Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Sam Gentile, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 1:05 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 1:05 PM

Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1310 Join Date: 5/4/20 Recent Posts
I am looking for some great concentration meditation resources. Not Jhanas (already have 2 books) but online and book resources that focus just on developing concentration with types of concentration meditations. Thanks.
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Brandon Dayton, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 2:24 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 2:24 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 511 Join Date: 9/24/19 Recent Posts
Have you read TMI yet? Can't speak to the overall technique, but I think the basic instructions it gives on concentration are pretty good. I just don't get much use out of the emphasis and techniques for avoiding dullness.
Sam Gentile, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 2:49 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 2:49 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1310 Join Date: 5/4/20 Recent Posts
Abre won't let me read it as it's elephant path system is so different from MCTB2 that she says it would confuse me.
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Oatmilk, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:31 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:31 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 141 Join Date: 7/30/20 Recent Posts
Are you a student of Abre Fournier? I second the above - TMI. I haven't found a better framework for Shamatha yet. Shamatha takes time to develop but it's worth it, the only downside is that it's impermanent as well, so you have to make constant effort to keep up with your practice. 
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Pepe ·, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:40 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:40 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

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Brandon Dayton, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:58 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 3:58 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources (Answer)

Posts: 511 Join Date: 9/24/19 Recent Posts
That makes sense, but I think it can be good if you don't get too caught up in the whole system. I'd just read the first half of the book with the attitude of using it to glean some concentration techniques and leave the rest aside.
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Brandon Dayton, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 4:04 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 4:04 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 511 Join Date: 9/24/19 Recent Posts

It's deja vu all over again.
Tim Farrington, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 6:42 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 6:41 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 2464 Join Date: 6/13/11 Recent Posts
Sam Gentile:
I am looking for some great concentration meditation resources. Not Jhanas (already have 2 books) but online and book resources that focus just on developing concentration with types of concentration meditations. Thanks.
Hi Sam--- this from Papa Che, at his request:
Papa Che

If he feels he needs concentration to feel better and get some juice from it then BY ALL MEANS try and do the Ki-breathing as thought by Aikido Master Koichi Tohei (all aikido practitioners do this for unification of mind and body and is very centering and energizing tool). I know from my own experience that this Ki-breathing led me all the way to 5th Samatha Jhana (Infinite space). I know that this Ki-breathing practice brings the mind into the body (clear sense of mind really being inside of the whole body). One feels more energised so Noting practice is easier to be done . Not at the same time of course. I now practice Ki-breathing 30 minutes morning and evening and Noting Aloud 45 minutes during the day when most alert. It certainly juices up the noting practice as the ind is less gluey and more spacey and yet alert.

Ki-breathing is as engaging as Noting Aloud. If Noting Aloud is Loud Vipassana, then Ki-breathing would be Loud Samatha emoticon you simply cant get lost too much. Also in Ki-breathing its only important to do this practice and the Mind will "join in" at some stage. No forcing it. You can post all what I wrote here if you decide to do me a favour and you can give Sam my email so he can ask more about it in case he wants to. emoticon 

Ki-breathing Aikido Koichi Tohei
.Sam, my email is tim_farrington@msn.com, if you want Papa Che's email, just hit me up there

Sam Gentile, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 6:57 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 6:57 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1310 Join Date: 5/4/20 Recent Posts
Thanks Tim!
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Dustin, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 10:27 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 10:10 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 148 Join Date: 12/28/17 Recent Posts
Sam Gentile:
I am looking for some great concentration meditation resources. Not Jhanas (already have 2 books) but online and book resources that focus just on developing concentration with types of concentration meditations. Thanks.
Look up Kasina disc on the internet or ask Abre about it. Kenneth Folk used it and talked about it here 
https://www.dharmaoverground.org/dharma-wiki/-/wiki/Main/Jhana+and+Ñana+/en
Ive used Kasina Disc a lot just for concentration. I find it works well and all you do is stare at the disc and when mind wonders go back and stare some more. I think I like it because it's so simple. Kenneth talks about getting jhanas with it but I never paid attention to that part. Just used it to add to vipassana.
Also Abre has a couple of different counting methods she uses. Not sure where she learned them but there really solid practices.
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Daniel M Ingram, modified 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 10:31 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/1/20 10:31 PM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 3279 Join Date: 4/20/09 Recent Posts
Fire Kasina!

Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina!
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Siavash ', modified 4 Years ago at 8/2/20 8:49 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/2/20 8:49 AM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1697 Join Date: 5/5/19 Recent Posts
Daniel M. Ingram:
Fire Kasina!

Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina!
I guess Sam is worried about Fire Kasina because his eyes water, or maybe there is another reason that I don't know.

I have pretty unhealthy eyes, they get dry and water all the time. When doing fire kasina, they become uncomfortable the first time, but then they get used to it, and it is not an issue after that.

Also keeping the image of the room in the awareness as something like a space kasina works well for me.
Sam Gentile, modified 4 Years ago at 8/2/20 11:22 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/2/20 11:22 AM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1310 Join Date: 5/4/20 Recent Posts
Brandon Dayton:
That makes sense, but I think it can be good if you don't get too caught up in the whole system. I'd just read the first half of the book with the attitude of using it to glean some concentration techniques and leave the rest aside.
I settled on TMI and read the Kindle copy until 1AM. Great book.
Tim Farrington, modified 4 Years ago at 8/3/20 5:28 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/3/20 5:28 AM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 2464 Join Date: 6/13/11 Recent Posts
Siavash:
Daniel M. Ingram:
Fire Kasina!

Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina!
I guess Sam is worried about Fire Kasina because his eyes water, or maybe there is another reason that I don't know.

I have pretty unhealthy eyes, they get dry and water all the time. When doing fire kasina, they become uncomfortable the first time, but then they get used to it, and it is not an issue after that.

Also keeping the image of the room in the awareness as something like a space kasina works well for me.

well, close your eyes when they start to water! Then you don't have to think at all.
Sam Gentile, modified 4 Years ago at 8/3/20 10:47 AM
Created 4 Years ago at 8/3/20 10:47 AM

RE: Looking for Great Concentration Resources

Posts: 1310 Join Date: 5/4/20 Recent Posts
Tim Farrington:
Siavash:
Daniel M. Ingram:
Fire Kasina!

Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina! Yay, fire kasina!
I guess Sam is worried about Fire Kasina because his eyes water, or maybe there is another reason that I don't know.

I have pretty unhealthy eyes, they get dry and water all the time. When doing fire kasina, they become uncomfortable the first time, but then they get used to it, and it is not an issue after that.

Also keeping the image of the room in the awareness as something like a space kasina works well for me.

well, close your eyes when they start to water! Then you don't have to think at all.

No silly emoticon That's when my eyes water (when they're closed) emoticon

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