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Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

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May 26, 2018 By Admin

Meditating in the Gap of Nothingness

Meditating in the Gap of Nothingness

The Buddha taught about your four best friends, that is how the body changes physiology when you sit, stand, walk/move and every time you are lying down. Modern Western neuroscience now supports this statement of 2500+ years ago. Thich Nhat Hanh added the importance of your breath, walking meditation, and half-smile; these realities also change your physiology.  Jon Kabbat-Zinn added the importance of simply being present this moment, and making everything your teacher. The initial subtle changes are in anatomy and nervous tissue, then the brain takes over and the mind-body follows. So you have some very natural “best friends” to assist you in dealing with everyday challenges and suffering.

I have used regularly all of the above in my own practice. I have been especially fascinated with the power of the breath. The multitude of breathing techniques, and the ability to control my own arousal and calming with attention to changes in breath. In my years of practice I have found the quiet gap between breaths and thoughts – between all rising and falling perceptions of conscious awareness – too be especially helpful.  There is phenomena and there is the gap. As you rest in the utter silence of this special time and place, you are nearer to death than at any other time in your awakened states. There is nothing there, no movement, no breath, no life. All that exists in that quick moment is emptiness and vast boundless nothingness. Below I have noted the steps for meditating in your gap. Hope you will do this often.

  1. Sit in a comfortable meditation posture or do this while lying down on your back.
  2. Begin with a few soothing deep, long, slow breaths.  Continue!
  3. Now bring full attention to your breathing – its feel, its motion, its sensation.
  4. Just concentrate a bit on the moving breath in and out, deep and slow.
  5. Now with gentle attention notice the subtle reality of the gap between your in and out as well as you out and in breaths. The gap is in the middle way between the arising and falling of breath.
  6. You may also notice that when meditating you have thoughts; it helps to pay attention to the gap between thoughts rather than the content of thoughts. Just focus on the gaps.
  7. You may also notice that there is a gap between the arising and falling away of emotional awareness.
  8. For some finding the gap just before your ego-mind begins to evaluate an experience can be a real discovery.
  9. For some it would be helpful if you allowed the gap just before you speak harshly. Are the gap not the words.
  10. Now practice! No matter what the content is before or after the gap, ignore it all and focus only on the gap itself.
  11. No matter what comes into consciousness, just let it all go and stay with focused attention on the gap and its internal self-experience.
  12. Perhaps your gap has a color, or some depth, or some other characteristics that makes it more interesting. Just feel your attention there without judgment or evaluation of any kind. Just BE the gap!
  13. For some the gap is far away; great space and distance separates you from being in it. You just see it.
  14. If your gap is far away in the distance, does it appear as a distant and very large valley? What do you see?
  15. If your gap is close to you in space and time, are you silently being in it or moving into it?
  16. Is there silence or sound? If there is sound, what kind of things do you hear?
  17. Do you feel safe in the gap, or does it produce other feelings?
  18. Go as deep into the gap – your personal gap – as you feel comfortable with. Notice!
  19. Can you find peace, quiet, solitude, perhaps even self-love there?  Try it again!
  20. Continue your practice until you decide to stop or meditation time is over.

For more information refer to Bodian, S. (2017). Beyond Mindfulness: The Direct Approach to Peace, Happiness, and Love. Oakland, CA: Non-Duality Press/New Harbinger Publications, pp. 5-19.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton SanghaChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

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New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Filed Under: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Breathing, Featured, Meditation, Mindful Awareness, MIndfulness, Practices Tagged With: BREATH, MEDITATION PRACTICE, THICH NHAT HANH

December 20, 2015 By Admin

Happiness Path According to The 14th Dalai Lama

Happiness Path  – The 14th Dalai Lama

His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama has suggested, among many other important things, that MINDFUL-HAPPINESShumans may experience true inner happiness by regular practice on the path to enlightenment. In his 2012 book, From Here to Enlightenment, he noted that personal happiness may be attained via specific behaviors and ways of being.  Here is list for you to consider.

  1. Work at having a sound mind. Psychological health includes moderation in thoughts and overcoming afflictions. Mind-soundness and health allow us to experience the feelings of joy. Thus we feel happier.
  2. Practice being within a mental reality that is relatively free from suffering.  Suffering (like neutrality and happiness) are norms of human nature.  Using wisdom to reduce your suffering opens mind-doors to the experiences and feelings of joy.  It is all about your personal emotions.
  3. Realizing that long-term, natural happiness is supported by ongoing life experience with brief moments of joy and happiness. Happiness is an inside deal.  It is all about how we react to the realities of the moment.
  4. Practice greater acceptance and gratitude. Practice greater mental recognition of improved life satisfaction.  Avoid traps of general dissatisfaction made stronger by  by attachment, desire, clinging, and craving.
  5. Practice stronger and stronger self-compassion. This is a required foundation for compassionate actions on behalf of others.
  6. Practice greater and greater compassion for others, including thoughts, works, and actions. 
  7. Allowing the gentle expansion of wisdom and skilled awareness through the regular practices of meditation and compassion. Wisdom and inner peace make space for joy.
  8. Learning how to use your wisdom-mind to improve regulation of self-discipline in the actions of brain, mind, heart, body, and emotions – all in the present moment of experience.
  9. Learning how to let go of personal stuckness in the past and fearful apprehension of the future.  Complete engagement in the present moment is the way.
  10. Recognition that whatever is, is! Turning into the presence of suffering, neutrality, joy, and happiness.
  11. Practice holding appreciation for your personal life, regardless of the level and intensity of suffering you may experience.
  12. Lastly, but most important, participate fully in regular, daily practice of mindfulness, compassion, and meditation.

