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anataman
Who needs a title?Where am I? Veteran
Whatever distractions are going on. I have found that it is important that my meditation brings my mind back to the present. I have gone days being distracted by thoughts and sensations and today I came back home with a loud thump.
Tomorrow I may be flying aloft with my thoughts again as is my want but the ground of my life and being awaits me.
What brings you home?
Tomorrow I may be flying aloft with my thoughts again as is my want but the ground of my life and being awaits me.
What brings you home?
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Of course, if monkey strikes when I am sitting in meditation, I simply come back to my breath, as @Hamsaka says.
Some of mine are...
Walking (which I do a lot of) reminds me of kinhin so it becomes my walking meditation,
climbing stairs (which is part of job) triggers an attention to observe my breathing,
driving restrictions (another part of my job) reminds me to let go of my expectations,
arriving and leaving a clients front path is a wake up call to be present because of how different it often feels compared to my face to face interactions with them inside,
(it need not be different but is often my failing)
any arising body tension is usually a flag saying that I am doing a poor job of accepting something and it is time to relax and explore what that is,
awakening in the morning and drifting off to sleep at night are habitually accompanied with the mental reciting of the three refuges to pattern an intent for my day as well as my sleep at night,
finding myself having taking a step or an action without a clear idea of why is often my wake up call to be more mindful of the present,
saying a short gatha before eating to remind myself to be cognascent of what life was ended so that I might live another day,
For example yoga nidra/body scan for tension/relaxation can be done any time we remember. How often can a mantra be used internally? How can present activity be slower and more mindful?
The breath as mentioned is a wonderful reminder. Is it being held in concentration or relaxed and free flowing?
Are we in the moment or stuck in past/future/monkey mind?
Attention, attention, attention . . . I seem to remember . . .
http://www.nyingma.com/dzogchen1.htm
:wave:
Just had a crazy busy weekend organising and putting on a 4th birthday party for 50 people (25 kids) at my house......it's amazing how much I needed to sit this morning with the breath for a while after 3 days not meditating and feeling stressed!
No wonder Ajahn Brahm calls it "the beautiful breath".
http://www.kagyu-richmond.org/chenrezig.html
You have a monkey mind? Don't we all. Ritualised stillness (meditation to you and me) is a great reminder. Mantra too. Shrines. Whatever.
Bring everything to stillness . . . I think they call it, 'The Path' . . .
This is a nice song. However, when I first heard it I misheard the lyrics repeatedly. My kids laughed at me when I started singing 'I don't have Monkey on my mind' LOL
Holding your breath when in the midst of a strong feeling is part of the "fight or flight" response building in your body.
Also for me, breathing works to bring me back to the present from the intensity of a situation or simply when I lose myself in a brown study.
So beautiful the image of Chenrezig, @lobster!
I am a faithful devotee of Kuan Yin and Green Tara, so in my case, when I pray the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum," I conjure up their image.
Coming to think of it, in different moments of my day, I also stop to chant "Om Mani Padme Hum" as a way to center myself.
Oops, no comment, just entered again by mistake!