Mit Kontemplation und Meditation verringert sich der Glaube an ein eingebildetes "Ich" als unser wirkliches Selbst, da man erkennt, dass sich alle Phänomene aus sich selbst ereignen und nicht als Folge der Willensausübung eines inneren "Ich".
Dr. David Hawkins, Das All-sehende Auge,, S. 134

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1. Meditation und Bardozustände

Betende Hände; Maler: Albrecht Dürer

Während der Meditation durchläuft der Mensch unterschiedliche Wahrnehmungsmuster. Daher ist es empfehlenswert, sich mit den so genannten Bardozuständen zu beschäftigen. Der Mahayana-Buddhismus unterscheidet diesbezüglich sechs Daseinsbereiche:

Die Welt der Götter
Die Welt der Eifersüchtigen Götter
Die Welt des Menschen
Die Welt der Tiere
Die Welt der Hungrigen Geister
Die Höllenwelt

Die sechs Stufen der Meditation umfassen folgende Erfahrungseindrücke:

Selbstbeobachtung
Selbsterfahrung
Selbstintegration
Selbsttranszendenz
Selbstauflösung
Nichtdualität – Tao

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2. Kontemplation statt zwiespältiger Meditation

Die Praxis, ein bis zwei Mal täglich zu meditieren, erweist sich als eine vom Rest des Alltags abspaltende Praxis, da der weltliche Lebensverlauf und die spirituelle Übung auseinander klaffen. Daher empfiehlt Hawkins, der jahrelang selbst mehrere Stunden täglich meditiert hatte, die fortwährende Kontemplation, die in den Alltag integriert ist und aus den Handlungen und Stationen des Tages ein Gebet, ein Mudra oder eine Meditation entstehen lässt. So wird aus der Kontemplation zur Lebensweise und das eigene Leben zum Gegenstand der Meditation.

Hawkins empfiehlt drei Wege der Meditation:

Die psychologisch-seelische Kontemplation
(z. B. Psalmen oder Aphorismen kontemplieren, Ein Kurs in Wundern)
Die Meditation über den Verstand-Gemüt
Die Meditation, die den Verstand-Gemüt umgeht

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hier muss es Meditation heißen. Kontemplation ist über Psalmen zb. oder tagesgeschehen. EA

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3. Zitate zum Thema Kontemplation und Meditation / Contemplation and Meditation

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3.1 Zitate von D. Hawkins

Konzentration auf ein spezielles Thema, während man den täglichen Pflichten nachgeht, wird allgemein Kontemplation genannt. OU Licht des Alls, S. 71

Die Praxis sowohl des fokussierten als auch des peripheren Gewahrseins im täglichen Leben oder formloser Meditation lässt den Inhalt des Denkens und Glaubenssysteme unberührt beiseite. […] Man geht einfach dorthin und meditiert. Die Wahrheit, die sich offenbart, ist universell und jenseits aller Etiketten. Jede Benennung führt zu Erwartungen, die dann Begrenzungen und Hürden werden und scheinbare Ziele abgeben, die man erreichen oder gewinnen muss. Ein Ziel für die Meditation aufzustellen, ist etwa die Forderung "Sei, was du bist" oder "Bemühe dich, dich stärker zu entspannen". OU Licht des Alls, S. 76

Die Gehirnwellen des Weisen arbeiten hauptsächlich auf der langsamen Theta-Frequenz von ungefähr 4-7 Zyklen pro Sekunde, d.h. bei 4-7 Hz oder sogar langsamer. Die Alpha-Wellen der normalen Meditation bewegen sich auf einer Frequenzbreite von 8-13 Hz und die Gehirnwellen eines normalen Menschen liegen im Wesentlichen bei den schnellen Beta-Frequenzen von 13+ Hz. Dr. David R. Hawkins, Licht des Alls, S. 210

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3.2 Zitate (engl.) von D. Hawkins

To focus on a specific subject while attending to daily life is generally called contemplation. I. Reality and Subjectivity, S. 27

Ramana Maharshi (BW 720) spoke of the importance of locating and being aware of the inner spiritual heart, which is a fruitful focus for meditation. He also taught that it was not neccessary to physically withdraw from the world but to practice the method continuously as one went about one's usual daily business. I. Reality and Subjectivity, S. 285

