spent doing things that we do not want to. We spend so much time reminiscing about the “good ol’” days or dreading the future that we forget to live in the now. With all the noise that surrounds us—not to mention the looming threat of ill health and, eventually, death—how do we free ourselves from the chains of suffering and live in the moment? The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, went in search of an answer to this question, and his answer is still relevant for modern society; we can avoid suffering if we follow the Middle Way.

The pursuit of happiness is an endless journey that we all experience during our lifetime. This search for satisfaction in life is made up of actions and choices that we make to benefit our lives for the better, even if done subconsciously. Many people try to end this lifelong journey short by reaching a practically unachievable “true happiness”, and some even get so caught up in trying to reach this ultimate fulfillment in life, that they begin to forget about the great things currently in their lives because they spend so much time and energy focusing on what they want rather than what they have. Life is about enjoying living in the moment, because it only happens once.

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment,” preached Buddha. In depth, I think Buddha seemed to understand that the past is not relevant in succeeding the present. The present is meant to be lived thoroughly with a present tense mind. Unknowingly over thinking the future prevents the mind from enjoying the present. Dwelling over an event that occurred in the past interferes with the natural order of living in the present. It seems unlikely to even appreciate or enjoy the present if the past and future are what the mind is currently thinking of. The key is to clear the mind of all negative and stressful thoughts that arise about the future or past. Don’t be a Busy Backson

When I ask these people why they are so happy, most of them tell me that it’s because they never would have seen themselves in the position they’re in a certain number of years ago. These people have faced possibly the lowest point in their lives and because of that they never considered that they could conquer what they’re doing. Considering how during a time of adversity a person tends to have more focus on themselves, it’s no surprise that they’ll come out of it with a better knowledge of who they truly are. Not having their lives set in stone for them makes them go out, uncover and take advantage of different opportunities available to them. This is the time that people normally discover a hidden talent or desire that they later use to get their lives back on track. Someone may find themselves in a situation where they solve a conflict exceeding their expectations and shocking themselves because they didn’t have faith in themselves that they could achieve such a difficult task in that stage of their lives. People constantly have to test themselves and push their boundaries in order to really understand the beauty of their lives and how much they can do for

A practice of mindfulness meditation focuses deliberate attention to breathe, feeling or experiencing the body without judgment, and removes the idea of attempting to change any of the thoughts or feelings (Atkinson, 2013). This type of focus allows for more openness, acceptance, compassion and empathy of the self and others (Siegel, 2007).

Meditation has a long history that stretches back thousands of years. Nobody knows exactly where and when meditation began but scientists have evidence to believe that it began somwehere around 5,000 years ago. This was a time far before religious figures such as Jesus and Buddha are said to have existed. 5,000 years ago, much of the civilized world was nothing like it is today. It was mostly hunter gatherers with few villages in the open landscapes. Meditation is said by scientists to have most likely began with hunter gatherers who would pass on their enthusiasm for such an introspective practice to their children.

There are many different ways people can achieve true joy and happiness in this world. In his in his book The Tree of World Religions, author John Bellaimey describes one of these ways. In Buddhism, there is a correlation between living a simplistic life and living a joyous one, and how the latter is dependent on the former. Followers of true Buddhism live a life free from the desires and temptations of the world. Although in life we often attribute getting new material goods or partaking in exhilarating experiences as the pathway to happiness, this cannot be achieved by everyone. Buddhism provides a path for joy to anyone and everyone. People throughout the world associate getting more with living a better life, as it is our natural instinct

Instead of seeing a "soul" or a "mind" as the seat of personal identity, in Buddhism, the self is to be found in processes. Meditation, then, has the therapeutic effect of disengaging the practitioner from self-consciousness, freeing the mind. The view of the world without the construct of a permanent essence enables one to "experience reality as it really is" (3). It is important to note that Buddhism does not distinguish mental processes from other senses. Just as seeing takes a visual object, the mind takes a mental object (1). Just as the eye is free to take in different visual objects, the mind is free, as well. While meditation aims to develop "single-pointedness of mind," it is ultimately to free it from external objects. The focus is on the process of breathing, in Zen, and, eventually, one can reach a state where one is not considering anything (2). Zen considers the "blank-mind" stage to be a higher form of consciousness because it is free from attachments.

Start by enhancing your ability to focus. The scientifically proven way to improve your focus and therefore your ability to have more willpower is through meditation. Research to the benefits of meditation and mental health is overwhelmingly positive. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to find a study saying meditation is negative for you. It isn’t even just the positive impact on your mental strength – studies have shown meditation to be beneficial for your physical health as well. Meditating can provide you with more energy, which is useful for your mental strength as well. When you have energy, you are more able to make good decisions and have the mental and physical strength to keep moving forward.