Old demons

[michaeljc]

Now make no big deal out if it. I regularly use this technique (calling it my house cleaning) and find that hard times are more fruitful in practice than good times. A burning life issue can work rather similar to a koan

m

Sitting soon

[Ugrok]

Still, it's really incredible how your body can spontaneously produce bliss in the middle of suffering ! Sadly, it does not last and you have to get up sooner or later, but i now get that people can become addicted to what they call "jhanas" in other schools of buddhism.

What is interesting is also, as you mentioned, the "time" factor. It takes time to settle and go deeper.

I agree with you that practice is more fruitful during difficult times. Maybe it is because when we are in trouble, we do not cling as much to our sense of self as usual. For example, nowadays on the cushion, i really let go, i'm in a "no matter if i die, anyway i feel like crap" attitude. And i find that it's really opening. There is a line in one of suzuki's books, a student asks him : "Roshi, do we have to lose the will to live ?" And he answers "Yes, but without gaining the will to die". When i feel really bad and anxious as is the case nowadays, i really let go. Sometimes on the cushion i don't care anymore if i die or not. And i think this bliss comes, in part, from this frame of mind. Maybe i'm wrong, but this might explain in part why practice in a difficult time is more fruitful.

Uggy, sat today

[michaeljc]

Hi Uggy

In my view our practice has not started to mature until we lose fear of death. I too find that time each session on the cushion is important. Things don't start to kick in inside 30 m. I find that longer sits of 45 m + with the attitude "I am going to sit for ever" to be useful. I can't see anyway around time on the cushion. No sitting means no practice (IMO).

Yes, bliss can be addictive. The problem is we/I can be tempted to go back looking for it. It don't work :-)

Cheers

m

Sat 2day