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My problem.
chrispche
Southend on Sea, Essex, UK Explorer
I usually visit two meditation classes, I meditate when I can. However recently my brain has been coming up with all sorts of excuses not to meditate. I know this is my ego fighting back. Does anyone have any tips on how to get over this? I guess I just need to ignore my ego and go ahead and meditate.
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Comments
You gotta learn how to develop wholesome states of mind and get rid of the unwholesome, also. It is part of the right effort. When whatever it is arises in your mind saying you shouldn't meditate, there are many a number of methods to deal with it. Just ignoring your 'ego' (btw this 'ego' expression is WAY too broad) might not be the best solution.
It is a broad problem anyways, this is where a good teacher would come into play. In this case, I suggest you put your goal into being able to rest in your meditation, that is the main thing, get an object that can do this for you. When you get used to shushing your 'mind-talk' it will be easier to move on to other objects.
my practice, in its early stages, begins with concentration on the breath to anchor you in the present with calmness, then moves in sequence to observation of the body as a whole, the sounds as pure sounds, the thoughts passing through your mind without judgement or entanglement then ends up with no object for concentration - just being in the moment...enjoying that so far...:)
To get persepective and wisdom.
A way that has helped me deal with problems like that, is to invite the problem to tea. I have been able to continue with my breathing, but I have invited a bad habit to sit with me as I meditate. All I ask of the bad habit sitting there with me, is that like a good guest, it remain silent. I have found that this approach has made a significant change in my practice. I can sit still for longer periods without interruption and it provides me with a comfortable setting where I am not fighting the phenomena and working on making it quiet. It was amazing how it helped.
I am not sure if perspective and wisdom are something that can be "gotten".
Objects are the "theme" of your meditation, so to speak. Mindfulness of breathing is just one, there are 10 kasinas, four brahma-viharas, that one with the 10 stages of decomposition of the body, and so on. The 'basic set' contains 40 types. You will find more info on brahma viharas (loving kindness, equanimity, compassion, sympathetic joy), mindfulness of breathing, and a few others. Some old commentaries deal with them all but they are hard to have access to. :-\ I found a version I am downloading at the moment but the book has over 100 MB
To enrich my life, and have a clear head thought process. When I meditate I can see the way more clearer.
They can be attained, through the Buddhist path. That I'm sure of.
If your mind fights you to want to meditate then there is something not right. I don't think you should just try to beat it down and meditate through it. Have you ever just sat still and examined the reasons why? I keep a notebook next to my chair when I meditate and write things down I observe if I feel like I should.
You can't change the color of a black wall just by shouting yellow at it, just like you can't change your desire to meditate just by telling it your going to do it anyway.
If it's perspective and wisdom you seek, there are other ways of gaining it. Wisdom can be gotten through books and getting your hands dirty. That is, by experiencing life yourself. If you stub your toe on the table in the dark you become wise to the table and where it sits.
Perspective on the other hand I know little about. I would guess you could gain the perspective of a homeless man by talking with him.
Your mind might be bucking you because meditation isn't working. You really just need to sit and examine the reasons without judgement. let them come and look at them from all sides and decide if it is valid or not. If it is valid then make changes, if it's not then I doubt it will come up again as long as your certain.
these are just my thoughts, if they are glaringly wrong then just ignore them. That is what I would do in your shoes though
But sometimes's when I meditate, I feel incredibly blissful and content. I am able to live life better and make the right choices. I think, this latest spat of non meditation by myself is due to big changes in my life upsetting the routine. Now I think about it, I think that it will all fall back into place and I can resume my normal meditational routine once I'm settled in my new home. Thanks for that post it made me realise what is going wrong.
Oh this and that. Like I have other things to do. However, I beginning to think half an hour cut into my schedule will not hurt. I tend to meditate for 30 to 45 mins before bed, lately I'm doing useless things like sitting on forums and faceache (facebook). No I must reform my routine and continue meditating in my life, I always feel better and more satisfied when I did it regularly.
Congratulations on the commitment you're expressing.