Can we meditate for a cause?? Do you think we could benifit from it???

zenmyste

What I mean is: Instead of meditating to calm the mind etc etc..Can one meditate *for* something or to get *ready* for something.

Lets say you have a job interview tomorrow, do you think its beneficial to meditate on the interview. How you would like to be in that interview, getting your mind ready for it, and for the questions, getting yourself relaxed etc etc, then after meditating off you go for your interview?
Would this kind of thing benifit us or not really?? What are your thoughts??

Its kind of like visualizing meditating. I read about it once, where people meditate *thinking about* something.
So another exampe is you can meditated yourself healthier..What you think, you become. So if your repeating the words - 'i am happy, calm and healthy, i am happy calm and healthy, i am happy calm and healthy....etc etc this can actually make you stay calm, happy and healthy in life.

I dont really know..What do you think??? Could work or load of crap?? LOL

zenmyste

Sorry this might have been better in meditation section. (dont know how to change it)

Temporary_arising

I offer this advice with love.
Our path is about realisation's that we get from experience. Not conceptual understanding that we get from asking questions.
You seem to spend alot of time asking random questions. Why not try it for yourself and see what happens. It's the only way that you'll really know.

zenmyste

As i cant attend a sangha no more, i assumed asking random questions was ok here. I thought i could ask questions to better my practice, and to see if anyone else relates to what im asking. I apologize if this isnt the right site for it. But i guess your right then, ill just try things myself from now on and wont ask any questions.

Thanks for opinion.

taiyaki

it sure as hell helps!

tmottes

In my life, I find that meditation on something can be very useful; however, I try to not meditate on thought, but experiences. Prior to really getting into the meditation, I would ask myself "What feelings do I have when I have a job interview?" Then I will conjure those feelings and meditate on the experience of those feelings. This helps me to see those feelings/sensations for what they really are.

In another thread there was a person that was expressing appreciation for the sangha aspect of an online forum. He/she specifically said that in another forum, the people seemed to be annoyed or short with him/her for asking too many questions. Obviously, buddhism is about experiencing all these things for yourself. You can't conceptualize the un-conceptual. If one could impart experience with words, we would have more buddhas. Sadly this isn't the case. I would offer that questions are not the problem; it is questions without exploration or validation that are at issue.

Keep asking the questions (whether before or after exploration depends on the context), but make certain that you explore these things on your own. Everybody's experiences are different and while they may have some direction for you, it won't fit like a key in a lock.

One final note about questions.

"According to the Buddha, there are several ways of answering various types of questions. The first type of question is one that requires a definite answer, such as a 'yes' or 'no'. For example, the question, 'Are all conditioned things impermanent?' is answered with a 'Yes'. The second type of question is one requiring an analytical answer. Suppose someone says that Angulimala was a murderer before he became an "Arahant". So is it possible for all murderers to become Arahants? This question should be analyzed before you can say 'Yes' or 'No'. Otherwise, it will not be answered correctly and comprehensively. You need to analyse what conditions make it possible for a murderer to become a saint within one lifetime.

The third type of question is one where it is necessary to ask a counter question to help the questioner to think through. If you ask, "Why is it wrong to kill other living beings?' the counter question is, 'How does it feel when others try to kill you?' The fourth kind of question is one that should be dropped. It means that you should not answer it. These are the questions which are speculative in nature, and any answer to such questions will only create ore confusion. An example of such a question is, 'Does the universe have a beginning or not?' People can discuss such questions for years without coming to a conclusion. They can only answer such questions based on their imagination, not on real understanding."

-Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/whatbudbeliev/34.htm

Cinorjer

What I mean is: Instead of meditating to calm the mind etc etc..Can one meditate *for* something or to get *ready* for something.

Lets say you have a job interview tomorrow, do you think its beneficial to meditate on the interview. How you would like to be in that interview, getting your mind ready for it, and for the questions, getting yourself relaxed etc etc, then after meditating off you go for your interview?
Would this kind of thing benifit us or not really?? What are your thoughts??

Its kind of like visualizing meditating. I read about it once, where people meditate *thinking about* something.
So another exampe is you can meditated yourself healthier..What you think, you become. So if your repeating the words - 'i am happy, calm and healthy, i am happy calm and healthy, i am happy calm and healthy....etc etc this can actually make you stay calm, happy and healthy in life.

I dont really know..What do you think??? Could work or load of crap?? LOL

I don't know exactly what you expect the meditation to do. It would help focus your mind. It certainly doesn't hurt. An SGI Buddhist would say their chanting is effective in developing a positive mind and acquiring what you want. The biggest problem in being tested in some way is our stress getting in the way. So visualizing the situation while calming your mind could be a good behavioral practice.