How can meditation persist in one's daily existence?
By merely constantly posing the question to oneself of 'what's' doing the acting, talking, feeling, thinking, or observing? This is a focus of attention with no languaging. The spiritual teacher Ramana Maharshi (BW 720) called that process 'self inquiry', which he recommended as a technique that was suitable at all times in all activities. Continuous meditation could be likened to a mudra, or posture and attitude, in which every act is sanctified by its surrender as an act of service or worship. When one's attitude towards everything becomes a devotion, Divinity reveals itself. The Eye of the I, S. 247

Question: What can you say about meditation?
It is both a large subject and yet a very simple one. The simplest practices are the best and can be continuous throughout the day's activities. Formally, if we sit still, close our eyes, and stay aware of the breathing, we can look at the patterns that appear to our vision behind closed eyelids. One simply observes the procession of the mind's activities without interference or comment. From there, one then moves on and focuses attention to what it is that is watching this procession. Identifying the watcher then leads into the witness, which in turn leads to the awareness of the experiencer that these are qualities of consciousness. One is aware of the witnessing, experiencing, and watching and that these are happening by themselves. These are impersonal qualities of consciousness. They happen automatically. There is actually no personal entity that is `doing' the watching, witnessing, or observing. It is also important to notice that this impersonal quality is unaffected by the content of that which is observed. The real, transcendent `I' even witnesses sleep. The Eye of the I, S. 245

Meditation serves its purpose, but you can't live there. You won't make it past the first street. Meditation can become a diversion. Many are the meditators; few are the enlightened. Meditation is somewhat removed from life. I did it for hours at a time, but it becomes held dualistically: There's a "me” meditating. The states that arise are transitory states. They are useful in that they give you a glimpse that there is another dimension. Contemplation, on the other hand, is a lifestyle, a way of being in the world. There is no this and that, because you are that to begin with. The reason it works is because it is you. Sedona Seminar Vision, offered by Consciousnessproject.org, 25. Februar 2005

Contemplation is a lifestyle, [whereas] meditation tends to get separated from your daily life. […] Contemplative [manner] means to be selfaware. You are closer to the self in a contemplatative [way] than where you are in a meditative state. I think meditation does serve a useful purpose periodically. I did it for years (1 hour in the morning and 1 hour at night). Contemplation is a lifestyle which is spiritual alignment in every moment of your life. Audio interview Kontemplation vs. Meditation, web radio station Beyond the Ordinary, minute 35ff, 13. July 2004

To contemplate a thing is to sort of hang in with it, to be with it, not to try to do anything with it, not to try to understand it, not to process it. Sedona Seminar Causality. The Ego’s Foundation – Enlightenment and Surrender, January 2002

Question: What should one focus on in meditation?
Answer: There are three basic styles that can be described that are effective and fruitful. The first could be described as psychological insight or self-examination. The second is through the thought field, and the third is the simplest by which to bypass the thought field. [...]

Style 3: Bypassing the Mind
Whereas Styles 1 and 2 are educative, Style 3 is purely subjective/experiential and not mental, psychological, emotional, or conceptual. It is the most rapid and basic and consists of a simple 'doingness'. The steps are very simple: relax completely and deeply; close the eyes; witness the visual field and merely focus on what is witnessed. Within the darkness, notice numerous tiny bits of dancing light phenomena (called 'phosgenes'). Become at one with the lights (thoughtlessness ensues), and merge with the visual field. In due time, the context simultaneously begins to shift and deepen. The seeming separation between the witness and the observer disappears. One 'becomes' the phenomenon sans a localized observer.
Eventually, only awareness itself prevails, and all is spontaneous and nondual. The mind is bypassed and surrendered to Mind, which is autonomous. With practice, the capacity to be 'at one' with the silent, thoughtless state can be maintained with the eyes open. One then lives within the silent state.
In the beginning, the state is lost when it is necessary to return to functioning or necessary mentation. With practice, however, even that distraction can be transcended, and the silent state prevails even though the persona goes about relating and acting to the world.
Eventually, the inner state prevails and selfless action operates spontaneously and autonomously. It is the karmic 'wind-up toy'. It can eventually even think and respond to the world without interrupting the state of silent peace.
The persona is perceived by the world to be 'you', whereas it is only a linear functionality. It is like the ripples or waves of the ocean. As with contemplation, the sense of Self moves from content to context. One then abides in the silent awareness that Ramana Maharshi termed turiya, or the "fourth state". Discovery of the Presence of God. Devotional Nonduality, S. 83

