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a few questions :-)
NamelessRiver
Veteran
Can you really get rid of thoughts and get the so called one-pointedness or they occur naturally?
Is the frequency in which these thoughts arise related directly to how far you are in practice?
If I have a hyper-active mind can I rely only in analytical meditations or should I always have some time for serenity?
What is the importance of serenity meditation?
What if I remind myself of a horrible event every time I meditate?
What if my legs hurt, can I do it lying down?
What is dedication of merit afterward meditation? I mean is it like I loose what I just did to give it away?
Is the frequency in which these thoughts arise related directly to how far you are in practice?
If I have a hyper-active mind can I rely only in analytical meditations or should I always have some time for serenity?
What is the importance of serenity meditation?
What if I remind myself of a horrible event every time I meditate?
What if my legs hurt, can I do it lying down?
What is dedication of merit afterward meditation? I mean is it like I loose what I just did to give it away?
0
Comments
You're soooo clever
Okay, I'll bite!!
Isn't it the natural function of mind to think? Doesn't one-pointedness just happen? and practice help?
If not, would practice at least decrease grasping/attachment?
Is cultivating tranquility a good thing!?!
Does turning down the heat on a boiling pot of water help reduce disturbance in the water, aiding clarity?
Will you embrace it with tranquility and watch it arise, endure, and fade away?
Will you fall asleep?
Would you like to give a little merit to the universal merit piggy bank? "For the benefit of all beings" - ya ole' Bodhisattva you!!:)
Trying to get rid of thoughts is itself a thought, so you can't eliminate them in that way. Through the technique of shamatha practice they gradually diminish.
Somewhat. But a better guide to how well your practice is working is whether your negative emotions (greed, anger, etc.) are decreasing and positive emotions increasing.
If your mind is hyper-active it sounds like shamatha is a good practice for you
What is the importance of serenity meditation?
Stay with the thought and don't push it away.
When your legs start hurting, stretch them out or do walking meditation. When the pain is relieved, continue sitting practice.
The purpose of dedication is to keep meditation practice from becoming another form of egotistical grasping.
A more general tip I once read for trying to quiet a busy a mind, which is not really related to meditation, but has the advantage that it's easy to do at any time: Wonder what you'll think of next.
I don't think I need add anything else as it seems to have already all been covered.
It is possible to attain the thoughtless state (though this is not absent mindedness nor does it preclude thought), but this is through a process of naturalness, and not mere will power. One of the best techniques is meditation. It is not an overnight process however, and requires years of dedicated practice ie even when you have given up
Progress is a subtle error. It is far better to just meditate, just practice. Continuity is very important.
I personally think it is best you start with samatha meditation. Google Ajahn Sumedo/samatha, or alternatively zazen practices are the same.
I do not know what you mean by serenity meditation, but as Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was reported to have said, meditation is not a holiday from irritation. Although Ajahn Chah did say, meditation is a holiday for the heart. Both are right IMO.
It is important to know that we face all sorts of things in meditation, namely because we are now squarely facing ourself. For more experienced practitioners it is possible to stay with this, and see the transiency of all, but I would recommend that you practice with a (real life) teacher and Sangha that you can trust also. Don't worry, you are not alone in what you face.
I am not clear as to what extent you say your legs hurt. If it is common pain, everyone experiences this I suspect. If it is something more chronic or serious, I would recommend you discuss this with your teacher and or doctor. There are also many postures that one can meditate in. If you google MRO and zazen, there you will find many described postures. It is important the back is straight and the body has sufficient stability for you to focus on your practice. Body pain can be part of this of course but as I am not familiar with your situation personally (there is only so much we can gauge over internet forums
For someone with general pain, I would recommend persisting with the strength of a selected posture, which in Buddhist circles, is typically seated. Most common is lotus, half lotus, burmese, seiza and maybe quarter lotus I believe. As jinzang said it is possible to also do stretches to assist with the posture although in my own tradition, we do not move in response to pain immediately. It is all part of our practice although this is not harmful to the body.
jinzang (answered above) would know more about this than I, however, I would say it is like a prayer, an offering, as in truth we don't own anything in the first place.
Best wishes,
Abu