Reflective Meditation is an open, receptive, less structured approach to insight meditation. It is grounded in the earliest teachings of the Buddha. Hallmarks of the practice are:
- Gentleness
- Curiosity
- Flexibility
The roots of this practice are to be found in the Buddha’s early teachings and are based on learning to trust the ways of knowing that develop in meditation, enabling you to be more responsive and present in your life.
In Reflective Meditation, you become aware of anything that goes on in a meditation: bodily sensations, sense impressions, emotions, breathing, memories, feelings, perceptions, imagery, and of course thoughts. Nothing has to be excluded. There are few rules or instructions on how to practice. You are encouraged to develop a kind, gentle, patient approach while exploring your experience and finding the best way for you to meditate. Experiment and follow your interest. This is your practice; you have autonomy in how to practice. Over time, curiosity about your experience will allow whatever occurs in your inner world to unfold naturally, deepening your practice and enabling insight to emerge.
If you already have a practice, you are free to meditate in that way or experiment with this more open practice (see Getting Started). Either way is fine.
This practice is open to new meditators as well as those who have previous meditation experience. Reflective Meditation is uniquely suited for people who have tried meditation before and say “I’ve tried to meditate and I can’t do it. I can’t stop my mind from running.” The openness, receptivity, and gentleness in Reflective Meditation help people succeed in this meditation.
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