is this a form of meditation (or usefull?)

yuriythebest

right, something I've been practicing lately, apart from meditation, is while taking a walk, to "not think" for intervals of time of a few minutes or more, and instead to dissolve into the sights and sounds of the environment around me, and also focus on breathing somewhat. is this "practice" or "retarded"?

federica

In "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment", "Peace is Every Step" and "The Miracle of Mindfulness" Thich Nhat Hahn describes active meditation - when you are completely present in any activity you are doing, but without the mental running commentary.

So I would say it's practice.
And that you're in good company!!

yuriythebest

So I would say it's practice.

cool!

federica wrote: »

And that you're in good company!!

???

federica

Well.... I do it - but more importantly, so does TNH.... (shortened version of Thich Nhat Hahn...)!

yuriythebest

federica wrote: »

Well.... I do it - but more importantly, so does TNH.... (shortened version of Thich Nhat Hahn...)!

cool he looks smart!

Jason

Yuri,

Yes, if done in the appropriate way:

"[The Blessed One said:] "And how is mindfulness immersed in the body developed, how is it pursued, so as to be of great fruit & great benefit?

"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.

"Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. Or breathing in short, he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns that he is breathing out short. He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the entire body and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. He trains himself to breathe in calming bodily fabrication (the breath) and to breathe out calming bodily fabrication. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.

"Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns that he is walking. When standing, he discerns that he is standing. When sitting, he discerns that he is sitting. When lying down, he discerns that he is lying down. Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.

"Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body." — MN 119

Also:

"Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bahiya, there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress." — Ud 1.10

Jason

(P.S. Just to let you know, some people, especially those with mentally disabled friends and and relatives, may find that usage of the term "retarded" offensive.)

Linc

Yuri, trying Googling "walking meditation" and see where it takes you I only dabbled in it once on a retreat so I can't speak to whether there is benefit, personally.

Palzang

Hi Yuriy,

I don't know if you're still around, but I found out they're building a stupa in the Ukraine! It's in Zaporozhye, which is probably not very close to where you live, but they do have a sangha there. Just thought you'd like to know.

Palzang

yuriythebest

Palzang wrote: »

Hi Yuriy,

I don't know if you're still around, but I found out they're building a stupa in the Ukraine! It's in Zaporozhye, which is probably not very close to where you live, but they do have a sangha there. Just thought you'd like to know.

Palzang

cool thanks! yeah I live in Kiev so it would take ages to get there and I think I'd have to go by train or something. thanks anyways

Palzang

Yeah, I thought it was quite a distance from Kiev as it's somewhere down near Crimea. But I just thought you might be interested.

Палзанг

nomad

I've tried walking meditation. I liked the experience although I prefer to sit during my meditation because I think it's easier to avoid distractions that way.

~nomad

TravisMago

for some reason im totally pro at it
as long as im by myself



i can't seem to carry conversations while doing it.

hmm... is it even possible for non-enlightened individuals to carry on conversations while empty?

yuriythebest

for some reason im totally pro at it
as long as im by myself

yeah me too- when someone is walking with you keeping an empty mind is much harder and not something I'd want to do anyway cause it might just annoy the other party or make you seem distant or uninterested... wait I'm always like that anyways

jinzang

I don't believe that trying to not think is a useful meditation. It's better to simply watch your thoughts than to try to remove them.

Floating_Abu

I agree with jinzang.

Also I think it's better to let things unfold naturally

TravisMago

Floating_Abu wrote: »

I agree with jinzang.

Also I think it's better to let things unfold naturally

I agree with you guys, but I don't think that is what he was saying in the first place. At least it isn't in my case.

It's more of.. the walking allows for us to relax and let the ego drop and while thoughts may happen - they are no longer "our thoughts", they are just thoughts that happen.

it's a shifting of effort from "having thoughts" to somewhere else... I hope that makes sense haha

Floating_Abu

Brigid

Ditto.

grackle

If you can relax while walking a whole new world of awareness can open its wonders to you.

grackle

Kikujiro

federica wrote: »

In "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment", "Peace is Every Step" and "The Miracle of Mindfulness" Thich Nhat Hahn describes active meditation - when you are completely present in any activity you are doing, but without the mental running commentary.

Thats the bit where I stumble (I think). I tend to do a running commentary of my running commentary, if that makes sense?

Floating_Abu

Yes it does. This is what practice is for.

Persistence, patience, determination.

Best wishes.

Linc

Yuri, it occurs to me now that you would do well to track down a teacher or mentor who could guide you as well.

yuriythebest

Lincoln wrote: »

Yuri, it occurs to me now that you would do well to track down a teacher or mentor who could guide you as well.

easier said than done ukraine isn't the most enlightened place, and the few "gurus" that do exist either openly or not, usually always end up being Krishna consciousness followers

fivebells

You can find teachers online.

jinzang

Ole Nydahl has a bunch of centers in the Ukraine. Don't know anything about them, though.

hermitwin

Sounds good to me.