Check it out.

It is by the Tibetan teacher Mipham Rinpoche, written in 1906 as a guide for the benefit of village yogis and others, who, while not able to exert themselves too much in study and contemplation, still wish to take the very essence of mind into experience through practice. It has been set out in language that is easy to understand, in accordance with the experiential guidance of a great many old realized masters.

The Instruction that Cracks Open the Egg-shell of Ignorance

When you leave your mind in a state of natural rest, without thinking any particular thought, and at the same time maintain some kind of mindfulness, you can experience a state of vacant, neutral, apathetic indifference, called “lungmaten”, (a ‘no-man’s land’), where your consciousness is dull and blank.

In this, there is not any of the clear insight of vipaśyanā, which discerns things precisely, and so the masters call it marigpa (“non-recognition, ignorance, unknowing”). Since you cannot define it and say “This is what it’s like”, or “This is it!” such a state is called lungmaten (“undecided, indeterminate”). And since you cannot say what kind of state it is you are resting in, or what your mind is thinking, it is also called tha mal tang nyom (“an ordinary state of apathetic indifference”). In fact, you are stuck in an ordinary state within the ālaya.

It later on goes into detail about how the method relates to samatha and vipasyana. It seems intriguing, I might try this as a meditation method.

http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/mipham/mipham-lamp

So am I doing something wrong? I was wondering whether meditation settles down into a routine of progression. Or whether perhaps I’m not achieving the right degree of concentration? How does one actually concentrate on meditation anyway? I know how to concentrate on a book, but when I try to concentrate on meditation I seem to end up tensing a few muscles around my nose and jaw...

Similarly when I practice mindfulness it seems like there is no ‘degree’ to it, I can’t choose to be “more mindful”. I’m either paying full attention or I am focused elsewhere. Even when I get up in the morning I almost never feel sleepy, it’s like the light turns on and bing!

Does anyone have Buddhist advice on how to approach this?

Sweet dreams

I enjoy meditating. Usually only about 15-20 minutes a day. As you know, meditation is cumulative. It takes practice to get into the groove and stop your mind from wondering. Whenever I get into a routine of regularly meditating, I increase my compassion considerably, which you would generally consider a good thing. But the result ends up making me considerably depressed. I see disheartening things (sometimes at work, or seeing a dead cat on the side of the road on the way to work) and I become immediately filled with sadness as a result of the added compassion and interconnectedness I've gained with those around me, and it typically doesn't go away (sometimes stays with me for an hour or so, sometimes a day or so, sometimes long enough for me to encounter another sad situation). The resulting compassion, connection with those around me, and ultimate sadness, eventually becomes a little bit much and forces me to stop meditating for a while (sometimes a few weeks, sometimes a few months). The break ends up creating some mental distance, and I don't get as depressed (I end up seeing sad things for what they are, rather than internally struggling with them). When I end up taking a break from meditating, I end up missing that clear, focused mind and I want to start again. When I get back into a meditative routine, I get filled with depression again. And thus the vicious cycle.

I'm assuming this isn't normal.

Anyone else run into this? Any suggestions?

From a logical stand point, there is no need to hold onto these thoughts and while in meditation, I don't. However, once I begin daily life with common stressors, these thought dominate my life. In addition, even while in meditation, I get negative and judgmental thoughts but I am able to let go of them more often than not.

It feels like I can't escape from stress and internal negativity.

I hear wonderful stories regarding how meditation alone can help harbor a calmer, more peaceful mind. While I partly agree with that, I feel like it may not be enough on its own.

What I really want is to be able to: a) have naturally compassionate thoughts arise naturally (less negativity and judgement) or simply less judgement in general and b) a mind that naturally is calm opposed to a mind that is always racing and burning me out.

While this post is somewhat sporadic (like my mind ) I imagine that someone has been in a similar situation. Any retrospection or thoughts welcome.

A Loving-Kindness Meditation

May I be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to me, may difficulties not last long, may I have a calm, centered mind. May I have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May my parents be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May my teachers be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May family members and relatives be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May friends and acquaintances be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May my enemies and those with whom I have trouble communicating be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May indifferent persons be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

May all beings, with form and without form,visible and invisible, near and far, born or coming to birth, from the highest realms of existence to the lowest, be well happy and peaceful. May no harm come to them, may difficulties not last long, may they have calm, centered minds. May they have patience, insight, courage and compassion in meeting and overcoming the inevitable challenges, difficulties and failures in life.

