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blah
ThailandTom
Veteran
Hello all 
I need some help with meditation mainly, but my practice in general. I have been studying buddhism for 18 months and practicing it on and off during this time.
I know the basics of where suffering comes from, how it arises and passes. I know the basics of kamma, of attachment and DO. I am fully aware of the 4 noble truths, the 8 fold path and the nibanas and try to meditate every day. The trouble is, I know enough to want to continue down this path,I know enough to realise what I need to do to plant those seeds and reap the fruit, but I can't seem to get anywhere.
Recently I touched the stillness of my mind and was overly content and at peace with myself, for about 2 days lol. I have little money until my bank card gets sorted out so I am living on very little, I am always tired and fatigued and I get myself down because I find it hard to meditate at all right now.
Can anyone provide some advise on meditation and different techniques or types of meditation? It seems to be hard to get a straight answer on this from even monks for some reason, which is very odd.
It is harsh because it is as if somebody has just put the most splendid and tasty meal in front of me, let me eat a few bites and then taken it away once again.
I feel the attachment to every day things even more so these days, I feel how being on the net aimlessly makes me subdued and down, how my lack of motivation gets me down, so 'blah' does seem fitting right now, tom.
I need some help with meditation mainly, but my practice in general. I have been studying buddhism for 18 months and practicing it on and off during this time.
I know the basics of where suffering comes from, how it arises and passes. I know the basics of kamma, of attachment and DO. I am fully aware of the 4 noble truths, the 8 fold path and the nibanas and try to meditate every day. The trouble is, I know enough to want to continue down this path,I know enough to realise what I need to do to plant those seeds and reap the fruit, but I can't seem to get anywhere.
Recently I touched the stillness of my mind and was overly content and at peace with myself, for about 2 days lol. I have little money until my bank card gets sorted out so I am living on very little, I am always tired and fatigued and I get myself down because I find it hard to meditate at all right now.
Can anyone provide some advise on meditation and different techniques or types of meditation? It seems to be hard to get a straight answer on this from even monks for some reason, which is very odd.
It is harsh because it is as if somebody has just put the most splendid and tasty meal in front of me, let me eat a few bites and then taken it away once again.
I feel the attachment to every day things even more so these days, I feel how being on the net aimlessly makes me subdued and down, how my lack of motivation gets me down, so 'blah' does seem fitting right now, tom.
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Comments
Also, exercising in the gym, running whatever it is needs to be done along side a healthy diet. If you run or exercise without eating a decent meal 60-90 minutes before hand, you are basically burning muscle and putting a strainon your body.
What are you missing?
Maybe you are closer to "there" than you think?
This relates to two of the things that puzzle me about the life of the Buddha.
One was that when he was enlightened he seems to have pretty much continued as he was. He lived for 50 years more years, travelling and teaching his Dharmic Discoveries. Nibanna seems very earthly, perhaps even "every day" for The Buddha.
The other was that in these fifty years it seems many many people became enlightened and, sometimes after just a few hours, sometimes en mass and sometimes by people who the Buddha taught (rather than the Buddha himself).
Enlightenment seem's to be less than I used to imagine it was before I started studying Buddhism.
So when you allude to the "blah" and something that is missing, what is it do you think that you are missing that these countless Buddha's had after being taught and practicing Dharma?
namaste
Mtns
Tom I think you missed my point.
Tell us what you're doing right now and what you hope comes of it.
vow to help beings until samsara is empty of suffering
But don't think its going to happen this year.
If you meditate 30 minutes a day you can realize some progress. Try to minimize drinking and drugs. But even if you are drinking and doing drugs it will plant seeds that span lifetimes so the practice is still good.
If you meditate an hour thats a good solid effort to make progress (each day).
If you meditate two hours each day thats an enormous effort to make progress..
Thanks jeffery, I do not drink any alcohol or do drugs now a days, I made a point to remove these from my life a while ago, a long while ago as far as drugs is concerned anyway.
Ithought about compassion and helping others so I recently signed up to a few teen advise forums and give advise to people on there for what it is worth. I understand it is a very gradual process, but I feel I do need help with meditation.
Thanks though guys, and I will start running again
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what he is saying is:
I'm a runner to cure my lack of motivation for running I run, it's the only way.
I'm a meditatior, to cure my lack of motivation for meditation, I meditate, it's the only way.
But that is sound advice, keep meditating. it seems the logical thing to do. But I was wondering if anyone would care to share their techniques...
I agree, attachment can make you feel worn out; but I think it works in the other direction as well. I've noticed that when I'm dehydrated, sleep deprived or hungry, it's much harder to keep negative feelings at bay. Exercise can help with mental alertness, and a little bit of caffeine is useful too.
It sounds like you have a great meditation practice that will bear fruit.
Cheers,
P
So in this case, I think it would be a matter of "embracing blah" or "embracing being in a rut", and just sitting with that and listening to the mental chatter that goes on associated with that. "Blah" is no more or no less an acceptable mental/emotional state as "happiness" or "meditative equipoise" or whatever "state" you want to be in instead of "blah" or "rut". Maybe try just being present to those things while you sit, because there's not really anything to "get".
I'm not asking for sympathy or anything, but lately and especially today, I'm having to be present to anxiety and anger because it's definitely present to me. So today I'm pretty much just going to sit with that as well as I can because that's what's happening today. Was it Pema Chodron that said "start where you are"? I mean, where else are you going to go? It would seem like there is attachment to whatever is the antithesis of "blah" or "rut", and being preoccupied with those just perpetuates the mental processes that contribute to those states.
So how about "Well, hello there, Blah, why don't you come and sit with me in this rut?"
I literally have pennies until thursday so I have been eating so little, basically fasting having one meal a day and some fruit in the evening lol.
But yea, thanks guys
i will try and take a leaf from your book sherah, sit with what is ^.^ I hope you manage to relieve yourself from anxiety because I use to suffer from social anxiety big time, it is not fun at all.
Thank you again, tom
I think there would be a lot of monks in Thailand doing the same thing voluntarily, except for the fruit in the evening.
Some people think the old "it could be worse- look at that person" routine is just BS, but it works for others.
Under the circumstances, I would recommend "Clouds and Water" by Ven. Master Hsing Yun. It's available as a free downloadable PDF. There is one thing in there that he writes about what it takes to become "a King of the Dharma" that are kind of interesting.