Podcasts about hindu buddhist

Majapahit was Indonesia, and Southeast Asia's, largest empire. Centered on the island of Java, Majapahit commanded loyalty from vassals across the archipelago: on Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and even the Malay Peninsula, including a tiny village called Tumasik–known today as Singapore. The empire lasted for around 230 years, from its founding in 1292 to its fall to the Sultanate of Demak in 1527. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Majapahit is an important source of national pride in today's Muslim-majority Indonesia: Even the Indonesian coat of arms, with its garuda and the motto “Unity in Diversity”, is rooted in the Majapahit era. But the tale of Majapahit–as told in Herald van der Linde's book, Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia's Greatest Empire (Monsoon Books: 2024)–is a story of mythical kings, conquest, betrayal, and intrigue, as Indonesian royals jostled for position…and at times fought off external enemies like the Mongols. Herald van der Linde has travelled, lived and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the 90s. He is also the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (Marshall Cavendish International: 2022) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Majapahit. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Majapahit was Indonesia, and Southeast Asia's, largest empire. Centered on the island of Java, Majapahit commanded loyalty from vassals across the archipelago: on Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and even the Malay Peninsula, including a tiny village called Tumasik–known today as Singapore. The empire lasted for around 230 years, from its founding in 1292 to its fall to the Sultanate of Demak in 1527. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Majapahit is an important source of national pride in today's Muslim-majority Indonesia: Even the Indonesian coat of arms, with its garuda and the motto “Unity in Diversity”, is rooted in the Majapahit era. But the tale of Majapahit–as told in Herald van der Linde's book, Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia's Greatest Empire (Monsoon Books: 2024)–is a story of mythical kings, conquest, betrayal, and intrigue, as Indonesian royals jostled for position…and at times fought off external enemies like the Mongols. Herald van der Linde has travelled, lived and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the 90s. He is also the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (Marshall Cavendish International: 2022) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Majapahit. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

Majapahit was Indonesia, and Southeast Asia's, largest empire. Centered on the island of Java, Majapahit commanded loyalty from vassals across the archipelago: on Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and even the Malay Peninsula, including a tiny village called Tumasik–known today as Singapore. The empire lasted for around 230 years, from its founding in 1292 to its fall to the Sultanate of Demak in 1527. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Majapahit is an important source of national pride in today's Muslim-majority Indonesia: Even the Indonesian coat of arms, with its garuda and the motto “Unity in Diversity”, is rooted in the Majapahit era. But the tale of Majapahit–as told in Herald van der Linde's book, Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia's Greatest Empire (Monsoon Books: 2024)–is a story of mythical kings, conquest, betrayal, and intrigue, as Indonesian royals jostled for position…and at times fought off external enemies like the Mongols. Herald van der Linde has travelled, lived and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the 90s. He is also the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (Marshall Cavendish International: 2022) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Majapahit. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Majapahit was Indonesia, and Southeast Asia's, largest empire. Centered on the island of Java, Majapahit commanded loyalty from vassals across the archipelago: on Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and even the Malay Peninsula, including a tiny village called Tumasik–known today as Singapore. The empire lasted for around 230 years, from its founding in 1292 to its fall to the Sultanate of Demak in 1527. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Majapahit is an important source of national pride in today's Muslim-majority Indonesia: Even the Indonesian coat of arms, with its garuda and the motto “Unity in Diversity”, is rooted in the Majapahit era. But the tale of Majapahit–as told in Herald van der Linde's book, Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia's Greatest Empire (Monsoon Books: 2024)–is a story of mythical kings, conquest, betrayal, and intrigue, as Indonesian royals jostled for position…and at times fought off external enemies like the Mongols. Herald van der Linde has travelled, lived and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the 90s. He is also the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (Marshall Cavendish International: 2022) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Majapahit. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-review

Majapahit was Indonesia, and Southeast Asia's, largest empire. Centered on the island of Java, Majapahit commanded loyalty from vassals across the archipelago: on Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and even the Malay Peninsula, including a tiny village called Tumasik–known today as Singapore. The empire lasted for around 230 years, from its founding in 1292 to its fall to the Sultanate of Demak in 1527. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Majapahit is an important source of national pride in today's Muslim-majority Indonesia: Even the Indonesian coat of arms, with its garuda and the motto “Unity in Diversity”, is rooted in the Majapahit era. But the tale of Majapahit–as told in Herald van der Linde's book, Majapahit: Intrigue, Betrayal and War in Indonesia's Greatest Empire (Monsoon Books: 2024)–is a story of mythical kings, conquest, betrayal, and intrigue, as Indonesian royals jostled for position…and at times fought off external enemies like the Mongols. Herald van der Linde has travelled, lived and worked in Indonesia and Hong Kong since the 90s. He is also the author of Jakarta: History of a Misunderstood City (Marshall Cavendish International: 2022) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of Majapahit. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Expanding Your Circle of Love “Measuring Up” Luke 6:37-38 Are we measuring up to Jesus' standard? Am I listening? (27a) Am I loving well? (27b-35a) Am I resembling the Father? (35b-36) (Matt 5:44-45) What am I doing? (31, 37-38) Truth: God's glory and presence fill the whole earth and universe - except the heart of man. We do not measure up to God's standard. We do not hold others to a just standard. God knew this and sent One who did measure up. (Eph. 3:19 NIV) Jesus' death on the cross pours life into those who believe in Him giving forgiveness and hope and peace to the fullest measure! What does measuring up look like? Accept the free gift of God in Christ Invite Him to make His home in your heart - to make you more like Jesus Display the character of God in how you love Him & others judging | forgiving = release condemning | giving = surrender We do not forgive and give to get but to let go It's not about what I get, it's about what God gets: glory & praise We need to up our measurement to God's standard In Christ, He has forgiven and given to the fullest measure and poured it into our laps He expects us to forgive and give to others with this same measurement! Measuring up is a heart issue - allow God in to make your heart truly His home so His presence will fill the universe and you Core CHRISTlike Characteristics: Relates with Other-Centered Love, Spirit-Led Servant   LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you. Ice breaker: Whether it was a job you worked or school or other moments in life, describe a time that you felt you didn't measure up to the task or challenge in front of you. Looking back over this series, what area do you feel you've grown in when responding to Jesus' challenge to listen, love, resemble the Father and do good to others? Thinking of that person who you struggle to forgive, or the one you don't wish to give anything to, how can you take a step towards the love and generosity Jesus is talking about here? How does the Hindu/Buddhist term “karma” compare and differ to what Jesus is teaching in this section? Read Jesus' story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35. Apply Jesus' instruction in this passage to the story - how does the story help elaborate on Jesus' point? How can we live differently because of this? End your time in prayer over these things. Encourage and strengthen each other as you pray especially in the growth we all need to be Spirit-led lovers who forgive and give abundantly for God's glory!

Brian chats with serial entrepreneur, social innovator, and author Miki Agrawal. As the founder of disruptive ventures Tushy, Thinx, and Wild, Miki is known for challenging the status quo and driving cultural change. She is also the author of best-selling books Do Cool Sh*t and Disrupt-Her. On the episode, Miki dives deep into her experience building multiple 100-million-dollar businesses. She also shares the questions she asks before starting a new business and opens up about how some of her hardest times have led to growth. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses do well and good. Miki defines a mission-driven business as a company that does good and well at the same time. As a member of a board on conscious capitalism, she's witnessed how companies that create socially conscious business models perform better financially, too. “It's a company that looks at the stakeholders versus just the shareholders,” Miki said. “Having not just a revenue-focused target but also an impact target is important.” Three questions to ask before starting a business. Before she starts a new business, Miki asks herself three questions: What sucks in my world? Does it suck for a lot of people? Can I be passionate about it for a really long time? “There's a saying that it takes 10 years to be an overnight success,” Miki said. “When I think about starting Tushy or Thinx or Wild, they are all things I could be really passionate about for a really long time.” 90% of success is action. Miki likes the saying that 90% of working out is putting on your running shoes and walking out the door. She attributes a similar action-first mindset to success in business, too. If you're inspired and take action, you may end up somewhere miraculous. “If you have an idea in your head, take the first step,” she said. “Talk is cheap. Action speaks louder than words.” Question everything. Miki attributes her success to her desire to creatively solve problems to the best of her ability. She also credits her culturally diverse upbringing in French Canada, where she grew up with a Japanese mother and Indian father in a Hindu-Buddhist household. “We got a chance to not conform,” she said. “When you don't conform, you get to really question everything. And when you get to question everything, you invent new possibilities.” Resources + Links Miki Agrawal: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest Books: Disrupt-Her: A Manifesto for the Modern Woman, Do Cool Sh*t Tushy: Website, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Threads, YouTube  Thinx: Website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter Wild: Website, Instagram, Facebook  Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast Follow Brian Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Forbes About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2022) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/art

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2022) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2023) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2022) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/archaeology

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2022) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

In December 1936, a villager was led by a dream to the ruins of the West Mebon shrine in Angkor where he uncovered remains of a bronze sculpture. This was the West Mebon Visnu, the largest bronze remaining from pre-modern Southeast Asia, and a work of great artistic, historical, and political significance. Prominently placed in an island temple in the middle of the vast artificial reservoir, the West Mebon Visnu sculpture was an important focal point of the Angkorian hydraulic network. Interpretations of the statue, its setting, date, and role have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s--until now.  Integrating the latest archaeological and historical work on Angkor, extensive art historical analysis of the figure of Visnu Anantasayin in Hindu-Buddhist art across the region, and a detailed digital reconstruction of the sculpture and its setting, Marnie Feneley brings new light to this important piece. Marnie Feneley's Reconstructing God: Style, Hydraulics, Political Power and Angkor's West Mebon Visnu (National U of Singapore Press, 2022) will be of interest to art historians and curators, historians of Southeast Asia, and anyone curious about the art and history of Angkor. Patrick Jory teaches Southeast Asian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland. He can be reached at: p.jory@uq.edu.au. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

Drs Jones and Jui-Ching Wang sit down with Dr Joe Kinzer to explore how centuries of conflicting Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic influences from India and the Middle East have transformed and continue to complicate Malay cultural politics in 21st century musical practices. Joe Kinzer received his Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington in 2017, and specializes in issues of identity and religious expression in Asian musical contexts. He has taught ethnomusicology courses at the University of Washington and Northern Illinois University. Currently, he is the Senior Curatorial Assistant for Harvard University's Archive of World Music and Affiliate Faculty member for Antioch University's Individualized Master of Arts (IMA) Program. He plays the ‘ud (Arab lute) in Boston College's Astaza! ensemble and is Section Editor for the Malaysian Journal of Music

What if these kingdoms are still exist? TRANSCRIPTS: https://betaindonesian.blogspot.com/2022/03/podcast-23-4-hindu-buddhist-kingdoms-in.html BOOK AN ONLINE LESSON: ITALKI: https://www.italki.com/teacher/11905720/indonesian PREPLY https://preply.com/en/tutor/2181674/ YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://youtube.com/channel/UCv8iZCgtcvILKZUN2MlFZAw CONTACT ME: TELEGRAM: https://t.me/BetID_Official GMAIL: betid0404@gmail.com Music by podcast.co

Indonesia had so many kingdoms! TRANSCRIPTS: https://betaindonesian.blogspot.com/2022/02/podcast-15-4-hindu-buddhism-kingdoms-in.html BOOK AN ONLINE LESSON: ITALKI: https://www.italki.com/teacher/11905720/indonesian PREPLY https://preply.com/en/tutor/2181674/ YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://youtube.com/channel/UCv8iZCgtcvILKZUN2MlFZAw CONTACT ME: TELEGRAM: https://t.me/BetID_Official GMAIL: betid0404@gmail.com Music by podcast.co

