Meditation: Coming to Know Your Mind

by Matteo Pistono

Overview

A practical, step-by-step guide to meditation, suitable for beginners as well as those wishing to refresh their knowledge and inspire their practice.Matteo shares the essence of the many teachings and practices he learned during his 20 years of study under eminent teachers in Nepal, India, Tibet and Thailand, and his guidance is especially relevant as an antidote to today’s stresses and challenges. Matteo shares how to: •Develop a daily meditation practice •Connect the body and mind with body-scanning meditation •Integrate mindfulness awareness into everyday life •Meditate while walking, drinking tea, eating and in daily life •Come to know your heart and mind in the innermost way

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781781808627
Publisher:	Hay House Inc.
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Series:	Hay House Basics Series
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Matteo Pistono is a writer and meditation teacher, and the author of Fearless in Tibet and In the Shadow of the Buddha. Matteo began studying Buddhism and yoga in Nepal in the early 1990s, and later lived and worked in Tibet for a decade. Matteo earned a Masters in Indian Philosophy from the University of London. He has engaged regularly in extensive meditation retreats over the last 20 years, and he maintains a daily yoga and pranayama practice. www.matteopistono.com

Table of Contents

List of practices and guided meditations xiii

Introduction xv

Chapter 1 An auspicious beginning 1

Why meditate? 3

Cultivating the mind 4

A meditator's toolbox 6

Where to begin? 9

"Good in the beginning" 12

Chapter 2 Cultivating stillness and comfort 17

Connecting body and mind through body scanning 18

Alertness in our meditation posture 23

The breath, our companion on the path of meditation 34

What to do with all of these thoughts? 39

Being kind to ourselves 43

Eight tips for establishing a daily meditation practice 45

Chapter 3 Discerning reality 51

Focusing on the present moment 52

Stillness, silence, and awareness 56

Attention, vigilance, and spaciousness 58

Mindfulness is only part of the story 60

Chapter 4 Opening completely to our world 67

The objects of our five senses 68

What is awareness? 74

Transforming distraction into meditation 78

How to deal with strong emotions and 'experiences' during meditation 85

"What if I feel bodily pain when I meditate?" 89

Caution! How not to become an escape artist from your life 92

Chapter 5 Integrating meditation into everyday life 95

Develop an interest in meditation 95

The spontaneous and informal session 97

Walking meditation 99

Falling asleep 103

Drinking and eating like the Buddha 106

Chapter 6 Working within our mind 113

A map of distraction: the Eight Consciousnesses 120

The Dalai Lama's sandals 128

Advice on gaining flexibility, stability, and ease in your meditation posture 131

Chapter 7 Meditation, contemplation, and thinking 135

Complementary practices 136

Expanding into the ever-changing present 139

Go outside! 144

Finding space in life 148

Chapter 8 Focus, friends, and teachers 155

Focus 155

Spiritual friends 156

Teachers 157

Make a plan for your meditation practice 161

Consistency is the key 163

The ripple effect 165

Further reading 167

Index 169

About the author 190