There are two basic methodologies among spiritual paths. Top down and top up. Buddhism on the whole works on the top down method. Opening the enlightened being through the mind and subsequently developing right speech, right emotions, right body. Very loosely this is opening the top 'chakra' and then if prepared making rapid progress melting through the other chakras ... creamy ...
http://www.thestartandtheend.com/mysticism/soft-butter-method-and-the-qbl-cross-visualisation-meditations/

In Sufism they start with melting the Heart, with Love. A mid range chakra . . .

... However this is a Buddhist forum ...
http://zentalks.blogspot.co.uk/2008/04/zen-sickness.html

What is your best toast topping?

No Mud, No Lotus on google books
Lions Roar article which is an extract from No Mud, No Lotus

TNH talks about bringing the energy of mindfulness to one's suffering and cradling it tenderly, as a first step to transforming it. It strikes me as true, I've done this in the past and it has worked for me. The subsequent steps of looking deeply do lead to a deep ease.

So what do you say, is this an alternate path to the cessation of suffering? The 4NT say the way to the cessation of suffering is through the Noble Eightfold Path, first sila, then concentration, then meditation and the jhana's.

Are you broken?
Not yet? Break 'the self' regularly!

As we know [dharma basics] the so called S-Elf that inhabits our being is a flawed/mad monkey. It may just be me but you may realise it is U2 ...

However [fanfare] there is a free part of all of us. Boundless, unfettered, naked awareness/mindfulness that we can engage.

Engage
Lama Picard

I am contending with what I expect to be a common difficulty in meditation. My mind is highly analytical. I am almost always processing information and fitting it into my framework of understanding, generating hypotheses, and adjusting theories to fit new data. The process is ceaseless. Not an hour goes by when I do not continually work to update my understand of my own consciousness, which is the central question that drives me in all pursuits.

The difficult I face when meditating is thus predictable. I am analyzing and thinking about meditation while trying to meditate, which is antithetical to the purpose. Focusing on the breath is difficult; I can sustain it for a few moments before I am once again carried away in thought. Even when my mind feels relatively "idle," there is a great deal of processing taking place. It's relentless. I have described my mind to others as a thunderstorm; my romantic companion describes it as a river. The common theme between these two metaphors is volume.

I nevertheless persist with the exercise and sit for at least twenty minutes. If I cannot stop thoughts or step away from them sufficiently to be mindful of the breath, then I try to observe the thoughts as they pass, getting a sense for their general shape, their source, and otherwise their essential nature. My practice feels undisciplined, however, because it seemingly lacks consistent focus.

In terms of technique, I've tried multiple: counting the intake and outtake of breaths, visualization, and assessing the length of each inhalation and exhalation (1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4-5). With each of these techniques, I am unable to maintain consistent focus for long.

I tried this Muse headband gimmick, which is an EEG device that provides real time feedback on your mindstate in order to assist in deepening meditation practice. I think it might be counterproductive, though, because I find myself paying attention to the feedback and trying to "game" the system rather than focusing my attention on my breath as I should. I am leaning towards dispensing with this experiment and returning to the traditional methods with which I began.

I am open to and grateful for any feedback, tips, resources, or thoughts of any kind that anyone would like to offer.

On the Zen side places like Antai-ji in Japan & Gyobutsuji Zen Monastery in America come to mind.

For Theravada, Panditãrãma or Pa Auk Forest Monastery.

I am curious what are the longest stretches of intense meditation you have heard and also completed yourself!

It can be a folk story or true.

I am having a hard time finding the information now but one of the longest periods of meditation I have heard of is the 100 day Sesshin! I guess it all depends on the time-table of each day but if it is a standard Sesshin that would be beyond intense.

For myself I had a period a few years back while watching a property. I would do some simple chores and then walk over to a close park and sit. I probably was sitting around 7-10 hours a day and I think the period was about a month and a half or two.

I had a point were I had an incredible absorption/mystical experience. Almost like a powerful psychedelic experience although it was totally clear and there was no background feelings.