With half the world's continents being home to a panoply of monkey species, it's no wonder the people of Center & South America, Asia, and Africa hold monkeys in high esteems as mythological and religious figures.  Hear about Hanuman, howlers, Hapi, and a helluva lot more (and yes, Sun Wukong, obviously). Links to all the research resources are on the website. 04:45 Japan: Sarugami 09:57 Central/South America: howler monkey god 13:50 Africa: Gbekre Hapi, Babi 17:35 India: Hanuman 27:00 China: Sun Wukong Hang out with your fellow Brainiacs.  Reach out and touch Moxie on Facebook, Twitter,  or Instagram. Become a patron of the podcast arts! Patreon or Ko-Fi.  Or buy the book and a shirt. Music: Kevin MacLeod, David Fesilyan, RKCVC, and Chris Haugen. Sponsors: Sly Fox Trivia, Sambucol Want to start a podcast or need a better podcast host?  Get up to TWO months hosting for free from Libsynwith coupon code "moxie."     The Kerkopes were sons of the Titan Okeanos (Oceanus) by Theia, a daughter of the Aithiopian (Ethiopian) king Memnon. They were proverbial as liars, cheats, and accomplished knaves. They once stole Heracles' weapons, during the time he was the penitent servant of Omphale. He punished them by tying them to a pole he slung over his shoulder with their faces pointing downwards, the only way they appear on Greek vases. The sight of Heracles' dark-tanned butt set them all to laughing, so that Heracles let them go free.  But it's all fun and games until you tick off Zeus.  My name's… You know what I love about humans?  The contrary coincidence that we are as complimentary as we are [contrary].  In normal person speak, that is to say, we're as alike as we are different.  And how is that manifesting in your earballs today?  Monkey gods!  My nerd brethren will be extra excited to know it's not just Sun Wu Kong.    Monkeys inhabit the tropical rainforests of Africa, Central America, South America and Asia, and so the peoples of Africa, Central America, South America and Asia have monkeys in their faiths and folklores.  Monkey mythology is an important part of both Hindu / Buddhist lore (India) and Zodiac / Taoist / Buddhist lore (China). In the various tales... the monkey is portrayed initially as foolish, vain, and mischievous. Yet, in each tradition, the monkey learns valuable lessons along the way, makes changes, and eventually gains redemption. The monkey thus embodies the themes of repentance, responsibility, devotion, and the promise of salvation to all who sincerely seek it.  Monkey lore in India dates to at least 500 BCE and the monkey god Hanuman.  Revered for his bravery, strength, and dedication to justice, he is connected to the sun, the wind, and thunder.  Monkeys in general are revered in several parts of India.  Monkey lore in China predates Buddhism, for the Monkey appears in the Chinese Zodiacal beliefs, believed by scholars to date to around 1100 BCE.  In some parts of China, the Monkey is the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven."  In Chinese mythology, the monkey god was the afore-mentioned Sun-Wukong, the Monkey King and trickster god who stars in the 16th-century book Journey To The West.  Sun-Wukong is the basis for Goku in Dragonball, only one of the biggest anime franchises in the world.     Monkey lore in Japan took hold after the arrival of Buddhism in the mid-6th century CE and the monkey was alternately a messenger to the gods or a physical manifestation of a god.  The Monkey was thought to protect against demons as well as disease and is a patron of fertility, safe childbirth, and harmonious marriages.  But not all monkeys, or thing that looked like monkeys, were your friend, though I would probably still try to pet it, regardless because -let's face it- I'm going to die trying to pet something I should have (fingers crossed).  If you find yourself in the land of the rising sun, once the world reopens for safe travel, obviously, you'll want to keep a keen eye out for sarugami.  According to folklorist Yanagita Kunio, sarugami are a prime example of “fallen” gods—spirits once revered as gods, but who have since been forgotten. I would have called them forsaken gods, which is twice as accurate and five times as metal.  These beliefs never entirely vanish, though, and such spirits often remain as degenerate versions of their former selves, i.e. yōkai or demon.  Sarugami look just like the wild monkeys, only bigger and more vicious, a subtle distinction.  They can speak, and sometimes they are seen wearing human clothes as well, two less subtle distinctions.    Long ago, before Buddhism arrived, monkeys were worshiped as gods in parts of Japan. The southern part of Lake Biwa in modern-day Shiga Prefecture was an important center of monkey worship, based at Hiyoshi Taisha. Monkeys were seen as messengers and servants of the sun, in part because they become most active at sunrise and sunset. Because of this, monkey worship was popular among farmers, who also awoke and retired with the sun. Over the centuries, as farming technology improved, people became less reliant on subsistence farming. More and more people took up professions other than farming. As a result, monkey worship began to fade away, and the monkey gods were forgotten. Today, monkeys are viewed as pests by farmers, as they dig up crops, steal food from gardens, and sometimes even attack pets and small children.   Sarugami behave for the most part like wild monkeys. They live in the mountains and tend to stay away from human-inhabited areas.  Buuut, when sarugami does interact with humans, it almost always ends in violence. Most legends follow a pattern: a sarugami kidnaps a young village woman and heroes are called upon to go out into the wilderness, kill the monster and save the girl.  This puts sarugami on the same keel as trolls and brainless monsters, quite a demotion indeed.   It's not all bad for the sarugami, though.  While the early monkey cults had vanished, sarugami worship continued throughout the middle ages in esoteric religions such as Kōshin.  In Koshin, monkeys came to be viewed as servants of the mountain deities, or as mountain deities themselves, acting as intermediaries between the world we live in and the heavens. The famous three wise monkey statues—mizaru, kikazaru, and iwazaru (“see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil”)—come from Kōshin and are a prime example of sarugami worship.  Three rather famous monkeys hail from the land of the rising sun, usually referred to as "Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, See No Evil."  By the time of Tokugawa/Edo period, from 1603 to 1867, the three monkeys were portrayed in Buddhist sculptures.  The message is that we should protect ourselves by not letting evil enter our sight, not allowing evil words to enter our hearing, and finally to not speak and engage in evil words and thoughts, but a lot of folks, especially in the West, take it to mean to ignore or turn a blind eye to something that's wrong.   Legend has it, long ago the Buddha appeared at Hiyoshi Taisha, a Shinto shrine located in the city of Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, about the same time a large gathering of monkeys arrived in the area.  The collective noun for a group of monkeys is a troop, btw, or a tribe, or because we have the option, a carload and, yes, a barrel.  You can say a barrel of monkeys.  So the Buddha took the form of a monkey, and foretold the fortunes of the faithful worshipers at Hiyoshi Taisha.  This appearance had been foreseen thousands of years prior by Cang Jie, the legendary inventor of Chinese writing, in the neighborhood of 2650 BCE.  Of course, the legend also says Legend has it that he had four eyes, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet.  When Cang Jei invented the word for god (神), [sfx forvo] he constructed it out of characters meaning indicate (示) [sfx] and monkey (申) [sfx] to foretell this event.  In other words, “monkey indicates god.”  Isn't that an intersting etymology?  To reference a Twitter trend, red flag emoji, red flag emoji, red flag emoji.  It's not that words *never have good backstories like that; it's that words *almost never have coold backstories.  Also, if someone tells you a common word is actually an anagram, tell ‘em I said “Bless your heart,” because that's even more rare.   In the Americas, the Mayans of Guatemala and Mexico worshiped a howler monkey god, or maybe a pair of twin gods, depending on the story, patron of the arts; music, scribes and sculptors.  The Howler Monkey also corresponds to knowledge of history and rituals, as well as prophecy.  There is a fabled lost "Ciudad Blanca" or white city in Honduras is supposedly dedicated to the Monkey God.  Pre-Columbian Toltec and Maya texts call it "The ancient place where the aurora originates."  In Aztec mythology of Mexico, the monkey was connected to the sun, and was guarded by Cochipilli, the god of flowers, fertility, and fun!  My kinda   Among the Classic Mayas, the howler monkey god was a major deity of the arts, both visual and musical.  Two monkey gods or two versions of the same god, I'm not sure, have been depicted on classical vases in the act of writing books and sculpting busts.  This may be a depiction of a creation story, with the book containing the birth signs and the head the life principle or 'soul.'  Copán in western Honduras in particular is famous for its representations of Howler Monkey Gods.  Spanish friar Bartolomé de las Casas stated that in the region of Alta Verapaz, the two monkeys were two of the thirteen sons of the upper god, and were celebrated as cosmogonic creator deities.  Among the Quiché Mayas in the midwestern highlands, they were held in somewhat less esteem.  They'd been turned into monkeys after getting in a scrap with their half-brothers, the Maya Hero Twins, who had top billing as far as the mythos was concerned. MIDROLL   While African-Americans have had to deal with “monkey” as an epithet, peoples in Africa traditionally held primates in high esteem.  The root of the word Primate, is Prime, which means first, chief, excellent, and best.  Of all the wild things in the wild woods, monkeys and apes were seen as the most intelligent animals, and so they became symbols of wisdom.  That's why Rafiki in “The Lion King” is a baboon, based on the baboon depiction of the god of wisdom Djehuti, Tehuti, or Thoth.  Yes, Thoth is usually depicted with the head of an Ibis bird, such as on the fabulous Crash Course Mythology series, but the baboon form was popular too.   In the Ivory Coast, The role of Monkeys as guardians of the crossroads or gateways to the Ancestors can also be found in the God Ghekre or Gbekre of the Baule people of the Ivory Coast.  Gbekre or Mbotumbo is both judge of hell and helper of the living against their enemies. Skillfully-carved wooden statues of Ghekre were common and combined animal and human traits.   Over in the old kingdom, you hope it will be a while before you meet the Egyptian monkey god Hapi.  Not to be confused with another Egyptian god named Hapi, who was ostensibly a human figure expressing both male and female characteristics.  One of the four sons of Horus, Hapi is depicted protecting the throne of Osiris in the Underworld.  He is commonly depicted with the head of a hamadryas baboon, and it's Hapi's job to protect the lungs of deceased persons being mummified, which is why the canopic jar the holds the lungs is often topped with a a hamadryas baboon head motif lid.  When embalming practices changed in the Third Intermediate Period about the 3k years ago, the mummified organs were placed back inside the body, so an amulet of Hapi would be added to the mix to still invoke his protection.  When his image appears on the side of a coffin, he is usually aligned with the side intended to face north.    Lung-loving Hapi wasn't the only baboon about in ancient Egypt, but he was definitely the nicer of the two.  The other tended to be a little…. murdery….and a bit problematic.  Babi ‘bull (i.e. dominant male) of the baboons' lives on human entrails, which is not outlandish for a baboon, as they are omnivores with tremendous fangs and a well-earned reputation for carnivoration.  He also kills all humans on sight, so be sure you know the right prayers and spells to protect yourself, especially after death.  Your heart will be weighed against a feather in the Hall of the Two Truths to see if you can get a seat upgrade to paradise.  To his credit, though, Babi can use his immense power to ward off dangers like snakes and control turbulent waters, so, like the rest of us, a mixed bag.  Baboons also have libidos turned up to 11, so send the kids out of the room now.  Babi was considered the god of virility of the dead.  One spell in a funerary text identifies the deceased person's phallus with Babi, ensuring that the deceased will be able to get down, make love in the afterlife.  He was usually portrayed with an erection, and that erection is also the bolt of the gate between the night and day *and the mast of the ferry which conveyed the righteous to the Field of Reeds to chill with Osiris.  Why, I cannot say and do not wish to Google.   There's lots of good googling if you look up Hanuman, the Hindu primate deity.  Hanuman, depicted as a bipedal monkey with a red face, is worshipped both in his own shrines and as a secondary figure in temples to Rama.  You'll know if you're at a Hanuman-exclusive temple, because it will be absolutely alive with monkeys.  You can't mistreat a monkey in or around a temple of the monkey god, which the monkeys figured out centuries ago.   Hanuman was the child of the wind god and a nymph.  As a little god-ling, he tried to fly up and grab the sun, which he mistook for a fruit.  The king of the gods Indra struck Hanuman with a thunderbolt on the jaw, the word for which is hanu, hence his name.  Unable or unwilling to behave, Hanuman was cursed by powerful sages to forget his magic powers, cool powers like flight and the ability to become massively large at will, until he was reminded of them.  Hanuman led the monkeys to help Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu, recover his wife from the demon king of Lanka, which is surprisingly *not modern-day Sri Lanka.  Jambavan, the king of the bears, reminded Hanuman of his powers, which allowed him to cross the water demoness-filled strait between India and Lanka in one leap.  The Lankans discovered Hanuman and set his tail on fire, but he used that fire to burn Lanka to the ground.  He then flew to the Himalayas and returned with enough medicinal herbs to tend to all the wounded in Rama's army.  For his service to Rama, Hanuman is upheld as a model for all human devotion.   Hanuman is also a popular figure among Buddhists in most of Asia, with temples and even whole districts of towns bearing his name.  Like a game of telephone, the farther you get from India, the more Hanuman's story changes.  For example, the original Sanskirt telling portrays him as effortlessly chaste, whereas he has wives and children in other traditions.  And if his exploits sounded a tiny drill bit familiar, you won't be surprised to know that he has been identified as the inspiration for the monkey hero Sun Wu Kong of the great Chinese poem Xiyouji “Journey to the West,” and Sun Wo Kong is the inspiration for Sun Goku in Dragonball, so in a way, Dragonball is based on a Hindu god.    There is a wrinkle in our tale of Hanuman, and that's actual monkeys.  Monkeys are wild in India, like deer, racoons, and pigeons.  You might rightly surmise by the animals I've grouped them with that monkeys are routinely pests, and what pest they are.  Think about how clever a racoon is, then make it an acrobat who can understand a train schedule.  In Delhi, rhesus macaques have become a menace.  Government buildings are practically under siege.  Macaques use Delhi's tree-lined streets to swing between the buildings, damaging power lines in the process.  If you're walking around outside with food, you can almost expect to have a fight on your hands.  And you thought seagulls at the beach were bad.  Being inside is no safe bet either.  The macaques like to enter offices through open windows and destroy paperwork and generally being chaos Muppets.   There are an estimated 40,000 monkeys living in Delhi.  That is a pre-covid number, so it wouldn't surprise me if the macaques have been making hay while the sun shines.  But then I suppose you have to factor how dependent they are on robbing humans for food, in which case their numbers may have gone down during proper lock-down, though there would have been a terrifying period of too many monkeys and not enough pack lunches.  Many solutions to keep monkey and man separate have been tried and many solutions have failed.  For a time, the city employed a crack squadron of the larger black-faced langur monkeys to scare away the macaques.  It worked a treat, but the unit was disbanded after animal rights activists protested against keeping the langurs captive.  Thankfully for the workers in the area, there is no such concern for the three dozen men who are hired to pretend to be langurs.  Before you form the image in your mind, no, they're not wearing costumes, but I would pay money to see that.  They mimic the langurs' barks and howls to scare the macaques away.  Unfortunately, the monkeys return as soon as the primate-impressionists leave.   One complication, which you see in urban animal control the world over, is that people feed the macaques.  They are associated with a god, after all.  The fact that feeding the macaques is against the guidelines passed by Parliament doesn't seem to enter into it.  You also can't work on the monkey problem on Tuesdays.  That's the day Hanuman is worshipped, so all monkeys get a free pass, and a free meal, every week.  So what can be done?  In a few words, not much.  The government warns citizens not to make eye contact with the monkeys, as they interpret it as threatening, and avoid getting between a mother and child.  If you didn't go looking for trouble but it found you anyway, the official circular recommends: “Do not ever hit any monkey. Keep hitting the ground with a big stick to make [the] monkey leave.”   Bonus fact: In 2014, the government of India found that Hanuman had been issued a biometric ID card.  The card lists a mobile phone number and an address in the western state of Rajasthan.  The picture looks like it's from a painting and it's not clear whose iris scan and fingerprints were associated with the card.   MIDROLL 2 Okay, okay, we're finally going to talk about the monkey in the room.  I saved the best for last, the first name that would come to many minds if you asked them to name a monkey god, though he's not really a god, he's just incredibly powerful, or OP as the kids say, the one, the only, the triple-immortal monkey king Sun Wukong. [sfx wrestler walk-on music]  Sun Wukong is the main and most enduring character from the 500 year old novel, Journey to the West.  The 1900 page book about the 36000 mile journey starts with Sun Wukong's origin story, then sees him gather a five-man band --a pig demo, a fallen river spirit, a white dragon horse, and a regular human monk– for an epic adventure.   Sun Wukong was born from a rock on the summit of Flower Fruit Mountain and becomes king of the monkeys that live there.  He finds more than one way to make himself immortal and goes off on adventures.  The idea of living forever really appeals to Sun, so when he returns, he trains the monkeys into an army to take down the Eastern Dragon King by force, so he can take his and all monkeys' names from the Book of Life and Death, releasing them from the cycle of death and rebirth.  He then defeats some Heavenly warriors sent to capture him, gets a post in Heaven only to rage quit when he finds out it has no actual power whatsoever, returning yet again as The Great Sage Equal of Heaven, and committing a series of monkey-shines and outright crimes.  He steals quite a variety of things, including the Heavenly Empress's peaches, the dishes prepared for an important banquet, all the holy wine, and the pills of immortality created by Lao Tzu, which kicks off a war between Heaven and Flower Fruit Mountain, whoopsie-doodles.  Wu Kong is captured, but As no weapon or even lighting can scratch him, he is burnt in Lao Tzu's furnace for 49 days.  This backfires on the Jade Emperor of Heaven giving him new powers and making him really angry.  When the furnace is opened, he leaps out of it and proceeds to wreck total havoc in Heaven, fighting thousands of Heavenly soldiers by himself.  The Heavenly Emperor asks the Buddha for help, and the Buddha outwits and outperforms the egomaniacal monkey king and traps the cheeky monkey underneath the Mountain of Five Elements.  Sun Wukong stayed trapped there for 500 years, and we still haven't gotten to the journeying part of Journey to the West.   The story was not only entertainment, but effectively Buddhist propaganda.  Sun Wukong is far and away the most powerful power character in the story, more powerful than the Jade Emperor and all his armies, but he was no match for the Buddha.  It's like if you've been reading Deadpool comics for months, then suddenly Deadpool gets beaten the spirit of Bob Ross, so that you'll want to take up painting and generally be pleasant and soft-spoken and keep a squirrel in your pocket, I don't know, this analogy got away from me pretty quickly.  The story spread with the religion, as well as independent of it, becoming a touchstone throughout Asia.  In Japan, the Monkey King is known as Son Goku, for example, while in Korea his name is Son Oh Gong. The story is popular throughout the rest of Asia as well, all the way to Vietnam, Thailand, and even Malaysia and Indonesia.   So just how powerful is Sun Wukong?  How about the strongest non-omnipotent character in all of fiction?  Here are just a few of his greatest hits.  He could run “with the speed of a meteor” and cover 34,000mi/54,000km in one leap, so Superman better watch his back.  Sun Wukong carries a staff that can be as small as a pin or as big as a mountain, but always weighs 8 tons.  He can freeze people in mid-fight, not that he needs to, control the weather, and make copies of himself.  One of his abilities is called the 72 earthly transformations And that… In another myth, designed to explain their name ("tail-men" in Greek), Zeus changed the Cercopes into monkeys (from this we have the genus Cercopithecus). In still another myth, Zeus turned them to stone for trying to deceive even him, the stone was shown to visitors to Thermopylae. Acmon, companion of Diomede, insulted Aphrodite and is turned into a bird. In Greek mythology, Cercopes were two demigods brothers. They were thieves and they even attempted to steal Heracles' weapons. Zeus changed them into monkeys. This myth, inspired zoologists to name the genus of monkeys depicted in Minoan frescoes as Cercopithecus.   Sources: https://www.wilderutopia.com/environment/wildlife/howler-monkeys-among-the-maya-divine-patrons-to-the-artisans/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howler_monkey_gods Hart, George (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses (PDF) (2nd ed.). Routledge. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-415-34495-1.  http://africancreationenergy.blogspot.com/2015/12/african-monkey-gods.html https://yokai.com/sarugami/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babi_(mythology) https://symbolsage.com/sun-wukong-monkey-king/ https://symbolsage.com/three-wise-monkeys/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapi_(Son_of_Horus) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanuman https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/monkeys-india-delhi-parliament-video-rhesus-macaques-government-offices-a8679151.html https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-monkeys/monkeys-run-amok-in-indias-corridors-of-power-idUSKBN1OA01R https://mythopedia.com/topics/sun-wukong https://www.vbtutor.net/Xiyouji/summary.htm https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29175870 https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Kerkopes.html http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Greece/Mythology/en/Cercopes.html  

