Where do you sit to do meditation?

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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JC938
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Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by JC938 »

Hi,

I ask this question in another section but I think this is more appropriate section.

I want to ask, where do you sit to do meditation, is bed room ok? I prefer sitting on grass in the open, the only place i can think of where i live (bangkok) is closed due to covid. Where do you do meditation?

Thanks.
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Sam Vara
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by Sam Vara »

JC938 wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 10:29 am Hi,

I ask this question in another section but I think this is more appropriate section.

I want to ask, where do you sit to do meditation, is bed room ok? I prefer sitting on grass in the open, the only place i can think of where i live (bangkok) is closed due to covid. Where do you do meditation?

Thanks.
Yes, a bedroom is fine. I have tried lots of different places, and in general if there is nothing to disturb me then I can get good results anywhere. People have told me that it is helpful to have a shrine or a place that is kept specially clean and tidy, but I have found that it personally makes little difference. I am currently using a large dirty room attached to our dwelling, because there I am not disturbed by our cat and dog, who tend to seek me out when I meditate.

I guess that in Bangkok people would keep a respectful distance from you if you were meditating in the open, because they would know what you were doing. Here in the UK, people would be more curious, so I prefer somewhere private.
JC938
Posts: 212
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:17 pm

Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by JC938 »

Sam Vara wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 10:38 am
JC938 wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 10:29 am Hi,

I ask this question in another section but I think this is more appropriate section.

I want to ask, where do you sit to do meditation, is bed room ok? I prefer sitting on grass in the open, the only place i can think of where i live (bangkok) is closed due to covid. Where do you do meditation?

Thanks.
Yes, a bedroom is fine. I have tried lots of different places, and in general if there is nothing to disturb me then I can get good results anywhere. People have told me that it is helpful to have a shrine or a place that is kept specially clean and tidy, but I have found that it personally makes little difference. I am currently using a large dirty room attached to our dwelling, because there I am not disturbed by our cat and dog, who tend to seek me out when I meditate.

I guess that in Bangkok people would keep a respectful distance from you if you were meditating in the open, because they would know what you were doing. Here in the UK, people would be more curious, so I prefer somewhere private.
Thank you. I will practice in my bed room.
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Pondera
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by Pondera »

In my car seat, going 25 km/hour, listening to Beatles.
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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Pondera
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by Pondera »

Formal sitting leads people to assume that they’ve already accomplished the first step of meditation.

The first step of meditation isn’t to sit down. The first step of meditation is to suffer; then - to give rise to faith; then joy; then rapture; then tranquility; then sukha; then samadhi; then insight; then disenchantment; then dispassion; then release; and finally knowledge and vision of release.

There are 12 steps. The first is to suffer. This is not a religion for little boys and girls. It is a religion for people who are relying on their selves for survival. Grow up, suffer, generate a kind of faith that alleviates that suffering - and the rest is like water flowing down a mountain top. Ie. it eventually flows into the boundless ocean.
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Pondera wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 1:34 am In my car seat, going 25 km/hour, listening to Beatles.
Wonderful!
Just out of curiosity, where can you drive at 25 km/hour without being a hazard? ;)
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confusedlayman
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by confusedlayman »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 4:18 am
Pondera wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 1:34 am In my car seat, going 25 km/hour, listening to Beatles.
Wonderful!
Just out of curiosity, where can you drive at 25 km/hour without being a hazard? ;)
may be NY traffic
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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Pondera
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by Pondera »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 4:18 am
Pondera wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 1:34 am In my car seat, going 25 km/hour, listening to Beatles.
Wonderful!
Just out of curiosity, where can you drive at 25 km/hour without being a hazard? ;)
I will keep that a secret. But in my line of work, it is possible.
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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Crazy cloud
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Re: Where do you sit to do meditation?

Post by Crazy cloud »

Here.
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
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