Tranquil Wisdom Insight Mediation—TWIM
The meditation classes and courses offered have proven successful for thousands of people new to mediation world-wide. TWIM is enjoyable to learn and practice. if you can smile and relax, you will enjoy your journey'
Practicing TWIM cultivates insight (vipassana) and tranquility (samatha) in equal balance. Loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity (brahmaviharas) are used as objects durning meditation. TWIM practice gradually deconditions stress reactions (dukka) rooted in craving (tanhā). By using the wholesome actions of right effort (sammā vāyāma), called the "Six R" methodology, meditation develops a collected (samādhi) clear and agile mind. Progress happens in discernible stages (jhānas). Each stage leads to liberation of mind (nirvāṇa–nibbāna). unwholesome mental states disappear resulting is natural clear and joyous awareness. Longterm benifits remain integrated as second-nature daily life.
Teacher led classes and retreats are interesting and immediately effective. Enjoyment in meditation is a key element that leads to progress: the awakening insight, tranquility wisdom and freedom of mind. Course of instruction vary from teacher to teacher but all TWIM teachers provides the core methodology to develop the seven factors of awakening evenly. These attributes comprise the foundation through the stages of meditation with insight and serenity as two wings gliding to the goal of awakening This is the transcendental pathway to freedom of mind as described by the Buddha.
Practicing TWIM cultivates insight (vipassana) and tranquility (samatha) in equal balance. Loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity (brahmaviharas) are used as objects durning meditation. TWIM practice gradually deconditions stress reactions (dukka) rooted in craving (tanhā). By using the wholesome actions of right effort (sammā vāyāma), called the "Six R" methodology, meditation develops a collected (samādhi) clear and agile mind. Progress happens in discernible stages (jhānas). Each stage leads to liberation of mind (nirvāṇa–nibbāna). unwholesome mental states disappear resulting is natural clear and joyous awareness. Longterm benifits remain integrated as second-nature daily life.
Teacher led classes and retreats are interesting and immediately effective. Enjoyment in meditation is a key element that leads to progress: the awakening insight, tranquility wisdom and freedom of mind. Course of instruction vary from teacher to teacher but all TWIM teachers provides the core methodology to develop the seven factors of awakening evenly. These attributes comprise the foundation through the stages of meditation with insight and serenity as two wings gliding to the goal of awakening This is the transcendental pathway to freedom of mind as described by the Buddha.
Basic TWIM Meditation with Loving-Kindness and the Six R methodology
Sit comfortably in a quiet and private place. It's best to close the eyes. Relax as if you had just slipped into hot tub. Pay attention to relaxing deeply for a minute while your body relaxes more deeply.
The next step is to driect your attention to a feeling of friendliness and kindenss we call loving-kindness. It may help to remember a time when you genuinely had a feeling a sensation in your heat and mind of loving-kindness. Everyone knows what this feels like. It's a warm glowing feeling. It can be a heart felt kindness for yourself and others. That should work great but you may need to recall at time that you were holding a baby and or a beloved pet to get the feeling going. The goal is to simply enjoy a warm feeling of love and kindness in heart and mind.
As you experience a sincere feeling of kindness, radiate it to yourself. Radiate the feeling inwardly and outwardly. It's easy and fun to do. Don't push it out but relax into it. Try using a positive affirmation such as; “May I be happy,” “May I be content,” “May I be peaceful,” or whatever wholesome affirmation prompts a sincere feeling of loving-kindness. The feeling of loving-kindness is the home base or object of meditation. This part of the mediation takes practice and patience.
Be sure to sit comfortably with your back straight without moving or changing posture for 30 minutes or more. It's easy once you do it for a few times. Smiling helps sustain the feeling in your heart and mind. A little smile adds to the enjoyment. Re-Smile when the smile fades away or start from the beginning whenever you loose the feeling of kindness. Repeat the process whenever it fades away. With practice you will stay with loving-kindness longer. Enjoy the feeling of loving-kindness the new home base for meditation and in daily life.