For more information refer to Dalai Lama  (2012). From Here to Enlightenment... BostonL Snow Lion, pp. 39-48.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

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December 9, 2015 By Admin

Forgiveness Meditation Adapted from Jack Kornfield’s Work

Forgiveness Meditation Practice – Mindful Happiness – Dr Anthony Quintiliani

  1. Sit comfortably in a meditation posture. Allow your breath to remain natural without any intentional modification.  Allow your body to relax, and allow your mind to be open to and to expect forgiveness.  Focus attention on your heart area deep within your soul, and allow yourself to feel the soothing rhythms of forgiveness bathe you in calmness. Now gently slow and deepen your breathing.  You are now ready for forgiveness work.
  2. From all the people I may have harmed or hurt in the past, whether knowingly or not, I ASK for their forgiveness. Please forgive me for whatever I did to cause your emotions to become unpleasant.  I can see your suffering face in my mind’s eye. I am so sorry! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!
  3. From my own deep higher self, I ASK for forgiveness.  For the many ways I have harmed or hurt myself, whether knowingly or not, I ASK for self-forgiveness now.  Causes and conditions allowed negative afflictions to harm me by my own emotional reactions. I can feel my face, heart, soul,  and mind-body experience my own painful emotions. For this I ASK forgiveness.  I forgive myself! I forgive myself! I forgive myself!
  4. From people who I know have harmed or hurt me, whether knowingly or not, I ASK myself to forgive them now. I may or may not be ready for complete forgiveness; I will go with what comes from inside myself.  Whatever level of forgiveness appears – or if only a slight intention to forgive – I am ready to act on it. If I am ready to forgive you, I can see your face in my mind’s eye; I realize you also suffered and harmed me in the process. I offer my deep intention to forgive you as a person.  I experience compassion for your suffering. If I am ready I say deep inside myself: I forgive you!  I forgive you! I forgive you!
  5. If you are having trouble moving yourself through this forgiveness meditation process, you may want to follow Windmind’s advice on how to forgive.  A) For the sake of self-care, give up your anger, resentment and hate. B) Use your supports and spiritual strengths to forgive the person if not their actions. C) Work very hard on letting go of the past – holding on to past pain and suffering simply makes it longer-lasting. D) Allow your intention and forgiving actions to liberate you from the chains of continued pain and suffering. Empower yourself to let go and feel true liberation from past causes and conditions – thoughts, words and actions – causing your pain and suffering.
  6. Now concentrate your meditative powers on liberation from your heart-held suffering and pain.  Forgiving yourself and others allows the letting go of your pain and suffering. NO need to hold on to past pain and suffering; the longer you hold on to it emotionally, the longer you suffer. Be with your deep true see; feel this in your mind-body-heart-soul – FORGIVE!!!!  BE the “forgiver.”

For more information on Jack Kornfield’s forgiveness practices refer to www.jackkornfield.com/meditations/forgivenessMeditation.php

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

CLICK HERE  or any image below to Order 

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Filed Under: Featured, Forgiveness, Jack Kornfield, Meditation, MIndfulness Activities, Practices Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, FORGIVENESS MEDITATION, JACK KORNFIELD, MEDITATION PRACTICE, MINDFUL HAPPINESS

January 15, 2015 By Admin

Anahata – Heart Chakra

Anahata – Heart Chakra Meditation Practice

Rumi noted that to reach the sky we must use our hearts.

heart_chakra-MindfulHappiness-Anthony-Quintliani

The Heart Chakra is a very popular focus of meditation practice.  Here we will simply review some characteristics and then move on to a meditation practice.

Specific characteristics: Green color, YAM sound (say at least three times with a soft A), sense of touch, located in center of chest (cardiac plexus and thyme area), and malachite or emerald stone.

Functional characteristics: Respiration, circulation, immune system, and life itself.

Emotional characteristics: openness, unconditional love, duty, devotion, peace, harmony, awakened compassion, and emotional consciousness.

Now for the meditation practice.

  1.  Just rest in meditation on the breath just as it is now – just be aware.  In and out. In and out.
  2.  Now gently bring full attention to the feelings of a deeper, slower, more complete breath.  In and out. In and out.
  3.  Pay full attention to your heart chakra area, and bring full attention to it.  If you wish, you may place both hands over your heart area.
  4.  Breathe in green energy very slowly and deeply, and say YAM to yourself at least three times.  Say it slowly.
  5. Go deeper with your emotional consciousness into your heart area.  Appreciate it!  Appreciate it!
  6. Use your imagination and breathe in the feelings of inner peace and harmony.  In and out. In and out.
  7.  Awaken your deeper emotional consciousness, and feel the sense of unconditional love for yourself and others.  In and out. In and out.
  8. Now simply rest with yourself.  Hold yourself emotionally in this unconditional love and inner peace.

Rumi-Only-from-the-Heart-can-you-touch-the-Sky-Mindful-Happiness

CLICK THE LINK BELOW for the PDFWorksheet 

Anahata The Heart Chakra Practice

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness

CLICK HERE to Order!

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

Filed Under: Activities, ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, Featured, Meditation Activities, MIndfulness Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, MEDITATION PRACTICE, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, THE HEART CHAKRA

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