Interesting. I found that if I could catch the thought as it arose I then knew the impulse that drove it and this was the begining of the reflective awareness.
--- In [email protected], "mattmodrow" <fourforsure@...> wrote: > > Rewrisk, a coincidence indeed, I as well had asthma throughout my childhood > and teens. Luckily, that has subsided over the years (no thanks to many > hair-brained years of cigarettes, which I have only recently quit). But, > anyway, my technique. I do place emphasis on just focusing on my breathing, > yet I am still obviously very aware of the thoughts, ideas, plans, > preferences, etc that all come and go as i meditate. Sometimes while I sit > Zazen my mind and body are very calm, at other times I am anxious and have a > very busy mind. Regardless of what mood or state I find my mind and body, I > continue to sit until the predetermined time has been reached and it is time > to get up. So, while I sit, my aim is to just look at the wall and focus on > breath. Then I catch myself in thought, my practice is to just return to the > present. Now, precisely this is what I am working on currently: as I catch > myself in thought, I try not to think the words "just come back," rather, I > am trying to become more proficient in just "doing" the "mental action" of > "just coming back" without thinking it in words. I have been noticing that > over the last couple of weeks with some determination I am becoming better at > this. I also appreciate and value the this "mirrored reflection" ability of > awareness, it is very subtle. To be able to just let the thoughts come and > go on their own accord without pushing them away forcibly or making effort to > keep them, this is a practice that i feel requires a substantial amount of > training. But, like I said earlier, what I am mainly working on right now is > trying not to think phrases like "just come back," instead to simply... come > back. > > --- In [email protected], "rewrisk" <rewrisk@> wrote: > > > > Matt. > > I was asthmatic as a child and as a young man found attempting to > > concentrate on my breathing had rather unpleasant consequences. > > I tried many meditative techniques and finally found that simply watching > > what occured in my mind was most effective. I had heard of reflective > > meditation and while the suggested technique didn't do it for me the idea > > of reflection of holding a mirror to my mind, a mirror in which to watch > > what occurred in it turned out to be very effective and I progressed quite > > quickly once I learnt to. As I progressed I found myself tempted to > > interfere with what I saw occuring, this slowed my progress untill I began > > to realise I was not seeing everything and later as I progressed further > > the temptation to interfere resulted in unpleasant effects so that I > > quickly ceased to fall to such temptation. Eventually I found I was able to > > induce those states that other meditative techniques suggested, through > > reflective awareness. > > > > So apart from indulging myself in the above self expression you can see how > > one technique can lead to another. You say you know from practising > > meditation on your breath that through it you can also enter a state of > > mental stillness. So no effort goes without result there is only what you > > are yet to discover. To me it sounds forced and the force of habit but you > > must work atleast to some degree with your own nature I do not mean to > > insult. To myself my technique sounds vain and self indulgent and it is. > > But has worked for me quite well. > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "mattmodrow" <fourforsure@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Rewrisk, thank you for your reply. Your considerate words are > > > encouraging and wise. As far as my technique, I am fortunate enough to > > > live fairly close by to a Zen meditation center of the Soto lineage. So, > > > at home and at the center in my Zazen, the only object of my meditation > > > is the breath. I have become quite familiar with several walls and love > > > them dearly. :) Well, it is actually time to sit for the night, so > > > again, thank you, and have a pleasant evening/day. > > > --- In [email protected], "rewrisk" <rewrisk@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Yes. > > > > I misread your; 'the "great matter of birth and death."' > > > > I am heartened that you do not believe in reincarnation or life after > > > > death. > > > > I apologise to you, clearly I mistook my audience. > > > > > > > > You say 'I should hope I don't ever feel that I have reached a "place" > > > > in my understanding'. And I am minded that I have found many a "place" > > > > in my understanding but none I could rest on my laurels in. I took rest > > > > as I had to and while I may have tried to superimpose meaning on that I > > > > found meaning despite doing so. > > > > > > > > If you should wish to discuss meditative technique? > > > > I myself have found a reflective awareness the most usefull. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "mattmodrow" <fourforsure@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > With all respect to you, rewisk, you have made a lot of assumptions > > > > > about me without knowing me. I do not believe in reincarnation, or > > > > > life after death. These are things I cannot know, because I have not > > > > > died. And as far as how long it "should" take for a practitioner to > > > > > "attain" anything, who is to say? I should hope I don't ever feel > > > > > that I have reached a "place" in my understanding, I wish to just > > > > > experience my life in the present moment with the growing of my > > > > > understanding of Emptiness. > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "rewrisk" <rewrisk@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Sorry to have to tell you this Matt but you will not survive your > > > > > > death. > > > > > > Some people seem to think that life could only be fair if we are > > > > > > reincarnated but they fail to recognise that if life was fair you > > > > > > would have to pay for your advantages and not just your sins. If > > > > > > life is fair then it can't be a gift. > > > > > > Six years huh? > > > > > > It only took me three and less than a year after I got serious > > > > > > about it. I do not say this to boast only I wonder about you > > > > > > meditative technique? I suppose if I include the time of my initial > > > > > > curiosity maybe four or so. > > > > > > I felt great need though, likely this is the difference. > > > > > > Still I would expect any person who regularly practised an > > > > > > effective form of meditation to atleast have attained a sense of > > > > > > thier personal illusion. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "mattmodrow" <fourforsure@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Myself, I do not feel that it is a matter of salvation. The > > > > > > > matter, is the "great matter of birth and death." One of my > > > > > > > favorite authors, Stephen Batchelor, in his book -Alone with > > > > > > > others- says that the "aim" is for "the optimum mode of being." > > > > > > > To me what this says is, that the aim of life would be living in > > > > > > > awareness, as you grow and age through the years, hopefully you > > > > > > > will become wiser. I recently had Dokusan with one of my > > > > > > > teachers, and she said that Zen practice and enlightenment is > > > > > > > kind of like in those old cartoons, when someone is about to > > > > > > > receive a gift and they are told NOT to look. In the cartoons, > > > > > > > we always see them peeking with one eye at the gift before it is > > > > > > > given to them. So, I have been practicing since 2006, I have > > > > > > > never had an "awakening experience," and that is fine with me. > > > > > > > Zazen has taught me many things, and I know not to "peek," or in > > > > > > > other words, to conceptualize what I think enlightenment is and > > > > > > > then strive for it. Rather, I just live my daily life, always, > > > > > > > constantly coming back to direct experience. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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