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just do the pose
ShanJieshi2
bahia blanca Veteran
Why do people take pictures of themselves "meditating"? in awkward positions?
What does it mean? that he was meditating and someone came and took a picture? that he was posing for a selfie? that he wants to show that he can cross his legs?
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Maybe he just wanted to contribute to the number of meditative pictures in the world?
You too can be a buddha!
IncredibIe... We have the same shoes!
In zen I'd call this a good picture of how to choose a meditating posture that requires a distracting amount of physical effort to maintain. An apex foundational platform, marginally supportive of the body's center mass, narrowly balancing on two running shoes and a bony ass and poorly allowing for the tilted pelvis that can allow for a relaxed posture.
Sometimes chosen by koan crunching devotees for the extra tension that it can add to a riddling practice.
so...a possible teaching aid.
I often feel compelled to offer them help that they have not asked for or know exists.
What is your advice, my friend...do I offer them the basics of the Dhamma and a proper meditation posture or do I wait for the need to know to arise in them?
(This guy is already offering meditations to other people... ( obviously on a $$$$basis)
This is a very good question. Skillful means is the solution.
It is difficult for any practitioner to not just substitute one's base attachments with spiritual versions of the same. Progress can seem to be experienced but suffering's wheel is still being turned. Find the way to stop your own turning of this wheel and those around who are suffering, sensing this stillness, will naturally lead themselves towards it.
What if you took his class, had a good time and thanked him? Maybe even a new friendship?
At the least maybe free classes.
So the photo > @ShanJieshi2 said:
So is it advertising?
There's a large sign on a fence near my home with the word Meditation on it and a phone no.
I called out of curiosity and discovered it was a secular group advertising classes but they were charging an outrageous amount for a 6 week course. I was pretty quick to hang up.
There I was (all superior with a poker up my ass) realising that we are all poseurs … [yes this is a true story] …
At the moment [polite warning: may contain mention of non Buddhist posing] I don't use a cushion. I sit on something called 'a floor'. I also use even more extreme handy postures (mudra) than our example meditator in the first post, for example prayer mudra. Hands on knees, shoulders, palms of feet. All kinds of crazy places.
Also I use yoga asana as meditation posturing. I watch and soften my breath until it is silent. Sometimes I chant so quietly even Siri and Alexa and Amitabha can not hear me.
As someone in another thread reminded … I remind myself often, even when typing, walking or being mindless, 'I am not meditating'. In fact if I ever catch myself meditating, I immediately stop.
Anyway I am so superior. Please take note … but not of me …
https://web.stanford.edu/class/history11sc/pdfs/mudras.pdf
How right you are!
Its part of the social 8 fold path.
1. Right selfies
2. Right bio
3. Right tweets
4. Right NFTs
5. Right product endorsements
6. Right influencing
7. Right self promotion
8. Right self absorption
Or perhaps he is 'practicing' Dukkha/Unsatifactoriness AKA suffering.... and seeing for himself AKA Ehipassiko...that pain is inevitable (his meditation posture)....suffering optional ( there are other ways to sit) ....
Tee Hee! @person
We should not laugh at the 'spiritually advanced' … wait maybe that is skilful … a kind of wrathful exposure. On the whole it is better to make fun of ourselves.
In one sense there is no spiritual realm. Equally it all is spiritual meditation.
When teaching with skillful means it is important not to become the target of aversion you seek to cultivate. Once a teacher is lost to a student, it may be difficult to return in the same light.