Focusing on the moment, Suchness.

[aLynHall]

I am trying to focus on 'the now'. My problem is... well, what is now? As I breathe, as my heart beats, I am made aware that now just past, and by the time I realize there is a new now, it has past. Instead of stillness I feel as though I am standing against the current of a river, with moments flowing past constantly, and to perceive them I must think back, or forward to the coming moments, not in 'the now'.

How do I overcome this? The concept of "Now", and the concept of impermanence seem to clash in my mind. When does 'now' end in the span of a meditation? Does a meditation sit encompass one "now", as though time has stopped while I meditate?

[Nibbida]

Welcome to Thinkaholics Anonymous.

Nothing ever exists except now. The past, even a moment ago, does not exist except as a memory, which is a form of thought. You wrote:

As I breathe, as my heart beats, I am made aware that now just past, and by the time I realize there is a new now, it has past.

What you are actually experiencing in that moment is a thought (the content of which is about events becoming the past). The activity of thinking is happening "in the now." What you do at that point when you realize that thinking is happening depends somewhat on whose system you're trying to follow. You can note that thinking is occurring and then re-focus on your original object of meditation (e.g. breath). Some teachers make the thinking process itself the object of meditation, which has both advantages and disadvantages.

Makes sense?

[PeterB]

I suggest that instead of focusing on the now....which is hardly possible, that you focus on what is happening in the now. One handy focus which is highly portable and readily available is the breath. Which is the starting point of several forms of meditation found in the Theravada.

[aLynHall]

You can tell I am a total newb, I'm sure.

"Contemplate... " selflessness, compassion, etc? I've been taught that there are different levels of mindfulness, you have the object of meditation, then the presence of mind to understand the presence of mental excitement. The awareness to realize that your mind has wandered off into whatever you've become unhealthily mindful of. Introspection? I supppose? Both to me, I suppose using the word in a rough way, are "thought".

In terms of Tathata, for instance, how does one be mindful of the true nature of reality in a given moment, when "moment" is fleeting? When one considers that moment, aren't we considering the past? It seems that we are asked to both disregard all except the "now", yet fix a given moment in time in our mind when that moment has already past.

How can we do both?

[PeterB]

You are overthinking.
Buddhism is about what you do its about practice.....Its not easy but it is simple.
I recommend that you seek hands on instruction in Mindfulness Of Breathing.

[Goofaholix]

I am trying to focus on 'the now'. My problem is... well, what is now? As I breathe, as my heart beats, I am made aware that now just past, and by the time I realize there is a new now, it has past. Instead of stillness I feel as though I am standing against the current of a river, with moments flowing past constantly, and to perceive them I must think back, or forward to the coming moments, not in 'the now'.

How do I overcome this? The concept of "Now", and the concept of impermanence seem to clash in my mind. When does 'now' end in the span of a meditation? Does a meditation sit encompass one "now", as though time has stopped while I meditate?

Sounds like you are noticing exactly what you are supposed to be noticing about the now, it's in a constant state of change and flux and you are noticing the awareness of that is always 1 step behind, keep at it.

[Ben]

I suggest you re-read PeterB's posts and act upon them.
The breath is an excellent anchor for the present moment.

[ground]

Either fix consciousness (as suggested with the breath) or "transcend time". There is no "now" at all but there is "non-time".

kind regards

[rowyourboat]

Goof is right. I think you are on the right track. Apart from impermanence here's another concept for you: change.

In the 'now' things don't remain static, they are changing ..even now

Keep you 'nose to the grinding wheel' as it were, try to get closer to the 'now' as much as possible- by focusing on ever finer detail of the now, as it is happening.

This is the way not to slip into the past or anticipate the future.

When there is focus/concentration/samadhi, insight into the nature of things will arise.

The Blessed One said: "Develop concentration, monks. A concentrated monk discerns in line with what has come into being. And what does he discern in line with what has come into being? The origination & disappearance of form. The origination & disappearance of feeling... perception... fabrications. The origination & disappearance of consciousness.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta

Matheesha

[Akuma]

In terms of Tathata, for instance, how does one be mindful of the true nature of reality in a given moment, when "moment" is fleeting? When one considers that moment, aren't we considering the past? It seems that we are asked to both disregard all except the "now", yet fix a given moment in time in our mind when that moment has already past.

