No, but that same question not long ago spawned a very large exchange between me and BLOB_CASTLE about Zen, Buddhism, meditation, and whether a master is necessary (link below). I started by saying no, and ended up looking up a center in my area and plan to attend in January. I've never been before, so I learned on my own and by reading materials in books and online. But I have meditated with other people before, just not in an official setting. http://hubski.com/pub?id=114668 My environment is my environment, there would be no equalization, because the incense or music itself would be no more of a help than any other distraction. So don't think of it as an equalizer or necessary, but if you enjoy it, it's fine. I'd say few use it, many just have the pillow. Music I would say is probably not a good thing, incense or a candle would be fine but not required. I find incense more of a distraction than not personally. :)Do you go to a school or some other institution for this, whether to learn or practice?
Do you use any kind of environmental equalizer like incense or some sort of music, perhaps in order to eliminate foreign distractions?
cool :) now I have a lot of reading to do!! I think discovering your own interpretation and comfort with it is just as important as learning the proper form and so on from a master. My mother is a psychoterapist and frequently uses yoga, meditation, and a combination of the two with traumatized kids in New Jersey's foster home system. I haven't seen her working her magic but apparently it's doing wonders :)
That sounds awesome and your mother sounds like she's doing very positive things with her life and for others. Interesting to hear she's using yoga and meditation. You'd get no arguments from me that both of those things are beneficial to anyone who dedicates some time to them.My mother is a psychoterapist and frequently uses yoga, meditation, and a combination of the two with traumatized kids in New Jersey's foster home system. I haven't seen her working her magic but apparently it's doing wonders