Welcome to the 50th Episode of the #100MasterCoaches​ Show. In this episode, Mel interviews Ram S. Ramanathan MCC. Ram is an accredited master coach and trainer with the International Coach Federation (ICF), European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), and the Center for Credentialing Education (CCE). He is also a certified coach supervisor and mentor. Coacharya, which Ram co-founded with son Pranav in 2013, won the inaugural global coach award from EMCC in 2014, and again in 2019 with Magda Walczak as CEO. Coacharya is now one of the largest coaching and coach training institutions outside North America, having graduated over 2000 coaches, of whom 50 are MCC credentialed master coaches. Ram as a CEO helped build a multibillion $$ conglomerate in South East Asia in the Nineties. Ram was a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and government consultant in later years before he moved into executive leadership coaching. Ram's passion for Hindu Buddhist spirituality and experience in the monastic path has led to Coacharya's focus on integrating Eastern wisdom with Western science to help people in their transformational leadership journey that he terms ‘Mindless Barefoot Leadership'. Ram has written over 30 books on spirituality and leadership. Ram's coaching focus is on leadership and systemic transformation. He believes that the first question that an organization needs to ask itself is “How the organization, as well as the individual (and the team the individual is a part of), would benefit from coaching, and how these benefits would be evidenced?” Without an answer to this question, no coaching can be effective. Ram and his wife of over 40 years are Singapore citizens with permanent residence in Bangalore, India with their dog, with annual sojourns in the USA where their children, grandchildren, and dogs live. Become a Master Certified Coach like Ram. Begin your journey here at Catalyst Coach. www.catalystcoach.live

In this fast paced teaching recorded at the New York Open Center, Professor Thurman introduces the Buddha's teachings through an exploration of Buddhist Mandalas and their counterparts across history and in Western culture. Opening with an overview of the architecture used in the design of Buddhist Tantric mandalas Robert Thurman uses personal stories, popular culture and world history to demystify the intricate tools of inner and outer transformation they contain. "Mandala is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning "sacred circle that protects the soul." It also refers to the sacred cosmograms that serve as core symbols of all cultures. Westerners have been fascinated for centuries about the mandalas of the Hindu-Buddhist cultures of Asia, most often painted geometric diagrams of great beauty and sophistication, that draw the viewer into a realm of balance, harmony, and calm. But such diagrams are actually architectural blueprints of the purified realm of bliss that we can only realize through enlightenment. They represent three-dimensional spaces of personal and communal exaltation, palaces for the regal confidence of love, compassion, and universal satisfaction of self and other. Understanding their role in anchoring the world-picture of a culture or a person provides a new insight into the "mandalas" of our own culture – the national space anchored by the Washington monument and its environs, or the personal cosmological space anchored by the models of the solar system, the DNA double-helix molecule, and the atom." -Robert A.F. Thurman This episode is an excerpt from "World Mandala" by Robert A.F. Thurman, Available via www.betterlisten.com.