In it I experienced what felt like the massiveness of Samsara and were I was and had developed so far. Also seemed I had taken Bodhisattva vows in the past as I was experienced as a Bodhisattva. The interesting thing is at this time I was practicing very intensely on the Theravada perspective and so hadn't thought about Bodhisattvas in a long time to my knowledge lol

It was a very powerful experience.

Agape, Chesed, Ishq, Metta etc.
Spiritual love.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishq

Metta is the unfolding of the Buddha/yogi heart chakra, very different to the most intense forms of mundane love which all have a component of suffering/dukkha.

In the non-Buddhist traditions the experience often has elements of intense Dukkha/craving. Is this the same as the mature compassion tempered by wisdom and understanding?

My experience of metta is an inevitable by product. Bliss and euphoric states come and go but metta increasingly unfolds.

Not what you have read. What have you experienced?

This method is harmony of body and mind and utter alertness and presence (Bodymind).

It is the practice of learning who one is and also moving beyond.

I also practice Samatha in the tradition of Theravada in which one enters absorption states (Jhana). From these states I experience and gather insight (Vipassana).

I would associate more with the Ajahn Chah style than the honorable Pa Auk as I don't codify these experiences as strongly and directly by writings of the Abhidhamma and Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga.

These deep meditational experiences I believe show how when conditions change one changes and this can be in radically different way.

I also believe it helps purify ones practice as when one establishes deep Samadhi one moves past sensuality and other factors that can trap someone in basic practice.

Please share your practices and how you would define them I look forward to hearing from everyone.

This is not ideal from a Buddhist perspective, of course. However, my sense is that it doesn't matter what your motivation is when you begin meditating. So long as you are meditating then, at some point, you will experience something - peace, bliss, oneness etc. - that will supersede your previous motivations and shift your pursuit towards the original purpose of meditation.

This is because, even if you believe and are dedicated to worldly pursuits, and even if you believe you have no interest in peaceful states of mind, the moment you experience it you will understand that, above all things in life, this is what you want most of all.

Of course, that process will take time to unfold. Some people might have dramatic awakenings and shifts - some people have. And, of course, some might end up pursuing both... although I'd hope and expect that what is gained in the mind influences in a positive manner how worldly pursuits are actioned. But what I fully expect to happen over the coming years and decades is more and more mindfulness practitioners coming to their own spiritual awakenings, with more people experiencing drastic shifts in attitude, and more of the effects of meditation (peace, compassion, empathy etc.) influencing how worldly things are conducted, especially in more traditionally ruthless and profit driven ventures like corporations.

The fact is that mindfulness meditation is now mainstream, and in coming times it will be more unusual to not meditate than to meditate. There is no use in clinging on to 'how it should be', rather, our concern should be to expand what is now accepted to help more people benefit more. It is natural for the curious human mind to - upon experiencing the benefits of something - to explore further related information. As such, I expect Buddha's ethical teachings to become more prominent, as well as practices like loving-kindness, all of which are likely to chart similar paths to mindfulness, including scientific and cultural validation.

In conclusion, this is a time of great hope and potential. To pour cold water on the untraditional methods of practice is to ignore the fact that...

MEDITATION IS NOW MAINSTREAM!

This is a truly incredible and unprecedented occurrence, said by someone who remembers clearly the ridicule surrounding meditation only 15 years ago when I started my practice. This is a time for smiles and inclusivity and GIVING! Embrace these times. We are on the cusp of something potentially incredible, and, I for one, wish to be contribute not detract.

OM YA HA HUM
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no ignorance
for Mindfulness is Present
the Sitting and Sangha inspire me

Buddha Nature is present in my hindrances
and my thoughts are gone, Metta is activated

Certainty of kindness and generosity shall lead my actions
and I will dwell in samsara for all beings

​Christian source:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Again.
Are you ready?
Me? Ready!
http://cundi.weebly.com/death.html

But I wonder if I am having a hard time relating to other thought patterns than just sitting or daily awareness. My daily awareness is pretty dull but my sitting I can get a relief from trying to thread the needle so tough.

So it seems non-Buddhist patterns like materialism or western religion something derails me and then I have to just go back to some absorption. But I wonder if I can make brain connections to understanding thoughts that are not part of my Buddhist 'routine' of just kind of going to equinimity but in a low state with not much insight because of my meds and illness. It's a low state but I can get some body comfort from absorption. Is absorption a cop out? Should I alternate absorption (not trying to figure out) with trying to have more insight?