Meditation and contemplation are merely descriptive styles. They are not separate because the processes are essentially the same. In practice, traditional formal meditation is a process that requires removal from the activities of daily life. However, it tends to develop a certain specialness and becomes compartmentalized and sporadic over time. There are periods of enthusiasm, but the practice is vulnerable to the demands of daily life. It is more profitable to apply the essential mudra / position / focus / intention in a style that can be done continuously so that contemplation becomes a lifestyle, with one's life becoming the meditation. The evolution is to turn one's life into prayer / contemplation / meditation / supplication and surrender. One's life becomes the prayer – the prayer is the contemplation. Discovery of the Presence of God. Devotional Nonduality, S. 87

The contemplative lifestyle facilitates transfer of the sense of identity from body / mind to witness / observer, which is more primary and closer to Truth of the Self and Reality. The next step is the withdrawal of the sense of 'I' from the witness/observer, where it moves to the faculty of consciousness / awareness itself, which is a quality rather than a personage. One major advantage of being the witness / observer instead of the participant is that the witness does not talk; it just sees without comment. It could be said that the witness / observer is aligned with the forest rather than the trees. Discovery of the Presence of God. Devotional Nonduality, S. 87

Question: How can contemplation be instituted, started and learned? It is a decision?
Answer: It is only a matter of awareness. It is really nothing new and therefore does not need to be learned but only given attention. A useful decision or choice is to decide to stop mentally talking about everything and refrain from interjecting comments, opinions, preferences, and value statements. It is therefore a discipline to just watch without evaluating, investing worth in, or editorializing, commenting, and having preferences about what is witnessed. One then sees the rising and falling away of phenomena and the transitory nature of appearance which, with ordinary mentation, is conceptualized as a sequence of cause and effect. Discovery of the Presence of God. Devotional Nonduality, S. 88

There is nothing to know, to learn, or to remember. It is merely necessary to focus, fixate, meditate, contemplate, look at, and realize that the substrate and source of existence is the radical subjectivity of the Presence of God as the Light of Consciousness. I. Reality and Subjectivity, S. ?

Question: What is the simplest meditative practice?
Answer: I think you should just sit with your arms slightly raised and hands held out, not to receive as in Eastern traditions, but on the contrary, to radiate out that which you would give to the world and humanity. Sitting quietly with hands held out as if to bless the world, you become a channel of God and radiate out unconditional love. You give all that you are infinitely capable of giving. You are an antenna of radiance.
You begin with a prayer, something like what St. Francis said, "As your servant, O Lord, I give what you have given me." As you do this you awaken to what the world is crying for and automatically you radiate that and you suddenly realize who you are. It is all nonverbal. It may take years to get it. It is simple and direct like a laser. You become a radical laser beam. Teddy and Otis Carnie, Synopsis and Study Guide to Power vs. Force. An Anatomy of Consciousness, part III. The Realization of the Presence of God, pg. 2, Sedona, AZ, Veritas Publishing, 1996

Contemplation is asking the Holy Spirit to show you the meaning of something. [paraphrased] Sedona Seminar Practical Spirituality, 25. October 2008

"Meditating with a picture of a teacher is almost as good as being in the physical presence of a teacher." [Muscle tested as true.] Prescott Seminar What is the World?, 28. February 2009

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3.3 Zitate von anderen Quellen

Gebet ist, wenn wir mit Gott sprechen; Meditation ist, wenn wir auf Antworten lauschen. Unbekannt

Aus einem Neurotiker, der meditiert, wird bestenfalls ein erleuchteter Neurotiker. Ken Wilber, transpersonaler Philosoph und Autor

Meditation ist die Auflösung der Gedanken in reiner Wahrnehmung oder ewigem Bewusstsein ohne Objektivierung, Wissen ohne Denken, die Verschmelzung des Endlichen im Unendlichen. François Marie Arouet, Voltaire, Vordenker der Französischen Revolution, spiritueller Aspirant

Man muss zunächst Jemand sein, bevor man Niemand sein kann. Der Versuch, die mit der eigenen Entwicklung verbundenen Aufgaben der Identitätsbildung und der Bildung einer beständigen Objektbeziehung durch den irregeleiteten Versuch zu umgehen, das "Ego zu zerstören", ist unangebracht und hat verhängnisvolle und pathologische Konsequenzen. Viele Studenten, die sich von der Praxis der Meditation angezogen fühlen, und sogar einige Meditationslehrer scheinen genau dies zu versuchen. Sowohl aus der klinischen Perspektive als auch aus der Perspektive der Meditation mangelt es dabei an einer Entwicklungspsychologie, die das vollständige Spektrum von Entwicklung umfasst. Sowohl ein Empfinden für das Selbst als auch ein Empfinden für das Nicht-Selbst scheinen – in dieser Reihenfolge – für die Verwirklichung eines Zustandes optimalen psychologischen Wohlbefindens notwendig zu sein, den Freud als eine "ideale Fiktion" bezeichnete und den der Buddha lange zuvor als "das Ende des Leidens" – das Einzige, was er lehrte – beschrieben hatte. John Engler, transpersonaler Psychologe, Meditationslehrer und Autor, Aufsatz Somebody and Nobody: Psychoanalysis and Buddhism

