Search found 249 matches

by Benjamin
Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:16 am
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: Quitting Coffee - my experience
Replies: 42
Views: 10125

Re: Quitting Coffee - my experience

Coffee is also good for health..Rich in anti oxidants, it reduces risk of liver cancer and possibly also dementia and diabetes. Everything in moderation. If you can get coffee that was recently roasted and not too dark of a roast, then I think it's quite healthy. Grinding it yourself is also a must...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:48 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: My Thanissaro-meets-Mahasi style “6R’s” Meditation Practice
Replies: 2
Views: 1243

My Thanissaro-meets-Mahasi style “6R’s” Meditation Practice

How’s that for a clickbait title? :rofl: So, one thing that has always bothered/intrigued me a bit since beginning my study of Buddhism 5 years ago was the plethora of available meditative techniques, the apparent inconsistencies or contradictions between them, and the sometimes heated dispute over ...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:48 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Great success with "full body" breath meditation
Replies: 39
Views: 8710

Re: Great success with "full body" breath meditation

There are many retreats here all on recording, but any of them will do.


http://www.dharmasalon.net/Audio/audio.html


He has single-handedly turned me into a Mahasi fan in many ways. A very competent teacher!
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:11 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Great success with "full body" breath meditation
Replies: 39
Views: 8710

Re: Great success with "full body" breath meditation

I will go out on a limb and ask: can these two methods blend together like milk and water? I would say definitely compatible, and arguably better for many if combined. Since talking with you a week or so ago, I've begun working with Patrick Kearney's lectures on the Mahasi Method, and I've found ta...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:52 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: What is the oldest religion in China?
Replies: 13
Views: 2842

Re: What is the oldest religion in China?

People throw around terms like 道家 and 道教 here in China and Taiwan, but they ultimately are both pointing to older "Philosophical" Daoism, as it is sometimes called. Read Zhuangzi (莊子)or Laozi (老子), sometimes poorly romanized as Lao-Tzu. A good look at a text which is rather Daoist in flav...
by Benjamin
Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:36 pm
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: Quitting Coffee - my experience
Replies: 42
Views: 10125

Re: Quitting Coffee - my experience

Puérh tea (the real kind, called Sheng Puérh or 生普洱 in Chinese) and High Mountain Oolong (高山茶) are my go to's for caffeine. Metabolized by the body differently than coffee, no real experiences of jitters or anything like that. Wonderful plants! Agreed! Pu Erh is wonderful. My son gave me some as a ...
by Benjamin
Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:46 pm
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: Quitting Coffee - my experience
Replies: 42
Views: 10125

Re: Quitting Coffee - my experience

Puérh tea (the real kind, called Sheng Puérh or 生普洱 in Chinese) and High Mountain Oolong (高山茶) are my go to's for caffeine. Metabolized by the body differently than coffee, no real experiences of jitters or anything like that. Wonderful plants! Green tea can be nice, but be careful of two things: 1)...
by Benjamin
Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:11 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: why is vipassanā called meditation
Replies: 12
Views: 3696

Re: why is vipassanā called meditation

You cannot separate samatha from vipassana. They are to be developed as a pair. One may be developed more at the expense of the other but they must ultimately come together and be balanced as one: Would you argue that Mahasi Sayadaw and others who seem to have taught "the development of Vipass...
by Benjamin
Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:21 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Anapanasati and the Breathing Diaphragm
Replies: 7
Views: 1469

Re: Anapanasati and the Breathing Diaphragm

Thanissaro Bhikku would be included in those who teach breathing with the whole body, and while it usually focuses more on breath energy than the diaphragm specifically, he does mention it in his talks. Likewise, he speaks often about not "pulling" the air in with the nose, but breathing i...
by Benjamin
Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:00 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: why is vipassanā called meditation
Replies: 12
Views: 3696

Re: why is vipassanā called meditation

Many practitioners seem to focus their practice in one of several ways: 1) Focusing on Jhana for formal sittings, and doing a looser "Vipassana" practice the rest of the day. (Maybe this usage of Vipassana means noting or labelling, or just breath awareness, but it seems like many call thi...
by Benjamin
Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:28 pm
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: A question about ego death
Replies: 31
Views: 6822

Re: A question about ego death

I would say that Buddhism's insistence (read: specific teachers' insistence) on teaching no-self as a fact of experience instead of a skillful perception is one of the worst things to happen to the dharma since the Buddha's time. Cultivating a skillful sense of self and holding onto the positive asp...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 05, 2019 2:41 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: What is the oldest religion in China?
Replies: 13
Views: 2842

Re: What is the oldest religion in China?

People throw around terms like 道家 and 道教 here in China and Taiwan, but they ultimately are both pointing to older "Philosophical" Daoism, as it is sometimes called. Read Zhuangzi (莊子)or Laozi (老子), sometimes poorly romanized as Lao-Tzu. A good look at a text which is rather Daoist in flavo...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:15 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Great success with "full body" breath meditation
Replies: 39
Views: 8710

Re: Great success with "full body" breath meditation

Thank you brother. I have to admit, the first time I listened to Thanissaro I found his style of talk to be rather arrogant and over-intellectualized, but I am aware that that often says more about the listener than the speaker, and the more I hear from him the more I like him, especially his refus...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:25 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Great success with "full body" breath meditation
Replies: 39
Views: 8710

Re: Great success with "full body" breath meditation

Hi Benjamin, I'd prefer to keep the Mahasi controversies in their own threads, but this is your thread so if you want to chat about it at anytime, I'd be more than willing to. As you can probably tell, I'm sold on the idea that the Mahasi method is indeed suttanta-based and others feel this way, as...
by Benjamin
Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:15 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Great success with "full body" breath meditation
Replies: 39
Views: 8710

Re: Great success with "full body" breath meditation

I've noticed that since beginning Thanissaro's style of meditation - the sort where full body awareness is focused on along with the breath - I've had significant improvements in concentration. Benjamin , pardon my ignorance of the exact method but is this basically like kayagatasati? https://www.a...