Week 2 counting 1 to 10

[Anonymous]

Hello All, a lot is said about week 2 counting topic, its fasinating to know all the different experiences.
Before joining meditation circle, I have been doing meditation particularly taught in BKF’s book,”The tao of letting go”. Basically setting or standing and inhaling into your belly, sides , and upperback. My question is I have been doing that for some time, now its so hard to go to basic counting to 1 to 10. Plus I put on earphone with rain meditation sound, I can feel the blockages dissolve.

I am more hooked onto rain meditation sound, its impossible to do meditation without it. Is it ok to try counting meditation with rain sound or not.

Plus, Please accept my apology if it sound impolite, but I would like to know, in meditation circle, all the questions are answered by students only or certified BKF’s meditation instructors too. Does BKF or his certified instructors even monitor this meditation circle forum.

Thanks in advance

jay

[Anonymous]

Hi, Jay. I think many of us had to adjust to doing things a new way at the beginning of this course. It was hard for me at first to count, as I have never counted in my meditation sessions before. It’s also been hard for me to meditate w/ my eyes open (this is not a requirement, just something I decided on personally!) It’s difficult at first, but you will eventually adjust to it. Although listening to rain sounds can be very soothing, I would recommend learning to meditate without it. I think that if you are getting to a point where you feel you can’t meditate without the audio track, it is especially important to try to get used to meditating without it!

Props can be helpful, but we have to be careful they don’t turn into crutches. Things like music, or a candle are examples of props, but I know it is important to be able to meditate without these things too, especially if one is really serious about learning to meditate. I feel the way to get the most out of this really deep material is to just stick to the instructions, and not try to add anything until Bruce says to.

Also, if you really feel the rain sounds are helpful, you could maybe do a separate meditation with the sound, keeping it apart from the Meditation Circle work. If it were me, I would probably stop using the rain sounds completely for awhile, just to make sure I can adjust to meditating without them, and then when I felt comfortable without them, I would add them back in, but in a separate meditation session.

I have not been aware of Bruce or anyone monitoring this forum, so my guess is we are on our own as far as helping each other out. Hope this is helpful!

[Anonymous]

……………..I agree with Catherine. I used to use ‘Songs of the Tao’ and an album of Tibetan throat chant to help remain focused during most of my meditation, and now find it pivotally important to separate my practice into ‘Meditation Circle sessions – sticking to the curriculum’ and ‘Other Stuff”. One way of looking at it is that pasting in additional elements to your Meditation Circle practice will dilute the already rich content, and could lead to eventual slowing of progress, e.g., becoming dependant on audio crutches.

[Anonymous]

I was accustomed to starting tai chi practice with music and standing post meditation because one of my instructors did this and I found it a good prelude. I’m not doing this with the meditation circle. I think it would prevent me from progressing in meditation and reaping the full benefit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your time and input,

I will start doing meditation circle practice without sound now.

Jay

[Anonymous]

hi been awhile since i posted.i can see the importance of meditating with out ‘props’ but honestly i have two or three pieces of music that i use for no other reason but to drown out the outside world,especially that i live next to a hospital so the walkman and earphones are a nessesary evil that i needmy work changed so first thing in the morning at the reservoir is out!

[Anonymous]

I find using no props but just the natural sounds of my surroundings is very effective. If it rains, I hear the rain. If it is windy, I hear the wind. A door shuts, a dog barks etc. I just try not to obsess on the sounds and just try to keep from distraction while still being aware of my surroundings and my body. The circle is the only solo meditation practice I do, so I am keeping it exactly as Bruce says, (or as close as my limited interpretation of his instructions will let me). Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

……………I’m with Ed on this one, my backdrop is a noisy family home indoors and noisy traffic outside. I do meditate with music, (and sound external dampening headphones!) but that’s a different activity from my Meditation Circle work. Another way of looking at it is that the noise background is external distraction via the ears in the same way that what you see is external distraction via the eyes. I also appreciate that if the external distraction is too much then it’s easier to close the eyes than find truly effective earplugs! It’s worth remembering that Bruce’s teacher lived in a noisy densely populated part of Beijing.

[Anonymous]

I learned to practice Wu Ji with emphasis on “panoramic consciousness”, being aware of kinesthetic internal and external sensations.
I experienced to become more tolerant about external conditions, which appears to me a pathway to become more self responsible.
So, when I began to practice daoist meditation in the Circle, (I’m currently in week 3), I felt I could go on the same way, trying to let go erratic environmental sensations.

[Author]

Posts