Es geht bei der Meditation darum, die Wahrheit in jedem Augenblick zu sehen – nicht die absolute Wahrheit, sondern in jedem Moment das Wahre und Unwahre. Jiddu Krishnamurti, Das Licht in dir

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3.4 Zitate (engl.) von anderen Quellen

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91, 1, AT

The pure truth of Atman, which is buried under Maya and the effects of Maya, can be reached by meditation, contemplation and other spiritual disciplines such as a knower of Brahman may prescribe. Shankara, Hindu sage

Follow a simple diet, exercise the body, and meditate daily – no matter what happens, rain or shine. If you are unable to exercise and meditate in the morning, do it at night. Pray to Him every day, 'Lord, even if I die, or if the whole world crumbles away, I am going to find time daily to be with Thee.' Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest

The contemplative way is in no sense a deliberate "technique" of self-emptying in order to produce an esoteric experience. It is the paradoxical response to an almost incomprehensible call from God, drawing us into solitude, plunging us into darkness and silence, not to withdraw and protect us from peril, but to bring us safely through untold dangers by a miracle of love and power. The contemplative way is, in fact, not a way. Christ alone is the way, and he is invisible. The "desert" of contemplation is simply a metaphor to explain the state of emptiness which we experience when we have left all ways, forgotten ourselves and taken the invisible Christ as our way. Thomas Merton, [BW 515], The Pocket Thomas Merton

No one teaches contemplation except God, Who gives it. The best you can do is write something or say something that will serve as an occasion for someone else to realize what God wants of him. Thomas Merton, [BW 515], The Pocket Thomas Merton

The contemplative life has nothing to tell you except to reassure you and say that if you dare to penetrate your own silence and dare to advance without fear into the solitude of your own heart and risk the sharing of that solitude with the lonely other who seeks God through you and with you, then you will truly recover the light and the capacity to understand what is beyond words and beyond explanations because it is too close to be explained: it is the intimate union in the depths of your heart, of God's spirit and your own innermost self, so that you and He are in truth One Spirit. Thomas Merton, [BW 515], The Pocket Thomas Merton

I know for sure that the way to feel connected in all relationships is to stay attuned to the Source, which I believe is the energy that vibrates through all life. You can never stray too far from what is really meaningful before losing connection with yourself and everybody else. And when you've lost that, meditate, breathe consciously, listen, pay attention. Treasure every moment. Make the connection. This I Know for Sure. Oprah Winfrey, US American talk show host

I've had moments of sheer, glorious transcendence during meditative states, and what many people call epiphanies that have come unannounced when I'm doing nothing, just minding my own business. I've had many of those experiences during my life. […] My experiences during the war gave me a sense of what Buddhists call impermanence, the thin line between life and death, the impermanence of one’s existence. Marrying Miracles and Science: The Healing Power of Intention and Prayer, Ravi Dykema interviewt Dr. med. Larry Dossey, Nexuspub, January/February 2007

In a striking difference between novices and monks, the latter showed a dramatic increase in high-frequency brain activity called gamma waves during compassion meditation. Thought to be the signature of neuronal activity that knits together far-flung brain circuits, gamma waves underlie higher mental activity such as consciousness. The novice meditators "showed a slight increase in gamma activity, but most monks showed extremely large increases of a sort that has never been reported before in the neuroscience literature," says Prof. Davidson, suggesting that mental training can bring the brain to a greater level of consciousness. Sharon Begley, Scans of Monks' Brains Show Meditation Alters Structure Functioning, presented by The Wall Street Journal online, pg. B1, 5. November 2004

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4. Index: Meditation – Kontemplation – Bücher von D. Hawkins

Buch 2
- Meditation: Beobachtung des Bewusstseinsstromes des Geistes, S.158f
- Betrachtung über Meditation, S. 184-187
- Kontemplation, S. 199
- Meditation und spiritueller Wille, S. 201
- Meditation "Wofür ist das gut?", zur Überwindung der Anhaftung an Wünsche, S. 241f
- Meditation Was ist wenn, und was ist dann?, Die Bereitschaft die Illusionen des Egos GOTT zu überreichen, S. 242
Buch 3
- Zentrierte und periphere Meditation und Kontemplation S. 71-76
- Mülltonnen-Zen und Kleenex-Zen S. 78-80

