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Meditation

Meditation

Date: Dec 05 2008

Themes: Health, Religion

Grammar: You're vs. Your

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Every major religion, from Hinduism to Christianity, incorporates some form of meditation. Many Buddhists, for example, use meditation to gain spiritual insight. But plenty of non-religious types meditate, too. After a stressful day, sitting quietly with your eyes closed or even repeating a mantra to yourself might help you to calm down and relax.

Marni finds meditation very useful, but Mason is skeptical. Hear them debate.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Mason

Mason

Marni:  You know, I just spent the last half hour trying to meditate.

Mason:  Well you need to just chill out, right?

Marni:  But I couldn’t clear my mind. It was so frustrating.

Mason:  Like meditate how? Meditate like just hang out and, you know, be quiet? Or meditate like the half-lotus pose and incense and stuff?

Marni:  Well, I have a spot in my house where I just clear everything off. And I go, and I just sit in the lotus position. And I just try to repeat a mantra to myself.

Mason:  And is this your own kind of practice or do you subscribe to any particular method? ‘Cause I gotta say, when it starts getting too hippy-dippy, I get weirded out by it.

Marni:  OK, I guess I can understand your perspective. But for me personally, as someone who has so much to do and so much on my mind, I find that it is very effective in just helping me calm down and see things differently.

Mason:  Mmm-hmm. ‘Cause like, I can handle chakras as an idea. But when people start laying crystals on my forehead and whatnot, that’s straying into that weirding-me-out world of meditation that I don’t really want to get to…

Marni:  Maybe you’re just not comfortable with your inner self. I think that’s your problem.

Mason:  Right, obviously my, uh, “dark chi” is in dominance.

Marni:  Oh…Well, do you have anything where you just get in the zone, and you are able to just go to another place? Do you exercise or something?

Mason:  It’s called four beers deep.

Marni:  Oh, okay.

 

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Discussion

Marni is upset because she tried to meditate but couldn’t clear her mind. For her, meditation is a way of relaxing and feeling more peaceful. She meditates by sitting quietly in a special place and silently repeating a mantra to herself.

Mason is surprised to hear that Marni meditates. He thinks meditation sounds a little hippy-dippy. Mason assumes that anyone who meditates must be into other weird spiritual practices as well. His favorite way to relax is drinking a lot of beer.

Have you ever meditated? Do you know anyone who has a regular meditation practice?

 

Comments

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Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Meditating isn’t for anyone,you have to treat this practice seriously and with discipline ;)

01:05 PM Dec 06 2008 |

gijatt

India

Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation…good for body and mind…i meditate daily,try it!!!

12:13 PM Dec 06 2008 |

Lidan&1991

Lidan&1991

China

UndecidedI am a man who often meditate,but not act out!

11:55 AM Dec 06 2008 |

felicityxben

China

meditation is specially good for women.

05:36 AM Dec 06 2008 |

Mauudi

Mauudi

Brazil

Glass lifting is a very good exercise at all! Laughing

12:57 AM Dec 06 2008 |

XHL0722666

XHL0722666

China

I practice meditate befor seelping or befor go up

12:40 AM Dec 06 2008 |

jhon_andy

jhon_andy

Peru

i wonder what religion you are practicing now and in what ways meditation helped you unwind, well as a matter of fact i would like to get to know you, can we be friends? at least internet friends… reply me if you are interested in

yours sincerely, andy

 

10:46 PM Dec 05 2008 |

MONY----

MONY----

Egypt

my own way of meditation is to seat alone thinking ,analysing and sometimes writing..that's how decide what I really want and refresh my energies.

 

09:39 PM Dec 05 2008 |

guevari

guevari

Syrian Arab Republic

meditation is the best way to face problems and find solutions….music=meditations

08:51 PM Dec 05 2008 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

nice lesson:) everyone must sometimes clean your mind.

 I sometimes sit in my bed or sometimes drinking beer ( it's great meditate)Laughing, sometimes ….............

07:39 PM Dec 05 2008 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

Yeah, I agree with Mason and Sergio, four beer deep is really good meditation

07:27 PM Dec 05 2008 |

blest

blest

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

in my opionin .it very good for all of people

 

02:44 PM Dec 05 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

I agree with Mason!! Drinking beer is a nice meditation! lol

01:20 PM Dec 05 2008 |

watermoon

watermoon

China

meditation plays a key role in my life

12:38 PM Dec 05 2008 |

watermoon

watermoon

China

meditation is helpful

12:36 PM Dec 05 2008 |

onopi4

onopi4

Russian Federation

I practice meditate with beerCool

09:28 AM Dec 05 2008 |

amany7

amany7

Saudi Arabia

befor sleeping is the best time for meditation or may be in the nature ….

09:27 AM Dec 05 2008 |

REEF

REEF

Spain

IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE LIVING FOR TODAY

AND NO RELIGION TOO.

IT ISN'T HARD TO DO

YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER,BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

09:06 AM Dec 05 2008 |

ranjeetspati;

India

Wink

I had tried to meditate, but I always couldn't clear my mind 

08:30 AM Dec 05 2008 |

Kate Danile

Ukraine

oh, this lesson is great:) i did like it. i had practised yoga and meditation for a year and it helped me greatly. But then i changed my religion and gave it up, though i never fail to follow meditation's rules in my mind.

07:01 AM Dec 05 2008 |

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