Mexico was inhabited by the Aztecs before the Spanish occupation. The term Aztec might have its roots in Astika, meaning one who believes in the Authority of the Vedas. A festival is celebrated at the same time as our Navaratri; it is called “Rama-Sita” The Mexican national throne preserved in the National Museum of Mexico bears the typical Hindu Buddhist disc of the Sun. The Mexicans also had the Hindu Simhasan (Lion throne).  Temple of Shiva was found in Mexico city. The largest temple in Mexico City was the temple of Lord Shiva, the War God of the Mexican whom the Spanish invaders found entwined by golden snakes. This temple was built in the 15th century and had 3000 Deva-Dasis to perform religious ceremonials. The Mexican temple had the Gopuram style. Here you see a reconstruction of the same after it was destroyed by the Spaniards. The temples at Tikal in Mexico also bore the imprint of our famous temple at Madura. No wonder E. G. Squire in his American archaeological researches in 1851 wrote “It is believed a proper examination of these monuments would disclose the fact that in their interior structure as well as in their exterior form and obvious purposes these buildings correspond with great exactness to those of Hindustan and the Indian Archipelago.” “Astec Calendar The fact that the Hindus were capable of sailing to far off countries like Mexico and Peru is proved by the official historian of Mexico, who in his book published by the Mexican Foreign Office. “Those who first arrived on the continent later to be known as America were groups of men driven by that mighty current that set out from India towards the east.” The U. S. Ambassador Miles Poindexter states in his book The Ayar-Incas that primitive Aryan words and people came to America especially from Indo-Arya by the island chains of Polynesia. The very name of the boat in Mexico is a South Indian (Tamil) word: Catamaran. After 17 years of research I can now claim to have proved my theory of Hindu colonisation of America. The stones in every corner of America speak of Hindu influences. Let us begin with the Astec calendar known as the Astec Chakra of the Hindu Astronomers. It is the foundation stone of Hindu culture in America. The ancient Americans believe in the four Hindu ages (Yugas or cycles). This Astec calendar (of Hindu origin) depicts the Hindu ages of the world. Mackenzie, author of Myths of Pre-Columbian America, says, “”The doctrine of the world's ages (Hindu Yugas) was imported into pre-Columbian America. The Mexican sequence is identical with the Hindus. It would be ridiculous to assert that such a strange doctrine was of spontaneous origin in different parts of old and new worlds.”” The very sculpture of the Sun in this calendar bears the imprint of India. Game of Pachisi Witness the complicated game of Pachisi as it is played in India and Mexico. Seventy years ago Edward Taylor pointed out that the ancient Mexican game of Patolli was similar in its details to the game of Pachisi played in India and the whole region of Southern Asia. “It seems clear,” he wrote, “that the Mexican game must have come from Asia.”” Subsequently Stewart Culin showed that even the cosmic meaning of the Mexican game, its relation to the four quarters of the world and to the calendars ascribed to them was essentially the same as in Pachisi. Dr. Kroeber, leading anthropologist of California, observes that “the mathematical probability of two games invented separately, agreeing by chance in so many specific features, is very low. The close correspondence between the rules of the two games indicates a real connection.” Dr. Kroeber however could not find more evidence to link India with America and decided to leave the issue unsolved expressing the hope that fuller and more accurate knowledge would some day solve the dilemma. Dr. Robert Heine Geldern, the famous anthropologist of Vienna, and Dr. more@ www.ramanisblog.in --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

Flood & Migration in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, a Webinar by Professor Pankaj Jain & Ms. Koral Dasgupta (#TellMeYourStory) (#IndicStudies) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pankaj-jain/support

Christian abrahamic and Judaism text are artificial and Crayola at the most it's time to dig deeper. In these early afternoon rants I talk about the significance into researching Hindu and Buddhist text as far as anything related to enter dimensional beings extraterrestrials and especially the reptilians.

Ep. 142: Joe Kinzer, ethnographer, archivist, and ethnomusicologist Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. From Joe Kinzer's website: I am an ethnographer, archivist, and ethnomusicologist specializing in issues of identity and religious expression in Asian musical contexts. I am the Senior Curatorial Assistant in the Archive of World Music at Harvard’s Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, as well as an Affiliate Faculty member at Antioch University. My work focuses on musicians, audiences, and asking ethnographic questions about objects, such as musical instruments and sound recordings, and how the contrapuntality of agency between these forces works to inform cultural formation. In my book project, Arab Lutes and Global Routes in the Music of Muslim Malaysia (Routledge, forthcoming), I use the circuitous migration of Arab lutes to Southeast Asia as a lens to explore how centuries of conflicting Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic influences from India and the Middle East have transformed and continue to complicate Malay cultural politics in 21st century musical practices. I teach courses in humanities research methods using the lenses of global pop, world music, and sound studies. I have had the privelege of teaching courses at Northern Illinois University, University of Washington, and Antioch University. Some of these courses included Introduction to Music and Culture Studies, American Popular Song, and Humanities Research Methods through Music and Sound. I received a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in music from Northern Illinois University. My work has received generous support from a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship, the U.S. Department of Education’s Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) program, and the Social Sciences Research Council of Canada. I play the oud and guitar and currently perform with Boston College’s Astaza! Arab Music Ensemble. I live in Boston with my wife and daughter.  © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women's and men's psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book's perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran's background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Absent Mother God of the West: A Kali Lover's Journey into Christianity and Judaism (Rowman, 2015) Neela Bhattacharya Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. This book about the missing Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism chronicles a personal as well as an academic quest of an Indian woman who grew up with Kali and myriad other goddesses. It is born out of a women's studies course created and taught by the author called The Goddess in World Religions. The book examines how the Divine Feminine was erased from the western consciousness and how it led to an exclusive spiritually patriarchal monotheism with serious consequences for both women’s and men’s psychological and spiritual identity. While colonial, proselytizing and patriarchal ways have denied the divinity inherent in the female of the species, a recent upsurge of body-centric practices like Yoga and innumerable books about old and new goddesses reveal a deep seated mother hunger in the western consciousness. Written from a practicing Hindu/Buddhist perspective, this book looks at the curious phenomenon called the Black Madonna that appears in Europe and also examines mystical figures like Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. People interested in symbols of the goddess, feminist theologians, and scholars interested in the absence of goddesses in monotheisms may find this book’s perspective and insights provocative. Saxena draws on her personal religious experiences and devotion to the Goddess Kali as a starting point to reflect on the absence of a Divine Feminine in Christianity and Judaism. We discuss the psychological and spiritual implications of that absence, along with discussing phenomena such as the Black Madonna and the Shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. Dr. Neela Bhattacharya Saxena is professor of English and women's studies at Nassau Community College. You can visit her blog “Stand Under the Mother Principle” here. For information on your host Raj Balkaran’s background, see rajbalkaran.com/scholarship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by: Ethan Micheal - YFNAtheist Featuring: Shoeb Zakiuddin - Muslim Crucifix - Satanist Cynthia McDonald - Buddhist Shanna Marie - Hindu Rick Lockhart - Christian Do you like what I'm doing? Consider showing your support! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/YFNAtheist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/YFNAtheist --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/yfnatheist/support

Our hosts check in on urban raised-bed gardening to unearth some surprising facts and philosophies behind the practice, especially in light of our extraordinary #COVID19 time of isolation and quarantine. (Bonus: Dr. Teri shares tips for creating your own small-mammal farmshare.)This novel coronavirus pandemic notwithstanding, Spring has sprung, and shoots and blooms are breaking soil's surface as they have for eons. Spring's arrival alone should fill our hearts with hope.It's the hope that feeds Dr. Teri's passion for gardening. You can't garden without hope. You need hope to appreciate how the seeds you sow so gingerly into your fingertip-formed trenches will germinate, grow, and bear the delicious fruit and vegetables you'll harvest and enjoy a month or more later."There's a certain vulnerability to planting seeds," explains Dr. Teri. "Digging up the soil, understanding the soil, adding some manure or whatever the soil needs to be optimum for whatever I'm putting in...thinking about what the dirt needs, instead of thinking about what I need, what I want."For urban dwellers especially, gardening offers the ultimate feel-good diversion from the isolation blues.Seeds of DiversityWhat's going into the garden this year? Lots of heirloom seeds.Dr. Teri sees heirloom seeds as a fulfillment of the Bodhisattva Vows. "An heirloom seed is something that's not been hybridized or manipulated or genetically modified. We left it alone. We let it do what it does. Instead of forcing it to be something else – for us – we are listening to it and saying, 'what kind of plant are you? What do you do? Why are you here?' Working on the assumption that everything's supposed to work together." On the list this year: ● orange beets● purple carrots● purple lettuce● bok choy● French dandelions● purple basil● Asian basil● Mizuna greens● stinging nettleWild Things at the Welcome TableIn keeping with her Buddhist values, Dr. Teri plans to share her bounty with others...including the community of small mammals with whom she shares her ecosystem!"My neighbors were like, 'oh, that's a lot of work! The bunnies are gonna get it. They're gonna eat all your lettuce.' And I...don't care," says Dr. Teri with a shrug. In addition to rabbits, she welcomes local families of raccoons and skunks. As with most of us, when it came to food, Dr. Teri used to draw a line between humans and other species. But this changed after local wildlife got into her garbage cans repeatedly to feast on pungent cheese rinds, and subsequently strewing trash across the neighborhood. "I decided to stop doing that. I yielded to them, and started putting French cheese crusts out on the back patio on this metal tray." She draws parallels between her small mammal smörgåsbord and the Hindu-Buddhist tradition of leaving offerings after feasts. "There are Buddhist rituals where we have a feast and the leftovers of the feast end up going out in the backyard, for the animals. Beyond that, in the name of ecosystem balance, if they want my cheese crust...I don't want my cheese crust. They've been here for generations before I ever was, before this house was here. Why would I put it in the garbage? It started to not compute anymore."Listen now on: Apple Podcasts

In Buddhist imagery, the void is often symbolized by a mirror. A mirror has no color to it—it merely reflects all colors that appear in it.   Huineng also said that the void was like space. Space contains everything—mountains, oceans, stars, good people, bad people, plants, animals, everything.   And the mind is like that. Space is your mind. It's difficult for us to see that because we think we're in space and that we look out at it. All space, all types of space—visual, dimensional, audible, temporal, musical, tangible—are the mind. They're dimensions of consciousness.   And so the great space that every one of us apprehends from a slightly different point of view in which the universe moves—is the mind. So the mind is represented as a mirror, because the mirror has no color in it, yet it's able to receive all the different colors.   Thirteenth-century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, “In order to see color, my eye has to be free from color.” In the same way, in order to see, hear, think, and feel, you have to have an empty head. The reason why you're not aware of your brain cells is that they're void, and for that reason, you are able to experience. So that's the central principle of Mahayana. When the Hindu Buddhist monks went to China, and the Chinese saw them trying to sit perfectly still and not engage in any worldly activities—and these monks were celibate—the Chinese thought they were crazy. Why do all of that?   The Chinese were very practical, so they reformed Buddhism and allowed Buddhist priests to marry. And their favorite story from India was about a layman—the wealthy merchant Vimalakirti—who could out-argue any other disciple of the Buddha. He even won a debate against the bodhisattva of wisdom, Manjushri. They all had a contest to define the void. The monks gave their definitions, and Manjushri gave his, and then it was Vimalakirti's turn. Well, the businessman said nothing. And that's how he won the whole contest. The thunder of silence. The thumbnail art is by Roger Oneycheck out his collection at www.rogeroney.comMusic By Mettaverse"First Source" ✧ Awaken the Energetic Heart ✧ 111Hz and Subsequent Octaves➤ Listen on Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/2KjGlLI➤ Follow them on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2JW8BU2➤ Join them on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2G1j7G6➤ Subscribe to their channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyvjffON2NoUvX5q_TgvVkw  Alan Watts Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_n1g-X4hVtAai5G84Qz4x-All My Neville Goddard Videos In One Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo8kBZsJpp3xvkRwhbXuhg0MFor coaching – https://www.advancedsuccessinstitute.comFor all episodes of the Reality Revolution – https://www.therealityrevolution.comLike us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RealityRevolutionPodcast/Join our facebook group The Reality Revolution https://www.facebook.com/groups/403122083826082/ Subscribe to my Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOgXHr5S3oF0qetPfqxJfSw Contact us at media@advancedsuccessinsitute.com#buddhism #alanwatts #totalhumanoptimization

