The system of meditation

I learned this from Sangharakshita, and I follow Triratna Buddhism, but I've read widely in Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. I consider myself a one Dharma Buddhist. I meditate with 3 fellows in Iran every day online. I'm writing this for them.

I started out alternating metta and mindfulness of breathing. The one where you count, first stage the in breath, then out breath and then in the body without counting and then tip of the lip or nose. 

Then you learn the brahma viharas: metta (universal loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy), upeksha (equanimity). This meditation is for emotional positivity, and has some insight especially equanimity. It builds on anapanasati, infact, all these meditations build on each other. 

Eventually you learn the 16 stages of anapanasati. This meditation builds concentration and insight.

Another meditation is the 6 elements. You see earth, water, fire, air, space and consciousness, come into, flow out of you, "it's not me, it's not mine. This meditation helps with egoism and insight. I had a powerful experience with this meditation on retreat. It also leads to a spiritual death, in which it's natural to add in a sadhana. A sadhana meditation is a visualization given to you by a guru. You can also do visualization practices without a guru.

For visualization I do Buddhanasati, mindfulness of the Buddha. I contemplate the Buddha, I imagine him inviting me to meditate with him, giving me his blessing to begin on the path, giving me the support of the teachings that come down to me. I visualize, chant the mantra (om muni muni, mahamuni, shakyamuni, swaha).

Focused meditation is contrasted with unfocused meditation or just sitting. You alternate a focused meditation with an unfocused meditation.

The fact is that at some point, me after 20 years, loosen up and just meditate. I spontaneously follow the breath or radiate out metta (6th and 7th dyhana--I'm not making any claims, I'm just saying I try).

That brings up the Dhyana and Bhumis.

What makes one a buddha is to take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Taking the refuges and precepts is the ceremony that makes you a Buddhist. You chant them with your sangha, or you can chant them on your own. 

To me the Buddhist path consists of meditation, fellowship, study, devotion and ethics.

All traditions have meditation, they will tailor it to their spiritual program. 

Here are lead throughs of the various meditations:

Metta lead through:


https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=M11B



Karuna: https://vimeo.com/957955664?share=copy


Mudita: https://vimeo.com/971757755?share=copy


Upeksha: https://vimeo.com/983099078?&login=true#_=_


anapanasati


https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=LOC5591



Whole set:


https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/series/details?num=X268



Just sitting


https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=LOC4961



K on just sitting: https://vimeo.com/53245479


Buddhanasati: https://vimeo.com/68866135?share=copy


Walking meditation: https://vimeo.com/7842803?share=copy

May all beings be happy, may all beings be well.