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When was the last time you meditated ?

PremaSagarPremaSagar Veteran
edited August 2013 in Meditation
It's been a long time for me. I wish I could build up a consistent practice but it seems lazy lazy me doesn't want to do anything excepting napping and watching programs on netflix. By staying up so late I've already eliminated my chances of wanting to meditate tomorrow so I'm going to post a goal on here and here it is: My goal is to do breathing meditation for at least twenty minutes during anytime before eight o'clock during the day after tomorrow. Let's see if I'm successful with that...
karmablues

Comments

  • CittaCitta Veteran
    Four hours ago for 45 minutes. Its largely a question of momentum @PremaSagar. You put your feet over the edge of the bed, and then stand up. Splash your face. Clean your teeth. All set...
    PremaSagar
  • This morning.

    You are lazy. True. You know it.
    Can you build up sufficient loathing or are you reasonably miserably happy? :rarr:

    Your job, should you choose to take it, is to inspire us. To help us overcome our sloth. Twenty minutes one day would not inspire a sack of potatoes. How about reporting in for ten days?
    How about a bit of dharma pride and compassion for us dozy Dakas (speaking for myself of course). Hope you can help.
    Am I being too tough on you? :o
  • ZeroZero Veteran


    It's been a long time for me. I wish I could build up a consistent practice but it seems lazy lazy me doesn't want to do anything excepting napping and watching programs on netflix. By staying up so late I've already eliminated my chances of wanting to meditate tomorrow so I'm going to post a goal on here and here it is: My goal is to do breathing meditation for at least twenty minutes during anytime before eight o'clock during the day after tomorrow. Let's see if I'm successful with that...

    In the time it took to think of this post and then post it, you could have started the meditation already - everything you need is all around you all the time.
    lobsterkarastiKundoEvenThird
  • misterCopemisterCope PA, USA Veteran
    Would it be possible for you to meditate with other people? That could really motivate you. Good luck, @PremaSagar!
    karmablues
  • Everone is rooting for you. Truly. :clap:
    Bunks
  • There is always a space you could fill with meditation. Link into this space. The space is non-judgmental and it is the same space you find in meditation. But even without meditation the space is there. Link up with the space. No judgement. Honesty, but friendly with your practice.
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    edited August 2013
    For some it works if you at least meditate formally for what ever time you have.
    Often it's our ideas of what meditation ought to be, that have us find no time to do it.

    One full minute committed to meditation is 100% more than none..... and often you can then find a couple more minutes to spare once you're there.
    lobsterVastmindEvenThird
  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    edited August 2013
    It's been about 2.5 - 3 yrs, I think, I'm not sure. Don't feel guilty about it, either.
    I meditated regularly for more than 30 yrs. I'm at a phase in my life (retired) where I don't feel the need to make sure I have precisely set-aside time for mediation, etc. I can turn any chore, or any 15-20 consecutive minutes into a practice of thoughtfulness/mindfulness any time throughout the day.
    I do have distractions, and things that need to get done, but my daily schedule is very flexible, and the distractions are rarely imperative.
    DandelionlobsterZeroBunks
  • @karasti, that would be good for a thread about how has Buddhism helped you. We've had threads like that.
    lobster
  • Last night - and I fell asleep. I woke up this morning with my mala beads over my face
    Wake up to dharma make up. :D
    KundoEvenThird
  • aMattaMatt Veteran
    IMHO, don't bother trying to meditate. Try to pay attention. We don't try to limp if we have a sprained ankle... we just do. If you pay attention, you'll notice the psychological and emotional turbulence, and meditation will become a natural priority.
    EvenThird
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    aMatt said:

    IMHO, don't bother trying to meditate. Try to pay attention.

    Paying attention is meditation isn't it?
  • CittaCitta Veteran

    aMatt said:

    IMHO, don't bother trying to meditate. Try to pay attention.

    Paying attention is meditation isn't it?
    Paying attention + relaxation I'd say.

  • I'm sure ALL guru's will say that meditation is one of the hardest things to do. There's a lot of hindrances that make us NOT want to keep meditating and get back on track.

    I think one thing is to not judge yourself if you don't meditate. I haven't meditated in probably a week or so (maybe a little less) and I didn't judge myself harshly and say I SHOULD do it, I NEED to do it, and I need to stop being lazy and just do it. I just realized that I haven't meditated in a while and have just recently started doing it again. You shouldn't start with a very long meditation like 20+ minutes, or you'll wear yourself out really quickly. And if you stop earlier than you want, don't feel bad and try to go a little bit longer next time (but don't worry about how long you've been sitting).

