The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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BlackBird
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by BlackBird »

Khalil Bodhi wrote:It's been hit or miss for me. Yesterday was only about an hour of formal meditation (I have committed myself to 2) but there have been days when I easily met my goal. Much of it has to do with when my son decides to wake up so I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. Anyway I wish you all success. Be well.

Mike
Comes and it goes doesn't it? Ebbs and flows like everything I guess.
Sanghamitta wrote: I cheated really by going for the duration I do most days anyway. However I am attempting to do my practice with extra care, and with a more relaxed attitude, rather than. " Ok Ive done that, now I'll do this ". Tick tick..
Heh, I know what you mean :)
Sanghamitta wrote: I like your sig. very much Blackbird.
:anjali:

You might already read it, I dunno, but Ajahn Punnadhammo's blog is worth a good look:
http://bhikkhublog.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


metta
Jack
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
Sanghamitta
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Sanghamitta »

:anjali:
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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Guy
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Guy »

Hello Everyone,
BlackBird wrote:
Sanghamitta wrote: I cheated really by going for the duration I do most days anyway. However I am attempting to do my practice with extra care, and with a more relaxed attitude, rather than. " Ok Ive done that, now I'll do this ". Tick tick..
Heh, I know what you mean :)
This has been a challenge for me too, some sittings more than others.

Ajahn Brahm is, in my opinion, a genius of meditation; his advice is so simple and effective it is easy to overlook. He says that when the mind is restless and concerned with the past and the future to put down the breath and to pick up a simple mantra like "contentment, contentment, contentment..." or "no desire, no desire, no desire" or "no expectations..." or "this is good enough" or whatever else suits you at the time. The reason this works is because a lot of times, without even being aware of it, we are watching the breath with desire (ie. we WANT Peace or we WANT Jhanas or we WANT Enlightenment) instead of letting go of desire which is what leads to these things. When we focus on a word like "contentment" and make that word our meditation object, the mind moves towards contentment, not as a word but as an experience. The word is simply a signpost for the mind.

Ajahn Brahm has said that when he was a young monk this was the bulk of his practice, he wouldn't watch the breath very often, a lot of the time he would be cultivating contentment.

For the rest of this month I think I will stop trying to do breath meditation and instead practice contentment meditation.

With Metta,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
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James the Giant
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by James the Giant »

Guy wrote:...contentment meditation.
Guy
What's contentment meditation?
In other news, I successfully meditated a little bit last night. Yay for me! Morning sit was good as usual. Dozed off a bit in the last 10 minutes though.
Tonight I'll do 20 minutes.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
Mawkish1983
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Mawkish1983 »

I need a kick up the censored.
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Ben
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Ben »

Hi Mawkish
Mawkish1983 wrote:I need a kick up the censored.
Well. you've come to the right place. Once you've done givng yourself a good schelacking, hit the cushion!
metta

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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Mawkish1983
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Mawkish1983 »

Ben wrote:hit the cushion!
Aye aye :)
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Guy
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Guy »

Hi James,
James the Giant wrote:What's contentment meditation?
To borrow words from Ajahn Brahm it is "making peace with every moment". Just cultivating the quality of contentment, being happy to just sit and accept whatever happens or doesn't happen, not wanting to acheive anything. Being kind to yourself instead of being demanding of yourself. Maybe you could call it a form of Metta meditation.

With Metta,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
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BlackBird
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by BlackBird »

Guy wrote: Ajahn Brahm is, in my opinion, a genius of meditation.
People hear a "silly joke" and mistake the words for the man. I think he adapts his words for the audience. Those who come to hear a talk on Sunday night are attracted by the humour and light heartedness of the Sunday night talks, it's a means to bring people to the Dhamma. But there's a side to Ajahn Brahm that's not on display there, he's a very experienced yogi, people tend to forget that sometimes. He can be quite strict I hear, and expects fairly spotless Vinaya of those who choose to live at Bodhinyana.

I've always thought genuine happiness to be a good yardstick for measuring a teacher. Ajahn Brahm seems genuinely happy.
James the Giant wrote: In other news, I successfully meditated a little bit last night. Yay for me! Morning sit was good as usual. Dozed off a bit in the last 10 minutes though.
Tonight I'll do 20 minutes.
Hi James, wanna come for a group sit on Thursday evening? Usually we sit for about 40mins to 1hr.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway:

I've got the next two days off work, and I'm intend to do a semi-self retreat in my bedroom.
Wednesday - 6 hours meditation, 2 hours study.
Thursday - 5 hours meditation, 2 hours study + 45 minute group sit.

It's probably quite a lofty desire which looks good on paper. But if I can do 50% of the above goal, I'll be a happy chappy.

:anjali: to you all, let's keep up the good work :anjali:

metta
Jack
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
Sanghamitta
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Sanghamitta »

Worked late yesterday. Squeezed in 25 mins Metta Bhavana last night. This morning anapanasati for 30 mins.
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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Guy
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Guy »

BlackBird wrote:I've got the next two days off work, and I'm intend to do a semi-self retreat in my bedroom.
Wednesday - 6 hours meditation, 2 hours study.
Thursday - 5 hours meditation, 2 hours study + 45 minute group sit.

It's probably quite a lofty desire which looks good on paper. But if I can do 50% of the above goal, I'll be a happy chappy.
Cool, let us know how you go. :meditate:
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
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Vardali
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Vardali »

Ben wrote:Good luck Vardali!
If it gets tough going, try and exert some adhitthana! (strong determination) It will be helpful in overcomng your hindrances.
metta

Ben
Thank you, Ben. I am trying :) With limited success, though; Saturday, my meditation stance was virtually non-existant (despite or in spite of actually looking forward to use the day), but Sunday went well.

Been lapsing yesterday though, due to too much workload in the office (had to pull an all-nighter), and I suspect I will be to tired for that reason to effectively meditate.

Still, off I go now and do my best for tonight :sage:

Wishing you all good progress and a peaceful mind :bow:

:buddha2:
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Khalil Bodhi
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by Khalil Bodhi »

Hey Everyone,

Wishing you all well and may your meditation challenges bear great fruit. Metta! :hug:
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
-Dhp. 183

The Stoic Buddhist: https://www.quora.com/q/dwxmcndlgmobmeu ... pOR2p0uAdH
My Practice Blog:
http://khalilbodhi.wordpress.com
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zavk
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by zavk »

Hi friends

I dawned upon me the other day that I have been quite complacent. I have never visited a Dhamma Centre regularly. For various logistical reasons, it simply wasn't convenient for me to do so. But in this past year, I have acquired the means to do so. There is a Dhamma Centre that is only about 15 minute drive from my home. It turns out that Ajahn Ariyasilo is staying at the centre till early next year. So I shall set myself a challenge by trying to attend the weekly group sits/Dhamma talks from now on.
With metta,
zavk
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mikenz66
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Re: The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi zavk,

Sound great. Is this where you mean?
http://www.bsv.net.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta
Mike
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