question about meditation

misecmisc1

Hi All,

which is better : is paying attention to whatever is happening in the present moment (which can include thoughts, physical body sensations of say heart beating, or a humming sound caused by tinnitus in ears, - means without focussing on any particular area) - or - paying attention to say only meditation object like breath, by taking awareness to the front of the face? Please suggest.

ThailandTom

misecmisc1 said:

Hi All,

which is better : is paying attention to whatever is happening in the present moment (which can include thoughts, physical body sensations of say heart beating, or a humming sound caused by tinnitus in ears, - means without focussing on any particular area) - or - paying attention to say only meditation object like breath, by taking awareness to the front of the face? Please suggest.

It depends on what meditation practice you are entering into at that moment in time I guess. To my knowledge (and with meditation it is not always too hot), focusing on the breath is only a means to obtain a focused, calm and clear mind from which you can then delve into other aspects of the mind and how it operates. This is Vipassana though. Why not try one of your methods for a week and then try the other for the next week and see which works best for you?

BhanteLucky

It depends on your objectives. What do you meditate for?

I like to do samatha/concentration meditation on a single object for a while first. Maybe 20 minutes of the hour.
Then when I am concentrated enough, I switch to whatever is happening in the present moment/vipassana for the rest of the hour.

I get established in Access Concentration before switching from samatha to vipassana.

lobster

focus, gentle
Then abiding in the arising
Is a good combination as Jamesthegiant mentions.

Don't try too hard, this is the key, focus not constipated attention.
Abiding not meandering.

Be at ease, not at suffering
. . . a little effort but not masochism . . .

You are sitting with a Buddha. He will take care of you . . .
It is the Middle Way. :wave:

pegembara

In order to clearly know these three characteristics of aniccam, dukkham, and anatta the mind must be firm. Thus the effort to bring the mind to a secure and steadfast tranquillity, not allowing it to become fascinated by forms, sounds, odors, flavors, physical sensations and mental phenomena is the essence of meditation techniques, and something we must all develop. Take care when the eyes see forms not to let the mind waver: keep up the inner recitation of Buddho. Take care not to be deluded when hearing sounds: beautiful or ugly sounds are all just worldly conditions. Maintain the mind's firmness. The pleasant and offensive odors that contact the nose — know them, don't be deceived by them. No matter how delicious the taste of the food on the tongue — remain equanimous. Be impassive to the various physical sensations whether hot or cold, hard or soft. This is the supreme practice in Buddhism. So gather your energies and establish the mind in the present moment.

In general, meditator's minds are not unified and tranquil in the present moment — they are wandering up ahead and back behind, taking up external matters concerning other people and dwelling on them, finding pleasure and satisfaction in agreeable mental states. They are caught up entirely in superficialities. Although the mind of simple knowing is already present within us, unless we bring it to the fore through meditation, we will be unable to perceive the truth of suffering.

Looang Boo Sim


'For a person with right samádhi there is no need to arouse the wish,
´May I see things as they truly are.´
It is a natural process, it is in accordance with nature that someone with right samádhi will see things as they truly are.' (AN 10.3)
...

'There is no jhána without wisdom,
there is no wisdom without jhána,
but for someone with both jhána and wisdom,
Nibbána is near.' (Dhp 372)

...
Develop concentration, bhikkhus; concentrated, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands according to reality.(Samàdhi Sutta, S.III.I.i.v)

´This Dhamma is for one with samádhi, not for one without samádhi.´ So it was said. For what reason was this said? Here a monk enters and abides in the first jhána … second jhána … third jhána … fourth jhána." AN 8.30

taiyaki

All of it. Its about creating momentum.

Try linking the breath with everything else.

For instance breathing in I notice body sensations, thoughts, etc.

Breathing out I let them be and shine them with kindness.

Gets easier and easier with practice and becomes the basis for all insight inquiry.

footiam

misecmisc1 said:

Hi All,

which is better : is paying attention to whatever is happening in the present moment (which can include thoughts, physical body sensations of say heart beating, or a humming sound caused by tinnitus in ears, - means without focussing on any particular area) - or - paying attention to say only meditation object like breath, by taking awareness to the front of the face? Please suggest.

Your hands can hold on to solid but not liquid or gas. Now, which one is solid, liquid or gas to the mind?

Takuan

Use a meditation object, such as the breathe, to develop your concentration. After you've developed enough concentration, you'll begin to become more mindful of what is going on around you. For example, the coolness of the air on your skin or the sweetness of the breath on your tongue. Once you can really notice and be mindful these things, you're most likely ready to move on to actually examining them with your developed concentration.