How to meditate?

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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befriend
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Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:39 am

How to meditate?

Post by befriend »

When I do formal sitting meditation I use my abdominal rising and falling movements as a homebase, then when something comes up like knee pain I recognize it as pain or unpleasant sensation allow it to be there be curious about it/investigate it and then non identification or a whisper in my head automatically says not self then if the pain subsides I'll come back to my breath if sounds come I will be aware of them from beginning to end then return to my homebase. If an experience be it hatred or pleasure or anything at all that is strong enough to take my awareneness off of my breath I will focus on that new object then return to the breath. is this basically how meditation is in regards to the 4 foundations of mindfulness? I have increased my meditation time to around 45 minutes and just want to be sure I have the science/theory of it down. Thank you.
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: How to meditate?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Sounds perfect to me. Continue!
befriend
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Re: How to meditate?

Post by befriend »

Cool. Thanks James!
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
anagaarika
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Re: How to meditate?

Post by anagaarika »

Don´t forget to develop other techniques, too ;) Brahmaviharas are really essential, especially for us lay people.
pegembara
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Re: How to meditate?

Post by pegembara »

Imagine you are a ship in open waters.
The breath is your anchor and thoughts/feelings are the waves.
If the anchor is not strong enough, you risk getting carried away by the waves.
So just make sure your anchor is strong enough.

Keep practising.
"Then those six animals, of different ranges, of different habitats, would each pull toward its own range & habitat. The snake would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the anthill.' The crocodile would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the water.' The bird would pull, thinking, 'I'll fly up into the air.' The dog would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the village.' The hyena would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the charnel ground.' The monkey would pull, thinking, 'I'll go into the forest.' And when these six animals became internally exhausted, they would stand, sit, or lie down right there next to the post or stake. In the same way, when a monk whose mindfulness immersed in the body is developed & pursued, the eye does not pull toward pleasing forms, and unpleasing forms are not repellent. The ear does not pull toward pleasing sounds... The nose does not pull toward pleasing aromas... The tongue does not pull toward pleasing flavors... The body does not pull toward pleasing tactile sensations... The intellect does not pull toward pleasing ideas, and unpleasing ideas are not repellent. This, monks, is restraint.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
Joe.c
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Re: How to meditate?

Post by Joe.c »

Meditation is not focus to the breath only.

When you meditate, you look at how your breath changes from deep breath to shallow and understand why it changes.

Typically deep breath occurs due to tension in the body due to outside influences that come in from your senses (eye, ear, tounge, body touch, nose, and thoughts - memory & future).

If you look at satipatthana
It start from kaya, then feeling, then citta (mood/mind that contain feeling), then dhamma (thoughts).

So to practice meditation is to understand that when influences come in (asava), a thinking (dhamma) arise due to your interpretation on this outside influences (senses). Then your citta (mood) changes, then feeling changes, then body also changes. If you thnking correctly, your 4 object will remain calm, but if you get angry/reject or desire, then these 4 objects changes to more crude way. Then you will start to clinging (upadana), then all dukkha arises.

But starting meditation usually start from observing kaya, then vedana, then citta and then dhamma. Then come freedom of mind. But satipathana is close to final step l, it is not easy for people to start.

It is ok to just observe how breathing changes initially, but on high level one need to observe all 4 (one at time), so they can get into samadhi (equalibrium state).

To meditate is not easy. One need to have correct understanding (right view) and good morality (sila), possible calm life. Then need to understand guarding senses. Otherwise your meditation will not be succesful.

Dont try to meditate when you are stress, usually it is difficult. To meditate is to relax/let go all activities.

Hope this help.
May you be relax, happy, comfortable and free of dukkhas from hearing true dhamma.
May you gain unshakable confidence in Buddha, Dhamma and (Ariya) Sangha.
Learn about Buddha/Dhamma Characters.
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