Looking for meditation advice

[Jhrper]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Sitting with a curious mind also helps a lot. Try to see zazen as an experiment to see what it feels, how your body feels and instead of asking questions, just sit. Begin for about 10 minutes and move forward from there, adding a couple of minutes every few weeks.

I believe that this is key for me. Meditation should be an exploration of the mind and not an attempt to stop thoughts. I sat again today and spent quite a bit of it watching my mind replay a pop song I heard at work. I didn't fight it I just observed and it was far more pleasant that way.

It's hard to explain so just do it.

I really like that.

Hello, don't think about how awesome it will be, because it won't.

I listened to a talk from a woman named Andrea Fella today that tied alot of this together for me.

Then I found Treeleaf (*cue soft-focus logo and angelic new-age music*). I saw all kinds of people here, with all kinds of lives, and somehow they were... just... sitting. Something clicked. I started just putting my ass down onto the cushion, without asking myself first if I was in the mood, or if the stars were aligned. It worked. Now I just sit. Every day. I brush my teeth every day, I drink water every day, I breathe every day, and I sit every day. Sometimes I am walking to the cushion, telling myself why I really, seriously don’t have time to sit, and then I sit, and then I go on with my day. Sometimes I reeeally don’t feel like sitting at all, like if I‘m sick, or in a bad mood. I sit anyway. For 20 minutes or however long, the butt is in charge. The butt goes onto the cushion, and the brain comes along, willingly or not. Oh! Don’t forget to put the brain (and/or the heart) back in charge when you’re finished.

It really should be a habit shouldn't it? Like taking a shower or brushing your teeth. Even though sometimes you don't want to do these things you do them anyway. Thanks.

Thanks to everyone else as well. I am off to watch video links, and I appreciate the guidance. I joined here in the hope that a community would help strengthen my practice and I think it just might.

Jason
SatToday

[Jundo]

I believe that this is key for me. Meditation should be an exploration of the mind and not an attempt to stop thoughts. I sat again today and spent quite a bit of it watching my mind replay a pop song I heard at work. I didn't fight it I just observed and it was far more pleasant that way.

Lovely.

And at the same time, neither jump into the song, get hooked and start singing! (Not during Zazen anyway. Fine in the shower. ).

Let thoughts and emotions (and songs!) come and go in the mind ... but also, do not latch on, get hooked, and follow along. Just let them go.

In such way, in Zazen, one discovers a certain Harmonious Symphony that is not a matter of sound or silence.

Gassho, J

[Mp]

I believe that this is key for me. Meditation should be an exploration of the mind and not an attempt to stop thoughts. I sat again today and spent quite a bit of it watching my mind replay a pop song I heard at work. I didn't fight it I just observed and it was far more pleasant that way.

Hello Jhrper,

LOL, Jundo beat me to it ... yes, this is wonderful. Keep at it, goes easy, and enjoy the journey or exploration. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Jakugan]

Some good advice here. The mind has many ways to draw us to different distractions.

Gassho.

simon.

sat today