uerusuboyo replied " I guess counting the breath is 'bread and butter' for most people starting out (and also for seasoned meditators). I have found, however, that the meditation on the breath as taught in the sutras says nothing whatsoever about counting our breaths. Instead, we just focus on the breath entering and leaving the nostrils. This works for me much better than counting because counting can soon become a mantra taking our focus away from the body. Actual bodily sensations are our doorway into reality rather than concepts (such as numbers)"
i do want to reply that when i started focusing on body sensations during meditation instead of counting, i felt more successful in my meditation. it was a brand new concept to me and if i remember correctly from instruction is that body sensations cause the intrusive or running stream of thoughts and if a thought does arise during meditation, gently turn away from thought and see what the body is experiencing, be it tension, a slumping in the posture, a tightening of the hands or wrists or heaviness in stomach or chest. i have been using this as my meditation for over a year now but it is the first time i have heard of someone else that is familiar with the practice of it. Thank you M On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 6:33 AM, Bill! <billsm...@hhs1963.org> wrote: > Mike, > > Counting the breaths is just the initial part of the teaching technique, > at least as it was taught to me. The full techniques is: > 1. Counting the breath: > 1.1 - 1 on 1xhale, 2 on inhale, etc..., to 10 and then repeat > 1.2 - 1 on exhale, 2 on next exhale, etc..., to 10 and then repeat > 2. Following the breath: > 2.1 - No counting, just following exhale and inhale > 2.2 - No counting, just following breath, exhale only > 3. Drop the following - shikantaza - Just THIS! > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > > > Hal, Bill!,<br/><br/>I guess counting the breath is 'bread and butter' > for most people starting out (and also for seasoned meditators). I have > found, however, that the meditation on the breath as taught in the sutras > says nothing whatsoever about counting our breaths. Instead, we just focus > on the breath entering and leaving the nostrils. This works for me much > better than counting because counting can soon become a mantra taking our > focus away from the body. Actual bodily sensations are our doorway into > reality rather than concepts (such as > numbers).<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > > > >
