How to not meditate

lobster

Not everyone has a formal practice. Perhaps even formal practice is informal?

Lax is easy. So how to be at ease?

My feeling is much like this:

• Practice not meditating. Many ways to do this. Maybe you have a favourite?
• Constipation is not a form of meditation. You may be sitting and straining but that is hard shit ... wait ... 'hard shit meditation'?
• Mindful anything is better than mindless meditation. Allegedly ...

Where have I gone lackadaisical again?

Shoshin

Both are meditation....if "awareness" is present

Shoshin

@lobster

"Trying 'to' mediate and trying 'not' to meditate" are (so it would seem) one of the same...very trying ( pun intended)

Therein lies the meditation paradox....

DairyLama

@lobster said:
Where have I gone lackadaisical again?

Meditating on dots! I haven't tried that one.

federica

Don't. you'll go a funny colour.....

lobster

My favourite non meditation techniques include:

• 'Adopt the position' but not to practice. In other words just sit like a Buddha. Nothing more.
• Led meditations, these are often done lying down and usually just require Youtube and headphones.
• Just mantra. This is the approach used in japa yoga, Nichiren, Pureland, Shingon, Mantrayana etc. Just chant. I often chant internally when walking.

I find myself increasingly using a Neiguan technique ...
http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/

The question is really about what is easy?

namarupa

Many different ways to eat and enjoy blue cheese or...(insert an acquired tasting food here), but if you already enjoy the taste, its always a pleasure to eat it no matter what. Sometimes we just need to develop that acquired taste for it.

lobster

People do what is easy and enjoyable. Not everyone is disciplined or can maintain a practice, diet, ethical integrity, study plan etc.

So it is sometimes a good plan to 'pretend to meditate' or find near alternatives to slow us a bit -walking meditation, chi kung, that sort of thing.
For example the buzz and feeling of well being from yoga is something most people enjoy sufficiently to muster some enthusiasm ... it can lead into more calm for mind and body ...

The graphic in the original post is from a yogic site.

I now find sitting pleasurable, easy, useful. That is not helpful for those not so lucky ... I certainly did not find sitting meditation easy when I was doing it as a masochistic concentration exercise. I was unable to practice mindfulness, monkey mind often rules us ...

It may be that people practice rigidly and 'perfectly' and wonder why pretending to be a wooden statue is an ineffective practice. Stay fluid, just don't melt into a puddle ...

Peer pressure can work ...
https://insighttimer.com

DairyLama

@lobster said:> The question is really about what is easy?

Going for a mindful walk can be very beneficial, particularly if you can get out in nature. Nuffink like a bit of nature!

pegembara

"Meditation" is life. Know what you are doing at all times.

Man cannot be heedful unless he is aware of his actions — whether they are mental, verbal, or physical — at every moment of his waking life. Only when a man is fully awake to and mindful of his activities can he distinguish good from bad and right from wrong. It is in the light of mindfulness that he will see the beauty or the ugliness of his deeds.

lobster

Bravo @pegembara exactly right.

Going to the toilet meditation. Teeth cleaning meditation, eating meditation, posting to NewBuddhist [yawn] meditation ...

Eventually the beauty becomes ugly and needs improving ...