Sunday, July 10, 2011
Summer Meditation Challenge! (Days 39 and 40)
Sunday, July 10th, 2011
This is the way I use my cushion, except I turn my zafu (round cushion) on end. Here's what a zafu looks like:
Why all the focus on cushions and posture? Because I have discovered that the comfort and stability of my posture coupled with absolutely no movement results in a high state of concentration if I consistently follow my breath without wavering.
The 45 minutes in Sangha this morning was amazing. By remembering to stay absolutely still while following my breath, I had these long moments where everything fell away, and I was just sitting, breathing. Nothing else! No thoughts, short or long. Just breathing, following, and stability. I did notice a difference as I remained perfectly still.
I was so stoked by this that I tried to replicate it at home after returning from Sangha. I think Rebecca thought I was crazy for sitting again! I could not retain the same degree of stillness nor could I experience that same, stable, focused state. I wonder if that was perhaps due to the fact that I was hopeful of achieving that state again? Hmmm...
Saturday's sit was short and perfunctory. But today, wow! I'm hungry for more practice and for reading to practice mindfulness (in a systematic way) after improving at entering the focused states as I experienced today.
# posted by bosuncookie @ 7/10/2011 09:39:00 PM 
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