Vipassana meditation is a way of transforming oneself through self-observation. Vipassana is the art of being mindful of oneself. We become enlightened to our reactions to the states of hurt and pleasure. But in opposition to reacting with like or dislike, we become feeling to these agitations of the mind. This systemization makes us reach the obscure parts of our consciousness where being and mental thought, chemicals and sensations, meet each other. At the end, we turn aware of the patterns through which our deepest usances are formed.

This awareness unties us from these habits and we become proficient of our minds. It helps us realize the source of all reflections and feelings and makes one ‘wise’ in the true meaning of the word.

Vipassana assists one to attain the feeling of mindfulness - the state where we see things for how really are. Vipassana is the realizing that, by direct intuition, of the reality of three characteristics of being - mortality, pain and non-self, in all things - including our carnal and intellectual processes. The realization focuses more directly and on a more intuitional level level rather than a cerebral understanding.

The Samatha meditation is attained by concentrating the mind so much that mind and body both achieve utter calmness. One finds three benefits through this form of meditation - serenity and bliss, a positive rebirth and the stoppage of mental disturbances that are the reason for unhappiness.

Samatha meditation helps us achieve a state of quietude and untroubledness with one self that often depicted by the statues of Buddha himself. With the traditional form of Samatha meditation followers do not attain nirvana, but get ready for it.

The origin of Samatha meditation comes from the Thai Theravadin tradition.

It is an gentle and effective way to train the mind in developing freedom and inner strength. It produces a more unified state of mind and happiness, clarity and understanding.

Focusing and behing fully aware of our mind, thought and proper thought, proper speech, proper livelihood, proper action, proper concentration, proper understanding, proper mindfulness and proper effort.

The Noble 8-Fold Path, in fact, focus on the path of meditation. Buddhism, maybe, is the only set of teachings which provides the practicality to achieve all those things that is promised by it. Buddha urged concentrating on some physicality to reach the sense of being meditated. In meditation, the person is mostly encouraged to focus on breathing. .

One consciously watches the breath coming in and going out of the self. In addition, one observes each of the feelings, sensations, and thoughts in one’s mind. One in turn becomes ultimately aware of the inner workings of the mind. This aides the practitioner to reach the goal of the state of mindfulness.

First Noble Truth

Buddha explains how to avoid suffering and how can one be truly happy.

Initially, there is hurt or disappointments in our world. following that, the suffering is a result of our yearnings and obliviousness. The suffering is positively due to ourselves. Humans suffer because we do not wholeheartedly understand ourselves. As a lesson from that, if we understand what we are and the mind’s workings we can eliminate this suffering.

Second Noble Truth

Wanting deprives us of happiness and contentment. We can’t expect others to conform to our expectations. This suffering will be put to an end. Awareness of the self leads to the end suffering. Suffering is more like something we cannot separate ourselves from.

Third Noble Truth

True contentment and happiness are possible. One can have the state of nirvana, where one goes beyond the cycle of nature - the life cycle. This is the expectation that Buddha preached to the practitioners.

Fourth Noble Truth

The way to achieve happiness and end suffering is The Noble 8-fold Path.

The nirvana is a sense where one is freed from all ties and does not have to live through the cycle of life. Meditation is a set of skills through which a Buddhist can be in the state of nirvana.

However, for the most part, meditation is a way to nourish the mind. Buddhism promotes meditation as a way of to reaching the state of mindfulness. Mindfulness is that feeling where the being is fully cognizant of his states of mind. He is aware of every one of his thoughts and each reply entering and leaving his mind. He understands himself much more than an normal person.

There are four noble truths of Buddhism and meditation. These make the basic teaching of the Buddha.

Hatha Yoga is referred to as the yoga of movement. It’s the one most greatly attributed to yoga.

It involves the usage of a variety of physical postures, while controlling and being mindful of the breath. It holds that in these postures and breath exercises, the whole being - mind, body and soul - is completely cleansed.

It is especially well-suited for those of a intensely physical nature and temperament. hatha yogis can often concentrate very well and become very clear-minded.

Tantra Yoga has been greatly misunderstood. It is designed for those who are attracted to ritual and encompasses consecrated sexuality.

The word “consecrated” is essential, because it does not mean license to practice orgies. Instead, one of its tenets is the withholding of ejaculation.

Interestingly, given popular misconceptions, a couple of schools of Tantra Yoga recommend celibacy!

It’s particularly good to those who are attracted to religious ceremonies and who find inspiration from them.

Jnana Yoga can be called the yoga of study and is ideal for those who are intellectual. It tries to achieve release for its practitioners through the reading of the yogic scriptures.

It has been known as as the most direct, yet at the same time the most challenging, of the branches of yoga

One way to achieve this state is through the neti-neti technique (not this, not this) which discards any disturbing thoughts.

Bhakti Yoga is known as the path of devotion and is the most well suited method for those with emotional personalities.

Bhakti yogis try their best to be aware that the divine is in all things around us and so each action and thoughts must be laced with with spiritual underpinnings.

Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi  and Martin Luther King are role models of this path.

Karma Yoga is the yoga of selfless service. Yogis as persons who practice yoga are referred to as believe in reincarnation. They adhere to the belief that what type of life one is reincarnated into including whether a person becomes another human or an animal, is relies on the spiritual results of the actions in a person’s past life, called Karma.

The point of Karma Yoga is to free someone of carrying bad karma into future incarnations, through altruistic service.

Examples of selfless service are things like working with Doctors Without Borders, helping out at soup kitchens, volunteering for Cancer Research, etc.