Hello all,

I think this message will be in harmony with the rules of the forum.

I dabbled in meditation some years ago, experienced what felt like strong piti, doubt I ever really attained first jhana.

Have resolved to practice every remaining day this year, for starters, have been good about it for the last couple weeks. Have been averaging 1.5 hours a day, up to 3 hours, as possible. Will have some extra time soon, want to do as much as I can in my practice. 

Am using Culadasa's The Mind Illuminated, working on Stage 3 (dealing with forgetting). And, no surprise, the Ingram book for an overview, as well as having a look at some other materials.

I don't know -- does using TMI to get a solid, if slow, start in concentration seem reasonable?

​​​​​​​Thank you all.

Good to have you posting here. Building a concentration practice is a wonderful endeavor with lifelong benefits for many people so it's nice to hear about someone starting out. 

TMI works well for many, but not all people. My teacher did his training in that school so I have worked with specific instructions from that practice but it was not how I learned concentration, so take my comments with a grain of salt. 

Looking at comments from people in various places, it seems that some people can go all the way with TMI, in just the way the book suggests. Others get stuck at some particular level. But everyone seems to get some benefit from learning the mechanics of the mind from that book.

If it were me, I would try sticking with TMI for at least three months and see how it goes. I would also keep in mind that there are other approaches to concentration out there, although they are all somewhat similar in terms of the basic nuts and bolts of getting used to working with the mind.

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Thanks for your reply. So far, my impression is that the instructions have been helpful to me. It seems that I've made more progress is limiting forgetting and mind-wandering than I would have expected. 

I wasn't sure a post from a rank beginner would be welcome. Already I feel that it's affected my everyday life positively. I have the summer largely off, and am hoping to make my "home life" a kind of mini-retreat, at least sometimes.

Checking my notes, I see I've been using TMI only since the 19th. 3 months sounds like a good trial period. 

Posts from rank beginners are the most welcome kind! 

Had a hard day today. I know that saying why isn't the purpose of this forum, so I'll leave it at that. 

I will say something about my practice, though. I tried to sit for an hour after the difficult part of the day. Made it 41 minutes. I let restlessness end the sit early. But while I was sitting, I tried to see the three characteristics in everything that came up. There is a lot of emotion here, and I'm not trying to block it out with concentration. But I did let myself go for a little insight into it. 
​​​​​​​That's all.

As I said earlier, I committed to practicing every day for the rest of the calendar year. That means at least one timed sit, but on almost all days has meant more than one timed sit, and for the last while, a fair bit of noting and walking practice. 

At the end of the year, I will take stock. And I'm committed to the 3-month try with TMI, as Martin suggested on this thread. That means through July 19th or so. 

I think I'm on Stage 3, dealing with forgetting. I feel frustrated at times by my progress, but I try to note that, and I do think I'm doing much better than I was before TMI. So here's to practicing.

Hey Tom - nice log so far. As someone who did a ton of TMI back in the day, my loving encouragement would be to consider the stages/'progress' as a way to understand the scenery that's around you, but not use it as a judgment. But, it's very very hard to not feel judged by the seemingly inherent judgment of the stages existing at all.

Concentration ends up being about acceptance and enjoyment, over and over, in each new moment. Try to learn to start loving practice because practice itself is enjoyable to do (even if its tough sometimes) and the journey itself is inherently worth being on, whether or not you reach the destination.

Hi Geoff, thanks for the encouragement. Yes, indeed. Instructions roughly keyed to scenery, not a measure of one's personal glory.&nbsp;<br /><br />I'm not so into attainments or accomplishments in general, but I suppose feeling displeasure with my practice at times does show a bit of that, so your point is well-made and well-taken. I will try to start loving practice.<br /><br />Just did walking practice to the next town and back, with a stop at the public library, where I made the post you responded to. Yes, my mind wandered, but I didn't give up and just talk to myself or daydream. I kept at the practice. I noticed on returning home that I felt great.&nbsp;

That's beautiful Sounds like a great walk. I'm jealous, sitting here all day chained to my desk job.