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Meditation "Meditation practice begins by sitting down and assuming your seat. You begin to feel that by simply being on the spot, your life can become workable and even wonderful. You realize that you are capable of sitting like a king or queen on a throne. The regalness of that situation shows you the dignity that comes from being still and simple."
Mindfulness meditation is the foundation of all that we do at the Shambhala Meditation Centre. Originating from Shakyamuni Buddha, this 2,500-year-old practice of self-discovery is rooted in the simple, but revolutionary premise that every human being has the ability to cultivate the mind's inherent stability, clarity and strength in order to be more awake and compassionate in everyday life. The simplest form of sitting meditation practice taught at the Shambhala Centre is called shamatha practice, derived from the Sanskrit word which means "peacefully abiding". In shamatha practice the mind's attention is placed on the breath, so the breath is said to be the "object of meditation". Each time we are distracted by our thoughts and then realize that we have strayed from this deceptively simple exercise, our attention is brought back to the breath, over and over again. With the right amount of effort over time, shamatha meditation can cultivate a mind that rests calmly and sees clearly. Meditation Instruction "Many of us are slaves to our minds. Our own mind is our worst enemy. We try to focus, and our mind wanders off. We try to keep stress at bay, but anxiety keeps us awake at night. We try to be good to the people we love, but then we forget them and put ourselves first. And when we want to change our life, we dive into spiritual practice and expect quick results, only to lose focus after the honeymoon has worn off. We return to our state of bewilderment. We're left feeling helpless and discouraged. It seems we all agree that training the body through exercise, diet, and relaxation is a good idea, but why don't we think about training our minds?"
The Victoria Shambhala Meditation Centre offers meditation instruction for beginners, and ongoing meditation instruction and courses for the advanced practitioner. Free instruction is available at all public programs. Members of the Victoria Shambhala Meditation Centre have the opportunity to discuss their practice regularly with qualified meditation instructors. For more information, please contact us, or simply come to one of our public events.
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