MEDITATION & MIND STUDY
THE SOTAESAN CENTER
SITTING MEDITATION
Sitting Meditation is a practice that, in the mind, calms wandering thoughts and manifests the true nature. It is also a method that, in the body, causes the fire energy to descend and the water energy to ascend. As delusive thoughts are calmed, the water energy will ascend; as the water energy ascends, the delusive thoughts will be calmed. Consequently, one’s body and mind will be in perfect harmony, and both the spirit and energy will be refreshed.
CHANTING MEDITATION
Chanting Meditation is a method of practice that focuses the mind that is distracted among the myriad things into the one pointed mind by reciting a simple phrase or Sutra. Because the mind of a beginning meditator is not settled, chanting meditation is a very efficient method to calm down one’s mind. In the program, we chant Yeumbul (NA-MU-AH-MI-TA-BUL), etc. The Phrase “NA-MU-AH-MI-TA-BUL” means to return to the Ultimate Bliss of the self-nature that is within all of us.
_JPG.jpg)
WALKING MEDITATION
Walking Meditation as a form of meditation in action, is essentially about the awareness of movement as we note the component parts of the steps. In walking meditation we use the experience of walking as our focus. As we walk, we become mindful of our walking movement and try to keep our awareness of the experience of walking as the basis of developing greater awareness.
Won Dharma Center, NY
KOAN MEDITATION
A Koan is a spiritual question that is used to focus one’s mind when practicing meditation by giving rise to the questioning mind as to the nature of ultimate reality. A kōan (公案), which literally means ‘official document’ or ‘public record’, is also used as the criterion to test a Zen student’s awakening. The koan is meant for contemplation and defies rational understanding. It works to exhaust analytic thinking and the dualistic mindset. Therefore, a koan appears to be non-sense and puzzling, and is usually a paradoxical statement or question.
Won Dharma Center, NY
TIMELESS SŎN (ZEN)
Timeless Sŏn(Zen) is the way of practicing meditation at all times, every day. It is not only the way to maintain a peaceful, focused, and right state of mind, but it is also a way to use our original mind well in our daily activities.
Authentic practice begins with realizing our true nature, and based on that realization, we practitioners cultivate our original mind through meditation.
MIND STUDY
A STUDY BECOMES THE BASIS TO ALL OTHERS
Everything is of our mind’s creation. This is the essence of the Mind Cultivating. This world and our lives are the manifestation of our minds. Depending upon our state of mind, our lives can become happy or wretched, successful, or less than successful.
From the mind study we can learn how to use our minds.
To use the mind well, we should first know what the mind is like and how it works. Based on that understanding, we should cultivate and use it skillfully in everyday situations. Whether a one-hundred dollar bill is crisp or crumpled, it has the same value. Our original mind is pure, bright, and wholesome, lacking nothing.
EVERYONE HAS A MIND, AND CONSTANTLY USES IT.