Tathata is not a Theravada term, but for the sake of completeness it might be good to say here that its meaning is "essential nature". And you yourself have already found an aspect of the essential nature of the moment, namely that its "fleeting". Youre doing pretty good imo.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Tathata is not a Theravada term

Actually, tathātā is a Pali term, which by default makes it a Theravada term. The trick is to not ascribe more to the term than the Buddha did.

Metta,
Retro.

[mikenz66]

Tathata is not a Theravada term

Actually, tathātā is a Pali term, which by default makes it a Theravada term. The trick is to not ascribe more to the term than the Buddha did.

And there is very little about it in the Pali Canon...
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Bud ... that%C4%81" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tathatā: 'Suchness', designates the firmly fixed nature bhāva of all things whatever. The only passage in the Canon where the word occurs in this sense, is found in Kathavatthu [the Abdhidhamma volume "Points of Controversy"]. 186 see: Guide, p. 83. On the Mahāyana term tathatā see: Suzuki, Awakening of Faith, p. 53f. App..

Mike

[PeterB]

I am trying to focus on 'the now'. My problem is... well, what is now? As I breathe, as my heart beats, I am made aware that now just past, and by the time I realize there is a new now, it has past. Instead of stillness I feel as though I am standing against the current of a river, with moments flowing past constantly, and to perceive them I must think back, or forward to the coming moments, not in 'the now'.

How do I overcome this? The concept of "Now", and the concept of impermanence seem to clash in my mind. When does 'now' end in the span of a meditation? Does a meditation sit encompass one "now", as though time has stopped while I meditate?

I think that what someone in your position needs above all is hands on advice.

[PeterB]

Either fix consciousness (as suggested with the breath) or "transcend time". There is no "now" at all but there is "non-time".

kind regards

Good advice..when coupled with instruction. None of us on an internet forum can actually tell if someone is on the right lines.
Although sometimes we can guess when they are not.

[bodom]

As others have already pointed out, focusing on the breath during each and every activity is the simplest and easiest way to "anchor" ones attention in the present moment. It is especially useful for those who may not have access to a qualified teacher at the moment and can be used until one finds such a one for further instruction.

What can we do so that the mind doesn't get distracted with its preoccupations or its nonsensical mental fabrications? We have to give the mind something to focus its awareness on, for if its awareness isn't focused on one thing, it wanders around to know other things, other matters, aside from itself. This is why there's the practice of focusing our awareness on the body, or on the breath, making the breath the post to which we tie our monkey — the mind. In other words, we use mindfulness to keep the mind focused on the breath. This is the first step in the practice.

Training the mind to stay focused on the breath is something we have to do continuously, with each in-and-out breath, in every posture — sitting, standing, walking, lying down. No matter what you're doing, stay focused on the breath. If you want, you can simply stay focused on nothing more than the sensation of the breath, without determining whether it's long or short. Keep breathing normally. Don't force the breath or hold the breath or sit with your body too tense. Sit straight and face comfortably straight ahead. If you're going to turn to the left, make sure to be focused on the breath as you turn. If you turn to the right, stay focused on the breath as you turn.

Whatever posture you use is up to you, but stay focused on the breath continuously. If your attention lapses, bring it back to knowing the breath again. Whatever you're doing at any time, watch the breath with every in-and-out breath and you'll be developing mindfulness and alertness — full-body self-awareness — at the same time you're being aware of the breath.

When you walk, you don't have to focus on the steps of the feet. Focus on the breath and let the feet do the stepping on their own. Let each part of the body perform its function on its own. All you have to do is stay focused on the breath and you'll have full-body awareness.

Whether the eye is looking at sights or the ear is listening to sounds, stay focused on the breath. When you look at a sight, make sure that knowing the breath underlies the looking. When you listen to a sound, make sure that knowing the breath underlies the listening. The breath is a means for making the mind quiet, so you first have to train yourself with it. Don't be in a hurry to get higher results. Train the mind to stay under the control of mindfulness continuously for days on end — to the point where the mind can't let its attention lapse. It will come to stay more and more with the breath, focused on knowing the breath continuously, and then other things will stop on their own: Thinking stops, speaking stops. Whatever tasks you have to do, you can still do them while at the same time keeping track of the breath each and every moment. If there are any lapses, you come back to knowing the breath again. There's nothing else you have to think about. Be aware of the breath at the same time you're aware of the normalcy of the mind. - Upasaka Kee Nanayon

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... imple.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;