Basic Meditation Instructions
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( 5a ) The Basic MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS part 3.
This is a fairly LONG detailed instruction section
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( 5a ) The Basic MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS • Beginner's Guidance Stage 1. 'Breathing' & 'Thinking'
• Helpful Meditation Sitting Tools & Encouragement • ON 'PRACTICE' - sitting meditation is a Training ! • Many Meditation Learning-Quotes & some Myths
• ‘NOTICING’ PRACTICE - catching a ‘felt-sense’
• Having only a “GOOD ENOUGH Meditation Practice
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From Here On this section gets you much deeper into
the Mindfulness Meditation Instructions themselves.
Is this where you want to be right now ? – take a quick look
~or~ do you now need to go back to TABLE of CONTENTS
< here it is >
m•i•n•d•f•u•l•n•e•s•s
'mindfulness practice' is
continually preparing the mind
to become fully conscious
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The Basic MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS
Beginner's Guidance Stage 1. review them many times
“I once again say these words with a boundless grateful appreciation
that I can actually sit and practice here in the safety of my own surround –
With much loving-kindness, I again fully dedicate all personal-value gained
by this meditation sitting to the benefit & well-being of all that lives.”
Learning to tolerate and/or deeply appreciate my very own developing inner-stillness.
My stillness allows me to observe, to 'see' better, to see thru what formerly seemed so very solid.
My own constant seeing this 'transparency' brings it's 'reality' into serious question. My grip relaxes.
My constant cultivating of ‘Wisdom-mind’ itself, dissolves the illusory drama. I now set myself free !
Ideally: there is no demand, there is no urgency to 'get' anything while meditating.
Ideally: there is no demand, there is no urgency to 'do' anything while meditating.
Ideally: there is no demand, there is no urgency to 'be' anything while meditating.
If there is 'demandingness' while meditating – that is the way it is. Just Notice It.
This is the ancient practice of 'Becoming Un-demanding'
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Again, Remember to Remember ~ Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”.
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~ 4 Very Important Ideas ~
♦ "If you don't clearly understand that ‘whatever’ appears IS meditation -
Then what can you achieve by applying a divine or spiritual ‘antidote’?
’Ideas’ and ‘conceptions’ are not abandoned by just discarding them –
but are spontaneously freed by themselves when they 'recognize'
and 'realize' themselves as simply only an illusion."
~ The Dakini Niguma 1025 AD
"Remember... the 'illusion'
has merely ‘the appearance’
of existing from its own side.
Take it to your side - you're caught."
~ Lama Thubten Yeshe
"It's not You that wakes up ~
It is Reality that wakes up.
The Truth itself wakes up.
'You' are not enlightened –
'Enlightenment' is enlightened."
~ Adyashanti
"Sitting meditation is simply just sitting quietly,
calmly waiting for enlightenment to simply be.
It's the 'waiting' and the 'wanting' that's the problem"
~ Bhante Akasa-Maitreya
The INSTRUCTIONS ________________________________________________
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Use an upright back-supportive Chair or thick, hard Cushion on a floor-pad.
Simply SIT QUIETLY – hardly nothing moves for 25-40 minutes – That's it. Utter Stillness.
Start with 25 minutes – so you get a real chance to 'sit' thru a few cycles of highs & lows;
comfort & stillness; discomfort, impatience & restlessness of mind & body. The sitting group
will ‘support’ you, as we all do this in silence together. A shorter meditation period is lesser
of a ‘learning experience’, but may be a welcome ‘feel-good’ for a short 'relaxation response'
to kick in. To really get into meditation as a real working 'process' – begin with a ½ hour,
especially since sitting in a chair is so, so much easier. It's a “can-do”. You can do this !
"Sit up straight" ~ no slumping, no lying down, back straight, body upright like a Mensch !
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For the first five minutes – make it a 'body-posture meditation'. Sit upright in the chair,
but not rigid. Butt wiggled to the back of the chair. Place feet flat on the floor. Place hands
relaxed in lap or thighs. No hand-mudras or stiff zen-finger postures needed. Keep it simple.
Let your eyes be gently closed. Let your eyes be soft & relaxed in your head. Maybe you'd
like a little light barely peeking in from underneath, eyes open a sliver – that's good too.
Allow your jaw to gently drop a bit. Body be loose. It usually works so tight. Allow a restful
alert posture. If the necessity to move arises - usually legs or neck – stop - pause before
moving - Fully Pause and 'experience' the discomfort – Place your full attention now on
this 'body-experience'. This is now your ‘meditation’ for a few long moments. And then
mindfully work out a very slow-motion-move to more comfort. Then return to the touch-
feeling-sensation-experience of your breath. We use Breath 'cause Breath is always here.
