Discussion on mindfulness - Postscript

[PhillyG]

Hi everyone,

I really enjoyed the talk yesterday. Thanks for the discussion!
There was one question I forgot to ask.

How do you implement or try to implement mindfulness in your daily life?

[PhillyG]

I personally try to meditate or do yoga on a regular basis.

Some years ago I also tried to implement pieces of everyday activities that are carried out mindful, e.g. eating, cooking, brushing your teeth, cleaning etc.. But I contemporary I don’t do the daily-mindful-activity stuff. In everyday life the amount of attractions is too much.

How do you cope with obstacles in your practice?

[Esho]

Hello PhillyG!

I personally try to meditate or do yoga on a regular basis.

I have been doing Zazen for some time ago and I have had excellent results... Look, the mind slows down and becomes still so you perform your daily activities more slowly, carefully, silently, aware and mindful... aware of the present moment... attentive to your breath as you eat, cook, brush your teeth, etc...

In everyday life the amount of attractions is too much.

How do you cope with obstacles in your practice?

Zazen practice has the effect of desiring to simplify life... so I started to eliminate many unnecessary activities like watching tv, working for long periods of time, being at the internet too much, going out to malls, spending money in stuff, etc... and substituting that activities with long periods of Zazen.

[Aloka]

How do you cope with obstacles in your practice?

By not getting too panicked and gently reminding myself of what needs to be done!




PS Element has put a very helpful post and a video of Ajahn Jayasaro in the Early Buddhism forum.

[PhillyG]

I have been doing Zazen for some time ago and I have had excellent results... Look, the mind slows down and becomes still so you perform your daily activities more slowly, carefully, silently, aware and mindful... aware of the present moment... attentive to your breath as you eat, cook, brush your teeth, etc...

I did Zazen in the Soto tradition for a long time too. But I figured that the ritualistic character of it is too strict for me. So I returned to mindfulness practice where you can have more than one meditation-object. Non the less I do it from time to time and I took over the Seiza (knee sitting posture with a pillow) for my meditation practice in general.
Right now my meditation obstacles are primarily internal. It's no problem for me to pick a time and sit down but to keep the meditation going for an effective period of time. Concentration is not the problem, it's more that I get overwhelmed or "over-identified" with upcoming thoughts and body feelings. Then after a time I stop the meditation early.
Little "tricks" like counting the breath or guided meditation just help a little bit.

Zazen practice has the effect of desiring to simplify life... so I started to eliminate many unnecessary activities like watching tv, working for long periods of time, being at the internet too much, going out to malls, spending money in stuff, etc... and substituting that activities with long periods of Zazen.

I did that when I was more into Zen but I figured that many activities I evaluated as distracting actually serve a social function, e.g. in the mall you meet friends. Moreover cutting them out requires - at least in my case - a lot of discipline and will power, which I needed elsewhere. But of cause if they fade away naturally (right now caused by the lockdown) they also get replaced automatically.

[Esho]

Well... its Ok... I really enjoy Zazen; it is the basis for a mindful mind.

[Esho]

Moderator's note:

The thread has been moved to Zen Buddhism Discussion Forum entitled "What is Zazen?"