Cognitive Behavior Therapy Institute and
TheraZen Center for
Psychotherapy-Meditation Integration


Training in Meditation

"Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that . . . 'I Am That I Am' sums up the whole truth; the method is summarized in 'Be Still.'"

                             (Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi)

Before one can learn to focus away from unhelpful thoughts in the midst of home, social and work demands, it is helpful to learn how to slow down the mind while sitting still.

Think about it. If you can't slow down your mind and feel at peace when you're sitting quietly doing nothing with no distractions, how could you possibly feel centered when surrounded by the fast pace and chaos that defines many of the environments that we are in contact with each day?

Beginning meditation training involves (1) finding a sitting position that is physically comfortable, either cross-legged or kneeling on the floor, kneeling with the support of a stool, or sitting in a chair; (2) learning how to breath from the diaphragm rather than from the chest (which is a hallmark of anxious breathing), but most of all just breathing comfortably; (3) becoming skillful at maintaining the focus of attention on the breath, returning to this focus each time that you notice that you have drifted off into one or another stream of thought; and (4) developing a daily meditation practice that accommodates the demands of home and work.

Some clients are initially wary of engaging in meditation practice because they think of it as uniquely a Buddhist religious activity. In fact, as Herbert Benson makes clear in his book "The Relaxation Response," meditation has also been practiced by and written about over the centuries by historical figures of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths (see below for some examples). Today, meditation instruction is a component of many nonsectarian stress-reduction programs in hospitals and complementary medicine clinics.  

"The basic kind of Zen practice is called zazen (sitting Zen), and in zazen we attain samadhi. In this state the activity of consciousness is stopped and we cease to be aware of time, space, and causation. The mode of existence which thus makes its appearance may at first sight seem to be nothing more than mere being, or existence. However, if you really attain this state you will find it to be a remarkable thing . . . But it is not a vacuum or mere nothingness . . . There is a definite wakefulness in it. It is a condition of existence that recalls the impressive silence and stillness that we experience in the heart of the mountains."

(Katsuki Sekida, 1985, Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy, pp. 29-30)

"Man, being a microcosm of the universe, has within him all five sheaths -- matter, life, mind, intellect and bliss. He alone, of all forms of creation, has the ability to unfold all of these sheaths and free his soul to become one with God. Yoga, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, and elucidated in these present stanzas, is the method through which this liberation can be attained. By the correct practice of meditation, the accomplished yogi, through pranayama, or life-force control, "unfolds" the life-energy sheath (pranayama kosha). He finds that this life energy is the link between matter and Spirit. With mastery of the life force, he realizes the true nature of matter (the annamaya kosha) as a delusive objectification of Spirit. And as the inwardly flowing limited sense-mind (manomaya kosha), that sheath unfolds so that the discriminative qualities of the intellect sheath or buddhi (jnanamaya kosha) can predominate in his life and in his meditation. The cultivation of discriminative qualities by right spiritual action and yoga meditation gives him ultimately the ability to roll back the intellect sheath to reveal the fine bliss sheath (anandamaya kosha), which is the causal-body covering of his soul with its faculty of pure all-knowing intuition and wisdom. Unfolding the bliss sheath in deepest meditation, the yogi merges his soul in blissful oneness with God."

(Paramahansa Yogananda, 2005, God Talks with Arjuna, The Bhagavad Gita, Royal Science of God-Realization, pp. 64-65)


"The Rambam writes (Mishneh Torah, Hil. Tefillah 4:15-16): 'What is to be understood by concentration of the mind? He should free his mind from all extraneous thoughts and should realize that he is standing before the Divine Presence. Therefore, he should sit a while before beginning his prayers, so as to concentrate his mind, and then pray in gentle tones, beseechingly, and not regard the service as a burden which he is carrying and which he will cast off before proceeding on his way. He should, accordingly, sit awhile after concluding the prayers, and then leave. The early Chasidim were wont to pause one hour before the service, one hour after the service, and take one hour to recite it.'"

(Siddur Nechamas Yisrael, Mishnah Study, Berachos 5:1)


"If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master's presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord's presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed."

(St. Francois de Sales, quoted in Aldous Huxley, The Perennial Philosophy, /1944/2004, p. 285)


"In 'meditation' (muraqabat) we recognise a form of self-concentration similar to the Buddhistic dyana and samadhi. This is what the Prophet meant when he said 'Worship God as though thou sawest Him, for if thou seest Him not, yet He sees thee.' Anyone who feels sure that God is always watching over him will devote himself to meditating on God . . . Nuri used to meditate so intently that not a hair on his body stirred. He declared that he had learned this habit from a cat which was observing a mouse-hole, and that she was far more quiet than he."

(Reynold A. Nicholson, 1914/1989, The Mystics of Islam, pp. 48-49)


"The Dude abides" (The Big Lebowski)



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