Do you need to scratch ? – do that too – but again in a very soft, slow-motion like Tai Chi.
Do EVERYTHING very slowly, very Mindfully – everything is to be so minutely experienced.
Let breathing quietly relax. Naturally. Learning to ‘Leave Things Alone’. Let them be.
While meditating – everything is noticed. Do nothing about anything. Just simply Watch.
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Actually FEEL the 'Breath-Touch-Sensation' caressing the nostril membranes as the air enters
& leaves your nostrils. Naturally. Gently limit down your whole focus of attention down to just that
small focus-area around the inside of the nose. Develop a close 'intimate relationship' with the
subtle gentle passing-by of the breath. This ‘technique’ is based on the touch-sensation of Breath.
Inhale: breath is fresh, cool, dry, crisp, tingles higher up. Observe.
Exhale: breath heavier, thicker, warmer, moist ... again, Observe.
Feel the sensations ... again, Observe the Sensations of the breath.
Just )))FEEL((( the 'Touch-Feeling-Sensations' of the Breath in the nostril passage.
That’s all. There are no special ‘mantra-words’ to repeat - there are no breath-numbers to count,
there is no contest as to how long you ‘stayed at the breath’. There is simply sitting. Observing.
Hovering the full attention in and around the zone of the nostrils and breathing-passage. Feel it.
Just FEELing the the breath go by - until you don't - because your attention slipped, slid, got seduced
to 'somewhere' else. As a core-part of your beginning meditation practice, that 'losing attentiveness
to breath' will become simply really OK with you – so that it will not get in the way so you don’t create
a defeatist ‘meditation-failure-mind’, or 'I simply can't do this' – you'll very naturally get gradually better
at this breath to thinking back to breath shuttle. Just observe the whole natural arising up & passing
away of things... stuff comes, stuff goes. You sit still & just observe. Sleepy? Take 10 deep breaths.
When you ‘Wake-Up’ to being ‘Out of Breath-Attention’ and deep into ‘Thought’ ( method below ) –
then simply, gently come back and pick up on the actual SENSATION of breath again. Yes, just simply
start being with the breath-sensation again. Nothing to think about - just FEEL the 'sensation' of breath.
OR FEEL the actual sensations of your belly & chest rise & fall, swell & collapse, stretch & contract.
It all becomes a 'Breath-stretch-feeling-sensation meditation'. Nothing to think about, just feel the
'sensation'. No drama. If there is an ‘issue’ about being or not being with breath: notice that also...
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Gradually and simply Allow complete 'Stillness' to gently, totally take you over.
Trust in just that. There become a significant preference for stillness .. just that.
a preference for stillness. click for TABLE of CONTENTS
Permit that to just happen. Stillness simply ‘happens’. Allow 'Stillness' to take you over.
Stay Awake – gently, mindfully Alert. Beware the 'Sleep-Switch' that goes on when the body
gets very immobile – as it is not yet used to Stillness coupled with keen alert attentiveness.
Allow a relaxed and gentle alertness. Don't strive, don't compete with yourself. No 'contests'.
Nothing is 'supposed' to happen. It’s all about 'non-doing', not doing-ness – be unproductive.
Come to peace with non-attainment. Let 'sitting' happen. Let it all just happen - unfolding -
whatever happens, happens. Nothing to do or fix or change. Forgive the past. Repeatedly
relax the tight tendency to want to fix, resolve, meddle, argue, psychologize, tinker. Relax.
Let it Go ~ “Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past” ~ Aba Gayle
Simply ALLOW STILLNESS TO TAKE YOU COMPLETELY OVER. Naturally. It's quite safe. It's all
a 'Silent-sitting-in-stillness-meditation'. Everything is noticed. Nothing is done about anything.
Nada. You are fully alert in the midst of your very own stillness and silence. Simply Just Be Here.
You’re Right Here & Now in the Ever-Present Moment - just simply sitting there.
That's all. Purposefully, just to do Nothing, with nothing to 'Do'. Just sit.
. . . and if you know , you know that . . .
When I experience Sound & Hearing, I know that I am Hearing.
When I experience Sight & Seeing, I know that I am Seeing.
When I experience Sensation & Feeling, I know that I am Feeling.
When I experience Thought & Thinking, I know that I am Thinking.
This Basic 'Context' ~ as a beginner try n' not to stray too far from noticing these
basic forms of 'experiencing'. Nevertheless, ( Story ) 'Content' is entirely another
matter to be explored through many Dharma-talks, and Satsang dialogue in class
and with Dharma-friends. 'Naming', 'Noting' & 'Labeling' will come a bit later on ...
