Meditation Tips

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Kumara
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:14 am
Contact:

Meditation Tips

Post by Kumara »

Meditation Tips
Kumāra Bhikkhu
  1. Don’t try to meditate. Just be aware of whatever that’s obvious to you now in the space of your body and mind.
  2. There is no forcing in right effort. Relax.
  3. Meditation should not cause stress. If it does, it’s wrong meditation.
  4. Be real. Don’t pretend.
  5. Don’t try to get something or get rid of something.
  6. The quality of meditation is in the doing, not in the getting.
  7. Don’t struggle with your thoughts and feelings. Relax. Just be aware of what’s happening as it is, and learn from the experience.
  8. We do not meditate to get rid of suffering; we meditate to understand it. When we fully understand suffering, it naturally ends.
  9. Don’t take meditation too seriously. Allow yourself to be joyful.
  10. Body relaxed, mind attentive.
  11. Don’t just be aware. Be aware wisely. Use your intelligence.
  12. Don’t get soaked in your experience. Step back.
  13. Be the observer, not the experiencer.
  14. If greed, anger, or anxiety increases as you practise, check if you want something.
  15. If the mind is overwhelmed, watch something neutral instead, like breathing.
  16. Don’t make meditation a chore. Delight in being aware.
  17. If you find meditation difficult, stop. Something about how you are meditating is making it difficult. Check.
  18. Meditation is not just sitting. It’s something we live engaging in.
  19. If you can’t maintain awareness, check if you’re relaxed.
  20. How well you do does not matter. What matters is that you keep learning from your experience.
SarathW
Posts: 21234
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by SarathW »

Good tip Bhate.
However, I am not sure of what you mean by "Be the observer, not the experiencer".
Could you explain this, please?
In my opinion your statement amount to a self-view.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
Kumara
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:14 am
Contact:

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by Kumara »

SarathW wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:28 am Good tip Bhate.
However, I am not sure of what you mean by "Be the observer, not the experiencer".
Could you explain this, please?
It's actually based on a literal translation of the Suttas. Here's an example from Sāla Sutta (SN47.4):
Abide in the body as body-observers, ardent, fully aware, poised, of radiant mind, composed, still-minded, for the knowing of the body according to reality. (kāye kāyānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya.)
The sutta says the same for feelings, mind and phenomena.
simsapa
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 5:51 pm

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by simsapa »

Meditation should not cause stress. If it does, it’s wrong meditation.
A lot of people recollect various problems or memories during meditation. Having remembered these, meditation becomes quite challenging. These problems are often complex and overwhelming. Recently on here I read a description of anxiety as the release of effluents from the heart. This seems correct. There is a fear of being overwhelmed by this process.

I'd appreciate your thoughts, Bhante.
User avatar
mjaviem
Posts: 2302
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:06 pm

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by mjaviem »

Kumara wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 am ...
18. Meditation is not just sitting. It’s something we live engaging in.
...
What does 18 mean?
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
User avatar
confusedlayman
Posts: 6231
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:16 am
Location: Human Realm (as of now)

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by confusedlayman »

Amazing. I think teach us how to relax..
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
User avatar
Kumara
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:14 am
Contact:

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by Kumara »

simsapa wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 5:32 pm
Meditation should not cause stress. If it does, it’s wrong meditation.
A lot of people recollect various problems or memories during meditation. Having remembered these, meditation becomes quite challenging. These problems are often complex and overwhelming. Recently on here I read a description of anxiety as the release of effluents from the heart. This seems correct. There is a fear of being overwhelmed by this process.

I'd appreciate your thoughts, Bhante.
That would be revealing an existing stress, not creating it.

However, if one does not have the right view of these memories, i.e., to view memories as just memories, one would react to them, and therefore do actually create stress. That of course is then meditating wrongly.

In this situation, it's likely that one can't apply right view, as the self-identification towards those memories is strong. So, one is better off directing one's attention on neutral objects. The easiest is probably to feel the whole body as one takes a walk.

That should not be deemed as escapism, but a right effort to steady the mind.
User avatar
Kumara
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 8:14 am
Contact:

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by Kumara »

mjaviem wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:34 pm
Kumara wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 am ...
18. Meditation is not just sitting. It’s something we live engaging in.
...
What does 18 mean?
It means meditation is something to be done all day long, not just when sitting.
simsapa
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 5:51 pm

Re: Meditation Tips

Post by simsapa »

In this situation, it's likely that one can't apply right view, as the self-identification towards those memories is strong. So, one is better off directing one's attention on neutral objects. The easiest is probably to feel the whole body as one takes a walk.

That should not be deemed as escapism, but a right effort to steady the mind.
Thank you, Bhante.
Post Reply