Also to add to that is I don't have many friends in the last 10 years so it's hard to recover as when I get more ill I can't even drive anywhere and be a part of a sangha in my city. I know I'm asking to much to have it all going somewhere with my ideas.

I've recently started meditating again after a 6 or so year break lol! I'm nearly 29 years old and I started to get into Buddhism back when I was 19 due to an influence of a Buddhist related movie actually. Anyway I adored the moralistic and compassionate aspects of the Dharma and almost instantly became intrigued by this 'religion' - However, as much as I studied the Buddha Dharma and adhered to the teachings themselves, I was always a lousy meditator. I put this down to my things; my lifestyle at the time, maybe even my age, who knows. I did try but I never got anywhere productive spanning multiple years.

So to present day, I have decided to start meditating again as of recently and I must say, it feels like I am actually getting into a kind of groove with it. One thing I would like to ask the forum though is a sensation or 'phase' that I have encountered and was wondering if you guys have similar experiences, maybe what it could be? I understand to let it pass and embrace whatever comes my way, but sometimes this sensation can cause me to straight up open my eyes and quit the session.

Basically once I have done a body scan for 10 or so minutes, and I start to get into a groove, I can hit this 'stage' - It does seem to come about when I have started to drop the 'monkey mind' thinking and I am peacefully pretty darn focused on my breathing. It can feel like one or a mixture of two sensations. The first kind of feels like my head is dizzy, maybe in a carousel of sorts; this sometimes can be pretty intense. The other sensation is akin to a snake being charmed by one of those people playing the flute lol. My head can feel propped up on a stick, rigidly swaying ever so slightly either side to side or in circles. I have noted that this does occur when I seem to be getting 'locked in' to a pretty good rhythm of being focused on my breath, noticing the emptiness between breaths and staying with it, in and out, in and out. But this sensation can by too much at times and I open my eyes and or just quit the session.

Any insight would be greatly appreciates,
cheers!

However I do have a background in Theravada and as of late a very keen interest in the Tantric traditions.

Below is an excerpt from one of my favorite Suttas. It is directly from the Pali Canon and about as Theravada as you can get.

Tidbit of wisdom = Bahiya was recognized later in the Theravada tradition as the one that had achieved arahantship the fastest.

**A third time, Bāhiya said to the Blessed One, "But it is hard to know for sure what dangers there may be for the Blessed One's life, or what dangers there may be for mine. Teach me the Dhamma, O Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma, O One-Well-Gone, that will be for my long-term welfare & bliss."

"Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress."[2]

Through hearing this brief explanation of the Dhamma from the Blessed One, the mind of Bāhiya of the Bark-cloth right then and there was released from effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance. Having exhorted Bāhiya of the Bark-cloth with this brief explanation of the Dhamma, the Blessed One left.**

I'm seeking help with a strange problem I haven't heard anyone else discuss. Basically, I have trouble breathing when I meditate. The problem also happens to some degree outside meditation, whenever I sit in any good straight-backed position without back support, sitting in front of the chair or zafu, allowing my lower back / lumbar to curve naturally.

Basically, it feels like my breathing is somehow restricted/constricted/obstructed. When I try to allow the breath to go as naturally and without interference as possible, it seems that the exhalation is not complete. The lungs at the belly area seem to go from 100% full at the end of the inhalation to 90% full at the end of the exhalation. Then, when the next inhalation occurs, there's not enough room for the incoming air, and so it feels a bit painful as the belly tries to expand more than it can. If I consciously control my breath, I can force the exhalation to push all the air out, but this does not happen naturally, and requires forced conscious breathing. Also, after this, the inhalation is very forceful and fast.

All in all this causes a great deal of discomfort and a feeling of being constantly a bit out of breath. It makes my mind wander like crazy, and meditation is nearly impossible, becoming a constant teeth-grinding struggle.

I have meditated for many years semi-regularly, but because I'm chronically ill (CFS), most of the time I meditate lying down, where I don't have this problem. However, in that position dullness, torpor and falling (half-)asleep are problems. I noticed this breathing-problem slightly under a year ago, when I started again to sometimes meditate while sitting on a chair or on a zafu.