Remember ultimately: Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”.
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'Intimacy with Breath'
a back-to-breath method ~
Remember: That everything feels like it feels.
It's OK - Mind just Naturally Wanders ~ well, it just does. Please Get Very Used to It !!!
So gently, non-judgmentally, no big deal, bring your 'attentiveness' back again to the soft breath –
Being at Breath always brings your 'attention' closer into the Present-Moment, into the 'Here&Now'.
BUT 'Attention' drifts - and it will. How do you feel ? Notice that. Ahh, There you were One with your
breath – and then you slipped into fantasy, story, reverie, memory, inventory ... Totally LOST in it.
How does Waking-Up happen? How DO I get back to breath? Well, you’re getting progressively
more & more in touch with the Breath. Sitting there for a ½ hour gives you a chance to experience
many variations of the subtle-breath, the shuttles back & forth, the bigger cycles of agitation & back
to stillness again. You become ‘breath sensitive’ . . . You’re becoming ‘intimate’ with your breath.
Developing and cultivating an Intimate Relationship with your Breath.
Out of Breath Again ? ........................................... Sleepy ? Breathe 6 full rounds
Getting Back to the ‘Breath’ Again...................... of Deep-Breathing. Oxygenate!
The ‘Breath’ itself becomes a real Relationship. .......Sleepy ? simply slowly stand up.
The Feeling of ‘Breath’ itself becomes the ‘Cue’. ......Standing Meditation 5 or 10 minutes.
You ‘Cue’ yourself Back to Breath ~ again ............Aggitated ? slow Walking-Meditation
Wherever you go you’ll see Noses on people
& they’ll all be saying: “Gently Go Back to Breath”
Eventually thru everything you’ll be ‘Cued’ back ...........You will yearn for the Stillness.
to a free Enlightened Reality instead of
a pre-conditioned Unconsciousness.
more on back-to-breath methods ~
Well, since this particular Buddhist-style of meditation does not teach you to shut anything out at all -
to let the Play of Consciousness simply happen right there surrounding you, in your Field of Awareness.
AND since you are already 'allowing' SOUNDS in from the surround to be heard anyway as you sit there.
So even in 'story-land' / ‘thought-land’ you CAN HEAR them – Well, you might as well USE them as a 'Cue'.
Any Sound: a car engine, a plane overhead, a cough in the room, a door close, a dog bark in the distance,
a physical sensation in your body, a swallow, a cramp, a tingle in your foot, an itch – something tangible
to Cue you back - 'Wake' you up - and then gently bring yourself back to breath-sensation at the nostrils
and start observing the breath again – and again until you get 'interrupted' by thought again. Here's a tip:
after you're Cued back to breath - make your very first breath as a sharp, strong, reinforcing breath.
You do get to see better what actually ‘interrupts’ you while you are in an aware, mindful-state. These
interruptions and repeated 'Re-starts' give you a fresh, new opportunity to refresh your 'screen' –
developing the ‘learning-habit’ of continually 'coming back' to the breath in the Present Moment - instead
of trying with so much huff n’ puff efforting to stay with the subtle breath. Being Out of Breath-Awareness
and then returning back gently Into Breath-Awareness. Out & Back - IS good meditation practice, not failure.
<Out There> & >Back Here<. ‘Out’ is just as good as ‘Back’ – Seeing & understanding ‘Cycles’ of Attention.
It's all just ‘good enough’ meditation practice. Seeing & understanding What it sees is What Is. Are you sure?
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All these basic ‘Techniques’ are merely Training 'Objects' for you to get engaged with – re-focusing devices,
a 'homepage' for you to point & click back to: a back button, a 'refresh your screen'. Short-circuiting your chatter,
instead of staying continuously caught up in your infamous, interruptive Talking 'Monkey-Mind' – or attached
to your Samadhi-states. Too much samadhi becomes ‘yogic’ sleep. You don’t notice & learn much in those states.
Now We interrupt the Monkey, with Mindful-awareness practices of Breath. The tables have now been turned.
Now we are strongly preferring the 'Breath' to the 'Monkey-mind' and its never exhausted store-house of story
content and dramatic conflicts. Everything is now simply OK. While meditating - everything is simply just noticed.
'Awareness' interupts the obsessive thinking-mind instead of mind interrupting a spacious Awareness.
Remember: Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”.
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by the way...
What Do Visual or Out of Body Experiences, Colored Lights, Clestial Sounds, Channeling
of Ancient Ascended Masters, Seeing the Face of Deities, Hearing the voice of far away deceased
teachers or seeing your previous incarnations... What does it mean? What does it have to do with
this Buddhist Mindful-Awareness Insight Practice? NOTHING ! At least not much. Nothing really.
