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Must get to cushion ...
lobster
Crusty Veteran
in Meditation
The last few days, through no fault of my cushion, I really did not feel like meditating. A slump, a feeling of 'why bother', a resistence mode that I could not find the cause for. This morning I was back on track.
I did meditate even when these emotive contra-feelings arose. They are very rare. Otherwise I would just be a fair weather cushion squasher ... a sort of path skipping tourist. Too harsh?
What to do when this fug tries to overwhelm? Basically I just get into the position groove. Spent most of the time chanting. What is your tactic?
https://www.juniperpath.org/why-meditate/
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Comments
I try to keep in mind that there really is gold at the end of this rainbow.
You could try this very spoilt way of meditation.
Good to hear you are back in the zone. I think it's rather like doing physical exercise to get fit, you know it's good for you but sometimes it feels like a big effort! But as with physical exercise, a change is sometimes as good as a rest.
Years ago I built the habit of meditating in a recliner, or in bed (with extra pillows for readin). No cushion, no shrine, no schedule. There are tradeoffs. But there is ALWAYS a built in opportunity.
I've recently moved to a new town and joined a meditation group. Completely different environment -- cushion, bowl, schedule (and driving there), group leader, discussion time. It's been good, though I don't know if it will stay in my schedule.
Meditation is a nexus point from which to observe all manner of participants passing by.
An block party for all. And yet here we can still be, an imaginary host, thinking of locking a non existent door against the rabble who are already inside.
My only tactic, is to consider such thoughts and feelings to be no more than any other sights to be meditatively observed, coming and going.
What is your tactic?
The butt cushion...I never leave home without one....
On a more serious note....What's my tactic? Well meditation is just part and parcel of the day,it's just something that's done, and if I did miss a session, the next session lets me know that I didn't miss much (It's all rolled into one so to speak) I very rarely miss cushion time....
Also living alone make it easy for me to practice, ie, distraction free....
Best tactic is to sit whether you feel like it or not. Easier said than done.
Some days I am fishing. Some days I am just sitting in a boat. Some days I wonder why.
I don't look upon meditation as a practice which should be supposed to take place only on the cushion.
I already said that I aim to remain as mindful as possible throughout my entire day by deep, grounding breathing and dwelling in the present moment.
I consider my yoga and my walking routine, which involve both, as meditation sessions per se.
As well as other isolated moments throughout the day when I close my eyes and do some deep breathing too.
~Milarepa
Indeed
Yes I appreciate that but I was referring to formal sitting practice. 'Extras', mindfullness as a way of being, extra chanting, being ultra spritual without due care and attention (not actually possible) no probs ...
Well said. It's not dissimilar to getting physically fit or learning a musical instrument.
Never tried that.
Interesting to read about John C Lilly who invented the procedure ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Lilly
Of course our methods are different, and I've taken to using a chair, but I sit down and chant...
)
Just like riding a bike; when you fall down (and you will), just get back up, sit right down and ride, baby ride! (Of course it does help to peddle too
Exactly. The most ironically inspiring -- and effective -- advice I've had in the last few years is that "inspiration is for amateurs". Pro's do things whether they feel like it or not.
Lately, I have found meditation to be a lot like exercise. I need variety. Just like I cannot do the same workout every day, I cannot meditate the exact same way every day. Now that summer is about done, I am missing my sitting meditation, like I knew I would. It's funny how that wax and wane happens. But I started running this summer and that has been a new mediation. Gardening is a meditation. So is mowing the lawn even.
Sounds like a plan.
One of my formal teachers (the lama who lives on my street) used to break down meditation into five one minute meditations or attentions.
For example.
I iz five minute yogi meditator?
That sounds like the four foundations of mindfulness as per the Satipatthana Sutta.
I feel from my experience there is a difference between regularity and sporadic.
I also feel we have to work with who we are. Summer for life. Winter - time to meditate again.
Moving from chore to essential does arrive if we find meditation useful to our life style.
Sounds like a plan ...
