Before meditating, it is good to clear the mind of distractions, by a method most comfortable with you, reflecting on what has been done that day, what needs to be done, then putting it aside;

Four vows/basics of Buddhism:

1. sentient beings are numberless, I take a vow to save them;
2. the deluding passions are inexhaustable, I take a vow to destroy them;
3. the Gates of Dharma are manifold, I take a vow to enter them;
4. the Buddha way is supreme, I take a vow to complete it.

Some other options for clearing the mind before meditation are; paying respect to the Four Directions, ligthing a candle or peice of incense, the Lord's Prayer.

For meditation, a relaxed posture is recommended, that is stable and comfortable; usually kneeling or cross-legged.

Now regulate your breath, inhaling and holding it for as long as comfortable, then exhale, and hold it for the same amount of time. This is the foundation of the basic meditation.

The first concept of meditation, is usually the concept of No Thing. Not nothing, zero or blanks proper, but the absence of things. Every thing has some no thing in it, and come from being no thing. An expert might know a lot about one thing, but if he thinks that this makes him an expert at all things, he is mistaken, and does not know anything, since he thinks that his something, is everything. This kind of person, will give advise on something, whether he knows about it or not, so his advise cannot be trusted.

A wise man might not have an area of specialty, but he knows, what he does not know. A general understanding of general principles. So he knows a little about everything; the no thing that runs through it all. So be like Sergeant Shultz on Hogan's Heroes, and

• know nothing
• see nothing
• hear nothing and
• smell nothing.

There are a number of different methods of perception, and perceptual awareness: I will cover two, in the attempt to explain awareness without attachment, and perception without concentration (Buddhist meditative view). This will be differentiated from awareness through filtering and/or ignoring non-relevant events and indicators, such as driving a car, through the rain, without windsheild wipers.

In the case of the driving int the rain, without wipers, perception is limited by either:

1. ignoring individual raindrops and/or patterns of rain falling, or
2. relegating the rain patterns to a low priority.

The non-driving perception of snowflakes can be three or four dimensional, and not limmited by direction. One way see an individual snowflake, becoming conscious of the snowflake pattern, speed of fall, distance from other snowflakes. One way shift the focus to see the composite view of a pattern of many snowflakes falling, or the differences in snowflakes.

One might shift the emphasis of this composite view to:

• a) segments of falling snowflakes,
• b) movements of groups of snowflakes caused by shifts in the wind, or
• c) movements of groups of snowflakes caused location of one's eyes when viewing, etc.

Consciousness shifting is possible by:

• a) being aware of the snowflakes but thinking of something else daydreaming), or
• b) seeing a recurring pattern of snowflakes that is common through the viewing without concentrating on the individual snowflakes, etc.

With this manner of perceiving snowflakes, there is no limitation, or exclusive perception necessary, although on way focus. One reality is not judged to be better or worse than the other. Multiple realities may simultansously exist, some would say an infinite number, or that number of views cease to have a meaning. I would call this un-attached perception, similiar to Buddhist meditation

When meditating, do the controlled breathing for 1/2 the time of meditation, then 1/2 the way through, relax and continue your meditatation, without controlling your breath and breath naturally.

Meditation might last for a period of 5 - 90 minutes Before meditation, think of all that has occurred during the day/night, and deal with it then and there, then put it down.

Next think of all that you are going to do, then put it down. The posture for meditation, should be relaxed, centered, balanced and somewhat comfortable, so as not to distract. The two most reliable positions are kneeling, and cross legged.

For the first half of the meditation, inhale and hold the breath, then exhale and hold the breath the same amount of time.

The second half of the meditation, breath naturally.

The first area of meditation, is to meditate on the concept of no thing. Not a vacuum, just emptiness without dwelling on any one thing.

In other �religious� news, scientists have discovered that the ancient Buddhist technique of empathetic mediation not only increases neuronalgenesis (more new neurons) but by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) they were able to show that this meditative practice can cure obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in the same manner as the drugs that are presently given. Further, this sort of meditation can elevate the natural state of �Happiness� - which has previously been thought of as permanent.

The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity ( http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0060988479/ref=s9_asin_title_1/103-8337360-7310202)