Just a well produced movie that may evoke some tears or joy. They are merely mental 'objects',
just more thought-perceptions, phenomena in the mind to be observed & not clung to. Mind-stuff
of Dreams. Not encouraged nor distained. Observed. That’s all. For a very brief time, please do enjoy
the show, breathe and let it go! In Zen they call it 'Mak-yo' – ‘realistic’ hallucinations of mind-pixels.
Remember to Remember ~ Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar –
said Freud. Be Aware to gently Beware: some of us want “spiritual experiences” just too much ...
You must find out
whether the mountains,
rivers, grass, and forests
exist in your own mind
or exist outside it.
Analyze the ten thousand things,
dissect them minutely,
and when you take this to the limit
you will come to the Limitless.
When you search into it
you come to the end of search.
Where thinking goes no further
and distinctions vanish.
When you crumble the Citadel of Doubt,
then the Buddha is simply yourself.
~ Dai’kaku
The mind does not 'see' what is Real –
The eye only 'sees' what is Actual –
what is 'Actual' – solid – tangible.
That's the 'What Is'
that is ordinarily brought to the mind.
Please do not confuse
what is Actual with what is Real –
‘real’ or ‘not-real’
is still a concept for you
until the 'Real' is Real.
~ Henri Van Zeyst
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To TRAIN yourself in Meditation is to train yourself OUT of blind-sided Reactivity
and then the 'thought-objects' in your mind just don't get to you as much anymore.
the thought-objects in your mind just don't take you over as much anymore.
Less n' less do you get so 'caught-up' in your stuff . . you Observe them instead.
Observing BUT Not Reacting gives you the mindful-pause to loosen the tenacious grip
that thoughts 'seem' to have, appear to have. This is The Practice of Non-Reactivity.
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There IS the Actual ‘Object’ & the Actual Seeing-Neurons that actually See.
But No Actual ‘See-er’. A ‘See-er’ is just an ‘Idea’ in the mind. Just more Neurons.
What about “It” ? Whatever “It” is.
“Please, this you must begin to understand: When you meditate –
that no matter what “It” is – “It” is only the mental “object” of the moment.
It’s a brief ‘meditation’ in the Impermanence of this immediate mind-moment.
The object is held as an ‘imago-in-mind’, a retained after-image of the thing.
That is what is there – and thus “It” becomes THE ‘meditation’ – but so does
everything else in that moment count too. The whole breadth & width
of what I can see -‘glimpsing’ - in that very moment. And possibly and
more importantly, maybe including a pure, uncluttered, clear Insight
into my ‘thoughts’ about what I experience – and maybe not.
Mostly, what is experienced is just simply more ‘thinking’.
What ( I ) experience is usually, really not the object itself –
but ( my ) ‘experience’ of ( my ) experience of it –
back-up storage, only a photo-copy in the brain.
Nothing Real here at all.
Just Neurons & Pixels.
In the beginning “I” didn’t recognize & realize that yet!”
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in the above section you just read was
• m i n d f u l n e s s •
The Basic MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS
Beginner's Guidance Stage 1.
Now next is what the senses
'process' as an 'Experience'
CONTEXT vs CONTENT
INSIGHT-MINDFULNESS:
Observing the thought-feeling-experience cycle –
It's a Practice we 'practice'. Most of the time.
At some point the practice fully takes 'us' over.
That's what they call being 'enlightened'.
Practicing toward another level
of human development.
The MEDITATION Practice: It's a Practice we 'practice'. Sitting very still & just Observing
with a non-tinkering, non-fixing, hands-off sort of experiential 'watching' –– Watching the
"Re-Active-Mind" – just watching it unfold - training ourselves to not linger in thought
too long or 'thinking' will getcha'. That's why we come back to breath. Breath is your
homepage – That's all we're doing! Observing. Observing. Observing the whole process.
Observing with the next 'Mindful-Mind-Thought' that occurs - Mindfulness-Mind right
on the heels of what you just thought...a 'mindful-thought', a 'just-watching' may occur or
may not occur - you can't make yourself have a 'mindful thought'. All you're doing in
meditation is training yourself to sit still -- training to allow the possibility of 'observing'
to arise naturally – if it does. You can't make yourself have 'good' meditation sittings.
Sitting there may be accompanied by 'patience' or it may be accompanied by 'restlessness'.
Whatever 'happens' happens. You just sit it thru. But if you do happen to mindfully notice
that 'that' was a 'reactive' thought or a 'take action' thought, or a 'sad' or 'angry' thought,
well then you did. That's a much better setup for the next time a 'reactive' thought arises.
