Son wrote:reflection wrote:Those questions you should not ask me. Obviously, I can't speak for Ajahn Brahm, nor do I intend to. But this hasn't got a lot to do with the topic anyway.
So I'd say Micheal, try out and whatever works, do that. Get stuck? Perhaps try a different method. Find more peace slowly but surely. That's the only way to find out what the Buddha taught.
Metta!
I would suggest, for you, more seclusion. I don't just mean from people, but seclusion from things that generally surround you. From objects, familiarities. While focusing on breath, try to exclude the advice and practicals of attaining jhana. And seclude yourself from... well anything that comes into your mind--it is all just disturbances my friend, tickling that keeps the stillness necessary for establishing jhana away. The stillness is what you're trying for. Once stillness arises, the bliss emerges, and once you have utterly surrendered to the stillness (which requires absolute seclusion), you simply ABSORB into the bliss. That's the jhana. You have then "attained" it.
The animals in the forest analogy was PERFECT.
I understand exactly what your saying and im trying to work on it. Well for one thing, i think your dead accurate pertaining to selcusion from objects and other things that why the sutta(forgot which one and vaguely remember the characters) the one where a practitioner says that the household life is not meant for the development of jhana and homelessness would be more of a supportive factor. Its not that living in a house is hard to meditate in, its the temptations that surround me that make my focus fragile. Though i establish mindfulness at all times, it gets easily tedious trying to avoid certain distractions and when my sudden impulses drive me to be absorbed in objects i shouldnt be absorbed in. I guess i can try to be more secluded and practice more mindfulness in my enviroment, its until something like when school comes around that makes it big hindrance.
But my more seclusion is my better choice in this. Thank you for information
With metta, mike