What?! You have a plan? Batten the hatches! Secure the hallways! Red alert! Red alert!
OH... sorry...too much coffee.
I got bored with watching the breath so recently I've been watching a candle, which is nice.
Hi! What about walking meditation? You can do that just as formally as sitting meditation. That works for me when I do not feel motivated to sit still in one spot.
For me it's a little like physical exercise.
Some days I don't feel like doing it but once I get going I'm ok and I pretty much always feel better afterwards!
Physical exercise is a good example. Like many other people, I have had times where there were many other things that I could do besides sweating it out, but for me just going through the motions of getting there, getting ready. At that point there is no turning back.
As far as meditation goes. If I have the same feelings like there are many other things that I could do, like staying in bed those few extra minutes. I have to think about the benefits of my meditating. That and Bodhichitta. Dedicating whatever merits I may accumulate to the benefit of all living beings. How can I possibly think of myself, which ultimately is non-existant anyway. This is what puts steam in my engine!!!
No pain peace, no gain!
Good plan.
It is from regular exercise one becomes fitter. Walking or task/craft orientated mindfulnes, candle meditation, great yogi practice - must do that again sometime etc.
The important thing that Ajahn Brahm mentions in another thread, is facilating the mind relaxation that leads to peace, enjoyment in ones practice and other unravelling.
'Rigid' meditation may lead to opposition from monkey mind, laziness, 'better things to do', life etc.
However everyone given the opportunity, finds time to relax on a beach in the sun with not a care in the world.
Time to sit by the ...
... Waves ...
I'll tell you my tactic but it may not work for everybody but it made me addicted to meditation. I realized that when I meditate for only 30 minutes, it's usually to knock it out of my day and get that bit of calmness to get me out of the day. So I realized what I need was some instant gratification. So instead I decided to meditate an hour a session (with walking meditation in middle) and now I'm more motivated because I know that when I'm done, I'll get a headbuzz for hours and feel realllly good. Sometimes I find myself meditating three hours a day because of this method. And the results are DEFINITELY bleeding into my daily life and it's great! Almost no anxiety at work! I wish you the best and to give this a try.
J U N K Y !
eh ... I mean 'W e l c o m e'
Gee, I never thought of meditation as a way to get 'buzzed'.
Of course, hiking is quite meditative. Fun too.
In the service, many troops claimed to do 'walking meditation' on long patrols.
(Why are these walls padded and what is it with that big wall mirror over there?)
"Uh-oh...... he's beginning to notice his surroundings..... "
When I don't feel like meditating, which to be fair is most of the time, I generally watch Netflix/eat something I shouldn't/browse the internet/type rubbish at NewBuddhist.
I'm not very good at this game.
I once meditated for an hour.
Once.
Doesn't your brain attack you?
I'll give it another go. sigh
I've been watching a bit of Mooji on youtube, for inspiration. That helps a little.
You have padded walls?! Sheer luxury!
I did an hour last night, with 20 minutes walking meditation in the middle. It was okay and it wasn't the Herculean effort I thought it was going to be.
No instant gratification or headbuzz though, which I'm okay with. I used to use whiskey for that.
I'll try an another hour today. Thanks for the motivation though.
There is.
I feel the sit, walk method described by @tosh is excellent combining two methods. The effects of consistency do kick in but sometimes we need reminders.
Variations can be helpful.
Let me remember a few I have tried:
I have found that while looking for the gold at the end of the rainbow, so many precious jewels are passed right over. It seems that, in the process of seeking the gold at the end of the rainbow, when we get there, we find that the gold we were seeking we have already acquired along the way along with so many other precious gems. We also discover that the rainbow was with us, complete (gold and all) all along.
But that is just the meaningless spouting of this ignorant commoner.
Peace to all
I am proud for you. (You get to stay humbled)
Yesterday I did an hours meditation using a timer and my brain attacked me. There was dukkha in all directions. Bad meditation? NO! quite the contrary.
I've been meditating lying down for the last few days, it works really well. And no, I am not using a bed of nails.