On this episode I speak with Dean of Religious Life at University of Southern California, Dr. Varun Soni. Varun's rich and varied background and experience growing up in Southern California as child of one Hindu parent and one Buddhist parent makes him a unique voice in the academic and interreligious spheres.LINKSLearn more about Varun Soni and his work at his personal website: www.varunsoni.com.Office of Religious Life at USC: www.orl.usc.eduRoom to Thrive: https://www.roomtothrive.com/

MEDITATION: IT’S NOT ALL HIPPIES AND PATCHOULI – Why It Matters To Both Your Health AND Bottom Line Links: 7 Types of Meditation (there are many more) https://visualmeditation.co/7-types-of-meditation/ 23 Types of Meditation (there are many more) http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/ Summary of Meditation Types and Practices http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/03/24/types-of-meditation-extensive-list-of-techniques/ Summary of Meditation Effects on Brain: https://psychcentral.com/news/2014/05/19/how-different-types-of-meditation-affect-the-brain/70052.html More on the practice and science of meditation http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/09/how-to-meditate/ Resources: Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. Matthieu Ricard. Little, Brown, 2006. Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence. Antoine Lutz et al. in Journal of Neuroscience. Vol. 29, No. 42, pages 13,418–13,427; October 21, 2009. Mind Wandering and Attention during Focused Meditation: A Fine-Grained Temporal Analysis of Fluctuating Cognitive States. Wendy Hasenkamp et al. in NeuroImage, Vol. 59, No. 1, pages 750–760; January 2, 2012. FROM OUR ARCHIVES The Physiology of Meditation. Robert Keith Wallace and Herbert Benson; February 1972. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN ONLINE Watch talks by Davidson and Ricard at http://ScientificAmerican.com/nov2014/meditation Intro: Broad categories or types of meditation Specific practices Science of meditation How to choose and why Example Creative meditation techniques enable us to consciously cultivate and strengthen specific qualities of mind. Patience, appreciation, sympathetic joy, gratitude, love, compassion, fearlessness, humility, tenderness, and other qualities associated with aspects of nature, Divinity, or the natural world are among the attributes that are most commonly cultivated. Creative meditations invite us to actively nurture these strengths of character by thinking, speaking, and acting "as though" these qualities are more fully alive within us. Types of Meditation: 3 Primary Methods To decide what type of meditation you like best, I recommend doing some experimentation. You may want to try one particular type for 10 days, and if you don’t really like it, try another type. The only way to find the type that you enjoy the most is by testing the waters with some different techniques and observing how you respond. The most popular types of meditation include: Vipassana (Mindfulness) and TM (Transcendental), but there are infinitely more meditations than these two. Nearly all types of meditations fit into a category of: concentration, open monitoring, or effortless awareness. 1. Focused Attention (Concentration) Example: Vipassana All types of meditation that involve enhancing concentration can be classified as “focused attention” technique. These practices involve focusing attention on one specific thing for the entire time with the goal of cultivating laser-like focus. Any concentration meditation will involve consistent mental effort to build up the ability to focus without succumbing to distraction. Certain practices may involve focusing on an external object (e.g. a pen), while others will involve focusing on the breath. In any regard, the goal is to direct 100% focus on one thing for the entire session. When the mind wanders, the focus is calmly brought back to the object. Over time, the mind wanders less and the ability to focus your attention improves for longer durations. 2. Mindfulness (Open Monitoring) Example: Mindfulness With this type of meditation, you aren’t focusing your attention on one specific object. In this case, you are letting your attention flow freely without judgment or attachment. In other words, you are simply observing all perceptions, thoughts, memories, and senses that you experience during your practice. Developing the quality of “open monitoring” is synonymous with mindfulness – you are “mindful” of your experience. Being mindful of your perception allows you to observe your experience almost from a third-person perspective rather than first-person attachment. You notice all sensations that you’re feeling, but merely observe them rather than judge them or react positively or negatively. In Vipassana, qualities of concentration along with mindfulness are generally developed together. 3. Effortless Transcending Example: Transcendental Meditation (TM) This type of meditation is classified as “effortless” because it requires no mental effort or concentration. Some have called this subtype of meditation “pure being” or “transcendental” because it involves emptiness, introversion, and calmness. The goal with this specific type is to essentially help the meditator recognize their pure essence (e.g. “Pure Self”) or the true nature of the self by eliminating all thought. The mind becomes a blank slate with consistent practice. Some have compared effortless transcending to giving the brain a massage or bath. The transcendental process helps the individual silence their mind and become aware of deep (arguably “purer”) states of consciousness. A person who has been practicing this specific type may experience a state of emptiness or nothingness and find that it feels great. They Each do different things! And science is now discovering that they have different effects on the brain. …in one fMRI study, appropriately titled “Putting Feelings into Words” participants viewed pictures of people with emotional facial expressions. Predictably, each participant’s amygdala activated to the emotions in the picture. But when they were asked to name the emotion, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activated and reduced the emotional amygdala reactivity. In other words, consciously recognizing the emotions reduced their impact. How Different Types of Meditation Affect the Brain By Rick Nauert PhD~ 2 min read   Be it mindfulness, zen, acem, meditation drumming, chakra, Buddhist, or transcendental meditation, there are countless ways to meditate. Researchers are now parsing how the brain works during different kinds of meditation. “No one knows how the brain works when you meditate. That is why I’d like to study it,” says Jian Xu, M.D., a physician at St. Olavs Hospital and a researcher at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Along with colleagues at the University of Oslo and the University of Sydney, Xu’s research was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Different meditation techniques can actually be divided into two main groups. One type is concentrative meditation, where the meditating person focuses attention on his or her breathing or on specific thoughts, and in doing so, suppresses other thoughts. The other type may be called nondirective meditation, where the person who is meditating effortlessly focuses on his or her breathing or on a meditation sound, but beyond that the mind is allowed to wander as it pleases. Some modern meditation methods are of this nondirective kind. Fourteen people who had extensive experience with the Norwegian technique of Acem meditation were tested in an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. In addition to simple resting, they undertook two different mental meditation activities, nondirective meditation and a more concentrative meditation task. The research team wanted to test people who were used to meditation because it meant fewer misunderstandings about what the subjects should actually be doing while they lay in the MRI machine. Nondirective meditation led to higher activity than during rest in the part of the brain dedicated to processing self-related thoughts and feelings. When test subjects performed concentrative meditation, the activity in this part of the brain was almost the same as when they were just resting. “I was surprised that the activity of the brain was greatest when the person’s thoughts wandered freely on their own, rather than when the brain worked to be more strongly focused,” said Xu. “When the subjects stopped doing a specific task and were not really doing anything special, there was an increase in activity in the area of the brain where we process thoughts and feelings. It is described as a kind of resting network. And it was this area that was most active during nondirective meditation,” he said. “The study indicates that nondirective meditation allows for more room to process memories and emotions than during concentrated meditation,” said Svend Davanger, M.D., Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the University of Oslo, and co-author of the study. “This area of the brain has its highest activity when we rest. It represents a kind of basic operating system, a resting network that takes over when external tasks do not require our attention. It is remarkable that a mental task like nondirective meditation results in even higher activity in this network than regular rest,” said Davanger. Acem meditation is a technique that falls under the category of nondirective meditation. Davanger believes that good research depends on having a team that can combine personal experience with meditation with a critical attitude towards results. “Meditation is an activity that is practiced by millions of people. It is important that we find out how this really works,” said Davanger. Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology   Which meditation should you practice? It totally depends on why you want to meditate in the first place. If your goal is to become more relaxed, you have plenty of great options. If your goal is to become more focused, you’d want to use a concentrative type of meditation. Various other types like Vajrayana actually increase arousal rather than decrease it, so be careful with the type you choose. Whether you believe in the spiritual aspect of each (e.g. kundalini) is a personal thing and highly subjective. Assuming you want to meditate, pick a practice that appeals to you and give it a shot. However, keep in mind that the science behind meditation is relatively new in terms of long-term neural and physiological changes. We do know that different types of meditation produce specific neural and physiological adaptations. Therefore choosing one type may literally transform your brain in an entirely different way than another. Many people assume that the benefits of every type of meditation can be lumped into a collective pile, but clearly they cannot. Assuming you practice meditation for a long-term, be sure to choose a practice that you enjoy and that helps you achieve your particular goal. Personal thoughts on meditation… Science clearly supports the idea that certain types of meditation can be beneficial for mental performance and physical health. That said, there are some dangers to be aware of such as: extensive meditation leading to social isolation, meditation worsening depression or anxiety, too much inward focus (not balanced with the external), and falsely thinking that all the answers are found by looking inwards. Humans didn’t evolve to meditate, they evolved to seek out external things in their environment. While meditation has its place to help with spiritual endeavors, relaxation, and mental performance, too much meditation may lead to adverse experiences – especially for a novice. Also avoid trapping yourself in any new age “cult” thinking that meditation and the idea of enlightenment will solve all your problems; newsflash: it won’t. If you’re just getting started, I recommend using the app called “Headspace” which is a form of Mindfulness meditation. The science supports mindfulness for reducing anxiety, depression, and other measures. The nice thing about this app is there is no religious, subjective, “spiritual” hocus pocus, mumbo jumbo, witchcraft, non-scientific voodoo. It simply guides you through the meditation process at a slow, safe pace. SPECIFIC TYPES OF MEDITATION – AN OVERVIEW OF 23 MEDITATION TECHNIQUES By Giovanni 276 Commentsmeditation, mindfulness Ok, so you know that meditation has dozens of benefits, and everybody is doing it. You look for information online or on a bookstore, and see that there are a LOT of different ways of doing meditation, dozens of meditation techniques, and some conflicting information. You wonder which way is best for you. This article will help you navigate the sea of different practices of seated meditation, briefly explaining each of them, and pointing to further resources. There are literally hundreds – if not thousands – of types of meditation, so here I will explore only the most popular ones. You can also check my walking meditation guide, for more dynamic meditation techniques. Or, if you already have some experience with meditation, you might enjoy reading about the meditation experiments I was doing while writing this post.   At the bottom of this page you will find a button to download a FREE PDF copy of this post, for easy reference. The advice regarding the posture of meditation is very similar among the different styles of seated practice, so I will go in to more detail about it only once, when talking about the first technique (Zen meditation). I have strived to include a “Is it for me?” section, with general observations about each practice. Keep in mind these are tentative; they are there to give some direction, and potentially any person could feel attracted to any of these modalities. This article does NOT tell you which is “the best” type of meditation – because there is no such thing, and I’m not here to create controversy. Also, I have here focused more on meditative practices; I may write another article on other similar practices, that are more about relaxation or contemplation. If you are a beginner, you may also enjoy the post on meditation tips and meditation for beginners – how to build the habit. The “best” meditation is the meditation that works for you, at this stage in you life.3 GENERAL TYPES Scientists usually classify meditation based on the way they focus attention, into two categories: Focused Attention and Open Monitoring. I’d like to propose a third: Effortless Presence.  