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Are you skilled in meditation?
Beginners mind
Early positive experiences of meditation can sometimes feel more like a matter of chance than a result of something you actually did. It is hard to understand what led to that lovely spaciousness
and lack of wondering thoughts when it seems to come out of the blue.
It's sometimes called beginners mind. Although altered states which
happen early on can be very inspiring and give a tantalising taste
for your potential they can also have a down side. You can get the
impression that these states are just there just waiting for you,
all you have to do is sit there doing the formal meditation
technique and by some unfathomable quirk they turn up fully formed,
because that's pretty much what you experienced. Basing meditation
practice on this premise is bound to be unhelpful in the long term.
Developing skills and a knowledge base A more useful attitude is that over time when you meditate you build up particular skills and a knowledge base about what does and does not
help you come into a deep, and vibrant awareness.
For more info go to
http://creativengagement.wordpress.com/meditation-awareness/essenti...
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Comment by Vajradaka on August 24, 2010 at 19:15 -
Hi Daniel
Thanks for the hint on the link, Hopefully it'll work now.
When it comes to Metta it is useful to approach it as supporting and giving attention to all the ways that you are FOR your health, and mental and spiritual well being. There are probable many ways in your day when you contribute to yours and other welfare. Being helpful is a way that it often comes out.
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Comment by Daniel Brett on August 24, 2010 at 14:31 -
Hi,
The link doesn't work. Perhaps you could copy and paste it.
To be honest, I find metta bhavana to be an overwhelmingly negative experience - particularly in relation to my own self, both within the meditation and as a result of not having much emotional change towards the world around me - and as such feel that I must be an inherently un-metta-ful person. But I haven't been practicing it regularly for that long, so perhaps it will get better. I try to negotiate a positive mindset and rationalise things, but it's tough.
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