Meditating outside & insects

[Alex123]

Hello all,

Does anyone do sitting meditation outside? If so, how do you deal with insects (such as ants) that tend to crawl all over you?

I wonder, what did the Buddha (and his disciples) do? How could one handle long deep meditation sitting on the ground?


Thanks.

[Sam Vara]

Hello all,

Does anyone do sitting meditation outside? If so, how do you deal with insects (such as ants) that tend to crawl all over you?

I wonder, what did the Buddha (and his disciples) do? How could one handle long deep meditation sitting on the ground?


Thanks.

Yes, I meditate outside when it is warm enough. I sit on a chair anyway, but I still get bothered by flies. If you tried meditating on a chair, that might help with the ants and other non-flying insects.

Once flies have settled on my skin, I do find them very distracting. Sometimes I gently brush them aside, which works with houseflies (although they come back!) but smaller ones like greenflies (sap-sucking and very fragile) would be killed. I'm thinking about covering up more; long sleeves and long trousers. I find ignoring them is not an option in the early stages of meditation, as the mind immediately begins to construct a strong narrative based on the contact.

[Alex123]

thank you for your reply, Sam Vara.

[santa100]

Hello all,

Does anyone do sitting meditation outside? If so, how do you deal with insects (such as ants) that tend to crawl all over you?

I wonder, what did the Buddha (and his disciples) do? How could one handle long deep meditation sitting on the ground?


Thanks.

For beginning meditators who haven't developed enough jhanic strength to ignore those insects, using a meditation tent seems like a good investment.

[AgarikaJ]

Recommended is, that you meet flies, mosquitos and ants -- as all outside influences -- with equanimity; they might even be a good meditation object to achive this state of mind...

Ajahn Brahm quoted Ajahn Chah once calling them 'Ajahn Mosquito' (see below).

However! I personally rather prefer to find meditation spots, where I am bothered as little as possible, so the question does not even arise: if there is sun, sitting on a stone (which will get hot) removes most ants; finding a spot with a slight breeze and not too deep in underbrush sees most mosquitoes gone; and if flies are an issue, putting up an incense stick does the trick most of the time.

Which is why that I learn from my teacher in Thailand, you know, Ajahn Chah, you know “Ajahn” means “teacher”. And he said that anything which is irritating you, anything which is troubling you, THAT is your teacher. So being in north-east Thailand, we‟d always call the mosquitos “Ajahn Mosquito”. Coz I‟ve learned so much from those damn mosquitos! That‟s what I though at that time, those mosquitos, even when we used to do the loving kindness.
For those of you who are buddhist, you know that we spread loving kindness to all people, all beings, all genders, no matter what you are and who you are: may all beings be happy and well. However, as a young man, being a monk in Thailand, I just could not do that. It‟s impossible. So I did the best I can, I used to chant: “May all beings be happy and well, except mosquitos! May all beings be free from suffering, but not those mosquitos, they don‟t deserve after what they‟ve done to me!”
I‟m sure that when you ever do the “spread loving kindness”, you‟ll also have exceptions. But it didn‟t work well when I had exceptions, so I learned how to learn from those mosquitos, to be kind to them.

[mario92]

Use vinegar poured around you on the floor

[Joe.c]

if you look at MN 2, you will find all the answer.

... And what are the influences that should be given up by using?

Take a mendicant who, reflecting rationally, makes use of robes:

‘Only for the sake of warding off cold and heat; for warding off the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; and for covering up the private parts.’ ...

Since you are a householder, use a cloth or sweater to wrap around the skin or mosquito net or avoid certain area.

But before meditate, please make sure to understand why do you meditate? If you want to awaken before have other conditions, it is probably a wasteful act.

[Alex123]

Since you are a householder, use a cloth or sweater to wrap around the skin or mosquito net or avoid certain area.

But before meditate, please make sure to understand why do you meditate? If you want to awaken before have other conditions, it is probably a wasteful act.

Actually, I was wondering how tough it was for the Buddha & his disciples to meditate in the forest. When one meditates inside, it is much more comfortable.

Why meditate? To understand... And to uproot kilesas.




Thank you all for replies!

[zamis]

Monks have their robes to protect them from insects and other things. One of the four daily reflections is on the use of their robes for that purpose. Nowadays there are pop up screened tents that are small enough to easily carry and large enough for one person to sit cross-legged. They can be stowed away in the monk's bag to take just about anywhere. They make good gifts for monastics actually.

[Alex123]

Monks have their robes to protect them from insects and other things. One of the four daily reflections is on the use of their robes for that purpose. Nowadays there are pop up screened tents that are small enough to easily carry and large enough for one person to sit cross-legged. They can be stowed away in the monk's bag to take just about anywhere. They make good gifts for monastics actually.

Thank you for your reply.

As for robes, it doesn't prevent the ants from crawling up on it and then on the body.

[Joe.c]

Why meditate? To understand... And to uproot kilesas.

Did you say Uproot? Are you ready to let go your job, family, etc, or even eating, breathing? I highly doubt it.

For a householder, It is probably better to start cut of the small branches of kilesa by practicing precepts and gain wisdom in daily life. Hear more true dhamma.

[zamis]

Thank you for your reply.

As for robes, it doesn't prevent the ants from crawling up on it and then on the body.

You're right. I was speaking of monastics for whom a pop up tent would work well. It also works well for lay people. I use a screen room/tent but a pop up would be very handy for travel.

[Ceisiwr]

Hello all,

Does anyone do sitting meditation outside? If so, how do you deal with insects (such as ants) that tend to crawl all over you?

I wonder, what did the Buddha (and his disciples) do? How could one handle long deep meditation sitting on the ground?


Thanks.

When he meditated he put some of his robe over his head. Likely this was to shield from the sun (suggesting that he meditated with his eyes open), but possibly also to protect from insect bites.