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What has helped you with your practice?

edited November 2010 in Meditation
I was wondering if anyone would like to share a couple of your tips or insights you've had that have really helped deepen your practice, whether it be in meditation or daily life, i.e. what helps you to sustain mindfulness throughout the day, or how do you deal with unwholesome states of mind more skilfully?

Here are a couple of my recent revelations:

Recently during breath meditation I've had trouble with sleepiness (much more than I had in the past). Before I would in a way just ignore the sleepiness and try and force the mind on the breath in order to overcome it...of course it just wasn't working. I have found that shifting my attention partly to the sleepiness itself, but still keeping the breath as the main point of reference, was effective in dispelling the sleepiness. In doing this practice, over time I have become much more aware of when the beginning stages of sleepiness or dullness begin to arise and I can 'nip it in the bud' as Ajahn Jayasaro says in his instructions on how to deal with sleepiness. Buddhist Meditation (6) Sleepiness

Another tip I would like to mention is when unwholesome states of mind would arise, especially more tenacious ones like anger, I found I was trying to deal with them intellectually, trying to think my way through them, which often resulted in losing mindfulness completely and getting stuck in the 'story' surrounding the issue. Now I firstly acknowledge the state of mind that has arisen and then observe the effect it has on the body. By bringing attention to how the emotion manifests in the body, it becomes tangible, and much easier to deal with. At first I thought by doing this I might be somehow suppressing the emotion, but I have found through experience that that isn't the case.

Anyone else wish to share?

Comments

  • edited November 2010
    Don't know whether you meditate with eyes open; open eyes does overcome sleepiness to some extent.

    I see that you shift from "breath" meditation to vipassana (insight) meditation quite seamlessly when distractions arise. I found that alternating between these two meditation types is quite practical in my own practice - but I don't know if it is recommended. Anyone knows?
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited November 2010
    OP: One tip that I would offer regarding mindfulness throughout the day is observance of the breath. This becomes a cue for the mind to remain centered and to recognize the arising of feelings and thoughts, allowing for more careful interaction with sense-objects throughout your day. As almost a bonus, an increased awareness of the breath in this expanded way can benefit you if you do Samatha/Vipassana meditation (and vice versa).
  • edited November 2010
    As for me personaly- I have a small note with some inspiring quotes by Ven.Masters. When I can't focus my mind only on breathing, I read quotes and think about them, trying to see how the wisdom can manifest in the world around me.
    I really love the quote which always helps me to deal with anger:
    "When one contemplates
    sickness, od age, and death,
    one sees that no one and nothing
    can escape them.
    When compassion is born
    in the heart,
    one sees that there is no reason
    to add to the evil and pain."

    To overcome lazziness, I read/think about vows of all Bodhisattvas and it makes me feel ashamed that I waste my time insted of helping them in their great work. "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed: Until hell is empty, I will not become a Buddha."

    And the last quote which helps me to be more friendly to all people, without choosing these "better" and "worse" is "Care for a (...) person as if they were not different from the Buddha himself."

    Namo Amituofo _/|\_
  • edited November 2010
    If you get sinking period where you feel sleepy, it's time for an extreme measure. Focus on controlling your breath for a moment by holding it. Be aware that you are sinking, and when you recognize that you are sinking let go of the breath and breathe normally.
  • edited November 2010
    Hi Magga,

    Regarding sleepiness, did you try the method suggested by Ajahn Jayasaro of feeling the breath in your whole body and feeling the whole of your body filled with light ?....or did you try the metta suggestion he also gave?

    That's a very good series of meditation videos. :)

    Kind wishes,


    Dazzle
  • BarraBarra soto zennie wandering in a cloud in beautiful, bucolic Victoria BC, on the wacky left coast of Canada Veteran
    edited November 2010
    When I first starting sitting, I observed my thoughts and realized that almost all of them had to do with something in the past or something due in the future (planning, worrying etc.). So I reminded myself that with respect to thoughts of the past - there is nothing to be gained by re-cycling them or entertaining them again. As for thoughts related to the future, I told myself that they can hold off for the next 20 minutes or so while I'm sitting.
    This seemed to really help.
  • edited November 2010
    Hi Dazzle, I did briefly try the 'breathing light' method, but I found it difficult at first, so I didn't work on it at all. I've started to incorporate metta as he suggested; but instead of switching to metta because of sleepiness, which would usually occur towards the end of the session, i've been starting my meditation with around 5 minutes of metta. This seems to provide a good foundation for the rest of session. I know a few other teachers recommend 'body sweeping' and/or metta before beginning breath meditation.

    By the way I recently noticed there's quite a few relatively new videos on Youtube of Ajahn Jayasaro from the retreat/s he gave at Bahn Boon in Thailand. I haven't seen any of them yet though.

    The_Fruit_Punch_Wizard, your method sounds quite interesting; I might give it try.
  • edited November 2010
    Magga wrote: »
    By the way I recently noticed there's quite a few relatively new videos on Youtube of Ajahn Jayasaro from the retreat/s he gave at Bahn Boon in Thailand. I haven't seen any of them yet though.


    Thank you Magga, I haven't seen them either, I'll check them out later.

    :)
  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Magga wrote: »
    What has helped you with your practice?

    Suffering .
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