No. This morning I was exhausted. I didn't walk either. Having worked late on Monday and Tuesday and gone out Wednesday night, I just hadn't had enough sleep. I don't do well on that level of activity. Need one evening in two or three at home, or I feel too tired and drained. However, I don't want meditation to depend on this. I want it to be as indispensable as washing and brushing my teeth, not subject to the vicissitudes of daiy life. I will meditate this evening. I will. This forum helps. But I'd rather have an inexorable habit of the same time every day. I forgive myself. Life isn't easy right now. But this is not what I want (want? hmm)
Yes, I sat this morning, 10 minutes again, but I did not give myself such a hard time as yesterday - and your compassionate response to my post yesterday really helped, Dale. Yes, I too tend to prefer meditating in the morning, but what the hell ... go for it this evening. You will still be there, your breath will still be there, the silence will still be there. ;-)
aaagh! Wrong person!!! Jean, I thought you were Dale! The comment still applies. (I'm writing this in an internet cafe, not at home, so am easily distracted. My excuse anyway. Sorry, Jean.)
I don't know how Jean feels about it, but personally I'm delighted to be confused with her :-)
Just sit tonight, Jean -- even if it's only for a couple minutes. Sometimes I sit when I know it won't "do anything," just as a sort of place-holder.
(And I'm wrong more often than not about whether it will "do anything")
There's a nice practice that I seldom do, just because I forget about it, that some people at my sangha do regularly: a "three-breath" meditation. You just stop where you are and pay attention to three breaths. That's all. But you can do it practically anywhere, any time. Sometimes it's a comfort to me to just touch that quiet space briefly, remind myself that it's still there, in the midst of everything.
I'm finding it remarkably hard to come up with the "statement of purpose" Mary suggested. Here's a shot at it:
We've committed to one hundred days of daily meditation. If you want to join us, welcome! It doesn't matter what sort of meditation you do, or what faith or tradition you hail from. All that matters is the willingness to commit to daily meditation, and a desire to help others keep their commitment to meditate
Just want to add too, that I'm really glad you've said : it doesn't matter what sort of meditation you do or what faith or tradition you hail from.
That's really important I think - I've felt slightly uncomfortable because my practice is a little different from yours and Jean's. Nice to see in print that this is NOT a problem.
I think the statement of purpose Dale suggests plus Mary's addition is perfect.
I too heartily endorse the emphasis on any kind of meditation, all traditions welcome. Mary, I don't practice Tibetan buddhism like Dale. I'm not attached to any particular tradition. Gaia House, where I often go, mostly hosts Vipassana teachers in the South Asian Theravada buddhist tradition (Dale, it has close links with the US Insight Meditation Society at Barre, Mass. and Spirit Rock in California). But my most recent retreat was with an American Soto Zen master. I suppose I'd describe the practice I most often do as mindfulness of breathing or bare attention or zazen. I think maybe that's not much different from Samatha, but I'm really not sure - Dale? Interspersed with metta or loving kindness meditation, also as practiced in the South Asian Theravadin tradition, where you call to mind yourself, a friend, a neutral person, a person you have difficulty with and finally all beings and wish them all well. I've also practiced meditation with yoga teachers. I would like (I think) to attach myself firmly to a tradition, but I haven't yet. This is mostly because I'd like the support of a community of practitioners. I feel close to and comfortable with /supported by everyone who meditates in any tradition
Having said all which: yesterday I didn't meditate at all in any tradition! Having got up too late to do it in the morning, I went out with friends after work, ate and drank too much, came home and sat down on the bed and fell asleep with all my clothes on. Sigh. This is behaviour befitting a teenager.
:-) Behavior befitting a human being struggling with confusion, I'd say. Which certainly includes teenagers. And me.
(I have to admit that I'm glad. I was starting to worry that maybe we'd all just sti every day, no problems, and then I would have ended up wondering if we'd really done anything.)
Back to the cushion! This is the critical point -- we want to build a habit that can recover from a lapse.
