The best meditation method

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

About ‘techniques’, at the risk of being singled out as the nerd in the herd, I’d say that all practices imply an ego (identity) doing and therefore, by pursuing that programmed activity, we remain in a hypnotic trance orchestrated by the ego, which we ourselves feed by taking charge, as it were.

Who is the entity seeking attainment?

The meditation ‘practices’ are steps ... interim steps, until meditation becomes an ever present flowing orientation, just like our breath ... which we don’t breathe ... we are being breathed. The same applies to the energy path, chakras, kundalini, consciousness expansion into the void etc.

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

But yes, there's practice and being and the techniques, if exercised properly and diligently, should lead from one to the other.

Much has been written about this question of practices vs presence. Until presence becomes a choiceless state there is still an ego trying to be present which is just another practice and a form of seeking attainment.

When presence is a choiceless state we can still do practices simply for the enjoyment of doing them.

Peace

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Starman

You can taste sweet nectar in your throat, flowing freely down from your head through your neck ...
Deep silence can expand our consciousness, ...
It is a relationship, it is not a mechanical thing.
We are talking about connecting with a living presence.
It is the most intimate experience a human being can have.

Sentences to be remembered.
Except I'm sure he stole them from something I said!!!! Kidding.
(You said them more eloquently, poetically.)

Originally Posted by iamthat

Much has been written about this question of practices vs presence. Until presence becomes a choiceless state there is still an ego trying to be present which is just another practice and a form of seeking attainment.

When presence is a choiceless state we can still do practices simply for the enjoyment of doing them.

Peace

I find resting in awareness (also known as choiceless awareness, just sitting, do nothing) a great practice to cultivate that state of being. Another practice that's complimentary and reinforcing is the Karma Yoga practice of Work as Witness. Its beauty is it can be practiced throughout the day and in the midst of all activity whether physical or mental. Find that same "space" of resting in awareness and from it simply realize one is not the doer of action but its witness.

Originally Posted by Starman

For me the simplest techniques are the best.

Ditto to the power of 10, here.

[Green.Heals]

For you, maybe.

For me, different.

Do what feels best, and most natural. Try them all.

[Chainer]

Originally Posted by Green.Heals

For you, maybe.

For me, different.

Do what feels best, and most natural. Try them all.

Good advice, as long as you can be calm enough to actually 'feel' it, rather than 'think' about feeling it.

If you can't, at the start, then you need to stick to 'technique', to turn down your ego, your hyper arousal, until you can be calm, until you can be SELF possessed, rather than possessed by self...

Lots of technique has become a philosophy in this day and age, instead of what it really is - a set of training wheels, some scaffolding to steady the mind and give you confidence to preserve, so you don't wallow about, zoning out and falling asleep like a fool.

Many folks even think talking about it is doing it, in some way they will eventually understand 'logically' what that Zen Koan means, rather than than one sunny day actually 'experiencing' what it means.. experience your mind actually stopping.

Then soon enough you realise all spirituality is a 'form of feeling' and all 'thinking about it' is just jerking off. As they say - Love yourself, Don't give a F*ck, and Look Good, and you will be fine.

[Bill1673]

I've been using guided meditation. I feel much more at peace and grounded. I absolutely love Tibetan singing bowls. I use them for my affirmation/ mantra's

[Aidan Bentham]

In my experience, I found it initially difficult but not as difficult as I'd thought, to simply jump past techniques and go straight into surrender. I believe this happened because back then when I started my journey in 2020, I was suffering and ready to let go. Then I spent so much time alone. I followed Osho also, I learnt a lot off him. I found him simplistic in the way he explained the inner dimensions.

First, I came cross Mindfulness because of the sheer advertisement of it. I tried this to ease anxiety, but did not expect a complete spiritual life change. Then I began really working with the Zazen approach, which is essentially not interfering at all with the mind. No manipulation, no sense of doing. Sitting and doing nothing internally. It can feel really difficult, but just persist, and allow whatever to come up to come up. It truly did wonders for me.

However I did have difficulty in the letting go at points, sometimes it became too painful. Understanding how the ego and mind operate, it made it easier to endure. But I found keeping balance all round made a huge difference, so eating sensibly, and moving, consciously relaxing the body, flow movements and yoga really aided the meditation practice.

Techniques are to help people find ways that work for them, but ultimately it all comes back to surrender. This is the part which is completely out of our hands. But also the most challenging and yet most rewarding. If you are anything like me, I was hungry for change.

Blessings to you all.

Originally Posted by Aidan Bentham

In my experience, I found it initially difficult but not as difficult as I'd thought, to simply jump past techniques and go straight into surrender. I believe this happened because back then when I started my journey in 2020, I was suffering and ready to let go. Then I spent so much time alone. I followed Osho also, I learnt a lot off him. I found him simplistic in the way he explained the inner dimensions.

First, I came cross Mindfulness because of the sheer advertisement of it. I tried this to ease anxiety, but did not expect a complete spiritual life change. Then I began really working with the Zazen approach, which is essentially not interfering at all with the mind. No manipulation, no sense of doing. Sitting and doing nothing internally. It can feel really difficult, but just persist, and allow whatever to come up to come up. It truly did wonders for me.

However I did have difficulty in the letting go at points, sometimes it became too painful. Understanding how the ego and mind operate, it made it easier to endure. But I found keeping balance all round made a huge difference, so eating sensibly, and moving, consciously relaxing the body, flow movements and yoga really aided the meditation practice.

Techniques are to help people find ways that work for them, but ultimately it all comes back to surrender. This is the part which is completely out of our hands. But also the most challenging and yet most rewarding. If you are anything like me, I was hungry for change.

Blessings to you all.

As I understand Zazen is usually associated with study of koans whereas Shikantaza is the version devoid of study of/contemplation on koans. I believe it's also called just sitting and I know it was resting in awareness, choiceless awareness and do nothing meditation.

But yeah, for me Shikantaza was the breakthrough practice.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

As I understand Zazen is usually associated with study of koans whereas Shikantaza is the version devoid of study of/contemplation on koans. I believe it's also called just sitting and I know it was resting in awareness, choiceless awareness and do nothing meditation.

But yeah, for me Shikantaza was the breakthrough practice.

I'd always equated Zazen with Shikantaza, though apparently it varies from school to school - from Wikipedia (link here):

In the Japanese Rinzai school, zazen is usually associated with the study of koans. The Sōtō School of Japan, on the other hand, only rarely incorporates koans into zazen, preferring an approach where the mind has no object at all, known as shikantaza.

According to that link, zazen practice is generally taught in one of three ways, the third way being concentration. I personally prefer just sitting (contemplating koans usually just leads to frustration for me, don't think I'm hooked up for it - I always sucked at riddles, too), though I like that there are different approaches, because we're not all wired up the same and therefore what works for one person may not work for another.