Utter Thankfulness?

Jairson Amado Ascencao, modified 7 Years ago at 1/21/17 11:27 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 1/21/17 11:27 PM

Utter Thankfulness?

Post: 1 Join Date: 1/6/17 Recent Posts
I was taking a break from pure concentration meditation (I'm a total newb, started about a week ago) and following the words of Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment, which stated that I should switch between using mindfulness to help aim my focus at my breath, and concentration to stabilize my focus on my breath (I'm paraphrasing). While in the midst of doing this, I started examining my breath, and thinking about how incredibly amazing it is that we are able to do such a thing as breathe, and from there mu thoughts went on to being thankful about my friends, the world, and everything. I felt utter appreciation for the world. The feeling has lasted a few hours now, and with time it fades, but all I seem to need to do is think about it to call it back up. Thoughts on what this is?
Banned For waht?, modified 7 Years ago at 1/22/17 12:56 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 1/22/17 12:56 PM

RE: Utter Thankfulness?

Posts: 500 Join Date: 7/14/13 Recent Posts
i think you went into happy place.
Derek2, modified 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 6:00 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 6:00 PM

RE: Utter Thankfulness?

Posts: 231 Join Date: 9/21/16 Recent Posts
I would just call this "the opening of the heart," but in the Buddhist tradition, it might be classified as the beginnings of pīti (joy).
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Doctor Avocado, modified 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 6:29 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 6:29 PM

RE: Utter Thankfulness? (Answer)

Posts: 50 Join Date: 11/2/16 Recent Posts
Jairson Amado Ascencao:
I was taking a break from pure concentration meditation (I'm a total newb, started about a week ago) and following the words of Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment, which stated that I should switch between using mindfulness to help aim my focus at my breath, and concentration to stabilize my focus on my breath (I'm paraphrasing). While in the midst of doing this, I started examining my breath, and thinking about how incredibly amazing it is that we are able to do such a thing as breathe, and from there mu thoughts went on to being thankful about my friends, the world, and everything. I felt utter appreciation for the world. The feeling has lasted a few hours now, and with time it fades, but all I seem to need to do is think about it to call it back up. Thoughts on what this is?


One general comment that might be obvious to you.

Whenever something like this happens, it's good to try to remember exactly what preceded it so you can repeat it. There are universal qualities/precepts/guidelines/methods/etc that help anyones practise, but also, every individual will also have stuff that works best for them. For instance, a particular way of generating strong concentration quickly or a particular mental imagination that allows you to access the feeling of thankfulness or lovingkindness (like your post describes). Upon discovering one of these shortcuts, it's often best to make use of it rather than struggle with prescribed methods, since the outcome is the same. Practise is partly about finding out what works and making use of it imaginatively. Enlightenment doesn't care how you get there. 

So keep note and see if you can do it again. 

Good luck :-)

-Wing
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Noah D, modified 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 7:25 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 1/23/17 7:25 PM

RE: Utter Thankfulness?

Posts: 1211 Join Date: 9/1/16 Recent Posts
^ Good post