Prayer Of Quiet ©
Purpose
To cultivate Sila (morality), Panna(wisdom) and Samadhi (focus)according to teachings of Buddha.
To promote and instill regular practice of meditation as a path to an improved mental and emotional well-being .
To utilize modern technology- websites, phone app, other networking and media channels for our message to reach broader audiences nationally and globally.
To teach meditation techniques, to develop online study courses, provide individual counseling, lead group meditations and networking meetings in person and online.
To further provide technology related services, to educate and assist members on use of technology,
To bring awareness, educate and help protect people from modern cyber/phone scams to ensure better life and pursuit of happiness on their journey toward enlightenment.
Why Mindfulness
Our teachings and practice is based on Buddhist Theravada tradition. We utilize Vipassana (Mindfullness) practice.
Vipassana means "seeing things separate". Because of the 6 senses that humans possess (Seeing, hearing, feeling, taste, smell, and thought-yes, thoughts are considered a separate type of sensation). At any given moment you have an option to experience the world using any of those 6 senses. Sometimes you see something, other times you are listening to something (for example music), other times you feel something in your body or you smell or taste different things. Those are just different options of experience that we have on daily basis. We all do it in random sequences through out the day and often without really paying any serious attention to any of those things.
As an example, just remember when you were first learning how to drive. You could hardly follow any of the things that are required. Look in the left or right mirrors, notice the signs, figure out gas from the brake pedals, maybe even shift gears at the same time, etc... and look at you now. you can drive, shave, put make up, talk on the phone, drink your Starbucks and yell at your kids in the back seat all at the same time. Most of those activities that were impossible at first are second nature now. And that is a good and a bad thing.
While doing many things (using many different senses) at the same time, gives you an advantage in life, On the "negative" side it also trains you to do it unconsciously. Which means you don't have to think about doing it. In some cases that is great. But in some it may be not so productive. Especially if those unconscious things develop into different habits that don't serve us well.
And that is where Mindfulness/Vipassana practice comes into play.
Within the practice of mindfulness or mindful awareness or Vipassana. We actually cultivate the skill of our awareness to all those things. Instead of just doing things unconsciously and letting them pass by, as second nature, without any thought or paying attention to it. We actually start paying attention to all of those sensations. We cultivate the practice of recognizing sensations on moment by moment basis. Which in turn helps us be more aware, more present and more in control of our lives.
Background
Vipassana is the original practice originated by the great Buddha himself. Like all things through time, it branched off into other traditions like Zen Buddhism(Mahayana) and Vajrayana Buddhism. traditions. Yet thanks to many great master teachers who stuck with it, Vipassana endured the quest of time and we still use it several thousand of years later.
In modern times, a special thank you is well deserved our teacher named Shinzen Young. Who recently said his farewell and went into retirement after 50 years of teaching. Shinzen's videos are still available on the youtube channel by name- "Shinzen Videos". We highly implore you to watch them, because through his meditation practice and teachings, he helped evolve Vipassana practice into what it is today.
Due to Shinzen's extensive background, knowledge and familiarity with multiple spiritual practices, as well has his background in science. Shinzen developed a very elaborate, coherent and very practical system to help you make progress in your meditation practice while on the way to experience the ultimate goal - enlightenment.
Many of the techniques and principles taught by Shinzen are being further promoted by our organization as a sign of gratitude for his dedication and life's efforts. And also because they are quite easy to grasp, learn and adopt on your personal journey of self realization.
Often people think of meditation and spiritual practices as something mystical. Shinzen's life's mission was to remove the "myst" from mysticism and present meditation and this amazing spiritual practice and a very pragmatic and quite scientific approach. He made the comparison where the actual science was the study of external world. While meditation was the study(science) of our internal world.
When you begin to study it. You will see that both of those statements are very true after all. Our internal experiences are made from little building blocks just like everything else within the universe. It is our task to take control of our abilities to shape and mold our inner realities that lead to more serene, aware and purposeful living.
About
Prayer Of Quiet is a Buddhist Faith Based Organization.
We believe its through determination practice of meditation one can recollect, get closer with God and fulfill their life by having more complete experiences.
Eddie King
Dhamma Teacher