I'm mystified about what could be going on, but here's some background that could be relevant. Because I'm ill and have low energy, I've spent quite a lot of time in bad positions, e.g. working on the laptop while sitting on the bed, supported by pillows. These tend to push the back into a slouching position. Perhaps the muscles around my belly have tensed up or shortened due to bad postures and lack of stretching. I've now started to stretch the front of my torso daily by lying on an exercise ball for a moment, but so far it hasn't made a difference.

Also, because my (lower) back is quite curved, in the past I thought it's too curved, and tried to straighten it up by tucking in the tailbone, for example when meditating. If I do that now (i.e. tuck the tailbone in and reduce the curvature of the lumbar), it helps the breathing a bit, but then my mid-back starts hurting very badly after about 10 minutes.

Also, not sure if it's relevant, but I had epidymitis and seminal vesiculitis last October, a bit before I noticed this issue. They were treated heavily with antibiotics, but there are still some sensations in the area of the vesicles (i.e. near the bladder). So, maybe there might still be some low-level inflammation somewhere there, which could affect the situation.

Finally, maybe it could be that my diaphragm or some other muscles related to breathing are weak.

Anyhow, does anyone have any idea what could be going on here, or what to do about it? Any exercises, stretches, yoga positions, breathing exercises etc I could try? Or any place where I could search for more information?

Thanks a lot!

But then they sprung a request on me. They have been invited to speak to a military group (Air Force, I think) about meditation. And they want me to help them with vocabulary about Thai Theravada Buddhism meditation. Anyone got any good sources that would yield vocabulary I can share with them.

Eek!

I was doing a form of loving kindness meditation in which I chant blessings like, "May all beings be blessed. May my parents be blessed with joy and tranquility. May dogs and cats everywhere have enough food, water, and nutrients, and a safe place to sleep. May terrorists find kindness and love so much that it overflows to everyone."

And it goes on and on like that. Loving, blissful, intense energy blasts through me when I practice this meditation. I've been practicing this type of loving kindness meditation for a while, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that many of the meditations in Lamrim are similar.

So, all was going fine.

Then weirdness happened.

For the first time I clearly identified the "I" that I think I am, and saw that it was a very weak construction that had no substance to it except the idea I've formed about it my whole life.

Okay, that's not very scary. But I looked right at it for the first time and saw that it was so flimsy and fragile that I felt it could dissolve at any moment.

If that happened, then what would I be? A conduit for supreme compassion, I supposed. What that entailed exactly, I don't know. Maybe it's the unknown that's scary. I mean, what's on the other end of something like that? Who are you when you are no longer you?

Are you ready for it?

It was...

No big deal.

I realized I've accidentally slipped into it before about ten years ago.

It is kind of intense, energetically.

The main benefit is that my mind doesn't seem plagued by the five hindrances for several hours after coming out of jhana.

But the bliss of the first jhana that everyone talks about was similar to the energetic bliss you might feel in Metta meditation.

(food for thought, not for over-thinking but to observe through own six sense bases)

if you can give your understanding with your own words it would be much appreciated

I am familiar with the Theravada view on Rebirth and also the Zen portrayal.

As someone that has pursued strong meditation based traditions such as Thai Forest and Antai-ji - Gyobutsuji Zen Monastery I have been able to experience a lot of the teachings and or at least understand them in both a logical way and experiential way.

Rebirth however has been a hard one for me. Not for disbelief but in achieving a level of experience and understanding in which it fits in smoothly into how I have come to understand the teachings both through study and experience.

I am hoping those knowledgeable in the other Mahayana Traditions/Different schools can explain how it is talked about in their school and also experiences and or things that have helped deepen their understanding on this teaching.

thank you @federica, this is a very intelligent question (at least i consider so)

1. If a Liberated One sees your post, 'seeing is just seen' for him/her and there would be no reaction, action would be 'Noble Scilence'
2. if a Noble but not fully liberated one sees your post and mindful, then his/her reaction and action would be the same
3. if a Noble but not fully liberated one sees your post but not mindful then there is refined action
4. if a worldling sees your post there is no mindfulness he/she react and it may or may not be refined action

i am not in category 1 or 2 deifinetely and i might be in category 3 or 4

since I am full of ignorance, craving and conceit, but try to practice Dhamma that i have learnt, i try to test myself by analysing my reaction and my action to your post

following is my analysis:
I
1. see 'seeker 242's post'
2. a perception arise within
a) 'there is a valuable Dhamma point need to be discussed ' is the perception
b) there is no mindfulness to see that a pereception arisen from within and a perception has no inherant quality
3. react to that perception
4. ask (speak) the question (in this case write (act) the question)

