auto wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:48 pm
Pondera wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:56 pm
budo wrote: ↑Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:02 am
Out of curiosity, how do you start your meditation? Do you follow the breath?
Thank you
No. I relax tension in the bottom of my heart. Then I relax my root chakra. Then I relax and concentrate on the left hemisphere of my brain in a fairly particular place. Then I open an area in my heart which releases a substance that flows through my entire body. Everything that substance touches is relaxed and at this point I experience pleasure and bliss. For as long as I concentrate on my mind, the earth element flows through me and fills me with pleasure and release.
Idea of concentration is to arose absorption or access to interrupt the life-continuum. And then develop the sign, while with access concentration mind will re-enter to the life-continuum after sign has takes as object by the mind.
PathofPurification2011
http://www.abhidhamma.com/
[THE TWO KINDS OF CONCENTRATION]
32. Now, concentration is of two kinds, that is to say, access concentration and
absorption concentration: the mind becomes concentrated in two ways, that is,
on the plane of access and on the plane of obtainment. Herein, the mind becomes
concentrated on the plane of access by the abandonment of the hindrances, and
on the plane of obtainment by the manifestation of the jhána factors.
33. The difference between the two kinds of concentration is this. The factors
are not strong in access. It is because they are not strong that when access has
arisen, the mind now makes the sign its object and now re-enters the lifecontinuum,
13 just as when a young child is lifted up and stood on its feet, it
repeatedly falls down on the ground. But the factors are strong in absorption. It
is because they are strong that when absorption concentration has arisen, the
mind, having once interrupted the flow of the life-continuum, carries on with a
stream of profitable impulsion for a whole night and for a whole day, just as a
healthy man, after rising from his seat, could stand for a whole day.
What concentration is any activity what causes mind to become concentrated.
..
40. 5. Food: Sweet food suits one, sour food another.
6. Climate: a cool climate suits one, a warm one another. So when he finds that
by using certain food or by living in a certain climate he is comfortable, or his
unconcentrated mind becomes concentrated, or his concentrated mind becomes
more so, then that food or that climate is suitable. Any other food or climate is
unsuitable.
41. 7. Postures: walking suits one; standing or sitting or lying down suits
another. So he should try them, like the abode, for three days each, and that
posture is suitable in which his unconcentrated mind becomes concentrated or
his concentrated mind becomes more so. Any other should be understood as
unsuitable.
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What I think you have these but you just don't know what is what(not recognize), but still use them, i think its not possible to do anything without absorption, access and sign..
I don’t follow Buddhaghosa’s method, so I have a hard time relating to his definitions. However if I had to use those definitions I might say the following.
Access concentration for me is the mental pressure I exert on the left hemisphere of my brain. This has two consequences. One, it releases the root chakra substance. Two, it releases the earth element heart substance. As soon as those two flow through the body joy and pleasure arise. When these factors are sufficiently high, I do two things.
I would call this “absorption concentration”. One. I mentally open my mind and body as far as I can. Two. I intentionally exert mindfulness on my body and mind too intensify the joy and pleasure. This leads to a pleasant release; a light mind and a pain free body.
When this is over and after I am satisfied that I have accomplished my goal, I move on to the next element: water. It has a different starting point, a different chakra, a different mental connection, and a different situation in the heart.
Note that the “sign” for me in the first case is “earth”. It arises in my body. I visualize a brown aura around me when it is active. I do not look for nimittas. And I do not try to capture that flea head black spot either. It is damn near impossible. But I have read cases where people have learned to control that black flea’s head and they have experienced great joy and bliss as a result.
I practice a softer method than that. It works for me. It keeps my back healthy. It stops me from being anxious. It helps with motivation in times where I will whine that I don’t want to do this or that. It is pleasant and relaxing. It is many things!