There are so many ways of making the approach to meditation as joyful as possible. You can find the music that most exalts you and use it to open your heart and mind. Sometimes, when you are in a low mood, you can play your favorite music.
Sometimes we also use this method. While chanting mantras, we play mantra music. Since the music is good and the chanting is melodious, following it to chant yields better results compared to chanting on our own. You can collect pieces of poetry, or quotations or lines of teachings that over the years have moved you, and keep them always at hand to elevate your spirit. You need to have a notebook and write down your favorite verses and teachings. When you occasionally take a look at it, it may inspire and elevate you. Sometimes, we tend to forget, so it’s important to have your own notebook and write down the teachings that are most inspiring to you. You too can find reproductions of paintings that arouse a sense of sacredness… It refers to Buddha images or other great paintings. For instance, the Green Tara — there are many versions of Green Tara image. In our meditation center, we choose a version that resonates the best with us, and then reproduce it and distribute to everyone. When you see that image, you will feel a sense of sacredness and get inspired, as the image of Green Tara is depicted with a smile and great majesty. When you see a majestic Buddha image, it can immediately eliminate a lot of your negative karma, and even eliminate your lust. Don’t underestimate it; somehow it can help you eliminate numerous karma. …and hang the paintings on the walls of your room. I have always loved Tibetan thangka paintings and derive strength from their beauty. In our meditation center, we have a painting of Green Tara, which is also in the form of a thangka. We have reproduced it and hung it up. We also have many other magnificent Buddha images. For instance, the painting of Shakyamuni Buddha behind us is exceptional. It is large, radiates blessings, and majestic. As you sit here listening to my teachings, it’s as if the Buddha is sitting there and teachings us. The image carries a power. Having the image here serves as a constant reminder that we are learning the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. Thanks to the blessings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, this painting is well-crafted. We are very satisfied with these paintings in our meditation center. The statue of the Three Sages of the Western Pure Land is also impressive. Due to this work, the craftsmen have accumulated immeasurable merits, which can even advance their path to Buddhahood by many eons. Even though they might have some worldly motivations in the beginning, as they worked on it wholeheartedly, the merits accumulated are immense. Creating well-crafted Buddha images or paintings accumulates great merits. Listen to a cassette tape of a teaching by a great master or a sacred chant. We often do this: sharing the teachings of great masters, or some recordings of excellent teachings, or listening to sacred chants. All of these can help eliminate negative karma and are very effective. We should use various methods to elevate our mindfulness.