Integrating Real Life Issues into Meditation Practice.

DaltheJigsaw

An edited 
excerpt from oral teachings given by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, 
July 2007

Many times I see that practitioners of the dharma are not touching 
their day-to-day lives with their meditation practice. That’s a 
problem. Great benefit can come from working with the situations in 
your life during practice. Without closely examining yourself and 
your specific life issues while meditating, your practice will only 
be of partial benefit.


https://www.ligminchalearning.com/integrating-real-life-issues-into-meditation-practice

Lady_Alison

What about a head cold? How do you work with runny nose meditation, Leon?

DaltheJigsaw

What about a head cold? How do you work with runny nose meditation, Leon?

Be mindful of it!:) But to be honest, for me it works. I hardly take any medicine at all.

Lady_Alison

I only get sick once a year...this is it for me... icky

genkaku

In one sense, there is something kooky and self-defeating about trying to "integrate" spiritual life into the life anyone is already leading. To "integrate" or imagine you could "integrate" something is to insist on separating it ... to "dis-integrate" it... to separate what anyone might bring to fruition from current circumstances.

How could such a thing actually be possible? Using spiritual-speak, things are "interconnected." And, despite all the spiritual-speak, they actually are interconnected. So what anyone might hope to "integrate" -- whatever it is -- is already an inescapable part of life's mix. Does life need some improvement? No. Could I use some improvement? Sure. But separating what is inseparable hardly seems like a reasonable means of achieving that improvement or 'integration.'

And this is where meditation comes in handy. Meditation -- the actual-factual practice of focusing -- means paying attention. And when you pay attention, the obvious just becomes obvious. No more need for dis-integrating integration.

Just pay attention.

AMH

What about a head cold? How do you work with runny nose meditation, Leon?

breath through your mouth

AMH

I read the article and love it, samsaric car prana!! haha

possibilities

In one sense, there is something kooky and self-defeating about trying to "integrate" spiritual life into the life anyone is already leading. To "integrate" or imagine you could "integrate" something is to insist on separating it

My interpretation is that he means to suggest to be mindful as in consciously aware of what you do and elevate your awareness. Either way, consciously dealing with ones life or not, it has an effect - and the consequences are as in cause and effect - so a separation per se does not exist, as you say. In that regard there is no un-connectedness, just a better or minor quality of the resulting effect.

It is a little odd that people need a basic reminder such as "remember to let your practice transcend your daily life" since the idea of "practice" is thus reduced to meditation (and book learning?) itself.
The real practice IS the mindful transformation of clarity/peace experienced in meditation (and study!) into the rest of your life. Easier said than done, having to break through years of habit and foggy perceptions.

Lady_Alison

I AM!!!! LOL...It's very taxing.

What about a head cold? How do you work with runny nose meditation, Leon?

breath through your mouth