Mind Over Matter Essay -- essays research papers

Mind over Matter     Out of the myriad of religions that encompass the earth, one of theleast understood is Buddhism. In the pursuit of a higher(prenominal) plane of existence, aBuddhist monk will renounce his worldly secular life, instead embracing a lifeof meditation and study. While attempting to master enlightenment, andtherefore nirvana, a Buddhist must first come to eradicate his sense of self,effectively destroying his ego. By doing this, "durkha," (pain and suffering),end and one arsehole be at peace and harmony with the world and all who reside in it.A practice that helps monks achieve this enlightened state is meditation. Byclearing the bear in fountainhead of routine clutter and distractions, a monk can become in tunewith his inside(a) creation and body, which results in a greater understanding of thebarriers that need to hand before nirvana can be achieved. This practice ofmeditation was the Buddhist practice that I participated in, w ith the intent ona greater understanding of what being a Buddhist means. This exercise taught methe inherent difficulty in calming the mind, along with the negative effectsoutside influences like other people behave on the practice.     The first place I attempted to meditate was outside my dorm next to atree. This proved to be a comfortable place, nonetheless full of distractions. I havemeditated before in my martial arts classes, yet it was difficult calming mymind. While concentrating on my breathing, I was easily distracted by outsideoccurrences such as leaves falling and people walking by. The more I attemptedto shut out the outside world, the more my mind focused on the little thingsaround me. I gained immediate appreciation of the Buddhist monks ability toshirk the outside world and focus on his inner self. When I had meditated beforein my dojo, it was as a group and in silence. This greatly helped the exerciseand I can see why this is the modus operandi at most(prenominal) temples.     The second place I attempted to meditate was in the basement of ReidHall. I hoped that the familiar surroundings would calm the mind easier andallow me to concentrate on clearing my mind. While not an ideal setting, it wasbetter than outside. As I concentrated on my breathing and felt myself unwind, Iwas able to tune into the sound... ...lp claim and direct the learningof the monks. They offer subtle forms of encouragement, often disguised inhardship, that aid the monks in their struggle toward understanding. This is aboon, allowing enlightenment to occur quicker than in the solitary meditation Iexperienced.     A Buddhist way of life is a lot harder than one may suspect, for whilethey are released from the worries of everyday life, the rational tasks assignedto them are far greater than worrying about what to cook for dinner tonight orpaying ones electricity bill. Furthermore, a Buddhist lifestyle is not veryconducive to an American lifestyle. I give a lot of credit to the founders ofthe Zen Mountain Center in San Francisco, creating a microcosm which can supportthe solitude necessary for personal growth is a daunting task. From my limitedventure into the life of a Buddhist, I learned that controlling ones mind andthen harnessing this power to delve out truths and desires from oneself is afeat almost inconceivable by the normal mind. Those who accomplish this task aretruly Buddhas, masters of the world and therefore outside the grasp of time,free at last.