My favorite modern writer about shamata, Alan Wallace, talks about the task of shamata as essentially one of steering a middle course between distraction and sinking. The more vividly aware of yourself and your surroundings you are, generally, the more subject to distraction you are.
Starting out, the biggest problems are usually with "gross distraction" -- just getting completely swept away by the discursive mind. Problems with sinking tend to come later, for most people. You can console yourself that at least you're having an "advanced" problem, John :-)
hi everyone from the first internet cafe i've found since the last post. It was great to come 'home' to you all... I have sat every day except one on which I chose to leave an airless hotel in bordeaux and walk around in the sun for an hour before an interminaable bus ride. interesting effect on playing concerts. In the first two I used the technique of gently bringing my attention back to the music as i would to the breath as my mind was very distracted. Last night in La Rochelle I was very present and it was gloirious. it was also the only day I didn't meditate. humph!
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Sat for 10 minutes first thing this morning. Nice, if a bit perfunctory. Re-establishing the habit.
John, what is sinking mind?
That's a great description of it.
My favorite modern writer about shamata, Alan Wallace, talks about the task of shamata as essentially one of steering a middle course between distraction and sinking. The more vividly aware of yourself and your surroundings you are, generally, the more subject to distraction you are.
Starting out, the biggest problems are usually with "gross distraction" -- just getting completely swept away by the discursive mind. Problems with sinking tend to come later, for most people. You can console yourself that at least you're having an "advanced" problem, John :-)
hi everyone from the first internet cafe i've found since the last post. It was great to come 'home' to you all...
I have sat every day except one on which I chose to leave an airless hotel in bordeaux and walk around in the sun for an hour before an interminaable bus ride.
interesting effect on playing concerts. In the first two I used the technique of gently bringing my attention back to the music as i would to the breath as my mind was very distracted. Last night in La Rochelle I was very present and it was gloirious. it was also the only day I didn't meditate. humph!
Back to the cushion for about 20 minutes this morning.
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