Update: Meditation, Dharma, Sangha
I got this cool little app for my iPhone that is a meditation timer with several singing bowl sound effects. It is also a community out there in the ether, so you can see who else is meditating. Kinda neat. And all for 1.99. If I am going to actually PAY for an app, it has to be good. This is a win.
Last weekend we had a two-hour session in Jhana meditation with a gentleman from Washington state that Sister knows. Here is a link to the organization Brian is with: http://www.jhanasadvice.com/
I still have an Amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket; perhaps I'll order the book. I need incense, too, and you can get pretty much anything from teh Amazon. Ooh...the reviews are good on this book.
Anyway. Jhana meditation. Or "Concentration Meditation," which is what it says on this handout they gave us. We are only at the very first step, which is to hold the attention on the movement of the breath between the nostrils and the upper lip. Easier said than done. You actually can't *feel* this spot, so it requires a lot of concentration. This is a good thing! When we discussed it directly afterward, I said that it was very hard to do, but I felt the time passed very quickly. Brian said essentially that I was doing it correctly. Okay.
Unless directed otherwise (as in last night's generosity meditation at the temple) I've been doing all my seated meditation this way. I don't know if I'm progressing or not. Very frequently I seem to find myself asking suddenly, "Where was I? Oh, yeah, that space under my nose..." I don't think I've fallen asleep. But where *was* I?
Which leads to another subject: What about this "awareness" that is supposed to occur with my meditation? I think I may write Sister another email and ask her. I just don't feel particularly "aware" when I meditate. Quite the contrary.
I am still enjoying sangha. Yesterday afternoon I made myself a cup of tea (caffeinated) to ward off the sleepies and I believe that helped. Very small, "core" group last night. I do like hearing what everyone has to say during dharma discussion. Everyone is interesting. How often do you get to say *that*? :-)
Looking forward to the "potluck dinner and a movie" a week from Saturday. Going to try and bring the family with me.
Last weekend we had a two-hour session in Jhana meditation with a gentleman from Washington state that Sister knows. Here is a link to the organization Brian is with: http://www.jhanasadvice.com/
I still have an Amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket; perhaps I'll order the book. I need incense, too, and you can get pretty much anything from teh Amazon. Ooh...the reviews are good on this book.
Anyway. Jhana meditation. Or "Concentration Meditation," which is what it says on this handout they gave us. We are only at the very first step, which is to hold the attention on the movement of the breath between the nostrils and the upper lip. Easier said than done. You actually can't *feel* this spot, so it requires a lot of concentration. This is a good thing! When we discussed it directly afterward, I said that it was very hard to do, but I felt the time passed very quickly. Brian said essentially that I was doing it correctly. Okay.
Unless directed otherwise (as in last night's generosity meditation at the temple) I've been doing all my seated meditation this way. I don't know if I'm progressing or not. Very frequently I seem to find myself asking suddenly, "Where was I? Oh, yeah, that space under my nose..." I don't think I've fallen asleep. But where *was* I?
Which leads to another subject: What about this "awareness" that is supposed to occur with my meditation? I think I may write Sister another email and ask her. I just don't feel particularly "aware" when I meditate. Quite the contrary.
I am still enjoying sangha. Yesterday afternoon I made myself a cup of tea (caffeinated) to ward off the sleepies and I believe that helped. Very small, "core" group last night. I do like hearing what everyone has to say during dharma discussion. Everyone is interesting. How often do you get to say *that*? :-)
Looking forward to the "potluck dinner and a movie" a week from Saturday. Going to try and bring the family with me.