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New to buddhism, searching for stillness
Hey all,
This looks like a great forum. I've been interested in Buddhism before but never really given it a shot. I recently read one of the Dalai Lama's books and to me the prospect of gaining happiness through things like selfless service to others and meditation sounds realistic and appealing.
A little about me - I am 19 and live in Auckland, New Zealand. Since a traumatizing event last year, I have suffered from debilitating anxiety. For a time, I saw a psychologist about it, and my anxiety has reached the point that it is quite tolerable and I no longer suffer from anxiety attacks, although it is still a day-by-day battle.
I am sure Buddhism will help me feel more at peace. I've started trying to meditate at night, although I find it very difficult. My mind blabbers a lot. Any advice for stilling the mind? I've been told you shouldn't "fight" the thoughts, just passively watch them come and go. I have also been chanting some Sanskrit mantras at night, which I enjoy, and I feel noticeably more at peace after them.
Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you, and getting more involved in Buddhism!
This looks like a great forum. I've been interested in Buddhism before but never really given it a shot. I recently read one of the Dalai Lama's books and to me the prospect of gaining happiness through things like selfless service to others and meditation sounds realistic and appealing.
A little about me - I am 19 and live in Auckland, New Zealand. Since a traumatizing event last year, I have suffered from debilitating anxiety. For a time, I saw a psychologist about it, and my anxiety has reached the point that it is quite tolerable and I no longer suffer from anxiety attacks, although it is still a day-by-day battle.
I am sure Buddhism will help me feel more at peace. I've started trying to meditate at night, although I find it very difficult. My mind blabbers a lot. Any advice for stilling the mind? I've been told you shouldn't "fight" the thoughts, just passively watch them come and go. I have also been chanting some Sanskrit mantras at night, which I enjoy, and I feel noticeably more at peace after them.
Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you, and getting more involved in Buddhism!
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Comments
It's normal to think that one isn't meditating effectively when the mind wanders a lot. Meditation technique does not involve stilling the mind. Stilling the mind is an effect of meditation, not the technique or practice of meditation. The practice of meditation is to return to the breath, over and over and over. It's also not about forcing the mind onto the breath, it is about placing the mind on the breath and allowing it to rest there and returning it there each time it wanders. To counter this conditioned attitude of struggling to achieve and instead rest on the breath it's helpful to smile as you settle into your practice. This smile reminds us to relax and have fun. It's not about work, it's about rest. We don't have to work at resting
Welcome!
Meditation isn't about silencing the mind but developing mindfulness. Mindfulness is something that doesn't happen overnight; its something that builds slowly upon itself. As Buddha said, "A jug fills one drop at a time."
Just keep practicing daily.
Ahh, I understand. So when you say "placing" the mind on the breath, what's the best way to do that? Count your breaths?
When you sit down to meditate just know the rising and falling of the abdomin.
As your abdomin begins to rise just note rising,rising,rising.As it begins to fall,note falling,falling,falling.Try to make sure that the rising and the mind that is on the rising happen at the same time.When thoughts come into your head,note thinking,thinking,thinking and then bring your mind back to the rising and falling of the abdomin.If you feel pain,note pain,pain pain etc.
Meditation takes time and the mind tends not to like it when we first try to still it and will rebel.Just stick with it.There are a few Thai and Tibetan temples in Auckland.May I suggest that you go and check some out.
My personal view is that you really do need a meditation teacher to guide you in your early days as sometimes we are not sure if what we are doing or experiencing is right and can so easily give up.
Feel free to come back any time.There are many good people on this site who will be more than happy to try and answer your questions.
I have just seen the post above mine and so would just like to mention that there are various meditation techniques.We don't mean to confuse you.You will find which one suits you best as you start out.
With metta.
Perhaps it's useful to not be concerned about whether you're doing it right or wrong, but rather do what you need to do to learn it, and then know that yours is one of the ways.
No.
When we first begin to practice meditation it is very common to evaluate our experience as a failure. We have as our goal focusing on the breath to the exclusion of everything else. If this is our goal we are certain to be disappointed as our mind has a surplus of energy with which it distracts us from this goal. Our mind does everything other than focus on our breath.
The goal of our meditation practice at this stage is not to focus on our breath, but to cultivate mindfulness|awareness. We use attention on the breath as an exercise to cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness is a tool we will use continually, but initially it is very weak.
Think of the person who goes to the gym with the intent to develop their strength sufficiently that they can meet the requirements of a job that requires being able to lift heavy objects. On day one the person can't lift objects heavy enough to meet the criteria for the job. They try to lift the object, but fail. Such people may experience this failure to lift the full weight as a failure, but in reality the attempt to lift the weight caused their muscles to grow stronger. If they persist in this practice the day will come when they not only can lift the weight, but they can do it easily.
When we first take up a meditation practice our minds race all over preventing us from resting awareness on the breath for more than half a second or so. This is like failing to lift the weight. Simply attempting to lift it results in our muscles getting stronger.
When I say 'place' the mind on the breath what I mean is place the mind(attention) on the breath and let it rest there on the natural breathing. Don't try to force the attention on the breath as this just becomes a battle that you will quickly lose. It's not about winning or losing and it's not about success or failure. It's about developing attention to the present moment and all effort pays off. It's like attempting to lift a weight we cannot. Just attempting it strengthens our muscles.
The profit comes from the attempting, not the succeeding.
1. Try meditation first thing in the morning. When you wake up it's like a new chapter in your life. I've heard many people speak this advice and I have a friend who meditates in the morning and he says it's like setting up mindfulness for the rest of the day.
2. Moral conduct throughout your day helps you in your meditation.