Dalai Lama - An open heart: Chapter Two: Meditation - A beginning
Channel: Veronica Rhody
Date: 28/01/2018

Dalai Lama - An open heart: Chapter Two: Meditation - A beginning

ANALYTICAL MEDITATION 

As I have said, there are two types of meditation to be used in contemplating and internalizing the subjects I discuss in this book. First, there is analytical meditation. In this form of meditation, familiarity with a chosen object - be it the car you desire or the compassion or patience you seek to generate - is cultivated through the rational process of analysis. Here, you are not merely focusing on a topic. Rather, you are cultivating a sense of closeness or empathy with your chosen object by studiously applying your critical faculties. This is the form of meditation I shall emphasize as we explore the different subjects that need to be cultivated in our spiritual practice. Some of these subjects are specific to a Buddhist practice, some not. However, once you have developed familiarity with a topic by means of such analysis, it is important to then remain focused on it by means of settled meditation in order to help it sink in more profoundly.

SETTLED MEDITATION 

The second type is settled meditation. This occurs when we settle our minds on a chosen object without engaging in analysis or thought. When meditating on compassion, for example, we develop empathy for others and work at recognizing the suffering they are experiencing. This we do by means of analytical meditation. However, once we have a feeling of compassion in our hearts, once we find that the meditation has positively changed our attitude toward others, we remain fixed on that feeling, without engaging in thought. This helps deepen our compassion. When we sense that our feeling of compassion is weakening, we can again engage in analytical meditation to revitalize our sympathy and concern before returning to settled meditation.