Focused attention meditation Focusing the attention on a single object during the whole meditation session. This object may be the breath, a mantra, visualization, part of the body, external object, etc. As the practitioner advances, his ability to keep the flow of attention in the chosen object gets stronger, and distractions become less common and short-lived. Both the depth and steadiness of his attention are developed. Examples of these are: Samatha (Buddhist meditation), some forms of Zazen, Loving Kindness Meditation, Chakra Meditation, Kundalini Meditation, Sound Meditation, Mantra Meditation, Pranayama, some forms of Qigong, and many others.  Open monitoring meditation2 Instead of focusing the attention on any one object, we keep it open, monitoring all aspects of our experience, without judgment or attachment. All perceptions, be them internal (thoughts, feelings, memory, etc.) or external (sound, smell, etc.), are recognized and seen for what they are. It is the process of non-reactive monitoring of the content of experience from moment to moment, without going into them. Examples are: Mindfulness meditation, Vipassana, as well as some types of Taoist Meditation. Effortless Presence It’s the state where the attention is not focused on anything in particular, but reposes on itself – quiet, empty, steady, and introverted. We can also call it “Choiceless Awareness” or “Pure Being”. Most of the meditation quotes you find speak of this state. This is actually the true purpose behind all kinds of meditation, and not a meditation type in itself. All traditional techniques of meditation recognize that the object of focus, and even the process of monitoring, is just a means to train the mind, so that effortless inner silence and deeper states of consciousness can be discovered. Eventually both the object of focus and the process itself is left behind, and there is only left the true self of the practitioner, as “pure presence”. In some techniques, this is the only focus, from the beginning. Examples are: the Self-Enquiry (“I am” meditation) of Ramana Maharishi; Dzogchen; Mahamudra; some forms of Taoist Meditation; and some advanced forms of Raja Yoga. In my point of view, this type of meditation always requires previous training to be effective, even though this is  sometimes not expressly said (only implied). 1) BUDDHIST MEDITATION Zen Meditation (Zazen) Origin & Meaning Zazen (坐禅) means “seated Zen”, or “seated meditation”, in Japanese. It has its roots in the Chinese Zen Buddhism (Ch’an) tradition, tracing back to Indian monk Bodhidharma (6th century CE). In the West, its most popular forms comes from Dogen Zenji (1200~1253), the founder of Soto Zen movement in Japan. Similar modalities are practiced in the Rinzai school of Zen, in Japan and Korea. Focusing on breath — focus all your attention on the movement of the breath going in and out through the nose. This may be aided by counting the breath in your mind. Each time you inhale you count one number, starting with 10, and then moving backward to 9, 8, 7, etc. When you arrive in 1, you resume from 10 again. If you get distracted and lose your count, gently bring back the attention to 10 and resume from there. Shikantaza (“just sitting”) — in this form the practitioner does not use any specific object of meditation; rather, practitioners remain as much as possible in the present moment, aware of and observing what passes through their minds and around them, without dwelling on anything in particular. It’s a type of Effortless Presence meditation Learn more: Zen Mountain Monastery Open Way (PDF) Visit a Zen Buddhist center near to you. Most of them teach zazen for free. Is it for me? Zazen is a very sober meditation style, and you can easily find a lot of strong communities practicing it, as well as plenty of information on the internet. There is a lot of emphasis in keeping the right posture, as an aid for concentration. It is usually practiced in Zen Buddhist centers (Sangha), with strong community support. In many of them you will find it coupled with other elements of Buddhist practice: prostrations, a bit of ritualism, chanting, and group readings of the Buddha teachings. Some people will like this, others won’t. Personally, I practiced zazen in a Buddhist group for 3 years, and I found that those elements and a bit of formality can also help create a structure for the practice, and in themselves they are also meditative. Vipassana Meditation Origin & Meaning “Vipassana” is a Pali “insight” or “clear seeing”. It is a traditional Buddhist practice, dating back to 6th century BC. Vipassana-meditation, as taught in the last few decades, comes from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, and was popularized by  S. N. Goenka and the Vipassana movement. Due to the popularity of Vipassanā-meditation, the “mindfulness of breathing” has gained further popularity in the West as “mindfulness”. How to do it [There is some conflicting information on how to practice Vipassana. In general, however, most teachers emphasize  starting with mindfulness of breath in the first stages, to stabilize the mind and achieve “access concentration.” This is more like focused attention meditation. Then the practice moves on to developing “clear insight” on the bodily sensations and mental phenomena, observing them moment by moment and not clinging to any. Here goes an introduction, aimed for beginners. To know more I’d suggest following up the links provided or learning from a teacher (perhaps in a Vipassana retreat).] Ideally, one is to sit on a cushion on the floor, cross-legged, with your spine erect; alternatively, a chair may be used, but the back should not be supported. The first aspect is to develop concentration, through samatha practice. This is typically done through breathing awareness. Focus all your attention, from moment to moment, on the movement of your breath. Notice the subtle sensations of the movement of the abdomen rising and falling. Alternatively, one can focus on the sensation of the air passing through the nostrils and touching the upper lips skin – though this requires a bit more practice, and is more advanced. As you focus on the breath, you will notice that other perceptions and sensations continue to appear: sounds, feelings in the body, emotions, etc. Simply notice these phenomena as they emerge in the field of awareness, and then return to the sensation of breathing. The attention is kept in the object of concentration (the breathing), while these other thoughts or sensations are there simply as “background noise”. The object that is the focus of the practice (for instance, the movement of the abdomen) is called the “primary object”. And a “secondary object” is anything else that arises in your field of perception – either through your five senses (sound, smell, itchiness in the body, etc.) or through the mind (thought, memory, feeling, etc.). If a secondary object hooks your attention and pulls it away, or if it causes desire or aversion to appear, you should focus on the secondary object for a moment or two, labeling it with a mental note, like “thinking”,  “memory”, “hearing”, “desiring”. This practice is often called “noting”. A mental note identifies an object in general but not in detail. When you’re aware of a sound, for example, label it “hearing” instead of “motorcycle,” “voices” or “barking dog.” If an unpleasant sensation arises, note “pain” or “feeling” instead of “knee pain” or “my back pain.” Then return your attention to the primary meditation object. When aware of a fragrance, say the mental note “smelling” for a moment or two. You don’t have to identify the scent. When one has thus gained “access concentration”, the attention is then turned to the object of practice, which is normally thought or bodily sensations. One observes the objects of awareness without attachment, letting thoughts and sensations arise and pass away of their own accord. Mental labeling (explained above) is often use as a way to prevent you from being carried away by thoughts, and keep you in more objectively noticing them. As a result one develops the clear seeing that the observed phenomena is pervaded by the three “marks of existence”: impermanence (annica), insatisfactoriness (dukkha) and emptiness of self (annata). As a result, equanimity, peace and inner freedom is developed in relation to these inputs. Learn more: Types of Vipassana (read the answer from Anh-Minh Do) Vipassana Dhura (very in-depth article) Vipassana for beginners (Goenka style) Mindfulness in Plain English (free eBook) Visit a Vipassana center near you Is it for me? Vipassana is an excellent meditation to help you ground yourself in your body, and understand how the processes of your mind work. It is a very popular style of meditation. You can find plenty of teachers, websites, and books about it, as well as 3~10 days retreats (donation based). The teaching of it is always free. There are no formalities or rituals attached to the practice. If you are completely new to meditation, Vipassana or Mindfulness are probably good ways for you to start. Mindfulness Meditation   Origin & Meaning Mindfulness Meditation is an adaptation from traditional Buddhist meditation practices, especially Vipassana, but also having strong influence from other lineages (such as the Vietnamese Zen Buddhism from Thich Nhat Hanh). “Mindfulness” is the common western translation for the Buddhist term sati. Anapanasati, “mindfulness of breathing”, is part of the Buddhist practice of Vipassana or insight meditation, and other Buddhist meditational practices, such as zazen (source: Wikipedia). One of the main influencers for Mindfulness in the West is John Kabat-Zinn. His Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) – which he developed in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School – has been used in several hospitals and health clinic on the past decades. How to do it Mindfulness meditation is the practice of intentionally focusing on the present moment, accepting and no3n-judgmentally paying attention to the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise. For the “formal practice” time, sit on a cushion on the floor, or on a chair, with straight and unsupported back. Pay close attention to the movement of your breath. When you breath in, be aware that you are breathing in, and how it feels. When you breath out, be aware you are breathing out. Do like this for the length of your meditation practice, constantly redirecting the attention to the breath. Or you can move on to be paying attention to the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise. The effort is to not intentionally add anything to our present moment experience, but to be aware of what is going on, without losing ourselves in anything that arises. Your mind will get distracted into going along with sounds, sensations, and thoughts. Whenever that happens, gently recognize that you have been distracted, and bring the attention back to the breathing, or to the objective noticing of that thought or sensation. There is a big different between being inside the thought/sensation, and simply being aware of it’s presence. Learn to enjoy your practice. Once you are done, appreciate how different the body and mind feel. There is also the practice of mindfulness during our daily activities: while eating, walking, and talking. For “daily life” meditation, the practice is to pay attention to what is going on in the present moment, to be aware of what is happening – and not living in “automatic mode”. If you are speaking, that means paying attention to the words you speak, how you speak them, and to listen with presence and attention. If you are walking, that means being more aware of your body movements, your feet touching the ground, the sounds you are hearing, etc. Your effort in seated practice supports your daily life practice, and vice-versa. They are both equally important.  Learn more: Psychology Today (more details on how to practice) Palouse Mindfulness (MBSR free online course) Mindfulness exercises Mindful Schools Is it for me? For the general public, this is perhaps the most advisable way to get started with meditation. It is the type of meditation that is most taught at schools and hospitals, as far as I am aware. The “mindfulness movement” as practiced nowadays in society at large, is not Buddhism, but an adaptation of Buddhist practices due to their benefits in good physical and mental health and general wellbeing. For most people, Mindfulness Meditation may be the only type of meditation they will like, especially if their focus is only the physical and mental benefits of meditation, as it is usually taught dissociated from several of the eastern concepts and philosophies that traditionally accompanied the practice. And for that it is great – it will bring many good things to your life. If your focus is a deeper transformation and spiritual development, however, then mindfulness meditation may be just an initial step for you. From here you can then move into Vipassana, Zazen, or other types of meditation. Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta Meditation) Origin & Meaning Metta is a Pali word that means kindness, benevolence, and good will. This practice comes from the Buddhist traditions, especially the Theravada and Tibetan lineages. “Compassion meditation” is a contemporary scientific field that demonstrates the efficacy of mettaand related meditative practices. Demonstrated benefits include: boosting one’s ability to empathize with others; development of positive emotions through compassion, including a more loving attitude towards oneself; increased self-acceptance; greater feeling of competence about one’s life; and increased feeling of purpose in life (read more in our other post). How to do it One sits down in a meditation position, with closed eyes, and generates in his mind and heart feelings of kindness and benevolence. Start by developing loving-kindness towards yourself, then progressively towards others and all beings. Usually this progression is advised: oneself a good friend a “neutral” person a difficult person all four of the above equally and then gradually the entire universe The feeling to be developed is that of wishing happiness and well-being for all. This practice may be aided by reciting specific words or sentences that evoke the “boundless warm-hearted feeling”, visualizing the suffering of others and sending love; or by imagining the state of another being, and wishing him happiness and peace. The more you practice this meditation, the more joy you will experience. That is the secret of Mathieu Richard’s happiness. “For one who attends properly to the liberation of the heart by benevolence, unarisen ill will does not arise and arisen ill will is abandoned.” – The Buddha9 In this article, Emma Seppälä, Ph.D explores the 18 scientifically proven benefits of Loving-Kindness meditation. Learn more: Wikipedia on Metta Meditation Metta Institute (Buddha’s word on metta) Huffington Post article on the benefits of metta Is it for me? Are you sometimes too hard on yourself or on others? Or feel like you need to improve your relationships? Loving-kindness meditation will help you. It is beneficial both for selfless and self-centered people, and it will help increase your general level of happiness. You cannot feel loving-kindness and depression (or any other negative feeling) at the same time. It is also often recommended, by Buddhist teachers, as an antidote to insomnia, nightmares, or anger issues. 