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salaatti wrote:Hey everyone Bhante Vimalaramsi says in his article "The Bare-Bones Instructions to
Mindfulness of Breathing", that we should be smiling gently in meditation. But is this common teaching in theravada meditation. For me, it just sometimes feels a little tedious to do so. Especially if I feel sad or very frustated, my fake smiling just seems a way to supress those feelings. I would be grateful if anyone knows what the Buddha said about this.
thanks!
If he means we should be gently smiling as a result of experiencing Sukha as a Jhana factor, implying that concentration should be developed in our meditation, I would agree with that.
Otherwise I don't see any point in moving your face muscles in any disposition while meditating.
Rui Sousa wrote:...I don't see any point in moving your face muscles in any disposition while meditating.
I find consciously smiling a small smile to be a great tool, both while meditating and in many other situations, as a reminder that 'it's all good'...it manages to lighten many a load and has the ability (for me anyway) to put one's self in a good (better) 'space'...I highly recommend acquiring the habit...
there is a difference between smiling and smiling for the sake of smiling, Vimalaramsi says this is the forgotten step in meditation which is a big thing to say considdering it is not found in any of the suttas!
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form. John Stuart Mill
I'm not referring to Vimalaramsi, nor any suttas, nor for the sake of anything...it's a 'tool' that I've found to be beneficial to 'lighten the load' and conducive to putting one's self in a 'good' (better) space...whenever one feels the need...and, on a whim, decided to share this 'tool'...period...
appicchato wrote:I find consciously smiling a small smile to be a great tool, both while meditating and in many other situations, as a reminder that 'it's all good'...it manages to lighten many a load and has the ability (for me anyway) to put one's self in a good (better) 'space'...I highly recommend acquiring the habit...
I agree with that, it's the same in my own experience.
Mine too... whenever I look at Genkaku's signature.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
appicchato wrote:I'm not referring to Vimalaramsi, nor any suttas, nor for the sake of anything...it's a 'tool' that I've found to be beneficial to 'lighten the load' and conducive to putting one's self in a 'good' (better) space...whenever one feels the need...and, on a whim, decided to share this 'tool'...period...
Gotcha, as a tool yes I agree, it can be very usefull, but needs to be appropriately used, smiling continually can bring on some nasty effects as was found in Japan, and work done on former cult members, but the same could be said for frowning.
He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form. John Stuart Mill
appicchato wrote:I find consciously smiling a small smile to be a great tool, both while meditating and in many other situations, as a reminder that 'it's all good'...it manages to lighten many a load and has the ability (for me anyway) to put one's self in a good (better) 'space'...I highly recommend acquiring the habit...
If it helps raising good will in any mind, then it is a good thing.
Bhante Vimalaramsi says in his article "The Bare-Bones Instructions to