You'll notice the 'Cues' quicker and quicker and quicker – instead of the 'reactive-thought'
just turning into an unconscious, un-observed impulsive thought or action – mindlessly.
For instance: like sitting there meditating and feeling an itch - then comes a couple of jabs
of quick reactive-thoughts 'itch' and 'scratch' and the hand impulsively darts to it - instead
of mindfully just sitting there in motionless meditation and just observing - experiencing
the whole thought-feeling-cycle: sensation/reactive-thought/reactive-action - all that quickly.
Meditation slows you down & increases 'awareness' at the same time. Now as a meditator you
just sit it out and merely watch/observe. THEN you make the fully mindful, conscious decision
to scratch - and slowly raise the arm - feeling the weight of the arm - approach the itch - observing
any and all other thoughts along the way - emotions of anticipation before you actually do scratch –
and then go scratch! Ahhh! Observing the thought-emotions of relief and whatever else arises ...
and then go back to the breath. And simply start again. Till the next naturally occurring 'interruption'
of your attention to breath. Attention shifts to the new event happening in the mind. You observe.
This "Insight Meditation" is not about a 'discipline' of dismissing all thoughts so you can remain
uninterrupted at breath. No. All 'happenings' - thoughts, sensations, feelings, emotions are 'objects'
of Mindfulness Meditation. Gradually, 'mindful-attention' to each thought or action attentively follows
and pervades your daily life of normal movement and thought. For right now that is all we are doing.
'Mindfulness' is a full time job. An attentive daily Zen of Everything – from waking to sleeping.
Gradually, you get to notice more and more 'detail' about the thoughts you have - that were only
hardly noticed before in a much more 'blind', impulsive, shallow way. Actually, meditation develops
a similar mental awareness like a blind person - the other senses become very acute. Soon you
really do see the 'un-reality' of most of your own 'thinking' and stop believing your own 'mind' –
as things become more transparent to you – and not 'real' and not really the 'truth'. All those
'I-me-mine' thoughts loose much of their 'solid' power over you. The veils of painful delusion thin.
That's what we all want –– to 'suffer' much much less. I just want peace and quiet inside me.
About SENSATIONS In The Body: When you sit very still in meditation, the body, breath, diaphragm
and muscles really relax and often deeply let go. And sometimes even very painful toxins get released.
The body relaxes, the body FEELS lots of different sensations that normal movement covers over
under normal circumstances or the mind filters them out. When you meditate you risk feeling yourself
– and risk getting to really know your own mind ! So when you report what the sensations and
loosened contractions and released tensions felt like after meditation - that's what those feelings and
sensations were. A very common occurrence. Don't try to interpret – they're all just 'experiences'.
Keep it simple - all will be revealed as you cultivate a life-time career of sitting meditation. Patience !
In sitting meditation we gradually build healthy 'tolerances' to all sorts of thoughts, sensations and
emotional feelings. Tolerances and Openings - not denials or escapes. On the way towards cultivating
these physical and mental tolerances, we might experience many discomforts along the way.
That's just the pains of a human being undergoing the process of transformative-change.
"Using a thorn to take out a thorn"- Stay open. Just continue to practice.
"The Only Way Out is Through!" – sagely advice says the Tao – it's true.
Be brave and don't quit. Continue to sit regularly. Love yourself for doing this Practice.
And be supremely patient with yourself – on your way towards Ordinary Everyday Grace.
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Again, Remember to Remember ~ Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”.
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~ 3 very important ideas ~
♦ "If you don't clearly understand that ‘whatever’ appears IS meditation -
Then what can you achieve by applying a divine or spiritual ‘antidote’?
’Ideas’ and ‘conceptions’ are not abandoned by just discarding them –
but are spontaneously freed by themselves when they 'recognize'
and 'realize' themselves as simply only an illusion."
~ The Dakini Niguma 1025 AD
"Remember... the 'illusion'
has merely ‘the appearance’
of existing from its own side.
Take it to your side - you're caught."
~ Lama Thubten Yeshe
"It's not You that wakes up ~
It is Reality that wakes up.
The Truth itself wakes up.
'You' are not enlightened –
'Enlightenment' is enlightened."
~ Adyashanti
"Sitting meditation is simply just sitting quietly,
calmly waiting for enlightenment to come"
~ Akasa-Maitreya
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TOOLS: At HOME Meditation Accoutre’ments
• Firm Zen-style Cushion or Back-supportive Chair: Sit Upright.
