I haven’t seen meditative practices described much here and I’ve known first hand how they can help with this level of introspection. So, for those who might wish to try, I’ll briefly describe the plain instruction given to zen students. If you want to read in a bit more detail, the thin book “zen in plain English” is an excellent intro.
Sit in a quiet place, with lights dimmed, facing a wall, with your back straight (ex: use a cushion for lower back support). Half-close your eye lids. Adjust your breathing by taking a few deep breaths and then fall back to natural effortless breathing. Count your exhalations. Inhale-1-inhale-2-inhale-3...10 and cycle back to 1. If you lose count in the middle (yes you will) just start again at 1. Try this for at least 5mins. You can go up to 30 mins. That’s all!
You can stop reading and try it.
When I began (don’t laugh) I barely could count to 3. Here’s how it went -
Inhale-1-inhale-2 … what am I doing? What is this supposed to get me? Never stared at a wall before. Oh drats, back to 1.
Inhale-1-inhale-2… the plaster on the wall looks like a gorgon’s face … wonder what the others are thinking about …. Where was I? .. ok focus. 1..
Inhale-1-inhale-2… Damn is this what the famous sages did day in and day out? … Oh shit lost it again. Am I that incapable of focusing? .. Ok back to 1
Inhale-1-inhale-2… Wait did I just chastise myself for something so trivial as counting my breath? .. (sigh) back to 1.
(Slowly the noise comes down and you get more real noise.)
Inhale-1-inhale-2 … should I be taking deep breaths? Was the previous one long enough? … Ok ok just sit and breathe … Back to 1 …
..… and so it goes. Just try it. The “back to 1” breakpoint works like a lens into your thought stream.
PS: apologies for the rough post. Just thought of writing this while on the bus.
I haven’t seen meditative practices described much here and I’ve known first hand how they can help with this level of introspection. So, for those who might wish to try, I’ll briefly describe the plain instruction given to zen students. If you want to read in a bit more detail, the thin book “zen in plain English” is an excellent intro.
Sit in a quiet place, with lights dimmed, facing a wall, with your back straight (ex: use a cushion for lower back support). Half-close your eye lids. Adjust your breathing by taking a few deep breaths and then fall back to natural effortless breathing. Count your exhalations. Inhale-1-inhale-2-inhale-3...10 and cycle back to 1. If you lose count in the middle (yes you will) just start again at 1. Try this for at least 5mins. You can go up to 30 mins. That’s all!
You can stop reading and try it.
When I began (don’t laugh) I barely could count to 3. Here’s how it went -
Inhale-1-inhale-2 … what am I doing? What is this supposed to get me? Never stared at a wall before. Oh drats, back to 1.
Inhale-1-inhale-2… the plaster on the wall looks like a gorgon’s face … wonder what the others are thinking about …. Where was I? .. ok focus. 1..
Inhale-1-inhale-2… Damn is this what the famous sages did day in and day out? … Oh shit lost it again. Am I that incapable of focusing? .. Ok back to 1
Inhale-1-inhale-2… Wait did I just chastise myself for something so trivial as counting my breath? .. (sigh) back to 1.
(Slowly the noise comes down and you get more real noise.)
Inhale-1-inhale-2 … should I be taking deep breaths? Was the previous one long enough? … Ok ok just sit and breathe … Back to 1 …
..… and so it goes. Just try it. The “back to 1” breakpoint works like a lens into your thought stream.
PS: apologies for the rough post. Just thought of writing this while on the bus.