I Have a Hard Time Meditating!?

gassho

From Adyashanti:

santhisouk

I would tell that person to not "want" so much. Meditation in itself is a form of relaxation, and that is already in itself is something. When we ask for too much out of something, it leads us to disappointments or regrets.

with metta

hermitwin

meditation is hard, otherwise everyone would be enlightened bty now.

10jellis

It takes determination because it is so incredibly hard. Try mindfulness of breathing as a starter, 15 mins a day upping the time for 5 mins every week. When you have reached 45 mins a day move on to a more complex meditation with a teacher. As you progress, meditation will become easier and the need to concentrate will be less, but until that time, practice, practice, practice.


:banghead: :orange: :om:

Ficus_religiosa

In fact the easy start is just observing your thoughts without clinging to them. Much easier than anapanasati and very calming. Then build anapanasati on top of that - I would wish I had started that way (if I was to cling to the wish )

footiam

Perhaps, trying too hard is a problem. We tend to lose focus when we speculate.

10jellis

I heard her say, i can't do it. Well that's her problem.

genkaku

meditation is hard, otherwise everyone would be enlightened bty now.

@hermitwin -- There are those who might say you've got things a bit cockeyed, that everyone is already enlightened but that it takes a bit of practice to actualize what is already a fact.

"Understanding," someone once said, "is knowing to get out of the way of an on-coming bus. Practice is for the bus you didn't see coming."

10jellis

meditation is hard, otherwise everyone would be enlightened bty now.

Well, I think the reason we are all not Enlightened is because quite frankly it took The Buddha, what, 40 years of sitting under a tree doing nothing but thinking all day.

genkaku

meditation is hard, otherwise everyone would be enlightened bty now.

Well, I think the reason we are all not Enlightened is because quite frankly it took The Buddha, what, 40 years of sitting under a tree doing nothing but thinking all day.

@10jellis -- As I understand it, there is no rock-sure biography of Gautama, but it is generally agreed that he left his palace at age 29 and 'attained enlightenment' at 35 after sitting for (again iffy) as long as 49 days under the Bo tree. He is alleged to have taught until his death at age 80. I doubt that Buddhism would have survived much beyond Gautama's life, let alone to the present day if, while seated under the tree, he had done "nothing but thinking."

jinzang

Meditation isn't hard. It's just that we are hard on ourselves.

Floating_Abu

In my own practice, I did not know or study much. I took the straightforward teachings the Buddha gave and simply began to study my own mind according to nature. When you practice, observe yourself. Then gradually knowledge and vision will arise of themselves. If you sit in meditation and want it to be this way or that, you had better stop right there. Do not bring ideals or expectations to your practice. Take your studies, your opinions, and store them away.

You must go beyond all words, all symbols, all plans for your practice. Then you can see for yourself the truth, arising right here. If you do not turn inward, you will never know reality. I took the first few years of formal Dharma text study, and when I had the opportunity, I went to hear various scholars and masters teach, until such study became more of a hindrance than a help. I did not know how, to listen to their sermons because I had not looked within.

The great meditation masters spoke about the truth within oneself. Practicing, I began to realize that it existed in my own mind as well. After a long time, I realized that these teachers have really seen the truth and that if we follow their path, we will encounter everything they have spoken about. Then we will be able to say, ''Yes, they were right. What else could there be? Just this." When I practiced diligently, realization unfolded like that.

If you are interested in Dharma, just give up, just let go. Merely thinking about practice is like pouncing on the shadow and missing the substance. You need not study much. If you follow the basics and practice accordingly, you will see the Dharma for yourself. There must be more than merely hearing the words. Speak just with yourself, observe your own mind. If you cut off this verbal, thinking mind, you will have a true standard for judging. Otherwise, your understanding will not penetrate deeply. Practice in this way and the rest will follow.

~ Luang Por Chah

Floating_Abu

meditation is hard, otherwise everyone would be enlightened bty now.

Well, I think the reason we are all not Enlightened is because quite frankly it took The Buddha, what, 40 years of sitting under a tree doing nothing but thinking all day.

@10jellis -- As I understand it, there is no rock-sure biography of Gautama, but it is generally agreed that he left his palace at age 29 and 'attained enlightenment' at 35 after sitting for (again iffy) as long as 49 days under the Bo tree. He is alleged to have taught until his death at age 80. I doubt that Buddhism would have survived much beyond Gautama's life, let alone to the present day if, while seated under the tree, he had done "nothing but thinking."

The knowing that arises is above and beyond the process of thinking.

~ Ajahn Chah

Full link - http://www.quangduc.com/English/figure/08ajahnchah.html

metta

It is with Metta (loving kindness) that I thank-you for posting this youtube post

gassho

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

@Floating_Abu Thank you for sharing that quote.

Vajraheart

I found mantra mixed with the breath was the best way to learn, once on the incoming and once on the outgoing paying special attention to the spaces in between the incoming and outgoing breaths. Feeling it in the body, but not holding the breath either...

Floating_Abu

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

@Floating_Abu Thank you for sharing that quote.

Very welcome @gassho

_/|\_

SpinyNorman2

Meditation in itself is a form of relaxation, and that is already in itself is something.

Yes, a peaceful mind is a useful by-product of regular meditation - but that's not the real purpose of meditation.

Spiny

Floating_Abu

Meditation in itself is a form of relaxation, and that is already in itself is something.

Yes, a peaceful mind is a useful by-product of regular meditation - but that's not the real purpose of meditation.

Spiny

Serenity is not the end of the path. The Buddha saw from his own experience that such peace of mind was not the ultimate....

~ Ajahn Chah

Full Teaching

santhisouk

Serentiy...

Yes, a peaceful mind is a useful by-product of regular meditation - but that's not the real purpose of meditation.

I agree, but that's not what I meant. My statement was meant for the beginner who just started to meditate, or the person who is having a hard time with it. I am already aware that relaxing meditation (samatha) cannot lead towards liberation. For the beginner who expects a certain type of euphoria from it, or some type of extraordinary sights and sounds from it, they will have do with just relaxing their mind first because that's all that's there, and like I said.. that is something, so they should start with that first. When you sit down and start to meditate, the first thing you have to do is relax your mind, then you can enter more advanced forms. Can you quickly enter into advanced forms of meditation if you are worried about your job, your family, your life? No. So you would have to relax your mind first.

with metta.

SpinyNorman2

Can you quickly enter into advanced forms of meditation if you are worried about your job, your family, your life? No. So you would have to relax your mind first.

Yes, I agree. Calming the mind is important.

Spiny