• Using your own intuitive-sense of Feng-shui object-placement,
begin to develop a very special ‘Sitting-Place’ in your home
• Silent Digital Kitchen Timer or Cell Phone with timer feature -
so you can let go of clock-watching. Time: ½ hour - Set it and forget it.
• Shawl or Light Blanket to drape around your body and legs as you sit:
your body cools down and it feels really safe to be wrapped up like a baby
• Loose clothing so nothing binds. • Room-temp Bottled Water within reach
• Throat lozenge and tissues if you need them. • Great Willingness to ‘Practice’
• No Great Willingness to ‘Practice’ – Observe that too, and Practice anyway . . .
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encouragement
ON 'PRACTICE' – If you’ve ever 'trained' or 'practiced' anything – please understand
that sitting meditation is simply a Training. You 'train' by practicing. Then you get results.
Meditation is less strenuous, much easier than yoga, martial arts, music. But you still gotta 'practice'
by actually sitting down with dedicated intent, in a sincere formal manner to meditate! You practice.
BUT NO ONE’S SAID YET THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TIME-CRUNCH / DEADLINE TO DO THIS IN.
ENLIGHTENMENT IS THE SAME FOR THE TURTLE OR THE HARE. TAKE AS LONG AS YOU WANT.
GO AHEAD, ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE A ‘BAD’ MEDITATOR FOR AWHILE. YOU’LL IMPROVE !
STAY WITH IT, STAY INTERESTED IN YOUR AWARENESS-DEVELOPMENT. Somehow PRACTICE.
Shi-kan-taza – Zen for: Just Sitting ! Just sit still and let Stillness overwhelm you...
Like building, stretching and strengthening a muscle or posture in Yoga – in meditation practice
you hafta’ practice doing ‘reps’ right through all the many distractions, discomforts and resistances.
Practice right through all the "talk-myself-out-of-it-thinking". Wanna’ play in The Enlightenment Band?
You gotta’ practice your instrument! As Buddha said ~ "Beyond all the Resistances lies Freedom."
Please, SIT meditation at home regularly to train & strengthen the Mindful-Awareness-Mind-Muscle !
Frequent Home-sitting Meditation - is take-home work for us to keep refining our understanding of
the mind while in meditation-mode & while in everyday mindful-life. The Practice of Mindful Presence.
So make it happen – make a beginner's 'steady date' with your mind to be in 'meditation mode'.
• Make One Evening a Week at class – Your ‘Quiet Time’ for Dharma-Insight & Meditation training.
That's 2 class-hours weekly – and that may actually be the very best way to seriously begin practice.
To “sit” a REAL meditation with some real meat on the bone – in that you're really starting to cultivate
your own frequent steady 'home practice' of sitting meditation. Probably a total of 4 hours a week.
fer' instance: a 'sit' of perhaps 30 minutes, 35 min., or 40 min. ~ but not over that, it's over kill ...
and not under that, except for 'relaxation', or you don't get enough cycles of experience-time in.
2hr Weekly Class ( ½hr sit in class) + plus ½hr + ½hr + ½hr sits at home
that = 3 or 4 or 5 sits a week between class & home. It's a Yoga to be Practiced....
• Group Class is "Being in Stillness with Silent Group Support" – for 6 weeks. Half silent. Half talking
Then simply 'listening' deeply into the Dharma discussion or ask lots of Questions – either.
• Learning How to Be Still. Could just simple 'Silence' be simply enough 'spirituality' for you?
"There may be more to learn
from climbing the same mountain a hundred times –
than by climbing a hundred different mountains." ~ The Tao
What do you mean by saying to me "You're Repetitious" Well, you are.
REPETITION: And, Meditation Practice does get 'Repetitious'. It is supposed to.
On ALL levels. Sitting meditation, Dharma study & reading does take consistent immersion, and yes –
experiencing your own Repetitions, your own Patterns – here or somewhere – as they become more
conscious to mindful awareness. It is good to see & experience our Repetitions - as that IS what most
of our lives are made up of: well it is, isn't it? Mostly monkey-mind mini crisis-filled repetitious chatter –
so now, with this insight-meditation practice, we get treated to it all the more vividly ! See the Patterns.
We have to see it to let go of it ! We have to see it a lot, repetitiously recognized to let go of it !
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‘Consistent-Immersion’ is a key part of the Meditation-Inquiry process. We really get to keep seeing
the 'make-believe', illusory-solidity of stuff thru sitting & after sitting - having more & more penetrating
insight into their true Empty nature ( to be explained only in class - as 'Emptiness' is very misconceived ).
"We are in the 'Here-Now' NOW learning to appreciate the Emptiness instead of reviling the Boredom".
