Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Greetings,

May I ask a question to our resident meditators who use "sweeping" in their practice?

When you sweep, do you ever pay attention to the quality of the volitional action of sweeping, or put another way, the deliberate act of changing the focus of attention?

I hope the question was clear, but feel free to ask for clarification if not.

Metta,
Retro.

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

May I ask a question to our resident meditators who use "sweeping" in their practice?

When you sweep, do you ever pay attention to the quality of the volitional action of sweeping, or put another way, the deliberate act of changing the focus of attention?

I hope the question was clear, but feel free to ask for clarification if not.

Metta,
Retro.

I cannot speak for sweeping practice, but noting, as in the Mahasi Sayadaw practice, has a volitional aspect to it which helps keep the awareness directed and increases the concentration, but in time the noting is dropped.

Hi Retro,

retrofuturist wrote: When you sweep, do you ever pay attention to the quality of the volitional action of sweeping, or put another way, the deliberate act of changing the focus of attention?

Do you mean paying attention to intention? Seeing the intention to make a certain motion before doing it? That's a standard instruction from Mahasi-style teachers.

Not that I sweep much, but that's what I do when walking... And on retreat what I attempt to do with every intentional action. Not that I succeed in the latter...

Mike

Greetings Mike,

mikenz66 wrote:Do you mean paying attention to intention?

Yes.

mikenz66 wrote:Seeing the intention to make a certain motion before doing it?

I was specifically thinking "during" rather than before.

Metta,
Retro.

retrofuturist wrote:

mikenz66 wrote:Seeing the intention to make a certain motion before doing it?

I was specifically thinking "during" rather than before.

In my experience it's much easier to see the intention before the action starts. The "during" part tends to happen fairly automatically and it's not so easy to perceive the intention once the action is happening, until there is an intention to change direction. However, when enough concentration is built up it is possible to perceive all kinds of stuff going on.

Mike

Hi Retro,

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

May I ask a question to our resident meditators who use "sweeping" in their practice?

When you sweep, do you ever pay attention to the quality of the volitional action of sweeping, or put another way, the deliberate act of changing the focus of attention?

Vedana is my primary focus and during some sessions and frequently during retreats other phenomenology comes into focus. It sounds simple but its difficult to articulate the actual experience. And Mike's point is good. Intention is easier to pick up when there is a change in direction of one's attention.
kind regards

Ben

Greetings everyone,

Thanks for sharing your experiences... should you ever attempt to observe the volition that operates concurrently with the sweeping, I'd be interested to hear those experiences too.

Metta,
Retro.

retrofuturist wrote:Thanks for sharing your experiences... should you ever attempt to observe the volition that operates concurrently with the sweeping, I'd be interested to hear those experiences too.

It was actually what I was referring to.
kind regards

Ben

Greetings Ben,

OK, cool... sorry, I thought you meant it in a pre-emptive "intention to move this way" like what Mike was describing.

Metta,
Retro.

I think to some extent its self reinforcing..in my experience. By which i dont mean that it is automatic. Rather that it provides its own momentum.

retrofuturist wrote:OK, cool... sorry, I thought you meant it in a pre-emptive "intention to move this way" like what Mike was describing.

No problem Retro. Its definitely easier to see intention when one intends to change direction or move somewhere else but it can be seen at other times as well. It happens when there is a 'depth' of mental stillness and an absence of papanca and self-identification with anything. I apologise if I'm being cryptic.
kind regards

Ben

No dramas Ben... it's hard to use worldly parlance for things which aren't so worldly.

Metta,
Retro.

Ben wrote:

retrofuturist wrote:OK, cool... sorry, I thought you meant it in a pre-emptive "intention to move this way" like what Mike was describing.

No problem Retro. Its definitely easier to see intention when one intends to change direction or move somewhere else but it can be seen at other times as well. It happens when there is a 'depth' of mental stillness and an absence of papanca and self-identification with anything. I apologise if I'm being cryptic.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. There is some very subtle stuff there that for a dullard like me takes years of practise to see with any clarity.

Mike

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings everyone,

Thanks for sharing your experiences... should you ever attempt to observe the volition that operates concurrently with the sweeping, I'd be interested to hear those experiences too.

Metta,
Retro.

Out of curiosity, why are you asking this?

Greetings Tilt,

tiltbillings wrote:Out of curiosity, why are you asking this?

Specific to the question.... avoiding self perception of a "sweeper" through seeing the characteristics of it.

More generally... seeing the volitional nature of manasikara, and again, its characteristics.

Metta,
Retro.