Everyday practice

[Aloka]

I'm not very good meditating, I tried with a cushion without luck and with a self-made meditation bench which almost work for my posture. Now the problem is my mind, I get bored too soon or I just feel relaxed, but what else should I expect, what should happen?

Hello zamotcr,

Some people find this little beginners meditation booklet very helpful. Its by Ajahn Amaro the abbot of the UK Amaravati Monastery.

http://www.amaravati.org/downloads/pdf/ ... _peace.pdf

Kind regards,

Aloka

[binocular]

Apart from meditation and following the 5 precepts, are there other practices like chanting or give offerings, etc?

You could try cultivating the ten perfections.

http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writ ... ctions.pdf -

"For people in the modern world who are wrestling with the issue of how to practice the Dhamma in daily life, the perfections provide a useful framework for developing a fruitful attitude toward daily activities so that any activity or relationship undertaken wisely with the primary purpose of developing the perfections in a balanced way becomes part of the practice.

The perfections also provide one of the few reliable ways of measuring the accomplishments of one's life. "Accomplishments" in the realm of work and relationships have a way of turning into dust, but perfections of the character, once developed, are dependable and lasting, carrying one over and beyond the vicissitudes of daily living. Thus they deserve to take high priority in the way we plan our lives. These two facts are reflected in the two etymologies offered for the word perfection (paramī): They carry one across to the further shore (paraṃ); and they are of foremost (parama) importance in formulating the purpose of one's life."

[Taijitu]

Apart from meditation and following the 5 precepts, are there other practices like chanting or give offerings, etc?

You could try cultivating the ten perfections.

http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writ ... ctions.pdf -

"For people in the modern world who are wrestling with the issue of how to practice the Dhamma in daily life, the perfections provide a useful framework for developing a fruitful attitude toward daily activities so that any activity or relationship undertaken wisely with the primary purpose of developing the perfections in a balanced way becomes part of the practice.

The perfections also provide one of the few reliable ways of measuring the accomplishments of one's life. "Accomplishments" in the realm of work and relationships have a way of turning into dust, but perfections of the character, once developed, are dependable and lasting, carrying one over and beyond the vicissitudes of daily living. Thus they deserve to take high priority in the way we plan our lives. These two facts are reflected in the two etymologies offered for the word perfection (paramī): They carry one across to the further shore (paraṃ); and they are of foremost (parama) importance in formulating the purpose of one's life."

Thank you. This is very helpful.

[Floor]

Thanks everyone for your comments

I got a copy of Analayo book.

I tried meditating 20 minutes in the past and was worse than 10 minutes not to mention that I didn't everyday, but two days a week.

Apart from meditation and following the 5 precepts, are there other practices like chanting or give offerings, etc?

You want the lazy way to enlightenment?

Sorry, only meditation will take you there. Getting bored after 10 minutes is COMPLETELY normal. We all start with this hectic mind and after a lot of practice it calms down. Start at 20 minutes, then 20 minutes twice a day, then more time ect ect.

Meditation is the only way, suck it up.