Being that ‘Meditation’ is a passive-activity and prone to boredom or restlessness in the beginning –
this is a crucially important ‘experience’ to discuss during the teaching portion of class: we’ll save it for then.
And on another level, there is real 'spiritual' development enhanced by the constant gentle ‘repetitions’
of the key core-Dharma-teachings that back-up, support and 'inform' your meditation practice. So we offer
you the open-ended opportunity to sit with us weekly – now committed to practice simply by your own
good intentions & sincere attempts to sit meditation steadily at home – and absorb all the Dharma that will
someday replace all our non-sense.
You will come to the very end of how many versions, variations and long-tellings of your 'Story' that you've
consistently witnessed and penetratingly observed in your sittings – experiencing their Emptiness – each
accompanied much more these days with a loving compassion and kindness towards yourself – as the
'appearance' of their momentary ‘existence’ is shortened – and even getting e m p t i e r - the grip loosening,
the 'transparency' increasing – the Un-real becomes obvious – as your innate Wisdom grows in gentle peace.
REPETITIONS of Teaching-material: From time to time as you ‘work’ your way through this rich and dense
teaching-site – you’ll notice some quotes, poems or aphorisms that will be Repeated because we are assuming
that not all people will read thru all the many sections of this site & may miss some key or relevant elements:
so we’ve repeated them.
See, Repetition is Good:
"There may be more to learn
from climbing the same mountain a hundred times –
than by climbing a hundred different mountains." ~ The Tao
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A guy dashing along 57th Street in NYC –
quickly asks another passerby -
"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"
The other man quickly responds,
"Practice, practice, practice!"
~ an old 1920's vaudeville joke
that experienced 'meditators' never, ever forget
Siddartha the seeker asks Kamala,
the beautiful courtesan, for her favors -
She asks what he can do to earn his way.
He answers:
"I can fast, I can wait, and I can meditate,
and with those, I have everything .... "
~ from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha – 1922
And then I just sit down some more and wait –
allowing 'Stillness' to take me over again.
What else can one do?
I can learn to meditate & I can learn to wait.
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wait
Questioner ~ "Ji, Do you teach people who come to you how to be 'meditators' ?
Munindra-ji ~ "No, I teach people how to be 'waiters' – just like in a tea shop.
The waiter stands there and simply 'waits' to be called to your table.
How to have 'patience' and really learn to just wait – sitting/waiting.
While waiting - to grasp at nothing - to want nothing ! Just observe.
To just 'wait it out'. To simply sit there, meditate and wait."
~ Sri Anagarika Munindra
training to wait
something Americans do very poorly
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The genuine essence of an 'Adventure'
is that one just really doesn't know the Outcome.
The essence of an evolving 'Spiritual' Adventure
is that one shouldn't need to know the outcome -
and that one absolutely can’t know the outcome!
And that there really aren't any 'outcomes'.
~ Alexander Carpenter
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while you’re painfully “sitting” meditation there, see if you notice that . . .
"Personal suffering does not arise
from the 'experiences' we have -
but from our reaction to them."
~ Sri Anagarika Munindra
"Physical 'pain' is Real. It bleeds. It hurts.
Psychological 'suffering' is a 'voluntary pastime'.
A person will renounce any pleasure you like -
but they still will not give up their 'suffering'.
It makes them rather special."
~ G. I. Gurdjieff ( Paris 1925 )
‘Thoughts’ are not Real. Body-Sensations are.
Thoughts then trigger Fear-Anxiety-sensations.
Fear-Anxiety-sensations then trigger more negative Thoughts
– and then Observe what happens.
The combination seems so ‘real’
You Feel it – • –You 'React' to it
And you begin to create even more Suffering –
There you go, taking the Unreal for Real again.
Taking the Impermanent for Permanent again.
Please, don’t believe your own mind !
Whatever 'It' is – 'It' too shall pass –
And it wasn't even Real.
~ S.N. Goenka ( India 1974 ) click for TABLE of CONTENTS
Tips on having simply just a “good enough” meditation
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don't coerce it . . . only if you know that . . .
When I experience Sound & Hearing, I know that I am Hearing.
When I experience Sight & Seeing, I know that I am Seeing.
When I experience Sensation & Feeling, I know that I am Feeling.
When I experience Thought & Thinking, I know that I am Thinking.
This Basic 'Context' ~ as a beginner try n' not to stray too far from noticing these
basic forms of 'experiencing'. Nevertheless, ( Story ) 'Content' is entirely another
matter to be explored through many Dharma-talks, and Satsang dialogue in class
& with Dharma-friends. 'Naming', 'Noting' & 'Labeling' will come along later on.