Englische Werke

Buch 2E
- Anleitung zur Klärung des Minds S. 103
- Fortschreitendes Gewahrsein, Meditation S. 121-123 und 135
- Kontemplation als Meditationsmethode S. 133
- Wofür? Und was dann?, S. 165
- Radikales Jetzt S. 287
Buch 3E
- zentrierte und periphere Meditation und Kontemplation S. 27-31
- Gewöhnlicher Gedanke, Fokus auf 'mich' S. 48-49
- Felder / Erkenntnisebenen S. 292
- Die Suche nach dem Selbst/SELBST S. 307-308
- Subjektivität, Essenz des Selbstes, Erfahrungsübung S. 398-399
Buch 5E, S. 335
Buch 6E, ab S. 87

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4.1 Index: Audio- und Videomedien (engl.) von und mit D. Hawkins

Thinkingness, part 3, Meditation and Contemplation, excerpted from The Highest Level of Enlightenment, CD series by Dr. David R. Hawkins, Nightingale-Conant, YouTube clip, 6:42 minutes duration, posted 5. August 2008

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4.2 Kontemplation – Empfehlungen

Psalmen studieren Hawkins empfiehlt, über einen längeren Zeitraum den Psalm 91 zu kontemplieren.
Psalm 23 – Der Herr ist mein Hirte. mit Bildern und Gedichten, PDF
Arbeitsbuch Ein Kurs in Wundern, 365 Lektionen

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5. Links zum Thema Kontemplation und Meditation / Contemplation and Meditation

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5.1 Literatur

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5.2 Literatur (engl.)

Sharon Begley, Scans of Monks' Brains Show Meditation Alters Structure, Functioning, The Wall Street Journal, Science Journal, pg. B1, 5. November 2004

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5.3 Externe Weblinks

Wikipedia-Einträge Meditation, Kontemplation

Interview Man kann der Welt nicht entkommen, Andrew Cohen mit Joseph Goldstein, WIE-Magazin, Ausgabe 5

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5.4 Externe Weblinks (engl.)

Wikipedia entries Meditation, Contemplation

The Effect of Meditation on the Brain activity in Tibetan Meditators, brain scans of meditating people [Gehirnaufnahmen von Meditierenden], presented by Dr. Andrew Newberg, neuro scientist, USA
Antoine Lutz, Lawrence L. Greischar, Nancy B. Rawlings, Matthieu Ricard, Richard J. Davidson, Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice, open access article, PNAS, vol. 101, no. 46, 16369-16373, 16. November 2004
The hot new frontier of neuroscience: meditation!, WIRED Magazine, meditation examined by neuro scientists, published in National Academy of Sciences, November 2004
Meditation Halves Risk of Heart Attack, presented in ScienceNOW Daily News, Jue Wang, 16. November 2009
The findings of a new clinical trial indicate that meditation, relaxation and mental focusing can be as effective as powerful new drugs in treating heart disease. They reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death by almost 50% in patients with existing coronary heart disease.

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5.5 Audio- und Videolinks

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5.6 Audio- und Videolinks (engl.)

Video lecture by Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, scientist, translator, bestseller author of Happiness. A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill, Little, Brown and Company, 5. January 2007 on Change your Mind Change your Brain: The Inner Conditions... , presented by Google Tech Talks, 15. March 2007, YouTube film, 59:28 minutes duration, posted 24. July 2007
Video lecture by Jon Kabat-Zinn (*1944) professor of medicine emeritus, founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine on Mindfulness Meditation, sponsored by Google, 11. October 2007, YouTube film, 1:12:05 duration, posted by Google 12. November 2007
Video lecture by Philippe Goldin, postgraduate research scientist, leading Clinically Applied Affective Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stanford University on Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation, presented by Google Tech Talks, 28. February 2008, YouTube film, 48:54 minutes duration, posted by googletechtalks 1. March 2008
Video lecture by Professor Richard Davidson, neuroscientist, Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin–Madison, named as one of the world's top 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2006, Transform Your Mind, Change Your Brain, on the neuroscientific research of positive human qualities and how they can be cultivated through contemplative practice, presented by Google Tech Talks, 23. September 2009, YouTube film, 1:05:21 duration, posted 28. September 2009
By 2050 I believe mental exercise will be understood as being as important as physical exercise.