You cannot travel the path without meditating. Meditation will help you better understand yourself and the world.
The Four Noble Truths are the basis of the right understanding. You must believe that those truths describe things as they really are. [4] X Research source Nothing is perfect or permanent. Think critically about situations instead of inserting your personal feelings, desires, and concerns.
Show regard for all living things (e. g. plants, animals, and people) regardless of their status. For example, you would treat a wealthy person and poor person with the same respect. People from all backgrounds, age groups, races, ethnicity, economic groups should be treated equally.
Having the right speech is something you practice every day.
Your presence and actions should be positive and improve the lives of other people and society.
For example, if you work in sales, you would not use deception or lies to get people to purchase your product.
Prevent evil and unwholesome states (sensual desire, ill will, worry, doubt, restlessness) of from arising Get rid of evil and unwholesome states that have already arisen by countering them with good thoughts, redirecting your attention to something else, or confronting the thought and investigating the source of the thought. Produce good and wholesome states Maintain and perfect the good and wholesome states
Living in the present frees you desires from your future and past. Mindfulness also means being attentive to other people’s feelings, emotions, and body.
Concentration is similar to mindfulness. However, when you concentrate you are not aware of all of the different sensations and feelings. For example, if you are concentrating on an exam, you are only focused on taking the exam. If you were practicing mindfulness during the exam, you would notice how you felt taking the exam, how the other people around you were acting, or how you were sitting during the exam.
Stage 1- Feel metta for yourself. Focus on feelings of peace, tranquility, strength, and confidence. You can repeat the phrase “May I be well and happy. " to yourself. Stage 2- Think of a friend and all of the things that you like about them. Repeat the phrase, “May they be well; may they be happy. " Stage 3- Think of someone that you are neutral about. You do not like them or dislike them. Consider the person’s humanity and extend your feelings of metta to that person. Stage 4- Think of someone that you do not like at all. Instead of thinking about why you do not like them and having hateful thoughts, send your feelings of metta to them. Stage 5- In this last stage, think of every single person including yourself. Send metta to those people, your city, your neighborhood, your country, and the entire world.
Stage 1- Count internally (breathe in, breathe out, 1 breathe in, breathe out 2, etc. ) after each breath until you reach 10. Start over once you have reached 10. Focus on the sensations of breathing in and out. Your mind will wander. Just bring your thoughts back to your breathing. Stage 2- Continue to breathe in cycles of 10, but count before you inhale this time (e. g. ,1, breathe in, breathe out, 2, breathe in, breathe out, 3, etc. ). Focus on the sensations you have when you are inhaling. Stage 3- Breathe in and out without counting. Try to see your breathing as a continuous process instead of just breathing in and breathing out. Stage 4- Your focus should now be in the sensations of your breath as it enters and leaves your body. This may be your breath passing over your nostrils or your upper lip. [17] X Research source
Turn off your cell phone when you are spending time with friends and family. Make eye contact when someone is talking to you and listen without interrupting. Volunteer in your community. Open doors for other people. Be empathetic towards people. For example, if someone is upset, acknowledge and try to understand why they are upset. Ask them what you can do to help. Listen and show concern for their feelings.
If you want to mindful while you are eating, concentrate on the taste, texture, and smell of the food as you eat it. As you wash the dishes, pay attention to the temperature of the water, how your hands feel as you clean the dishes, and how the water feels as you rinse the dishes. Instead of listening to the music or the television as you get dressed in the morning, get ready in silence. Notice how you feel. Were you tired or well rested when you woke up? How does your body feel as you put on clothes or shower?
Dukkha means “that which is difficult to bear. “[23] X Research source Suffering is a large spectrum and includes things that are great and small.
The only guarantees in life aging, sickness, and death. [25] X Research source Your desires will never be satisfied. Once you achieve or get something that you want, you will begin to desire something else. Your constant cravings keep you from achieving true happiness. [26] X Research source
Controlling your desires and cravings will allow you to live with freedom and contentment.
The eightfold path can be divided into three categories: wisdom (right view, right intention), ethical conduct (right speech, right action, right livelihood), and mental cultivation (right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration). [29] X Research source This path offers guidelines for how to live your everyday life. [30] X Research source
