Buddhist Compassion Meditation Techniques
Buddhism is a religion that stresses mindfulness. To be mindful is to be fully aware, fully alive in the present moment. When you are able to be aware in this way, it is easier to feel compassion for yourself and for others, because you understand people more completely. Meditation is a practice used in Buddhism to increase mindfulness.
-
Meditation: Where and When to Do It
-
Ideally, you would have a special room in your home to practice meditation, furnished very simply, with a mat to sit on and a small altar with flowers and a bell. But you can meditate anywhere: in the living room, outdoors, or in your car. And you can do it anytime. Some teachers recommend devoting at least 20 minutes twice a day, but if you mindfully meditate for just a few minutes a day, that's enough to help increase your sense of peace and compassion.
The Goal of Meditation
-
In order to achieve the peace and compassion that meditation can bring, you need to understand some of the principles of Buddhist teaching. One essential teaching is interbeing, the interconnectedness of all beings. The Abatamsaka Sutra says you can't point to one thing that does not have a relationship with all other things. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives the example of a piece of paper: within the piece of paper is the sunshine, the rain, the logger and his parents who contributed to its existence. You cannot separate the paper from these other things, and you cannot totally separate yourself from other people.
Nor can you totally separate the good from the bad. Thich Nhat Hanh gives the example of roses and garbage: one is pleasing and the other, repulsive. But the garbage can be converted into compost to fertilize the ground and help the roses grow, and the roses will, one day, end up in the compost heap. The rose and the garbage are not opposites, as we might think, but also interconnected.
Given these Buddhist principles, the goal of Buddhist meditation is to experience the oneness with all things that leads to peace and compassion.
How to Meditate
-
Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. Choose a gatha, or a simple phrase to help you focus your meditation. Recite your gatha as you breathe deeply in, deeply out. Thich Nhat Hanh suggests this: "Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment!" Breathing deeply and centering yourself will uncloud your mind so you can see more deeply, understand yourself and others, and develop the compassion that leads to positive action.
-
