—Beginning Meditation – How Others Began, Part Four—
>>> Part One: Beginning Meditation, Starting Out – Read Testimonials on How
Starting Meditation – “Wanted to Clear Up the Confusion”
"When I first started meditating, some twenty two or so years ago I basically wanted to clear up the confusion- the confusion that sets in as soon as we leave the womb and start breathing air, and that is further stirred up as the people around us explain to us what life is and what it isn’t. I am a son of the South, born and raised in the Bible belt and subjected to all the philosophy that entails. But I’m curious and an individualist. I question everything. So meditation was a tool to help understand the spiritual side of life and to break through conditioning and see the world differently. After a while I met with unexpected success."
From an Interview with Rodney Owen
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Starting Meditation – “Found a Book on Buddhism”
"My first real taste of meditation happened when I was 14 years old, a couple of months into my time at an old-world Anglican (USA= Episcopalian) style boarding school in South Africa. I found a book on Buddhism, possibly by Suzuki, in the boarding house library. Intellectually, it appealed to my agnostic/atheistic inclinations. I attempted Zsa Zen sitting during the mandatory quiet time after lunch. It did not go well. It seemed to disturb the other fellows and got things thrown at me."
From an Interview with Rahasya
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Starting Meditation – “Direct Insight into the Nature of Reality”
"From my freshman English professor at Pierce Community College I learned that there was another way besides science to explore the universe, and that was through direct insight into the nature of reality, and that this “true” insight is what inspired and informed all artists, sages, and scientists. I wanted some of that, so sought out these two individuals when I got to UCLA. They taught me to just sit, just breath, and just listen. I was taken with it, from the first sit."
From a meditation interview with Genjo Marinello Osho
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Meditation Interviews
The interviews conducted for this site are done by email. Interviews with both practitioners and teachers have the benefit of offering personal insights meditation practice. Unlike dictionary-style descriptions of meditation, these testimonials reveal details that can only come from the direct experience shared by those who meditate. If you meditate, please consider sharing your story by participating in a meditation interview.