Clarification needed on distractions during meditation

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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lalindra
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Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 11:20 am

Clarification needed on distractions during meditation

Post by lalindra »

Hello,

I have been doing anapanasathi for about 1 month now. I usually meditate about 2 -3 hours a day. I can stay focused with the breath the whole time but sometimes mental images and some thoughts appear in the background. These do not distract me and I can stay focused with the breadth. Do these still considered as distractions and do I need to try and eliminate these thoughts too?

Need to know about the physical sensations and sound I hear during meditation ? I can feel and hear them but that too doesn't distract me from my focus on the breath.

When you say with out distractions does it simply imply that the mind should be out of all thoughts and sensations ?

Thanks.
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Ben
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Location: kanamaluka

Re: Clarification needed on distractions during meditation

Post by Ben »

They are considered distractions if they distract your attention away from the object of attention.
Best,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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lalindra
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 11:20 am

Re: Clarification needed on distractions during meditation

Post by lalindra »

Thanks for the reply Ben.

These thoughts do not necessarily take away my attention from the breath. They appear in the background and I don't loose in breaths and out breaths due to this. It takes fraction may be to see it is arising and thats it I am again with my breath.

When you say take away attention, for how long ? Is it like completely loosing track of your breaths may be for few seconds ?

Please help.

Thanks.
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Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Clarification needed on distractions during meditation

Post by Ben »

If you are maintaining unbroken awareness of your meditation object then don't worry about background thoughts.
It sounds like you're doing well.
Kind regards,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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