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Focusing the mind on the body can be readily accomplished while
sitting. You need to find a time and a place which affords you calm and freedom
from disturbance.
A quiet room with not much in it to distract the mind
is ideal; a setting with light and space has a brightening and clearing effect,
while a cluttered and gloomy room has just the opposite. Timing is also
important, particularly as most people's days are quite structured with
routines. It is not especially productive to meditate when you have something
else to do, or when you're pressed for time. It's better to set aside a period
-- say, in the early morning or in the evening after work -- when you can really
give your full attention to the practice. Begin with fifteen minutes or so.
Practise sincerely with the limitations of time and available energy, and avoid
becoming mechanical about the routine. Meditation practice, supported by genuine
willingness to investigate and make peace with oneself, will develop naturally
in terms of duration and skill.
Awareness of the body
The development of calm is aided by stability, and by a steady
but peaceful effort. If you can't feel settled, there's no peacefulness; if
there's no sense of application, you tend to day-dream. One of the most
effective postures for the cultivation of the proper combination of stillness
and energy is sitting.
Use a posture that will keep your back straight
without strain. A simple upright chair may be helpful, or you may be able to use
one of the lotus postures. This looks awkward at first, but in time they can
provide a unique balance of gentle firmness that gladdens the mind without
tiring the body.
If the chin is tilted very slightly down this will
help, but do not allow the head to loll forward as this encourages drowsiness.
Place the hands on your lap, palms upwards, one gently resting on the other with
the thumb-tips touching. Take your time, and get the right balance.
Now,
collect your attention, and begin to move it slowly down your body. Notice the
sensations. Relax any tensions, particularly in the face, neck and hands. Allow
the eyelids to close or half close.
Investigate how you are feeling.
Expectant or tense? Then relax your attention a little. With this, the mind will
probably calm down, and you may find some thoughts drifting in -- reflections,
daydreams, memories, or doubts about whether you are doing it right! Instead of
following or contending with these thought patterns, bring more attention to the
body, which is a useful anchor for a wandering mind.
Cultivate a spirit
of inquiry in your meditation attitude. Take your time. Move your attention, for
example, systematically from the crown of the head down over the whole body.
Notice the different sensations -- such as warmth, pulsing, numbness, and
sensitivity -- in the joints of each finger, the moisture of the palms, and the
pulse in the wrist. Even areas that may have no particular sensation, such as
the forearms or the earlobes, can be "swept over" in an attentive way. Notice
how even the lack of sensation is something the mind can be aware of. This
constant and sustained investigation is called mindfulness (sati) and is
one of the primary tools of Insight Meditation.
Mindfulness of breathing
Instead of "body sweeping", or after a preliminary period of
this practice, mindfulness can be developed through attention on the breath.
First, follow the sensation of your ordinary breath as it flows in
through the nostrils and fills the chest and abdomen. Then try maintaining your
attention at one point, either at the diaphragm or -- a more refined location --
at the nostrils. Breath has a tranquillising quality, steady and relaxing if you
don't force it; this is helped by an upright posture. Your mind may wander, but
keep patiently returning to the breath.
It is not necessary to develop
concentration to the point of excluding everything else except the breath.
Rather than to create a trance, the purpose here is to allow you to notice the
workings of the mind, and to bring a measure of peaceful clarity into it. The
entire process -- gathering your attention, noticing the breath, noticing that
the mind has wandered, and re-establishing your attention -- develops
mindfulness, patience and insightful understanding. So don't be put off by
apparent "failure" -- simply begin again. Continuing in this way allows the mind
eventually to calm down.
If you get very restless or agitated, just
relax. Practise being at peace with yourself, listening to -- without
necessarily believing in -- the voices of the mind.
If you feet drowsy,
then put more care and attention into your body and posture. Refining your
attention or pursuing tranquillity at such times will only make matters worse!
Many meditation exercises, such as the above "mindfulness of
breathing", are practised while sitting. However, walking is commonly alternated
with sitting as a form for meditation. Apart from giving you different things to
notice, it's a skilful way to energise the practice if the calming effect of
sitting is making you dull.
If you have access to some open land,
measure off about 25-30 paces' length of level ground (or a clearly defined
pathway between two trees), as your meditation path. Stand at one end of the
path, and compose your mind on the sensations of the body. First, let the
attention rest on the feeling of the body standing upright, with the arms
hanging naturally and the hands lightly clasped in front or behind.