    One thing that REALLY helps me, is I found a really nice Buddhist statue picture on the internet and saved it to my Laptops wallpaper, so that every time I'm on there and doing something like watching movies or shows or something not very constructive, just something to pass the time, I'll see this picture and it'll bring to me that I need to meditate and keep practicing it. Of course this MIGHT not work for you because certain things help me and might not you.

    Maybe you would like someone with you? Have you tried meditating with a group or having a friend/loved one with you?
    Jeffreybookworm
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    When was the last time I meditated?
    is always
    the last time I was willing to.
    lobsterpommesetoranges
  • I'm going to post a goal on here and here it is:
    Any good news?
    http://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-release-the-fear-of-failing-20-inspiring-definitions-for-failure/

    This mornings meditation for me was in a recliner, with a back massager and chanting. Two reasons: running and gardening needed a bit of a softening. Chanting audibly, very quietly in this case includes breathing meditation for me. I noticed my breath had tightened and needed a retune. My failure is not being able to get back into a yoga routine, even though I am aware of the benefits. Should I post that as a goal?
    I think I will match your goal, twenty minutes of yoga this morning, whatever the excuses . . .
    Will let you know . . .

    Hope it worked out for you . . .
  • karmablueskarmablues Veteran
    edited September 2013

    I wish I could build up a consistent practice but it seems lazy lazy me doesn't want to do anything excepting napping and watching programs on netflix... My goal is to do breathing meditation for at least twenty minutes during anytime before eight o'clock during the day after tomorrow. Let's see if I'm successful with that...

    You may wish to reflect on these teachings of Ajahn Chah which he gave specifically to lay people who believe they do not have enough time to practice:
    Some people say that they have so much work to do they have no time to practice the Dhamma. ''What can we do?'' they ask. I ask them, ''Don't you breathe while you're working?'' ''Yes, of course we breathe!'' ''So how come you have time to breathe when you're so busy?'' They don't know what to answer. ''If you simply have sati [mindfulness] while working you will have plenty of time to practice.''
    In another instance, he has said the following:
    If we really understand the practice of Dhamma then, no matter what profession or position we may have in life - be it a teacher, doctor, government worker or whatever - we are training in the Dhamma every minute of the day. People think that one can't practise as a lay person. This is to be totally scattered and to lose the path completely. If one has sufficient desire to do something, one can do it. Some say: "I can't practise Dhamma, I haven't got the time"

    I say: "Then how come you've got time to breathe?"

    This is the point. How do they get the time to breathe? Breathing is something vital to people's lives. If you see that Dhamma practice is vital to your life then you will feel that breathing and practising the Dhamma are equally important. This practice of Dhamma isn't something you have to go running around for or expending a whole lot of energy on in order to do. You simply look at the various feelings which arise in your mind. When the ego sees form, ear hears 'sound, nose smells an odour, tongue tastes a flavour, and so on, they all come to this one mind, the "One Who Knows".

    Now when the mind recognizes those things, what happens? If liking for that object arises we experience pleasure, if dislike arises we experience displeasure. That's all there is to it. [Now this is the place to practise. How are we going to practise with these things? This is the important point. If you just go chasing after happiness and run away from unpleasantness you can go on practising like that until the day you die, and never see the Dhamma. This is useless. When pleasure and pain arise, how are we going to use Dhamma to be free of them? This is the point of practice.
    Jeffreylobster
  • Any news? Any success?
    I did the yoga. Really enjoyed it. Some of my favourite poses: dog, cat, dancer, child etc. Focussed very much on slowness and the breath . . .

    [yes I am a nag]
    :rant:
    WonderingSeeker
  • PremaSagarPremaSagar Veteran
    edited November 2013
    lobster said:

    Any news? Any success?
    I did the yoga. Really enjoyed it. Some of my favourite poses: dog, cat, dancer, child etc. Focussed very much on slowness and the breath . . .