Remember ultimately: Whatever 'It' is – 'Its' just a “Thought”.
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‘NOTING’ & ‘NOTICING’ PRACTICE is where you catch a ‘Felt-Sense’,
a ‘glimpse’ of ‘where’ in cognitive-activity ( ‘thinking’ ) you’ve been –
a ‘recall’ just before you head on back to the “base-breath awareness”
and start again in being with breath again, and again – till you’re just not.
So, Where 'were' you? What did you glean, pick up about where you were?
• mad • sad • bad • glad • scared-mind • wanting-mind • rejecting mind • judging-mind
• angry-mind • joyous-mind • ping-pong mind • restless-mind • numb-mind • resenting-mind
• contracted-mind • sleepy-mind • relaxed-mind • alert-mind • appreciative-mind • attentive-mind
• tight-mind • critical-mind • guilty-mind • scolding-mind • easy-mind • compassionate-mind • kind-mind
• try n' keep to simple ‘noticing’ • keep the ‘noticing’ very generic as above • don't analyze/psychologize
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Do not get caught up into the “content” of mind:
the swirl of “thoughts”, of thinking, the 'story'-line, 'the narrative', the details.
When beginning to Note: JUST NOTE ‘thinking’ or 'feeling' or 'hearing' and if it's emotion, 'emotion'.
Simply ‘get’ the full felt-sense of the emotional tone or texture of that which you find yourself ‘noting’ –
allow ‘noting’ to be spontaneous – notice if you go ‘stalking’ the mind, 'trying' to note what's going on.
If you are not noticing any details about your experiences, notice that. Noting that 'happens' naturally.
Hold back the 'interpretive-intellect' stuff for satsang-discussion or your own therapy session.
~ Akasa Levi
“But don’t do too much Noticing
especially in the beginning . . .
~or~
'Noticing' will just become more 'Thinking'.
Learning to leave the witness be.”
~ Sensei Rand
Can you Notice a 'PATTERN', a tone, a texture, a shape –
without getting caught & lost in the pattern's 'content' ?
At first, just notice if there’s a pattern there, or a tone there...
– in the beginning that’s enough – otherwise . . .
Great Expectations, Old Objects of Desire – then getting sunk.
Sinking into a chain-link of old reactions to the story-content.
Because when blind reactions are arising – the ‘past’ arises.
We are 'out of attention' – caught up in ‘story’ content
and into the fickle, fragile fictions of ungrounded emotionality.
*The ‘Mindfulness Practice’ is here to cultivate my capacity 'To Notice'.
To Notice when I am out of attention and to then come back to attention
in the full Present Moment – but not necessarily to hold or 'stay' in attention.
. . . having a “good enough meditation”
This is a big crucial difference here ... in our type of Mindfulness Meditation
Cultivating a 'generous mind' - that simply says it's 'good enough'
to be simply present in the moment when I am present in the moment.
That’s enough. I simply practice a “good enough meditation”.
But I do practice !
BUT don't, don't, don't try to notice it all – just have simple-successes.
A series of generic labeled, simple 'noticings' is good enough, even better –
That's what keeps stimulating the awareness-learning curve of HOW to notice.
Not too much noticing or 'noticing' will become 'thinking'.
Where there’s too much note-ing or 'noticing' it’ll become just more 'thinking'.
And this ‘thinking’ is Thinking that thinks it’s not ‘thinking’ !
It could be come obsessive vigilance. Too complicating. As usual.
Too much red-alert all the time. Too much thinking about ‘thinking’.
That'll spin you back into self-judgment – becoming too self-conscious.
The gradual success in the ability to come back to base-attention
is more important for the meditator, rather than to staying in attention –
for that is a set up to slide into being lost in content, judgment and fear again.
Meditation practice that is simply 'good enough' – rather than a ‘perfected’ one.
Meditation practice that is SIMPLY 'Good Enough' is the key here!
~ notes from teachings by Yvonne Rand, Sensei
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Sensei also says ~
The real ‘Relationship’ is cultivating a courageous relationship with Fear.
Resting with ease with Dont-Know-Mind... no longer arguing with What Is.
" Everything Changes, Nothing Remains the Same – I now go with the flow".
I'm clear on this: My 'relationship' to my 'experience' has to change.
It always is - anyway. Cultivating and having a s p a c i o u s n e s s
around 'What' I am experiencing.
There is NO situation that is in itself 'inherently' Difficult.
The only 'mindstream' I can mind is my own 'mindstream'.
Then you start to "love the Questions themselves".
That's where the real healing of heart begins.
~ Yvonne Rand, Sensei
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