Nick333
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2005
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I thought it would be nice to have a thread were those of us who meditate could have a place to compare notes, ask questions, discuss techniques etc.
All traditions welcome but, no religious proselytising or debate please.
I'll start with my meditation story: I started meditating about 7 years ago after reading a book called Zen living for Dummies or something. Something in it just clicked with me. Stuff like how circumstances aren't inherently good or bad. We make them good or bad depending on how we choose to see turn and react to them.
Anyway, I started meditating for 2 or 3 minutes at a time which at that stage was a bit of a strain. Sitting still and essentially doing nothing but counting breaths was very weird for me at the time. I've the next few months I built it up to 20 or so. In retrospect I made pretty good progress. I was massively more calm and less angry. I was actually joyful at times. I got to a point where I felt I could sit through anything. Discomfort and pain, noisy neighbors and barking dogs, stress and depression. Then, because of a personal tragedy it just became too emotionally painful to meditate. From there I sort of regressed.
Anyway, since then I've gone through stages of regular practice, irregular practice and no practice. Right now I've been practicing more or less consistently for a few months.
Mostly my practice has been Soto Zen basic. Focusing on posture and counting and following breaths. I know a lot of people from other traditions see Zen as overly mystical and at the same time overly simplistic but, having tried Vipisanna and a Tibetan compassion technique whose name I can't remember I've got to say, just sitting and concentrating on the breath will steer you in the right direction. A lot of techniques happen instinctively. It probably comes down to temperament.
I hope I haven't been to obscure or rambling.
All traditions welcome but, no religious proselytising or debate please.
I'll start with my meditation story: I started meditating about 7 years ago after reading a book called Zen living for Dummies or something. Something in it just clicked with me. Stuff like how circumstances aren't inherently good or bad. We make them good or bad depending on how we choose to see turn and react to them.
Anyway, I started meditating for 2 or 3 minutes at a time which at that stage was a bit of a strain. Sitting still and essentially doing nothing but counting breaths was very weird for me at the time. I've the next few months I built it up to 20 or so. In retrospect I made pretty good progress. I was massively more calm and less angry. I was actually joyful at times. I got to a point where I felt I could sit through anything. Discomfort and pain, noisy neighbors and barking dogs, stress and depression. Then, because of a personal tragedy it just became too emotionally painful to meditate. From there I sort of regressed.
Anyway, since then I've gone through stages of regular practice, irregular practice and no practice. Right now I've been practicing more or less consistently for a few months.
Mostly my practice has been Soto Zen basic. Focusing on posture and counting and following breaths. I know a lot of people from other traditions see Zen as overly mystical and at the same time overly simplistic but, having tried Vipisanna and a Tibetan compassion technique whose name I can't remember I've got to say, just sitting and concentrating on the breath will steer you in the right direction. A lot of techniques happen instinctively. It probably comes down to temperament.
I hope I haven't been to obscure or rambling.
