Introduction

In human consciousness, a transformation is possible which reveals at the fundamental level something that has been called many different names over time, which we shall call lucidity. The way to realize and cultivate this lucidity is called the path of meditation. This website attempts to describe the true essence, art, and science of meditation through methods and insights that go beyond any single religion, tradition, philosophy, or discipline.

Human suffering in all its different forms has certain common roots, fallacies, and misunderstandings, which are like weeds in a garden, preventing the blossoming of consciousness and sucking out the joy from life. Meditation is the way to get to the roots of these weeds and pluck them out; and then the garden heals and blossoms on its own. Meditation triggers a lucid quality of consciousness that dispels darkness and evokes bliss, joy, clarity, insight, and equanimity. Just as darkness is an absence of light, suffering is an absence of this lucidity.

Meditation Methods

Although meditation has existed for a very long time, the essence of it is often missed, sometimes even by long-time meditators. Here we describe old and new methods which are based on well-known principles and practices of meditation.


What Is A Meditation Method?

A meditation method is a technique that evokes a deeper sense of awareness, serenity, and insight in the mind and body. Each meditation method is a different path that can lead you to the same inner state of meditation. At different times, different methods may be most meaningful and relevant. There is a striking metaphor used by Buddha to describe meditation methods to his disciples: “Suppose a man were traveling along a path.…

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The Method of Being, Rather Than Doing

We constantly feel the urge to be doing something. Sitting silently, doing nothing, we get fidgety and anxious. We feel compelled to take up tasks, projects, or trips, even if they are meaningless; or to escape repeatedly into entertainment, whether through TV, smartphone, computer, or video game, which are all things to do, things with which to occupy oneself. In this state of compulsive activity, contentment has to be postponed until everything we need to do is done.…

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The Method of Allowing and Accepting Feelings

We are perpetually suppressing our feelings – not only unpleasant ones but even the happy and blissful ones. The methods of suppression are subtle and many, and are deeply ingrained. We have become accustomed to denial and postponement of feelings, to temporary consolation, and to escape. Feelings, both bad and good, are perpetually swept under the rug. It takes conscious, dedicated effort to undo destructive patterns in the mind and become emotionally healthy.…

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The Method of Being Present

Being present means being here and now, alert and awake, and not somewhere else, lost in thoughts, feelings, ideas, or hypothetical scenarios. The past and the future are only conceptions of the mind – unreal, false, like dreams or illusions. They are artifacts of the mind’s capacity for imagination and simulation. Only what is happening right now, in this present instantaneous moment, is real and true. We need to think about the past and the future in order to survive, succeed, learn, solve problems, and progress.…

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The Method of Allowing Things To Be As They Are

Great meditation masters have always said that in nature and existence there are no problems or imperfections, that everything is perfect as it is. There is great depth and subtlety in this message. It is not as simple as it seems. It has been misunderstood to mean that one has to deny and ignore problems, difficulties, imperfections, and conflicts, and maintain a false pretense of positivity. However, it is quite the opposite, and herein lies the essence of this method.…

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The Method of Acting Consciously

Act deliberately. Whatever you are doing, do it on purpose, consciously, intentionally; not automatically or mechanically. Be present within yourself as you act. Although this is a commonly taught meditation method, it has not been adequately explained what it means to act consciously. In order to act consciously, you have to distinguish between what you are doing and how you are doing it. Once you verbalize what you are doing, watch how you do it.…

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The Method of Thought Awareness

Awareness of thoughts is a powerful meditation method that can bring clarity, tranquility, and insight to the mind. It can be difficult at first to recognize thoughts and to tell them apart from emotions. Thinking is the same as speaking, but silently, in the mind [1]. This initial insight uncovers many others. For example, language provides the basic structure of thought. All thoughts, from the trivial to the complex, are linguistic in nature.…

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The Method of Disownment

We are conditioned and programmed through social and environmental forces. Through meditation, it is possible to become aware of these conditionings and grow out of them into a greater, more mature, more lucid consciousness. Throughout our lives, we identify with various social groups and roles within these groups, and we strive to belong in these groups; similarly, we reject identification and belonging with other groups and roles. These could be small or large, local or global, real or abstract social groups.…

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The Method of Dissolving Belief

Belief is a superficial acceptance of something as true, whether or not it really is true. Belief is a construct of the mind, not a direct observation or experience of truth. As such, it is intrinsically false. Belief is an innovation of the mind, useful in the right framework. For example, the scientific method involves forming a hypothesis, which is a tentative acceptance of something as true — in other words, a belief — in order to test it through experiment and inquiry.…

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The Method of Transcending Inferiority

There is a deeply embedded sense of inferiority and self-hatred in the human psyche. The gnawing question in everyone’s mind is: how can I prove myself to be better than others, the best one among my peers? This is classic male animal behavior. To prove oneself the most suitable male, there is a fight. Whoever wins is proven to be superior, and secures mating rights with the female. In animals, superiority is proven with strength, whereas in humans, there are many different ways – with strength, wealth, power, beauty, intellect, talent, respect, fame, and so on.…

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The Method of the Second Center

In the body, we ordinarily identify with the head. All of our energy and attention is focused in the head. If you try to sense, where in space am “I”, it is somewhere within the head. The rest of the body is felt to be an extension of this head self, and is mostly neglected. Knowing the brain as the control center reinforces this attitude. So we tend to become head-oriented, and thereby mind-oriented.…

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The Method of Breath Awareness

This is by far the most popular meditation method, taught to beginners as the first entrypoint into meditation. But it is not as easy as it is made out to be. It is easy to teach, but not easy to learn. I found myself struggling with this method for many years before it really clicked. Popular descriptions of it are simple, perhaps too simple. For example: “watch the breath go in and out”.…

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