2) HINDU MEDITATION (Vedic & Yogic) Mantra Meditation (OM Meditation)   A mantra is a syllable or word, usually without any particular meaning, that is repeated for the purpose of focusing your mind. It is not an affirmation used to convince yourself of something. Some meditation teachers insist that both the choice of word, and its correct pronunciation, is very important, due to the “vibration” associated to the sound and meaning, and that for this reason an initiation into it is essential. Others say that the mantra itself is only a tool to focus the mind, and the chosen word is completely irrelevant. Mantras are used in Hindu traditions, Buddhist traditions (especially Tibetan and “Pure Land” Buddhism), as well as in Jainism, Sikhism and Daoism (Taoism). Some people call mantra meditation “om meditation”, but that is just one of the mantras that can be used. A more devotion oriented practice of mantras is called japa, and consists of repeating sacred sounds (name of God) with love. How to do it As most type of meditations, it is usually practiced sitting with spine erect, and eyes closed. The practitioner then repeats the mantra in his mind, silently, over and over again during the whole session. Sometimes this practice is coupled with being aware of the breathing or coordinating with it. In other exercises, the mantra is actually whispered very lightly and softly, as an aid to concentration. As you repeat the mantra, it creates a mental vibration that allows the mind to experience deeper levels of awareness. As you meditate, the mantra becomes increasingly abstract and indistinct, until you’re finally led into the field of pure consciousness from which the vibration arose.Repetition of the mantra helps you disconnect from the thoughts filling your mind so that perhaps you may slip into the gap between thoughts. The mantra is a tool to support your meditation practice. Mantras can be viewed as ancient power words with subtle intentions that help us connect to spirit, the source of everything in the universe. (Deepak Chopra) Here are some of the most well-known mantras from the Hindu & Buddhist traditions: om so-ham om namah shivaya om mani padme hum rama yam ham You may practice for a certain period of time, or for a set number of “repetitions” – traditionally 108 or 1008. In the latter case, beads are typically used for keeping count. As the practice deepens, you may find that the mantra continues “by itself” like the humming of the mind. Or the mantra may even disappear, and you are left in a state of deep inner peace.  Learn more: Wikipedia article on Mantra Seven Ways to Meditate with OM Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound (book) Mantras: Words of Power (book) Is it for me? People usually find that it is easier to focus with a mantra than with the breathing. Because a mantra is a word, and thoughts are usually perceived as words, it can be easier to keep the focus on a mantra rather than on the breathing. It is useful especially when the mind is racing with many thoughts, since it mantra meditation demands constant attention. Meditating with a mantra can also make it simpler to  integrate your meditative state into your daily life. In whatever activity you find yourself into, it can be as simple as repeating the mantra in your mind.  Transcendental Meditation (TM)   Origin & Meaning Transcendental Meditation is a specific form of Mantra Meditation introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1955 in India and the West. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities. It is a widely practiced form of meditation, with over 5 million practitioners worldwide, and there is a lot of scientific research, many sponsored by the organization, demonstrating the benefits of the practice. There are over 600 scientific papers, many of them peer-reviewed, and I have used part of their research when composing my benefits of meditation page. However, there are also critics of the Maharishi and his organization, and some accusation of cultish behavior and doubtful research practices.[Image from NurseTalkSite.com] How to do it Transcendental meditation is not taught freely. The only way of learning it is to pay to learn from one of their licensed instructors. The support given seems to be good, though. In general, however, it is known that TM involves the use of a mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with one’s eyes closed. The mantra is not unique, and is given to the practitioner based on his gender and age. They are also not “meaningless sounds” – rather, they are Tantric names of Hindu deities. This probably is irrelevant for most people. This is the official site of the movement: TM site. There is another similar technique, called Natural Stress Relief, which was created in 2003 by a former TM Teacher, and is much cheaper to learn (47 USD instead of 960 USD), and has stripped out some mystical elements of the practice of TM, such as the initiation (puja) and yogic flying (part of TM-Siddhi). You can learn more about NSR in comparison to TM here and here. Is it for me? Personally I don’t feel comfortable advising anyone to try Transcendental Meditation anymore, especially if you are looking to go deep into meditation. To know more, check out this answer I wrote in Quora. If you wish to try something similar, for a fraction of the cost or for free, have a look at NSR (above), or Mantra Meditation.  Yoga Meditations Origin & Meaning There is not one type of meditation which is “Yogic Meditation”, so here it is meant the several meditation types taught in the yoga tradition. Yoga means “union”. Tradition goes as far as 1700 B.C, and has as its highest goal spiritual purification and Self-Knowledge. Classical Yoga divides the practice into rules of conduct (yamas and niyamas), physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and contemplative practices of meditation (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi). The Yoga tradition is the oldest meditation tradition on earth, and also the one with the widest variety of practices. How to do it Here are some types of meditation practiced in Yoga. The most common and universal Yoga meditation one is the “third eye meditation”. Other popular ones involve concentrating on a chakra, repeating a mantra, visualization of light, or gazing meditations.  Third Eye Meditation — focusing the attention on the “spot between the eyebrows” (called by some “the third eye” or “ajna chakra”). The attention is constantly redirected to this point, as a means to silence the mind. By time the “silent gaps” between thoughts get wider and deeper. Sometimes this is accompanied by physically “looking”, with eyes closed, towards that spot. Chakra Meditation — the practitioner focuses on one of the seven chakras of the body (“centers of energy”), typically doing some visualizations and chanting a specific mantra for each chakra (lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om). Most commonly it is done on the heart chackra, third eye, and crown chackra. Gazing Meditation (Trataka) — fixing the gaze on an external object, typically a candle, image or a symbol (yantras). It is done with eyes open, and then with eyes closed, to train both the concentration and visualization powers of the mind. After closing the eyes, you should still keep the image of the object in your “mind’s eye”. This meditation is so important and powerful, that I wrote this post on the subject. Kundalini Meditation — this is a very complex system of practice. The goal is the awakening of the “kundalini energy” which lies dormant on the base of the spine, the development of several psychic centers in the body, and, finally, enlightenment. There are several dangers associated with this practice, and it should not be attempted without the guidance of a qualified yogi. Kriya Yoga — is a set of energization, breathing, and meditation exercises taught by Paramahamsa Yogananda. This is more suited for those who have a devotional temperament, and are seeking the spiritual aspects of meditation. To learn it, you can apply to receive the Self-Realization lessons, free of charge. Sound Meditation (Nada Yoga) — focusing on sound. Starts with meditation on “external sounds”, such as calming ambient music (like Native American flute music), whereby the student focuses all his attention on just hearing, as a help to quieten and collect the mind. By time the practice evolves to hearing the “internal sounds” of the body and mind. The ultimate goal is to hear the “Ultimate Sound” (para nada), which is a sound without vibration, and that manifests as “OM”. Tantra — unlike the popular view in the West, most Tantra practices have nothing to do with ritualized sex (this was practiced by a minority of lineages. Tantra is a very rich tradition, with dozens of different contemplative practices. The text Vijnanabhairava Tantra, for instance, lists 108 “meditations”, most of them more advanced (already requiring a certain degree of stillness and mind control). Here are some examples from that text: Merge the mind and the senses in the interior space in the spiritual heart. When one object is perceived, all other objects become empty. Concentrate on that emptiness. Concentrate on the space which occurs between two thoughts. Fix attention on the inside of the skull. Close eyes. Meditate on the occasion of any great delight. Meditate on the feeling of pain. Dwell on the reality which exists between pain and pleasure. Meditate on the void in one’s body extending in all directions simultaneously. Concentrate on a bottomless well or as standing in a very high place. Listen to the Anahata [heart chakra] sound. Listen to the sound of a musical instrument as it dies away. Contemplate on the universe or one’s own body as being filled with bliss. Concentrate intensely on the idea that the universe is completely void. Contemplate that the same consciousness exists in all bodies. Pranayama — breathing regulation. It is not exactly meditation, but an excellent practice to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation. There are several different types of Pranayama, but the simplest and most commonly taught one is the 4-4-4-4. This means breathing in counting up to 4, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, and holding empty for 4 seconds. Breathe through your nose, and let the abdomen (and not the chest) be the one that moves. Go through a few cycles like this. This regulation of breathing balances the moods and pacifies the body, and can be done anywhere. Yoga is a very rich tradition, with different lineages, so there are many other techniques. But the ones above are the most well-known; the others are more specific or complex. For a start, this video is an excellent resource on how to do Yoga style meditation, and it combines breathing, body awareness, mantra, and chakra meditation. Learn more: Meditations from the Tantras (book) Chakras: Seven Chakras, Mind Body Green, Wikipedia article, Chakra Meditation Trataka (LiveAndDare post) Meditation and Mantras (book) Raja Yoga (book) Kriya Yoga (Self-Realization Fellowship) Nada Yoga: Spirit Sound, The Practice of Nada Yoga (book), Wikipedia,  Bindu Magazine (compreenshive article) The Science of Pranayama (book) Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy (book) List of meditation objects in Yoga (George Feuerstein) Is it for me? With all these types of meditation in Yoga, you are likely to find one that you like. If you are a musician, perhaps nada yoga is something that will attract you. If you are a devotional person, kriya yoga is a good option. Kundalini and Chakra meditation should only be attempted with a teacher. Probably the simplest one to try is the “third eye meditation”, which is simple and yields results fairly quickly. For the other types you would probably need more instruction, either of a teacher or a good book (see references above). Besides, Pranayama is definitely something anyone can benefit from.  Self-Enquiry and “I Am” Meditation   Origin & Meaning Self-Enquiry is the English translation for the Sanskrit term atma vichara. It means to “investigate” our true nature, to find the answer to the “Who am I?” question, which culminates with the intimate knowledge of our true Self, our true being. We see references to this meditation in very old Indian texts; however, it was greatly popularized and expanded upon by the 20th-century Indian sage Ramana Maharshi (1879~1950). The modern non-duality movement (or neo-advaita), which is greatly inspired in his teachings – as well as those of Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897~1981) and Papaji – strongly uses this technique and variations. Many contemporary teachers to employ this technique, the most famous ones being Mooji  (whom I’ve personally been with and recommend), Adyashanti, and Eckhart Tolle. How to do it This practice is very simple, but also very subtle. When explaining it, however, it may sound very abstract. Your sense of “I” (or “ego”) is the center of your universe. It is there, in some form or another, behind all your thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions. Yet we are not clear about what this “I” is – about who we truly are, in essence – and confuse it with our body, our mind, our roles, our labels. It’s the biggest mystery in our lives. With Self-Enquiry, the question “Who I am?” is asked within yourself. You must reject any verbal answers that may come, and use this question simply as a tool to fix your attention in the subjective feeling of “I” or “I am”. Become one with it, go deep into it. This will then reveal your true “I”, your real self as pure consciousness, beyond all limitation. It is not an intellectual pursuit, but a question to bring the attention to the core element of your perception and experience: the “I”. This is not your personality, but a pure, subjective, feeling of existing – without any images or concepts attached to it.Whenever thoughts/feelings arise, you ask yourself, “To whom does this arise?” or “Who is aware of _____ (anger, fear, pain, or whatever)?” The answer will be “It’s me!”