** i didn't know i was asking the question at the moment i was asking**

Insight meditation (mindfulness meditation) reveals 'a perception is just a word/words arise from within' and we react (act or speak) accordingly

it is a life long practice to be mindful with the understanding one get through Insight meditation

The best things in life are free
https://learning.tergar.org/course_library/intro-to-meditation/

So is it possible to live free from fears, to resolve all the fears one has? Is it wise to do so? Should one always remain cautious of some fears like pain, defeat, maiming and loss of honour?

From another thread:

why do you meditate? do you think it is going somewhere?

Emptiness with benefits?
Somewhere without question?

Well why?
Here are some of my reasons ...
http://www.bodymindsoulspirit.com/100-benefits-of-meditation/

I find that i have a really tough time working with my breath.

It is often just too subtle for me to feel it at the opening of the nostril. While I do better with the sound of the breath (i have to sort of wrinkle up my nose to make it audible) i cant be doing that during sitting practice with a group!

That said:

1. MUST i work with the breath? I have a much easier time focusing on sounds (using an app...e.g. running water) or bodily sensation, e.g., the way my hands feel on my lap)

2. In working with the breath i find it easier to focus on the feeling of my chest expanding and contracting...sometimes the belly. Any reason I should not do this?

3. Every time i put my attention on breath i begin controlling it. Without fail. Any tips for just observing it?

Thank you all!

May all beings be well and happy!

The only descriptions of the book I have found surfing the net are:
"This is a 1916 translation of a rare 18th century palm-leaf manuscript written in both Sinhalese and Pali.
It is a manual of "Yoga practice," by which the translator means the practice of samadhi and the jhanas.
This book is not part of the Pali Canon, though there is some correspondence between the methods described here and those found in the Abhidhamma, the Visuddhimagga and other parts of the Pali Canon.
The PTS Pali edition is called: The Yogavacara's Manual."

And then:
"The Yogavacara's Manual of Indian Mysticism as Practiced by Buddhists" is the translation of a rare manuscript in both Pali and Sinhalese discovered in 1893 at Bamabara-walla Vihara in Sri Lanka.
It deals with a method of meditation leading to samadhi and jhanas that is not strictly canonical.
T.W. Rhys Davids, the editor, brought out the text originally in 1896.
His introduction discusses in some depth the correspondences and differences between the canonical practice of the jhanas and that found in this text."
???

So...
Jhanas? Samadhi?
I thought this link could be helpful...
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html

For some time I have been seeking the perfect cushion - today I bought the three above. Two portables and a Hinayana type Now normally cushions are outrageously priced. Meditation ones even more so. Today I found that flying cushions or traveller cushions may be cheap and perfect. Another possibility is a high quality cushion cover, fiilled with a plastic bag and popping corn or similar ...

Normally I would expect to pay £20 for a cushion. Bought the above orange one for £3 in Primark and the two yoga cushions for £1 each, they come with a carrying handle ... The Primark cushion also comes in waterproof gold but that is little too ostentatious for my lard ass ...

Enlightenment was never so cheap. What is that Mr Cushion? Sitting on the carpeted floor is free? Yep. Right as usual ... and I do the free option occasionally ... the blue thing in the picture is a gardening kneeling pad. Ideal for very low sits ...

What do you use?

Is this real mindfulness? I think so. Video games are immersive experiences. Too much is bad, too violent is bad. But if you are immersed in a beautiful experience, why not appreciate it?

What's more, I was talking to friends and explained that every blade of grass, every random rabbit and pond, had to be coded and designed and inserted by someone. The skyrim game has over 800 books. 300 are simply for lore. I think that's amazing.

Is there a Gamer Buddha? Or a Skyrim Buddha? I hope I meet him

I was doing this just after some vipassāna, so that's why I thought of it as a form of meditation...

So my question of today for the online Sangha was do you find that your meditations take you to different locations in the body? Or even to entirely different spaces, where things seem to happen before you are released and return to your abdominal breathing? Or do you just stick purely to the abdominal breathing and force any impulses aside?

