Contemplative Practices

by | Aug 22, 2017 | meditations

Contemplative practices can be summarized in the "Three Trainings":

1. Ethics: We cultivate Loving Kindness and Compassion to benefit those around us and we try to avoid damaging people, animals and the environment. Developing generosity, patience, discipline, empathy and enthusiasm are other important ways to cultivate Genuine Happiness, this is a happiness that relies on a balanced mind and not on external stimuli.

2. Concentration: Developing an attentive mind, present, able to focus without distraction, but relaxed and without inner dialogue. To be able to focus on positive thoughts and emotions and turn our attention away from negative thoughts and ideas.

3. Wisdom: Analyzing the reality of how we exist ourselves and everything around us. Accepting that everything is impermanent, interdependent and that everything lacks a concrete identity.

Within these three trainings we have many meditations that can help us transform our lives and relationships and live a more meaningful life.

Recipe for your daily training

by | Feb 11, 2016 | meditations

To help you design a daily practice you can follow this guide.

A formal training session:

Motivation. Start by defining our intention to train our mind.
Divide your session into 3 parts:
1 practice for emotional balance: Compassion, Loving Kindness, Empathy or Equanimity.
1 practice for concentration
1 application of mindfulness
Resting the mind.
Dedication or aspiration

In daily life:

1 ethical practice. Volunteering, generosity, patience, etc.

4 immeasurables (Compassion, Loving Kindness, Empathy and Equanimity), choose the right one and direct it towards every person with whom you interact.

1 Application of mindfulness as we work and do our daily activities.

In the evening do another formal session and a recollection of your actions during the day.

Close with a positive aspiration for the next day.