Advice needed

John Power, modified 8 Years ago at 11/14/15 1:12 PM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/14/15 1:09 PM

Advice needed

Posts: 95 Join Date: 3/16/14 Recent Posts
Dear all,

During the last months I have been very irritating and having painful sensations. This mind state keeps up during daily life. This probably can be classified as the 3th nana. I have been there before but I can´t remember that it stayed that long. I used the breath as a object but wanted to have more concentration and love so I switched to Metta. This helped somewhat but I can´t get absorped there always is this gross or sometimes subtle irritation. My mindfulness is pretty strong and I sometimes feel trapped in the present, because when daydreaming I can get away from this mind state and bodily sensations. Because I have no pleasure in meditation I search it more often in movies or other activities when you come in a flow. I know, just accept it but this is not always easy. There is concentration and I can just look at it, but when it keeps coming back and definitely when you have this for so long, there comes a time that you just want it to end. It is not always like this(nothing is permanent), but it keeps coming back. So concentration is good enough to have a little space but I think it is just a soft jhana and I want it to become more hard jhana. I can´t get absorped while doing Metta or using the breath as meditation. So my idea was less insight/vipassana and more concentration, but currently this isn´t working because I am conditioned to practise insight (always has practiced vipassana). So maybe it is best to stop meditating for a few weeks and then after that totally focus on concentration practise (Metta). What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance!
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Richard Zen, modified 8 Years ago at 11/14/15 3:01 PM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/14/15 3:00 PM

RE: Advice needed

Posts: 1665 Join Date: 5/18/10 Recent Posts
I don't agree with any of this.

Use Metta and Concentration for enjoyment. Wanting things to be a certain way is the cause of stress so follow the breath or Metta as it is without any expectations or demands. That's how you get jhanas. The ego wants to control the meditation practice but it does this by using a fight or flight response to anything that is not a preference (including meditation preferences).

Try a more wet path style like so:

  • Let go of any analysis or strategizing. You can use some discernment but not if it's a hindrance.
  • Follow the breath and notice how normal the breath is when you are not paying attention to it. Then when you pay attention to the breath the attention span manipulates the rate of breath (often in ways that are uncomfortable).
  • Stay consistently with the breath but learn to adjust it to something more comfortable. Take in more air when you're sluggish and tired, for energy. Reduce the need for air if you're agitated. Experiment with this until the breath feels comfortable.
  • Notice how the attitude changes to comfortable after the breath becomes comfortable. It's cause and effect in action and you can manipulate it.
  • Then the brain will say "what's next?" and which point you say "the breath is what's next."
Ok?
John Power, modified 8 Years ago at 11/15/15 10:07 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/15/15 10:07 AM

RE: Advice needed

Posts: 95 Join Date: 3/16/14 Recent Posts
Thanks Richard.

I tried it today and during the third session(this time laying) there were moments of shivering. After a while there was bliss which spread through my body, this stayed for about one minute. When the bliss was gone, the irritated mindstate came back. I noticed, that during the sessions I could stay with the breath(abdomen) for quite some time.
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Richard Zen, modified 8 Years ago at 11/15/15 10:20 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/15/15 10:20 AM

RE: Advice needed

Posts: 1665 Join Date: 5/18/10 Recent Posts
John Power:
Thanks Richard.

I tried it today and during the third session(this time laying) there were moments of shivering. After a while there was bliss which spread through my body, this stayed for about one minute. When the bliss was gone, the irritated mindstate came back. I noticed, that during the sessions I could stay with the breath(abdomen) for quite some time.
There's some insights right there. emoticon

The fight or flight response wants to make pleasant things last forever (with anything in your life) when in fact everything is impermanent. You want to feel the nice neurotransmitters but let go of clinging/fight or flight/stress/control so that pleasantness is still enjoyable but when the neurotransmitters run out you enjoy a cool equanimity/non-reactiveness. Remember the brain can't make you feel good all the time so boredom is necessary to make you want to pursue other neurotransmitters you are not getting like curiosity towards other things. If my dopamine didn't stop I probably would still be in Japan eating amazing Sushi and not wash myself or go to the toilet.

You can let go by letting go of negative stories and thoughts, but you can also let go of attention to likes or dislikes. It's kind of like tuning out. I would then look at pointing your attention towards anything pleasant in your body (even if it's a small pleasant feeling) and be happy with that.

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