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Breath meditation or awareness of the breath, through counting or awareness attention to the sensation involved at a focal breath point such as nose, very simple. In essence nothing else required. Many variations but in essence very simple. You sit, you breath.
The monkey minded westerner needs to do, so again this sort of meditation is task or goal orientated, we bring the attention to the breath. So it can be a good one. Another way of task orientation is combining the out breath with a mantra and a 108 set of beads. Now one can be orientated towards a set of repetitions. A task. Monkey mind occupied.
This morning I listened to the usual spiel before being offered something to pay for . . .
The way to 'deep meditate'. However the presentation did offer a simplicity that was worth doing and is relevant:
People have mentioned Tonglen in other threads, which I feel is an advanced and potentially difficulty generating practice as @jeffery attests. I have done it but for dissolving difficulties I tend to use my own magic mirror:
Visualise yourself surrounded by a metta reflecting 'bubble'
As the negativities, perceived difficulties, perhaps ill wishers fabrications enter the bubble, they are transformed and radiated out as compassion, metta, good will, bodhicitta etc.
Allow the arising metta to be the basis of a new falling away metta bubble that benefits all beings, replaced by a stronger bubble. A bit like Russian dolls . . .
You can of course do the above or following whilst on the move:
'The Cloak of Dewachen'
. . . basically you visualise the Pureland Dewachen connected to and behind you spreading its subtle being and bodhicitta like a giant cloak over where you have been . . .
Comments
Breath meditation or awareness of the breath, through counting or awareness attention to the sensation involved at a focal breath point such as nose, very simple. In essence nothing else required. Many variations but in essence very simple. You sit, you breath.
The monkey minded westerner needs to do, so again this sort of meditation is task or goal orientated, we bring the attention to the breath. So it can be a good one. Another way of task orientation is combining the out breath with a mantra and a 108 set of beads. Now one can be orientated towards a set of repetitions. A task. Monkey mind occupied.
If it is forced, no matter how simple, it is not meditation. However, any drift in the right direction is welcomed....
This morning I listened to the usual spiel before being offered something to pay for . . .
The way to 'deep meditate'. However the presentation did offer a simplicity that was worth doing and is relevant:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats
Well I tend to do the first two, there are free apps that play the tone. So I used it. Will do it some more.
Other techniques I have used and might be useful to some:
This I was taught as a Shingon technique:
http://yinyana.tumblr.com/post/31454196568/elements
People have mentioned Tonglen in other threads, which I feel is an advanced and potentially difficulty generating practice as @jeffery attests. I have done it but for dissolving difficulties I tend to use my own magic mirror:
You can of course do the above or following whilst on the move:
'The Cloak of Dewachen'
. . . basically you visualise the Pureland Dewachen connected to and behind you spreading its subtle being and bodhicitta like a giant cloak over where you have been . . .