Radiate this feeling to yourself for the first 10 minutes of the meditation. Remember not to move around or you will become agitated and more restless. For the next 20 minutes radiate the feeling of loving-kindness to a spiritual friend. A spiritual friend is someone that you respect and admire. Picture them smiling at you. Then place their image in your heart or in you mind and radiate a glowing feeling of loving-kindness to them. Make a wish for their happiness like “May you be happy" or May kindness and happiness fill your life. Keep it simple and with a warm feeling of loving-kindness.
The basic instructions are the starting point. Everyone succeeds with TWIM through persistence. Success happens quickly through modest persistence. Secretes to success: 1. enjoy the leaning process. 2. Enjoy feeling love and kindness in you mind and heart. 3. Let go of anticipation and expectations.
Dealing with Distractions
Your mind is going to wander away from home base. At first, you might only be on the meditation object for short periods. Distractions will pull your attention to planning or a memory or thinking about something. When this happens, use the Six R methodology. It will automatically develop deep tranquility and mental agility so that the meditation becomes more and more enjoyable.
The Six Rs
Recognize your mind is no longer on home base and the feeling of loving-kindness
Release all thoughts and feelings, abandon whatever the mind is doing.
Relax your entire body from you feet to your head by softening your posture and letting go of any muscle tension
Re-Smile means lighten up and put a little smile on your lips, a smile in the eyes,
Return to home base and the feeling of loving-kindness by radiating it inwardly to yourself or to your spiritual friend.
Repeat: this process every time your mind is completely distracted from home base without missing a step.
The goal is to stay with your spiritual friend for as long as you can. Enjoy sharing the feeling of loving-kindness with then as long as possible but don't push.. Pretend you are on vacation and are just relaxing comfortably, without a care in the world. Share this contentment with your friend and smile.
The Six Rs are a leaned skill that requires practice. Success happens quickly through modest persistence. Secretes to success: 1. enjoy the leaning about your mind 2. Enjoy the feeling of momentarily relief with you let go and relax. 3. Six R anticipation and expectations.
Walking meditation
Pick out a place to walk that is quiet and away from disturbances. Stroll at a moderate pace. Radiate lovingkindness to your spiritual friend. Keep them in your heart while you walk and wish them a happy feeling. Six R whenever there is a distraction that has completely pulled the attention away from home base. It works the same in the mind and in the body as sitting meditation.
The next step is to driect your attention to a feeling of friendliness and kindenss we call loving-kindness. It may help to remember a time when you genuinely had a feeling a sensation in your heat and mind of loving-kindness. Everyone knows what this feels like. It's a warm glowing feeling. It can be a heart felt kindness for yourself and others. That should work great but you may need to recall at time that you were holding a baby and or a beloved pet to get the feeling going. The goal is to simply enjoy a warm feeling of love and kindness in heart and mind.
As you experience a sincere feeling of kindness, radiate it to yourself. Radiate the feeling inwardly and outwardly. It's easy and fun to do. Don't push it out but relax into it. Try using a positive affirmation such as; “May I be happy,” “May I be content,” “May I be peaceful,” or whatever wholesome affirmation prompts a sincere feeling of loving-kindness. The feeling of loving-kindness is the home base or object of meditation. This part of the mediation takes practice and patience.
Be sure to sit comfortably with your back straight without moving or changing posture for 30 minutes or more. It's easy once you do it for a few times. Smiling helps sustain the feeling in your heart and mind. A little smile adds to the enjoyment. Re-Smile when the smile fades away or start from the beginning whenever you loose the feeling of kindness. Repeat the process whenever it fades away. With practice you will stay with loving-kindness longer. Enjoy the feeling of loving-kindness the new home base for meditation and in daily life.
Radiate this feeling to yourself for the first 10 minutes of the meditation. Remember not to move around or you will become agitated and more restless. For the next 20 minutes radiate the feeling of loving-kindness to a spiritual friend. A spiritual friend is someone that you respect and admire. Picture them smiling at you. Then place their image in your heart or in you mind and radiate a glowing feeling of loving-kindness to them. Make a wish for their happiness like “May you be happy" or May kindness and happiness fill your life. Keep it simple and with a warm feeling of loving-kindness.