12 Comments:
No. This morning I was exhausted. I didn't walk either. Having worked late on Monday and Tuesday and gone out Wednesday night, I just hadn't had enough sleep. I don't do well on that level of activity. Need one evening in two or three at home, or I feel too tired and drained. However, I don't want meditation to depend on this. I want it to be as indispensable as washing and brushing my teeth, not subject to the vicissitudes of daiy life. I will meditate this evening. I will. This forum helps. But I'd rather have an inexorable habit of the same time every day. I forgive myself. Life isn't easy right now. But this is not what I want (want? hmm)
So how about you?
Yes, I sat this morning, 10 minutes again, but I did not give myself such a hard time as yesterday - and your compassionate response to my post yesterday really helped, Dale. Yes, I too tend to prefer meditating in the morning, but what the hell ... go for it this evening. You will still be there, your breath will still be there, the silence will still be there. ;-)
aaagh! Wrong person!!! Jean, I thought you were Dale! The comment still applies. (I'm writing this in an internet cafe, not at home, so am easily distracted. My excuse anyway. Sorry, Jean.)
I don't know how Jean feels about it, but personally I'm delighted to be confused with her :-)
Just sit tonight, Jean -- even if it's only for a couple minutes. Sometimes I sit when I know it won't "do anything," just as a sort of place-holder.
(And I'm wrong more often than not about whether it will "do anything")
There's a nice practice that I seldom do, just because I forget about it, that some people at my sangha do regularly: a "three-breath" meditation. You just stop where you are and pay attention to three breaths. That's all. But you can do it practically anywhere, any time. Sometimes it's a comfort to me to just touch that quiet space briefly, remind myself that it's still there, in the midst of everything.
I'm so glad that helped, Mary!
-- yes, I sat last night.
I'm finding it remarkably hard to come up with the "statement of purpose" Mary suggested. Here's a shot at it:
We've committed to one hundred days of daily meditation. If you want to join us, welcome! It doesn't matter what sort of meditation you do, or what faith or tradition you hail from. All that matters is the willingness to commit to daily meditation, and a desire to help others keep their commitment to meditate
Suggestions for improvement or replacement gratefully accepted. Solicited, I should say.
It is difficult - I was trying come up with something but couldn't pull it together. Yours seems fine. I would just add something like:
Join us at any time - you don't have to start at Day 1. We'd be delighted to have your company.
Just want to add too, that I'm really glad you've said : it doesn't matter what sort of meditation you do or what faith or tradition you hail from.
That's really important I think - I've felt slightly uncomfortable because my practice is a little different from yours and Jean's. Nice to see in print that this is NOT a problem.
I think the statement of purpose Dale suggests plus Mary's addition is perfect.
I too heartily endorse the emphasis on any kind of meditation, all traditions welcome. Mary, I don't practice Tibetan buddhism like Dale. I'm not attached to any particular tradition. Gaia House, where I often go, mostly hosts Vipassana teachers in the South Asian Theravada buddhist tradition (Dale, it has close links with the US Insight Meditation Society at Barre, Mass. and Spirit Rock in California). But my most recent retreat was with an American Soto Zen master. I suppose I'd describe the practice I most often do as mindfulness of breathing or bare attention or zazen. I think maybe that's not much different from Samatha, but I'm really not sure - Dale? Interspersed with metta or loving kindness meditation, also as practiced in the South Asian Theravadin tradition, where you call to mind yourself, a friend, a neutral person, a person you have difficulty with and finally all beings and wish them all well. I've also practiced meditation with yoga teachers. I would like (I think) to attach myself firmly to a tradition, but I haven't yet. This is mostly because I'd like the support of a community of practitioners. I feel close to and comfortable with /supported by everyone who meditates in any tradition
Having said all which: yesterday I didn't meditate at all in any tradition! Having got up too late to do it in the morning, I went out with friends after work, ate and drank too much, came home and sat down on the bed and fell asleep with all my clothes on. Sigh. This is behaviour befitting a teenager.
:-) Behavior befitting a human being struggling with confusion, I'd say. Which certainly includes teenagers. And me.
(I have to admit that I'm glad. I was starting to worry that maybe we'd all just sti every day, no problems, and then I would have ended up wondering if we'd really done anything.)
Back to the cushion! This is the critical point -- we want to build a habit that can recover from a lapse.
Lots of love --
Yes, great addition, Mary! Thanks.
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