Allow the eyes to gaze at a point about three metres in front of you at
ground level, thus avoiding visual distraction. Now, walk gently, at a
deliberate but "normal" pace, to the end of the path. Stop. Focus on the body
standing for the period of a couple of breaths. Turn, and walk back again. While
walking, be aware of the general flow of physical sensations, or more closely
direct your attention to the feet. The exercise for the mind is to keep bringing
its attention back to the sensation of the feet touching the ground, the spaces
between each step, and the feelings of stopping and starting.
Of course,
the mind will wander. So it is important to cultivate patience, and the resolve
to begin again. Adjust the pace to suit your state of mind -- vigorous when
drowsy or trapped in obsessive thought, firm but gentle when restless and
impatient. At the end of the path, stop; breathe in and out; "let go" of any
restlessness, worry, calm, bliss, memories or opinions about yourself. The
"inner chatter" may stop momentarily, or fade out. Begin again. In this way you
continually refresh the mind, and allow it to settle at its own rate.
In
more confined spaces, alter the length of the path to suit what is available.
Alternatively, you can circumambulate a room, pausing after each
circumambulation for a few moments of standing. This period of standing can be
extended to several minutes, using "body sweeping".
Walking brings
energy and fluidity into the practice, so keep your pace steady and just let
changing conditions pass through the mind. Rather than expecting the mind to be
as still as it might be while sitting, contemplate the flow of phenomena. It is
remarkable how many times we can become engrossed in a train of thought --
arriving at the end of the path and "coming to" with a start! -- but it is
natural for our untrained minds to become absorbed in thoughts and moods. So
instead of giving in to impatience, learn how to let go, and begin again. A
sense of ease and calm may then arise, allowing the mind to become open and
clear in a natural, unforced way.
Reclining at the end of a day, spend a few minutes meditating while lying on one side. Keep the body quite straight and bend one arm up so that the hand acts as a support for the head. Sweep through the body, resting its stresses; or collect your attention on the breath, consciously putting aside memories of the day just past and expectations of tomorrow. In a few minutes, with your mind clear, you'll be able to rest well.
Cultivating good-will gives another dimension to the practice
of Insight. Meditation naturally teaches patience and tolerance, or at least it
shows the importance of these qualities. So you may well wish to develop a more
friendly and caring attitude towards yourself and other people. In meditation,
you can cultivate good-will very realistically.
Focus attention on the
breath, which you will now be using as the means of spreading kindness and
good-will. Begin with yourself, with your body. Visualise the breath as a light,
or see your awareness as being a warm ray, and gradually sweep it over your
body. Lightly focus your attention on the centre of the chest, around the heart
region. As you breathe in, direct patient kindness towards yourself, perhaps
with the thought, "May I be well", or "Peace". As you breathe out, let the mood
of that thought, or the awareness of light, spread outwards from the heart,
through the body, through the mind, and beyond yourself. "May others be well."
If you are experiencing negative states of mind, breathe in the
qualities of tolerance and forgiveness. Visualising the breath as having a
healing colour may be helpful. On the out-breath, let go -- of any stress, worry
or negativity -- and extend the sense of release through the body, the mind, and
beyond, as before.
This practice can form all or part of a period of
meditation -- you have to judge for yourself what is appropriate. The calming
effect of meditating with a kindly attitude is good for beginning a sitting, but
there will no doubt be times to use this approach for long periods, to go deeply
into the heart.
Always begin with what you are aware of, even if it
seems trivial or confused. Let your mind rest calmly on that -- whether it's
boredom, an aching knee, or the frustration of not feeling particularly kindly.
Allow these to be; practise being at peace with them. Recognise and gently put
aside any tendencies towards laziness, doubt or guilt.
Peacefulness can
develop into a very nourishing kindness towards yourself, if you first of all
fully accept the presence of what you dislike. Keep the attention steady, and
open the heart to whatever you experience. This does not imply approval of
negative states, but allows them a space wherein they can come and go.
Generating good-will toward the world beyond yourself follows much the
same pattern. A simple way to spread kindness is to work in stages. Start with
yourself, joining the sense of loving acceptance to the movement of the breath.
