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@nakazcid said:
Meditating on the breath never did work very well for me. It required too much will (or force), which can be counterproductive. From Dharma talks I've listened to, and my own experience, forcing the mind to 'focus' can cause it to rebel and block progress.
Understood. In the past I have with explanation that it made me nervous rather than calm, refused to do 'alterate nostril breathing' in yoga. It was never a problem with teachers, who gave me an alternative practice, savasana or just gentle attentive breathing.
The breath, the nature of focus and our understanding of gentle vipassana or breath attention may change over time. Something to be aware of.
Two types of meditation worked best for me: metta bhavana (which I credit with kicking my depression) and what Ajahn Brahm terms 'relaxing the mind'. Remember, striving and expectations will work against you.
Good call.
This idea of 'relaxing the mind' is a form of 'right concentration'. From my own experience I feel it is very easy to confuse 'right concentration' with 'wrong constipation'. In other words we may be forcing and straining ...
Through metta bhavana the breath has probably calmed and softened ...
@Tosh said:
So, I've been a good boy and have meditated 51 days in a row, culminating into nearly 7 hours a week (I've tried to do an hour a day).
And nothing has changed that I can perceive. I'm just as restless, irritable and discontented as I usually am.
I will continue, simply because I know there's a lot of scientific studies that provide evidence that meditation has a wealth of positive benefits, but right now it feels like I'm just sat on my arse wasting my time.
Reassure me, someone, quick.
Thanks.
I don't meditate as such. Rather, I do meditate, but mine involves a chant (Nam myoho renge kyo). But be that as it may, when I began my practice, as I "could not see my own eyebrows". I saw things begin to change around me. Through that I began to understand and see that I was changing. It was and is a process.
If we plant a tree, we don't notice it's growth day to day. Yet, after a while, we realize it has indeed grown. Eventually, we find we have a full grown tree (yes, yes, those pesky redwoods take a bit longer).
Comments
@DhammaDragon - yeah girl/Tara power
Understood. In the past I have with explanation that it made me nervous rather than calm, refused to do 'alterate nostril breathing' in yoga. It was never a problem with teachers, who gave me an alternative practice, savasana or just gentle attentive breathing.
The breath, the nature of focus and our understanding of gentle vipassana or breath attention may change over time. Something to be aware of.
Good call.
This idea of 'relaxing the mind' is a form of 'right concentration'. From my own experience I feel it is very easy to confuse 'right concentration' with 'wrong constipation'. In other words we may be forcing and straining ...
Through metta bhavana the breath has probably calmed and softened ...
I forgot to mention, but @Brian and his wife Nicole got me that statue for Christmas. It's now on the shelf above my monitor.
@Tosh, if you asked my old roshi sasaki, he probably would say, "Do seven more years!"
He lived to 107....
I don't meditate as such. Rather, I do meditate, but mine involves a chant (Nam myoho renge kyo). But be that as it may, when I began my practice, as I "could not see my own eyebrows". I saw things begin to change around me. Through that I began to understand and see that I was changing. It was and is a process.
If we plant a tree, we don't notice it's growth day to day. Yet, after a while, we realize it has indeed grown. Eventually, we find we have a full grown tree (yes, yes, those pesky redwoods take a bit longer).
Peace to all