Showing posts with label sitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sitting. Show all posts

Sunday 31 March 2019

Becoming a Buddhist - Lotus Pond Temple, Lantau Is. Hong Kong 30th March, 2019

After a few false starts I finally took the plunge and officially became a lay Buddhist this weekend. I flew to Hong Kong on Friday afternoon, stayed overnight at the Lotus Pond temple on Lantau Island, and at 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning the community of monks and nuns took me through a ceremony to become part of the Plum Village Buddhist family. It practises in the Zen tradition of the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. I had been fiddling at the edges for years, looked at different traditions, went on a pilgrimage to northern India, and done some study, reading and meditation, so I thought it was about time to take this step and be part of something positive. It will also give me support as I continue in the practice. I will need it!

Every religion has a ceremony of some sort. The usual thing here is to Take Refuge in the Three Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and to undertake one's best to recite and live according to the Five Mindfulness Trainings (generally known as the Five Precepts).

It was terrific. The brothers and sisters were lovely to me. We enjoyed eating meditation, sitting meditation, singing, and walking meditation together. The ceremony, in which they were all present, went for almost an hour, and at several points I had to "touch the Earth" which means literally touching my forehead to the ground. Later I received a certificate setting out the details of the event and the lineage of my teacher. The Dharma name given to me is "Radiant Sincerity of the Heart".

There were one or two minor challenges in getting there. The plane from Taiwan arrived an hour late and the taxi driver couldn't exactly find the temple, so it took a quick phone call to figure it out. 

Another pleasant surprise was that the Lotus Pond Temple is just a short walk away from the  huge world famous Buddha statue (Tian Tan) on Lantau Island. So walking around the hills and seeing that area was a definite bonus. Although I was unable to take any photos during the ceremony (since nobody was available to do that), I did get some afterwards which I hope you will enjoy. It was an amazing experience!

Sunday 23 October 2011

Meditation Postures



One should ease into meditation by adjusting the posture using cushions and padded mats as necessary, rather than suffering insurmountable pain. We are interested in developing awareness and concentration, not a particular physical pose.

While the Buddha mentions four postures (sitting, standing, walking and lying down) it is the first that is the simplest to maintain for beginners. This sitting can be done on a chair or with the back against a wall, especially if this allows keeping a steady posture for longer sessions.

If you are flexible enough, the traditional seated postures (such as crossing the legs or kneeling) are definitely beneficial since they provide a stable triangular base.  Flexibility can be built up over time through stretching exercises, yoga, and short periods in a traditional posture outside of a session.

If discomfort arises, treat it like other thoughts by noticing it, recognising that it is not your focus, and returning to the meditation focus. However, if it persists or becomes painful, rather than fidgeting, choose with awareness to move into another posture.