. From then you ask “Who am I?”, to bring the attention back to the subjective feeling of self, of presence. It is pure existence, objectless and choice-less awareness. Another way of explaining this practice is to just focus the mind on your feeling of being, the non-verbal “I am” that shines inside of you. Keep it pure, without association with anything you perceive. On all other types of meditation, the “I” (yourself) is focusing on some object, internal or external, physical or mental. In self-enquiry, the “I” is focusing on itself, the subject. It is the attention turned towards its source.There is no special position to practice, although the general suggestions about posture and environment are helpful for beginners. Learn more: Guided “I am” Meditations with Mooji: Teachings of Ramana Maharishi: Happiness of Being, David Godman’s blog, Sri Ramanasram official site Nisargadatta Maharaj: Enlightened-Spirituality Quotes apps (iOS) Be As You Are (book or Ramana’s teachings) I Am That (book of Nisargadatta Maharaj, a modern spiritual classic) Is it for me? This meditation is very powerful in bringing inner freedom and peace; yet, if you don’t have previous experience with meditation, you may find it very hard to follow through. As an initial aid to give you a feeling for it, I would advise following some guided meditations from Mooji, in YouTube. 3) CHINESE MEDITATION Taoist Meditations Origin & Meaning Daoism is a Chinese philosophy and religion, dating back to Lao Tzu (or Laozi). It emphasizes living in harmony with Nature, or Tao, and it’s main text is the Tao Te Ching, dating back to 6th century B.C. Later on some lineages of Taoism were also influenced by Buddhist meditation practices brought from India, especially on the 8th century C.E.. The chief characteristic of this type of meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of inner energy. The purpose is to quieten the body and mind, unify body and spirit, find inner peace, and harmonize with the Tao. Some styles of Taoist Meditation are specifically focused on improving health and giving longevity. Image from InternalArtsInternational.com   How to do it There are several different types of Taoist meditation, and they are sometimes classified in three: “insight”, “concentrative”, and “visualization”. Here is a brief overview: Emptiness meditation — to sit quietly and empty oneself of all mental images (thoughts, feelings, and so on), to “forget about everything”, in order to experience inner quiet and emptiness. In this state, vital force and “spirit” is collected and replenished. This is similar to the Confucius discipline of “heart-mind fasting”, and it is regarded as “the natural way”. One simply allows all thoughts and sensations arise and fall by themselves, without engaging with or “following” any of them. If this is found to be too hard and “uninteresting”, the student is instructed with other types of meditation, such as visualization and Qigong Breathing meditation (Zhuanqi) — to focus on the breath, or “unite mind and qi”. The instruction is “focus your vital breath until it is supremely soft”. Sometimes this is done by simply quietly observing the breath (similar to Mindfulness Meditation in Buddhism); in other traditions it is by following certain patterns of exhalation and inhalation, so that one becomes directly aware of the “dynamisms of Heaven and Earth” through ascending and descending breath (a type of Qigong, similar to Pranayama in Yoga). Neiguan (“inner observation; inner vision”) — visualizing inside one’s body and mind, including the organs, “inner deities”, qi (vital force) movements, and thought processes. It’s a process of acquainting oneself with the wisdom of nature in your body. There are particular instructions for following this practice, and a good book or a teacher is required. These meditations are done seated cross-legged on the floor, with spine erect. The eyes are kept half-closed and fixed on the point of the nose.Master Liu Sichuan emphasises that, although not easy, ideally one should practice by “joining the breath and the mind together”; for those that find this too hard, he would recommend focusing on the lower abdomen (dantian). Learn more: 1stHolistic.com (detailed practical information) Wikipedia article (Overview of historical development of different Taoist meditation practices) Is it for me? People that are more connected with the body and nature may like to try Taoist meditation, and enjoy learning a bit about the philosophy behind it. Or if you are into martial arts or Tai Chi, this might be of your interest. However, Taoist centers and teachers are not as easy to find as Buddhist and Yoga ones, so it might be a challenge to follow through. Qigong (Chi kung) Origin & Meaning Qigong (also spelled chi kung, or chi gung) is a Chinese word that means “life energy cultivation”, and is a body-mind exercise for health, meditation, and martial arts training. It typically involves slow body movement, inner focus, and regulated breathing. Traditionally it was practiced and taught in secrecy in the Chinese Buddhist, Taoist and Confucianist traditions. In the 20th century, Qigong movement has incorporated and popularized Daoist meditation, and “mainly employs concentrative exercises but also favors the circulation of energy in an inner-alchemical mode” (Kohn 2008a:120). For a deep study on Qigong history, theory, and philosophy, I recommend The Root of Chinese Qigong. Daoist practices may also employ Qigong, but since Qigong is also applied in other Chinese philosophies, I decided to treat it as a separate subject. How to do it There are thousands of different Qigong exercises cataloged, involving over 80 different types of breathing. Some are specific to martial arts (to energize and strengthen the body); others are for health (to nourish body functions or cure diseases); and others for meditation and spiritual cultivation. Qigong can be practiced in a static position (seated or standing), or through a dynamic set of movements – which is what you typically see in YouTube videos and on DVDs. The exercises that are done as a meditation, however, are normally done sitting down, and without movement. To understand more about Qigong and learn how to do it, I’d recommend getting a book or DVD set from Dr. Yang Jwing Ming, such as this one. But here goes an introductory overview of the practice of seated Qigong meditation: Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure your body is balanced and centered. Relax your whole body – muscles, nerves, and internal organs Regulate your breathing, making it deep, long, and soft. Calm your mind Place all your attention in the “lower dantien”, which is the center of gravity of the body, two inches below the navel. This will help accumulate and root the qi (vital energy). Where your mind and intention is, there will be your qi. So, by focusing on the dantien, you are gathering energy in this natural reservoir. Feel the qi circulating freely through your body. Other famous Qigong exercises are: Small Circulation (also called “microcosmic circulation”) Embryonic Breathing Eight Pieces of Brocade (see this book excerpt  & Wikipedia article) Muscle Tendon Changing (or “Yi Jin Jing”, taught by Bodhidharma) The first two are seated meditation, while the latter two are dynamic Qigong, integrating body stretches. Learn more: Wikipedia article Yang Jwing Ming DVDs (YouTube) The Qigong Institute Qigong Forum Is it for me? Qigong meditation may be more attractive to people that like to integrate a more active body and energy work into the practice. If seated meditation is unbearable for you, and you prefer something a bit more active, try some of the more dynamic forms of Qigong. Again, there are several styles of Qigong out there, and you may need to try with different teachers or DVDs to find the one that suits you.Some people have a taste of dynamic Qigong through the practice of Tai Chi. 4) CHRISTIAN MEDITATION In Eastern traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Daoism) meditation is usually practiced with the purpose of transcending the mind and attaining enlightenment. On the other hand, in the Christian tradition the goal of contemplative practices is, one may say, moral purification and deeper understanding of the Bible; or a closer intimacy with God/Christ, for the more mystic stream of the tradition. Here are some forms of Christian contemplative practice: contemplative prayer — which usually involves the silent repetition of sacred words or sentences, with focus and devotion contemplative reading — or simply “contemplation”, which involves thinking deeply about the teachings and events in the Bible. “sitting with God” — a silent meditation, usually preceded by contemplation or reading, in which we focus all our mind, heart and soul on the presence of God To read more about this, check out our post on Contemplative Prayer and Christian Meditation. 5) GUIDED MEDITATIONS   Origin & Meaning Guided Meditation is, in great part, a modern phenomenon. It is an easier way to start, and you will find guided meditations ba sed on several of the above traditions. The practice of meditation requires some dose of determination and will-power. In the past, people that were into meditation were more committed to it, and also had strong ideals fuelling their motivation. Their life was more simple, with less distractions. We live in very different times now. Our life is busier. Will power is a less common personal asset. Distractions are everywhere, and meditation is often sought as a means to develop better health, enhance performance, or improve oneself. For these reasons, guided meditation can indeed be a good way to introduce you to the practice. Once you get the hang of it, and wish to take your practice to the next level, I would urge you to try meditation unassisted by audio. It is up to you to decide when you feel like taking this step. Guided Meditation is like cooking with a recipe. It’s a good way to start, and you can eat the food you make like this. But once you understand the main principles and flavors, you can cook your own dish. It will have a different, unique taste; it will be tailored for you, and more powerful. And then you will not want to use the recipe anymore – unless if you are trying a dish of another cuisine.  [Image from BinauralBeatsMeditation.com] How to do it Guided meditation usually comes in the form of audio (file, podcast, CD), and sometimes audio and video. You will find that any guided meditation will fall in one of below categories (with some overlap, obviously). Traditional Meditations — With these types of audios, the voice of the teacher is simply there to “illustrate” or “guide” the way for your attention, in order to be in a meditative state; there is more silence than voice in it, and often no music. Examples are the ones offered by Thich Nhat Hanh and Tara Brach, which are rooted in authentic Buddhist practices. The purpose is to develop and deepen the practice itself, with all the benefits that come with it. Guided Imagery — Makes use of the imagination and visualization powers of the brain, guiding you to imagine an object, entity, scenery or journey. The purpose is usually healing or relaxation. Relaxation & Body Scans — Helps you achieve a deep relaxation in your whole body. It’s usually accompanied by soothing instrumental music or nature sounds. In Yoga these are called yoga nidra. The purpose is relaxation and calmness. Affirmations — Usually coupled with relaxation and guided imagery, the purpose of these meditations is to imprint a message in your mind. Binaural Beats — Binaural beats were originally discovered in 1839 by physicist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. He discovered when signals of two different frequencies are presented separately, one to each ear, your brain detects the phase variation between the frequencies and tries to reconcile that difference. This is used to generate alpha waves (10 Hz), which is the brain wave associated with initial levels of meditation. There is scientific research into why and how binaural beats work. While they all have their merits, it is the first type that most naturally evolves into individual unguided practice. Learn more: UCLA Free Guided Meditations Head In The Clouds (big collection of free guided meditations) Free Binaural Beats Yoga Nidra (YouTube) Headspace app (Guided meditations on your phone!) Is it for me? If you feel traditional meditation is a bit too hard, or you are unsure where to start, then guided meditations can be the way for you to begin. Or if you are seeking some very specific experience or benefit – like improving self-esteem, working through a trauma, or just letting go of some tension in your body – you can also find some guided meditation that suits you.

MUKTI:  Free To Be Born Again:  Partitions of Indian Subcontinent, Islamism, Hinduism, Leftism, and Liberation of the Faithful  by Dr. Sachi Dastidar   “Mukti“ is a commonly used term in Hindu-Buddhist philosophies meaning freedom from rebirth and liberation from oppression.”  The book focuses on the transformation of a society.  It is a history-based autobiographical work reflecting three decades of … Read more about this episode...

In this continuing series on the Energy Body, Dr. Mercy discusses the Taoist system of energy or chi within the organs of the body. While Energy Body 1 focused on the Hindu/Buddhist system of the seven chakras, Energy Body 2 covers the related Chinese system of the five organs. The Tao is the Way between the Zin and the Zang, … Read more about this episode...