Mike, Counting the breaths is just the initial part of the teaching technique, at least as it was taught to me. The full techniques is: 1. Counting the breath: 1.1 - 1 on 1xhale, 2 on inhale, etc..., to 10 and then repeat 1.2 - 1 on exhale, 2 on next exhale, etc..., to 10 and then repeat 2. Following the breath: 2.1 - No counting, just following exhale and inhale 2.2 - No counting, just following breath, exhale only 3. Drop the following - shikantaza - Just THIS!
...Bill! --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > Hal, Bill!,<br/><br/>I guess counting the breath is 'bread and butter' for > most people starting out (and also for seasoned meditators). I have found, > however, that the meditation on the breath as taught in the sutras says > nothing whatsoever about counting our breaths. Instead, we just focus on the > breath entering and leaving the nostrils. This works for me much better than > counting because counting can soon become a mantra taking our focus away from > the body. Actual bodily sensations are our doorway into reality rather than > concepts (such as numbers).<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail > for iPad > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
