--- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Nov 17, 2006, at 10:46 AM, sparaig wrote: > > > If we use mindfulness and awareness properly in our meditation, our > > mind will become > > tranquil. There are two main obstacles to the tranquility of the > > mind. One is becoming too > > relaxed and the other is becoming too tense. When we become too > > relaxed, we start to > > follow our thoughts and become absorbed in them. When we are too > > tense, we make too > > much effort focusing on the idea of concentrating and being > > tranquil so that in the end > > our mind cannot remain tranquil and we become distracted. We have > > to constantly try to > > find the balance between being too tense and too relaxed by finding > > just the right amount > > of effort to put into our meditation. Saraha, a great mahasiddha, > > said that when we > > meditate, the mind should be like a thread of the Brahmin. In India > > the Brahmins used to > > spin a lot of thread. If one puts too much tension on it, the > > thread breaks. If the thread is > > too loose, then it won't be strong enough. In the same way, when we > > meditate, the mind > > should maintain the right amount of alertness; neither too tight, > > nor too loose. > > > > > Interesting since people on this list who have shared specific > techniques that M. advised to help transcending in TM, all followed > this principle.
Taking a cold shower or sitting up straight at the start or taking a nap before meditating in the afternoon or doing asanas/pranayama before meditation is NOT "being vigilant to prevent falling asleep." Thatis a value-judgement DURING practice, rather than a conscious decision to change the condition of the body to make it less likely to fall asleep in the first place. MMY admonishes people to start meditation while sitting rather than lying down forthe same reason: to make reduce thechance of falling alseep. Are you saying that the instruction to sit rather than lie down is an instruction to "be vigilant so you do not fall asleep?" > > An example of "too loose" would be that picture from the dome on > Willymex's webpage with the guy passed out in the lazy boy chair. I > guess I missed the day they were teaching the Archie Bunker asana. > Periods of overwhelming sleepinss can happen at any time. Fighting to avoid sleep is merely a more extreme example of "vigilance." And for all you know, the lazyboy chair is there because of a physical problem that precludes him sitting any other way.
