Meditation Practice
Meditation is merely recognising and maintaining one’s true nature,
so you don’t actually have to meditate.
But let’s be honest,
we forget most of the time,
and so a little effortless discipline is handy!
Before we can meditate, we have to know why we are meditating. Of course, we can meditate just to relax and feel good, and that is a start. But then meditation can become a life style, too precious and not to be interrupted…we find interruptions make us angry, when the whole point is to loosen up.
Meditation is familiarisation with one’s true being, which cuts through our conceptual emotional prison.
Sanskrit words have to be used. This is in order that we all know what we are talking about, as these words have not yet been formalised in English, and there is risk of watering down their meaning. Sanskrit is a spiritual language and carries power: that is why it is used in mantras (interestingly, the Tibetan language is based on Sanskrit).
There are many approaches to meditation. The main one is meditation called Shamata – calm abiding. Then we progress to Vipashyana – insight meditation – which gradually reveals the “nature of mind”, our true nature. Here we are talking about the basics, but there are finer levels and other forms of meditation: Devotion, Compassion, and Analytical.
To go further, we have to follow a system or teacher. I know some people hate this idea, but believe me, on our own we will merely get stuck and go round in circles: many think they are already enlightened…big mistake! The path we choose is what helps us clear our confusion…our confusion is our path.
To proceed, we need to practise, and then the questions refine. Otherwise the search for truth merely stays at a conceptual level, and we cannot break out of this fixed mindset. Gradually, we will connect with the inner teacher – in-tuition -seeing all outer and inner phenomena as the teacher.
Bum on Cushion
Before starting, we need to sit up straight (so as not to restrict the channels in the body), and relax. Take three deep breaths and expel as much stale air as possible (there is a practice of breathing through alternate nostrils, but it’s best to see someone actually do this).
As long as you are relaxed and your back is straight, you can sit on a chair or cushion. Sitting straight helps with natural breathing and flow, and keeps your mind alert. The feet can either be placed on the thighs (if you can), or just one foot on one thigh, or crossed legged in front, one in front of the other, so as not to cause them to go numb. Some kneel with a cushion or seat under the bum (Zen style). Lying down is possible, but one tends to go to sleep 🙂
Hands on lap or thighs. Eyes slightly open, or open (closed is okay, but we have to focus, or we will tend to drift off). Nothing forced. Everything relaxed. Facial muscles relaxed! The senses are wide open.
Shamata meditation focuses on the breath. Merely noticing the inhalation and exhalation, thoughts will come – just return to watching the breath. The thoughts may seem to get worse. They are not – you are just noticing more! The point here is that it is your time to relax, rest and be at peace. The body is still, and gradually the mind becomes still…but aware! You can go back to thinking later. This is called Shamata with support.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in a vacant state, a dreamy state, which can be mistaken for meditation, but it’s not. It is a state of ignorance…not knowing. When we are day dreaming, we are cut off from our senses, and from what is around us.
Mind training.
If the mind is wild, we can be more precise.
Take a breath as normal, and breathe out. On the exhalation, count 1. Breath in again, and exhale, counting 2 and so on. This can be repeated 10, 21 or even 108 times -10 is good enough! The main point is that if a thought comes in and we get lost in distraction, then simply return to 1 and start again. Don’t rush this practice: allow a short pause between breaths.
Once we are more or less comfortable with watching the breath, we come to Shamata without support. This is simply noticing that at the end and beginning of each breath, there is a gap. In that gap, we rest naturally. The body then does its own thing…breathing. There is a still ‘nowness’ present, and the senses remain wide open. With the senses wide open and the sense of nowness, one can take the meditation into daily life. One experiences moments of spaciousness.
It is best to acquire a routine, in the morning and evening, for say twenty minutes. To find the time, you may have to get up a little earlier, just before sunrise.
Even though we may engage in advanced practices, we shouldn’t forget this vital basic practice. So as not to get too attached to the practice, take a moment’s break, now and again. It is funny that, in those breaks, real meditation takes place!
The point of meditation practice is that we cannot think of two things at the same time…and this will bring us on to the use of mantra.
This blog has been going for one year today…hooray! I never thought it would last.
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts. 