Intro from Gene

Hi all. I've been meditating for a couple of years now. Lately my challenge is to get enough sleep so that I can get up early enough to meditate for a half hour.

I was first introduced to Buddhist meditation through the book "The Wisdom of Yoga". It's a great "yoga book" that doesn't have one picture of a yoga pose, but instead describes the psychological framework of Buddhism, the historical Indian relationships between Hinduism, yoga, and Buddhism, and the modern value of a daily meditation practice.


For the last couple of years I've been exploring the different types of Buddhism on-line, through books, and in person. I've been trained in Vipassana meditation, but I have recently become more interested in Zen Buddhism.

What appeals to me about Zen is its focus on applying mindfulness to practical everyday issues: work, relationships, creativity, etc.

Blogging here seems like a good place to record my thoughts and read those of others while I try to further cultivate a daily meditation practice.

3 comments:

Mu-D said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mu-D said...

Hi, Gene. I understand your issues with sleep and sleep schedule completely. Being rested and alert is necessary if one wants to remain consistently calm and positive (i.e., not irritable).

I've always considered myself to be a night-person, something which has come into direct conflict with the typical Zen Temple schedule of 5am to 10pm. And at home, away from the Temple, morning meditation is the best way to set a positive, mindful tone for the day. But getting up early enough to do so and getting enough sleep to be awake and effective while meditating has been difficult for me.

I think that a lot of this also has to do with being "young". My reaction to the idea of going to bed so early is often, "10pm?! What am I, a farmer? 9pm?! I'm not a senior citizen!" But when I'm focused and enthusiastic about my practice, it doesn't seem like such a sacrifice. And the dirty truth is that the earlier you get up, the more productive you are (just ask your local farmer!). And yes, some days will be exceptions, but remaining concentrated while sleep-deprived is also part of the practice.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Mu D. I know it's a month after you left this message, but I just noticed it and I think you're right.

In general I'll try to get my seven hours of sleep in, but if I don't... I'll try sitting anyway.