Tantric Zen, and the people who practice it, of course, make some people feel extremely uncomfortable.

All of the previously described techniques can be practiced with your eyes open and closed. Most people find that it is easier initially to practice meditation with their eyes closed.

Ramakrishna didn't suddenly become enlightened. We had years of him meditating, seeking, crying to Mother Kali, going in and out of samadhi; but after many years of this process, he was enlightened. He was no longer a finite individual.

When you sit, you've put a place on the island of the tonal for the possibility of your thoughts stopping for a short period of time.

Sometimes there are people who only meditate with a teacher. They ride the teacher's energy. They don't really learn how to meditate. They learn how to ride the energy.

Put a smile on your face. Don't sit in the waiting room of life. Go do something, happily.

As Buddha points out, you should not rely on the opinions of others for validation of your internal progression.