1.4 KiB
1.4 KiB
Meditation practice
Daily schedule
- Pick at least 2 specific times every day, to meditate for 15-30m. Setting an alarm helps, for consistency. Find what works best for you.
What doesn't work
- Doing 1-10m per day is pointless. Your mind is like a glass of water with sediments, it needs time for those sediments to settle to the bottom. This is why skilled meditators recommend longer sessions. Dipa Ma recommends 4h / day, 2h sit at dawn, 2h in the evening. 1-2h per day seems to be the recommended amount, but 20-45m / day is a good starting point.
- Trying to start out too long / day will fail, because it requires a lot of motivation. We want to gradually build a habit, not rely on motivation.
Preparation before Meditating on your subject
- Mindful breath that you will succeed, and are on the same path as the Buddha and other arahants.
- Mindful breath of loving-kindness towards all beings.
- Mindful breath of death, and the impurity of your body.
Dealing with distractions
- Focus on its opposite, or something else.
- Sensual desire - the gross body
- hatred / anger - loving friendliness
- depression / dejection - wholesome qualities of the buddha
- Examine its drawbacks (three marks)
- Forget or ignore
- Reject or stop them
- Crush them, with teeth clenched and tongue against roof of mouth