How often do you vary your meditation?

[Tex]

Curious how much variety people use in their sitting practice.

Do you basically do the same type of meditation every day, or different types on different days, or do you have a routine daily practice that you'll sometimes take a break from and do another type for a day, a week, etc?

I sit anapanasati every morning, and on the weekends I'll have a second sit for metta bhavana (and some weeknights as well). Sometimes on the weekends I'll have a longer sit and meditate on all 4 brahma-viharas. I've been thinking recently that I need to branch out a little and start incorporating other types of meditation like Buddhanussati but haven't really done so yet. The vast majority of my practice is plain old attention on the breath.

What is your sitting routine, variations, etc?

[Reductor]

Well, lately I've been more of a 'breath is best' kind of guy.

Usually though I will spend a little time at the start of each sitting and counter whatever hindrance has been predominate in my mind that day. It used to be lust, but now a days I feel little hindrance in anyway I used to be. Actually I think I'm hindered most by these forums, as of late. Hmmm.

I am a firm believer that the Buddha didn't intend for us to stay with just one meditation. True, he was a big proponent of breath meditation, but he also exhorted his followers to cultivate other meditations. You would not think this from reading the forums out there. Where is the foulness? Where are the elements. Personally, one of the most important realizations I've had came from the second charnal ground contemplation.

In the greater discourse to Rahula the Buddha listed the different themes Rahula should develop, so to counter the hindrances.

[misterbull]

Anapanasati is the usual start, but if I feel that I tend to try to "see breathing" rather than aware of breathing, I switch to sensation at abdomen. If the legs or feet start to hurt, sometimes I use that as meditation object.

[DontKnow]

Well, lately I've been more of a 'breath is best' kind of guy.

Usually though I will spend a little time at the start of each sitting and counter whatever hindrance has been predominate in my mind that day. It used to be lust, but now a days I feel little hindrance in anyway I used to be. Actually I think I'm hindered most by these forums, as of late. Hmmm.

I am a firm believer that the Buddha didn't intend for us to stay with just one meditation. True, he was a big proponent of breath meditation, but he also exhorted his followers to cultivate other meditations. You would not think this from reading the forums out there. Where is the foulness? Where are the elements. Personally, one of the most important realizations I've had came from the second charnal ground contemplation.

In the greater discourse to Rahula the Buddha listed the different themes Rahula should develop, so to counter the hindrances.

The only routine I try to cling to is to be aware. So when I sit I let "awareness be aware" of whatever it wants to be aware of. Sometimes this is awareness of awareness itself, sometimes it's awareness of breathing, body position, pain, sound, environment, awareness of "being aware of awareness" No structure at all. Then I may get up and walk, being aware of feet touching the ground or breathing or being aware; Then I may stand for a while and do same thing; Then I will do prostrations, or chant in the mind "namo tasa bhagavato arahato sama sambudhasa" or something else. The only regular thing I follow is to do "formal" meditation daily at least 1 time (mostly 2 or 3 times). Then during driving, working, thinking, bathing and so on I become aware of those activities.