"May I be well." Then, reflect on people you love and respect, and wish them
well, one by one. Move on to friendly acquaintances, then to those towards whom
you feel indifferent. "May they be well." Finally, bring to mind those people
you fear or dislike, and continue to send out wishes of good-will.
This
meditation can expand, in a movement of compassion, to include all people in the
world, in their many circumstances. And remember, you don't have to feel that
you love everyone in order to wish them well!
Kindness and compassion
originate from the same source of good will, and they broaden the mind beyond
the purely personal perspective. If you're not always trying to make things go
the way you want them to; if you're more accepting and receptive to yourself and
others as they are, compassion arises by itself. Compassion is the natural
sensitivity of the heart.
Meditation can also proceed without a meditation object, in a
state of pure contemplation, or "choiceless awareness". After calming the mind
by one of the methods described above, consciously put aside the meditation
object. Observe the flow of mental images and sensations just as they arise,
without engaging in criticism or praise. Notice any aversion and fascination;
contemplate any uncertainty, happiness, restlessness or tranquillity as it
arises. You can return to a meditation object (such as the breath). whenever the
sense of clarity diminishes, or if you begin to feel overwhelmed by impressions.
When a sense of steadiness returns, you can relinquish the object again.
This practice of "bare attention" is well-suited for contemplating the
mental process. Along with observing the mind's particular "ingredients", we can
turn our attention to the nature of the container. As for the contents of the
mind, Buddhist teaching points especially to three simple, fundamental
characteristics.
First, there is changeability - the ceaseless beginning
and ending all things go through, the constant movement of the content of the
mind. This mind-stuff may be pleasant or unpleasant, but it is never at rest.
There is also a persistent, often subtle, sense of dissatisfaction .
Unpleasant sensations easily evoke that sense, but even a lovely experience
creates a tug in the heart when it ends. So at the best of moments there is
still an inconclusive quality in what the mind experiences, a somewhat
unsatisfied feeling.
As the constant arising and passing of experiences
and moods become familiar, it also becomes clear that -- since there is no
permanence in them -- none of them really belong to you. And, when this
mind-stuff is silent -- revealing a bright spaciousness of mind -- there are no
purely personal characteristics to be found! This can be difficult to
comprehend, but in reality there is no "me" and no "mine"-- the characteristic
of "no-self", or impersonality.
Investigate fully and notice how these
qualities pertain to all things, physical and mental. No matter if your
experiences are joyful or barely endurable, this contemplation will lead to a
calm and balanced perspective on your life.
These meditation exercises all serve to establish awareness of
things as they are. By bringing your mind fully onto experiences, you will
notice more clearly the state of the mind itself -- for example, whether you are
being lazy or over-eager in your practice. With a little honest appraisal, it
becomes evident that the quality of the meditation practice depends, not on the
exercise being used, but on what you are putting into it. Reflecting in this
way, you will gain deeper insight into your personality and habits.
There are some useful points to bear in mind whenever you meditate.
Consider whether you are beginning afresh each time -- or even better, with each
breath or footstep. If you don't practise with an open mind, you may find
yourself trying to recreate a past insight, or unwilling to learn from your
mistakes. Is there the right balance of energy whereby you are doing all that
you can without being over-forceful? Are you keeping in touch with what is
actually happening in your mind, or using a technique in a dull, mechanical way?
As for concentration, it's good to check whether you are putting aside concerns
that are not immediate, or letting yourself meander in thoughts and moods. Or,
are you trying to repress feelings without acknowledging them and responding
wisely?
Proper concentration is that which unifies the heart and mind.
Reflecting in this way encourages you to develop a skilful approach. And of
course, reflection will show you more than how to meditate: it will give you the
clarity to understand yourself.
Remember, until you've developed some
skill and case with meditation, it's best to use a meditation object, such as
the breath, as a focus for awareness and as an antidote for the overwhelming
nature of the mind's distractions. Even so, whatever your length of experience
with the practice, it is always helpful to return to awareness of the breath or
body. Developing this ability to begin again leads to stability and case. With a
balanced practice, you realise more and more the way the body and mind are, and
see how to live with greater freedom and harmony. This is the purpose and the
fruit of Insight Meditation.
