is your mokney mind more active in the AM or PM

[Cooperix]

2 comments:
for me an unsettled mind offers an excellent opportunity to practice patience, non- judgement and mercy toward myself, as I find i am often discouraged and frustrated when I have what is called " monkey mind" (approximately 90% of the time!). This has been most helpful, not necessarily for slowing down my active mind but not being further distressed by its clamor.

And second...settling my breathing will often help settle my mind. An agitated rapid breath creates an agitated mind. Sometimes just shining the light of attention on my breath will settle it and consequently settle my mind. It's a physiological phenomenon.

thank you for the interesting discussion.


Anne

[LucardieC]

I find I practice when my body and mind calls me to do it.
There is no right or wrong way.

For example, I find when I watch my daughter, there are moments when her mind is quiet and moments when it is so excited by the simple things around her. It is in the moments when I can see she is ready to focus, that I teach her. The same if for your mind, you are the only person who knows when it is ready. "Monkey mind" or not; only you know the best time for your body and mind to be one with your self.
The beautiful thing about Life is that it is always moving, She does not wait for anyone to be ready for anything. Enjoy that your mind is so active My ailing grandmother has Alzheimer's, and when she is "concious" of her memory loss, she wishes for moments when she can just "think."
It has made me aware to appreciate the "clouds" passing through, because one day I may not have them. However, getting them to behave is a work in progress

As Jundo says: "Just sit."

Gassho,

Chelsea

[Mp]

My ailing grandmother has Alzheimer's, and when she is "concious" of her memory loss, she wishes for moments when she can just "think."

Thank you Chelsea and much metta to you and your granny. I too understand this as my granny is in the beginning stages of Dementia ... the thankful presence of each moment is very important. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Ishin]

Hello
Maybe you will find sitting when it is most difficult, to be of the most benefit. Not doing so when it is easy but just doing so, easy, difficult; morning, night.

Gassho
C

[bayamo]

It's been almost a year since I first posted this, and I find it to still be the case. When I sit first thing in the morning my mind goes wicked nutso all over the place. If I run an errand or two and come back home, the mind seems much calmer. I understand we sit with what we have at moment, but the ones where my mind races almost leave me stressed.
Meh, it is what it is.

Oh yeah, if I didn't have inner peace, I'd completely go psycho on all you guys, all the time. Carl Carlson
#SatToday, so I got that going for me, which is nice..

[RichardH]

When I first learned to sit the mind was bucking and rebelling. It was because the kind of sitting involved quieting the mind through concentration and absorption. Eventually it did get trained to settle, but after the sitting was finished it would be just as busy as before. Someone once described that kind of practice as placing a flat rock over grass, and that feels about right. When I learned to "just sit" the mind was "allowed" (there was no one allowing anything) to be natural within an open awareness. It was a relief. That awareness is not a doing, more like a simple space. I shouldn't talk about this too much.. but the upshot is that in a way my mind is no more settled that it ever was, only now it is (more) peaceful because the self-interfering or self-knotting has ebbed away just by sitting daily. It does what it does, and mostly it does what is good. Sometimes it just pauses, and there is no thought, but this just happens. I used to grasp at those as special experiences, but not anymore.

Also, I used to have an attitude of sitting though pain and exhaustion, thinking that it would fry away "me", ..and it did in a way. There were experiences that I made much of. But in the end an ordinary sense of self and place is no problem. Now if I'm very tired or have a headache or some responsibility calls me away, it is no problem to just get up and go sleep, or do what needs to be done. Sitting daily is a very basic part of saner living, and over time the existential questions have been settled along with the ok-ness of being a very human being.

Saying too much maybe. take it with a grain of salt.

Gassho
Daizan

Just about to close the laptop and go sit.

[Jishin]

Hello,

Hard to say.
Maybe so.
Don't know.

I like these answers because it's my path to travel alone and there are no fast and hard rules. But we are a Soto bunch and the best answer in this part of the world might be:

Just Sit.

Gassho, Jishin

#SatToday

[Jundo]

When I first learned to sit the mind was bucking and rebelling. It was because the kind of sitting involved quieting the mind through concentration and absorption. Eventually it did get trained to settle, but after the sitting was finished it would be just as busy as before. Someone once described that kind of practice as placing a flat rock over grass, and that feels about right. When I learned to "just sit" the mind was "allowed" (there was no one allowing anything) to be natural within an open awareness. It was a relief. That awareness is not a doing, more like a simple space. I shouldn't talk about this too much.. but the upshot is that in a way my mind is no more settled that it ever was, only now it is (more) peaceful because the self-interfering or self-knotting has ebbed away just by sitting daily. It does what it does, and mostly it does what is good. Sometimes it just pauses, and there is no thought, but this just happens. I used to grasp at those as special experiences, but not anymore.

Also, I used to have an attitude of sitting though pain and exhaustion, thinking that it would fry away "me", ..and it did in a way. There were experiences that I made much of. But in the end an ordinary sense of self and place is no problem. Now if I'm very tired or have a headache or some responsibility calls me away, it is no problem to just get up and go sleep, or do what needs to be done. Sitting daily is a very basic part of saner living, and over time the existential questions have been settled along with the ok-ness of being a very human being.

Saying too much maybe. take it with a grain of salt.

Gassho
Daizan

Just about to close the laptop and go sit.

Lovely.

Connects to what I try to describe here ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12983-Stupid-obsessions-during-zazen-your-experiences-How-do-you-deal-with-them&p=143590&viewfull=1#post143590

Gassho, J

[Daiyo]

Sitting daily is a very basic part of saner living, and over time the existential questions have been settled along with the ok-ness of being a very human being.

That gives me hope

Thanks.


Gassho,
Walter

#SatToday

[Kyonin]

Hi Bayamo,

Just sit and stop labeling things.

If the mind feels super busy, sit twice the time.

Then forget about it all.

Next day, repeat.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[bayamo]

¡Gracias!

Hi Bayamo,

Just sit and stop labeling things.

If the mind feels super busy, sit twice the time.

Then forget about it all.

Next day, repeat.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

Oh yeah, if I didn't have inner peace, I'd completely go psycho on all you guys, all the time. Carl Carlson
#SatToday

[Joyo]

Active or inactive doesn't matter. A healthy brain produces thoughts. When you are sitting you are probably more aware of them. I wouldn't skip a morning sit because of them. I would have quit this practice long ago if having an active brain was a showstopper. Samadhi can be one moment.

Great advice, Rich! How true. My mind is often very active during am and pm sittings but it doesn't matter so much to me anymore. As I sit and focus on nothing, I find it kind of entertaining as it's amazing what crazy stuff the mind will bring up.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today