The basic instructions are the starting point. Everyone succeeds with TWIM through persistence. Success happens quickly through modest persistence. Secretes to success: 1. enjoy the leaning process. 2. Enjoy feeling love and kindness in you mind and heart. 3. Let go of anticipation and expectations.
Dealing with Distractions
Your mind is going to wander away from home base. At first, you might only be on the meditation object for short periods. Distractions will pull your attention to planning or a memory or thinking about something. When this happens, use the Six R methodology. It will automatically develop deep tranquility and mental agility so that the meditation becomes more and more enjoyable.
The Six Rs
Recognize your mind is no longer on home base and the feeling of loving-kindness
Release all thoughts and feelings, abandon whatever the mind is doing.
Relax your entire body from you feet to your head by softening your posture and letting go of any muscle tension
Re-Smile means lighten up and put a little smile on your lips, a smile in the eyes,
Return to home base and the feeling of loving-kindness by radiating it inwardly to yourself or to your spiritual friend.
Repeat: this process every time your mind is completely distracted from home base without missing a step.
The goal is to stay with your spiritual friend for as long as you can. Enjoy sharing the feeling of loving-kindness with then as long as possible but don't push.. Pretend you are on vacation and are just relaxing comfortably, without a care in the world. Share this contentment with your friend and smile.
The Six Rs are a leaned skill that requires practice. Success happens quickly through modest persistence. Secretes to success: 1. enjoy the leaning about your mind 2. Enjoy the feeling of momentarily relief with you let go and relax. 3. Six R anticipation and expectations.
Walking meditation
Pick out a place to walk that is quiet and away from disturbances. Stroll at a moderate pace. Radiate lovingkindness to your spiritual friend. Keep them in your heart while you walk and wish them a happy feeling. Six R whenever there is a distraction that has completely pulled the attention away from home base. It works the same in the mind and in the body as sitting meditation.
The Six Rs in Brief
The Six Rs is a practice method that is "right effort" as described by the Buddha in the original Pali texts. It cultivates effective application toward of purification of mind. It decondition all habitual unconscious emotional reactions like anxiety, anger, fear and so forth. It is a mean of gradually dissolving all of the distractions that arise durning meditation that are unwholesome both in meditation and daily life. Its use is a gradual training of eliminating the causes and conditions of craving,
Using the Six Rs gradually cultivates harmonious mental states while it de-conditions habitual distractions that are rooted in unwholesome mental states. It automatically triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS maintains the bodies health, regulates digestion, heart rate, and breathing. It slows down the stress response by releasing hormones like dopamine that relax the mind and body while inhibiting many of the high energy functions of the body. When activated is can be experienced as a feeling of relief from the "flight or fight" default mode an activated central nervous system (CNS).
When the Six Rs is initiated, there is a mental reset. Mental states incline with steady emotional ease, clarity, and agility that culminates in the goal of liberation—freedom of mind—Nirvana.
Using the Six Rs gradually cultivates harmonious mental states while it de-conditions habitual distractions that are rooted in unwholesome mental states. It automatically triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS maintains the bodies health, regulates digestion, heart rate, and breathing. It slows down the stress response by releasing hormones like dopamine that relax the mind and body while inhibiting many of the high energy functions of the body. When activated is can be experienced as a feeling of relief from the "flight or fight" default mode an activated central nervous system (CNS).
When the Six Rs is initiated, there is a mental reset. Mental states incline with steady emotional ease, clarity, and agility that culminates in the goal of liberation—freedom of mind—Nirvana.
Teacher Training and Development
TWIM Retreat leaders are renowned for their ability to guide people to experience awakening as taught by the Buddha. They are recognized by their competence and skill grounded in years dedicated practice, apprenticeship, and retreat experience. This level of training is only offered to those that are are in service to the liberation of mind and compassion for all beings.