Over the past week or two, I have been exploring buhddism and am gently working out whether the philosophy is for me. Alongside my research I have been practicing meditation every single day, and I had some questions about my current routine.

Generally, I will meditate twice in a day, once in the morning and once in the evening - normally for between ten to twenty minutes at at time. To do this I am using the app called 'Insight Timer' which you guys may have heard of. I started out listening to guided meditations exclusively but now I am trying to meditate solo using the included timer. My questions are as follows -

1. Is there an optimum time period to be aiming for, or is it down to personal preference?

2. Is there a particular technique I should be sticking to, or is learning from various guided meditations and then applying to my solo meditation ideal?

3. When meditating using a timer, is ambient sounds like water running okay or should I aim as best I can for total silence? What about interval timers?

Thank you everyone for your help, and I am looking forward to being part of this wonderful community.

To begin, I found it very difficult to settle on how I should proceed with practice. The sheer number of perspectives on meditation is daunting; as an ultimately personal and subjective experience, this is to be expected. I did, however, find a strong thread of agreement woven throughout the infinite tapestry of guidance: consistent practice, no matter the form, leads to results. In engineering parlance, this boils down to the principle of JFDI, or in laymen's terms, "just f*ng do it."

So despite some reservations about its commercial nature, I settled on using the HeadSpace program as an introduction. While the program feels somewhat morally impure to me, it nevertheless provides structure and guidance. So, I diligently worked through the first thirty days which comprise the "foundation pack," focusing on the basics of concentration meditation. During this time, I added sessions of my own, occasionally meditating for up to two hours a day.

I'm now on the "self esteem" pack, which is an additional thirty sessions divided into ten sessions each that focus on a different technique. The first technique is "noting," which is gently labeling a distraction as a thought or feeling before returning to the breath.

To provide some context before proceeding, I should say that I recently had a rather emotionally draining week. I broke up with the person I had been dating, and a week before that, I was physically assaulted and left with a black eye while walking home. I do not feel very at home in a big city (the amount of rage, grief, despair, and sheer quantity of emotion and noise and chaos here is like being in a hurricane), and the assault didn't do much to help me feel relaxed and at home here.

Nevertheless, I am not typically in touch with my emotions. My conscious awareness is rooted in a detached, logical perspective that's constantly analyzing and theorizing. When I feel emotions, I feel them physically, and then I postulate as to their cause. My emotions are extremely powerful. Yet having had many traumatic and overwhelming experiences to date, I have erected walls around them.

The last time I cried was in 2012, when my grandfather, who was a father to me, passed away. It took a lot of vodka to get to that point, which is also how I managed to write his eulogy -- probably the most moving thing I've ever composed. Alcohol is not a very healthy way for me to access my emotions. Nevertheless, I can't cry under normal conditions no matter what happens, even when I'm alone. I've tried many times.

To wind down this ever-lengthening post to its point, as I was meditating a few days ago, I found myself distracted from my breath and briefly scanned before labeling the distraction as thought or feeling. It was during this moment that I became aware of a sound in my mind, the sound of someone crying. I paused there for a moment, and I sort of... gave it permission to be. I'm not sure how else to explain it.

I then spent the next forty minutes sobbing.

I tried to maintain the meditative state, but it quickly fell apart. During the few minutes that I was able to stay focused, I noticed that my awareness had shifted. My focus was no longer rooted in that analytical, detached perspective; it felt like I stepped out of it for a moment. The detached perspective continued to analyze the experience as it happened, and in fact mentally composed much of this post while the body was crying. That's what it felt like. It didn't feel like I was crying, per se, nor was I doing the thinking. It made me realize how fragmented my mind is and how far I have to go to reach something resembling wholeness.

Anyway, this was an interesting and somewhat profound experience for me, so I thought I'd write about it. I hope it wasn't too long or boring and provided some sort of value. Best wishes.

I am trying to start meditating and studying Buddhism again after quite a long time. I used to meditate daily a few years ago, but I gradually fell out of Buddhist practice. Subsequently I came down with a nasty bug of unknown origin in December and still haven't recovered so it now seems I have post-viral/chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME) . I have constant brain fog so it makes anything that requires much concentration difficult.

Does anyone have any advice for tackling this? And can anyone suggest any "easy" or basic forms of meditation that I can start out with whilst I refresh my knowledge on meditation?