With the practice of Insight Meditation you will see your
attitudes more clearly, and come to know which are helpful and which create
difficulties. An open attitude can make even unpleasant experiences insightful
-- for instance, understanding the way that the mind reacts against pain or
sickness.
When you approach such experiences in this way, you can often
unwind the stress and resistance to pain, and alleviate it to a great degree. On
the other hand, an impatient streak will have different results: becoming
annoyed with others if they disturb your meditation; being disappointed if your
practice doesn't seem to be progressing fast enough; falling into unpleasant
moods over insignificant matters. Meditation teaches us that peace of mind -- or
its absence -- essentially depends on whether or not we contemplate the events
of life in a spirit of reflection and open-mindedness.
By looking into
your intentions and attitudes in the quiet of meditation, you can investigate
the relationship between desire and dissatisfaction. See the causes of
discontent: wanting what you don't have; rejecting what you dislike; being
unable to keep what you want. This is especially oppressive when the subject of
the discontent and desire is yourself. No-one finds it easy to be at peace with
personal weakness, especially when so much social emphasis is placed on feeling
good, getting ahead and having the best. Such expectations indeed make it
difficult to accept oneself as one is.
However, with the practice of
insight meditation, you discover a space in which to stand back a little from
what you think you are, from what you think you have. Contemplating these
perceptions, it becomes clearer that you don't have any thing as "me" or "mine";
there are simply experiences, which come and go through the mind.
So if,
for example, you're looking into an irritating habit, rather than becoming
depressed by it, you don't reinforce it and the habit passes away. It may come
back again, but this time it's weaker, and you know what to do. Through
cultivating peaceful attention, mental content calms down and may even fade out,
leaving the mind clear and refreshed. Such is the ongoing path of insight.
To be able to go to a still centre of awareness within the changing flow
of daily life is the sign of a mature practice, for insight deepens immeasurably
when it is able to spread to all experience. Try to use the perspective of
insight no matter what you are doing -- routine housework, driving the car,
having a cup of tea. Collect the awareness, rest it steadily on what you are
doing, and rouse a sense of inquiry into the nature of the mind in the mist of
activity. Using the practice to centre on physical sensations, mental states, or
eye-, ear- or nose-consciousness can develop an ongoing contemplation that turns
mundane tasks into foundations for insight.
Centred more and more in
awareness, the mind becomes free to respond skilfully to the moment, and there
is greater harmony in life. This is the way that meditation does "social work"--
by bringing awareness into your life, it brings peace into the world. When you
can abide peacefully with the great variety of feelings that arise in
consciousness, you are able to live more open[y with the world, and with
yourself as you are.
As our insight deepens, we see more clearly the results of our
actions -- the peace that good intention, sincerity and clear-mindedness
promote, and the trouble that confusion and carelessness create. It is this
greater sensitivity, observing in particular the distress we cause ourselves and
others, that often inspires us to want to live more wisely. For true peace of
mind, it is indispensable that formal meditation be combined with a commitment
to responsibility, and with care for oneself and others.
There is really
nothing mysterious about the path of Insight. In the words of the Buddha, the
way is simple: "Do good, refrain from doing evil, and purify the mind".
It is a long-observed tradition, then, for people who engage in spiritual
practice to place great importance on proper conduct. Many meditators undertake
realistic moral vows -- such as refraining from harming living beings, from
stealing, from careless use of sexuality, from using intoxicants (alcohol and
drugs), and from gossip and other graceless speech habits -- to help their own
inner clarity, and perhaps gently encourage that of others.
Meditating with a few friends at regular times can be a great support towards constancy of practice and development of wisdom. The solitary meditator eventually faces diminishing will-power, as there's often something else to do that seems more important (or more interesting) than watching the breath. Regular group meditation for an agreed-upon duration keeps the participants going, regardless of their flux of moods. (The investigation of these shifts of disposition often yields important insights, but on our own we can find it difficult to persevere with them.) As well as seeing the personal benefits, you can reflect that your efforts are helping others to keep practising.
The ideal is an upright, alert posture. Slumping only increases
the pressure on the legs and discomfort in the back. It is important to attend
to your posture with wisdom, not insensitive will-power! Posture will improve in
time, but you need to work with the body, not use force against it.
Check your posture:
If your posture feels tense or stack:
For the legs:
For drowsiness:
For tension or headaches:
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