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Is this insight?
Tosh
Veteran
in Meditation
I can't say I'm a great meditator, thought I'm sticking with it; about four years now, but recently in the past few months I've managed a daily meditation; I'm getting more disciplined with it.
Anyway, last night after about 30 minutes of sitting in the seiza my ankles started to hurt (I'm sure they stiffen when I run and then cause me problems when I meditate) and I meditated through it. Anyway, I realised towards the end of the meditation that the pain I felt in my ankles was the same feeling as I had in my arms. Sound weird? It felt kind of the same, though my arms weren't hurting.
Maybe all sensation is just sensation?
Is this insight?
Anyway, last night after about 30 minutes of sitting in the seiza my ankles started to hurt (I'm sure they stiffen when I run and then cause me problems when I meditate) and I meditated through it. Anyway, I realised towards the end of the meditation that the pain I felt in my ankles was the same feeling as I had in my arms. Sound weird? It felt kind of the same, though my arms weren't hurting.
Maybe all sensation is just sensation?
Is this insight?
2
Comments
Sticking to it in general is great.
I use both a comfortable 'Cushion' on a Yoga mat, and so often, a chair - depending on where I am, of different kinds.
Often start my 20' daily Meditation standing for a couple of minutes, then Zazen.
Most times, no hurt at all:
due to bone problems, that's a great concern for me.
Advice:
Daily Meditation?= YES! Avoiding 'avoidable' hurt?: YES too!
BEST WISHES
As a side note, people who use medical marijuana for pain relief say similar things. Marijuana doesn't reduce inflammation like NSAIDs or act like muscle relaxers, apparently, it just sort of makes you 'forget' about the pain or rather, changes your awareness of it. Maybe this isn't the same thing, idk, I just find the idea that pain has more to do with your mind than some would believe very interesting.
I do try to avoid pain. I sometimes meditate for upto an hour so I'll split it down to 25 minutes on a chair (the one behind the mat), then my timer goes 'bong' and I'll then do 35 minutes on the seiza bench, which I place on top of a buckwheat mat to try and protect my joints. I even hang my toes off the edge of the mat because it's more comfortable.
I'm just a 43 year old, stiff-jointed Westerner!
I have almost 3 spinal disc herniations:
after CAT scan diagnosis years ago, no serious problem in general!
And hope to stay the same as much as possible.
Only the Gods know if it was something 'biologically inherited', due to previous years of extreme Yoga-Stretching, or who knows!
Once in my 'Zazen' Initiation and first sessions, disagreed with idea of
'not thinking too much about pain or risks':
Alternatives which are both genuine and suit you well are more 'Dharmic' !
Bye :=)
It is sometimes hard for me to do, but I find that resisting foot cramps makes it actually worse, whereas if I try not to resist it is less painful and it goes away much more quickly. This is tricky, of course, because you have to let go of the letting go too, otherwise somewhere in the back of your mind what you are up to!
I have to use the seiza bench--I find the half-lotus or Burmese position makes my sciatica flare up the next couple days. It isn't bad during, but there is hell to pay afterward....
What is the nature of sensation? It is a little like examining the innate nature, suchness or sensations quality itself. It is not just that 'sensation is just sensation', go a bit deeper . . .
Hope that is helpful.