    [yes I am a nag]
    :rant:

    Sorry for the very late reply, I haven't checked back to the forum in a while. I meditated today. Will try again tomorrow, I'm considering visiting a local monastery and taking a meditation class. Perhaps that would help. It's a Theravada monastery and I don't know much about the etiquette and liturgy in Theravada temples/monasteries. What I know is that when you need to point you gesture with your palms facing upwards and you leave shoes outside. I also know that you shouldn't sit with the soles of the feet facing an image of the Buddha. If a monk or nun approaches me what is the proper way to greet them ? Do I bow at the waste or do I bow on my hands and knees ?
    Is there any intended symbolism with multiple statues of Shakyamuni Buddha ?
  • BunksBunks Australia Veteran
    30 minutes ago in Treasury Gardens on a beautiful Autumn day in Melbourne.
  • I don't even remember, but I have used meditation to get me to sleep quite a lot recently if that counts.

  • Hmmmm....
    thinking......thinking......thinking....... I'd guess about ....5 years ago?
  • In my previous life?

    It's been a long time for me. I wish I could build up a consistent practice but it seems lazy lazy me doesn't want to do anything excepting napping and watching programs on netflix. By staying up so late I've already eliminated my chances of wanting to meditate tomorrow so I'm going to post a goal on here and here it is: My goal is to do breathing meditation for at least twenty minutes during anytime before eight o'clock during the day after tomorrow. Let's see if I'm successful with that...

  • I'm considering visiting a local monastery and taking a meditation class. Perhaps that would help.

    Go for it. Might do you a lot of good.
    As for etiquette . . . Ask the monks. Just be respectful. You can place your hands together and bow from the waist, if you think being Thai is cute . . .

    Everything will be fine. The question is will you do any more than consider?
    :wave:
  • I hardly do any meditation because it gets me nowhere - it is boring and I keep moving in a rut.
  • MaryAnneMaryAnne Veteran
    edited November 2013
    @betaboy
    Not every Buddhist meditates. And just like non-Buddhists who do meditate, not every Buddhist meditates with the same goals in mind, either.

    But keep an open mind, you never know, one day you may try again and it 'works' for you just beautifully. Then again, maybe not. But either way, don't feel guilty about meditation not being right for you (now), and don't let anyone tell you that you should feel guilty and/or you're not really a Buddhist if you don't sit the cushion. :)
    lobstervinlynbetaboy
  • For me it was 20 minutes ago. I meditate at least a half hour per day. I always meditate while coffee is brewing and I don't count that to the half hour.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    When I lived in Thailand there was a particular wiharn I would often visit to meditate. Now rarely.
  • ChazChaz The Remarkable Chaz Anywhere, Everywhere & Nowhere Veteran
    I meditate on the train, before/after work. Maybe only for a minute or two, but that's enough. Nature of Mind .....
  • ChazChaz The Remarkable Chaz Anywhere, Everywhere & Nowhere Veteran

    If a monk or nun approaches me what is the proper way to greet them ?

    An acceptable greeting for a monastic is palms together (in anjali) and bow slightly from the waist. No need to prostrate. Don't worry about the right/wrong of it. They'll know you're a noob and will cut you some slack on protocol.

    Watch others as they enter the shrine room/meditation hall ahead of you. They may do prostrations before the main shrine - 3 P's are customary. Copy their behavior if you are comfortable, otherwise, simply bow to the shrine
    Is there any intended symbolism with multiple statues of Shakyamuni Buddha
    It could be any number of things, even different Buddhas. In some traditions there would be representaions of Buddhas of the three times (past, present, future), or they may be Shakyamuni offering different mudras. In a Mahayana shrine room (and I know yours is Theravadin) there would be shrines to Bodhisattvas(Avalokiteshvara and Tara are common) or protectors and possibly yidams.

    Remember you're going there to learn meditation, so don't sweat the protocol so much. It can be really interesting to learn about, but that will come with time.

    Keep one thing in mind - be respectful - and everything else will fall into place.

  • I used to meditate in the a.m., now I do it just before sleeping. Seem to get a really good rest that way. --If I am feeling lazy about getting on the cushion, I read a few pages out of one of my many "go to" Buddhist books and that gets me in the right frame of mind. For me it's all about meditating. I like learning and reading about Buddhism, still very much a newbie, but not sure how fully I'll embrace the other concepts. Meditation has been SO very helpful in becoming peaceful.
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    Does typing count?
    EvenThirdvinlyn
  • robotrobot Veteran
    edited November 2013
    Someone here recommended this
    https://insighttimer.com
    I really like it.
    EvenThird
  • EvenThirdEvenThird NYC Veteran
    edited November 2013
    @robot
    I use that on my phone. It's great!

    They have groups on it, I think we should make a NB one.
    robot
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