Buddhism has a lot of lists. One is the Three Times: the Past, Present and Future. Up to a few years ago, the first and third dominated my meditation practice, in the form of regrets, nostalgia, rehearsing and speculation - all repetitive distractions. In later years the Present became more prominent, as physical sensations - aches, pains, and especially discovering that I habitually clench various body parts without much awareness. In the last year I meditated much more as I committed to and established a reliable daily practice; now I find it easier to return to the simple awareness of the present. My personal process is now much more direct - awareness of drift usually leads to an immediate return. I think my experiences and experiments with methods during previous decades have led me here. For example, experimenting with degrees of tight and loose attention led to what now feels like a happy medium. And the decision to “donate my thinking time” to my teachers helped overcome the tendency to make exceptions for thoughts or feelings that felt special or compelling. Now I find myself falling into a reliable pattern: thoughts which arise cause release and dissipation. Who knows what’s next?
Note for another post: Unfinished “work” of various sorts and excessive to do lists/Burn leaving no ash: antidotes inner and outer
cool, at the nyintuns at DCL last spring i became enamored with the snapping back process when i drifted away. it sorta became like a game.
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