In life we grow to be more alive, understanding and sensitive. Our goal in meditation is to settle down, center/recover our self and to improve our self. Life will teach you eventually, and we will be more wakeful (appamado = not pamada = not lax or negligent). “don’t be lazy” -sensei. “only a lazy man can not do yoga” – guru-ji. Also see TaoTeCHing #15. How train our self? focus awareness makes it easier. Smaller circle of awareness is easier. Learn how to wake up.
11/23/22
“Happy and strong” comes from sukkha & sthira. Sukkha is the opposite of dukkha = suffering, pain, dissatisfaction. So maybe sukha is “content”. Sthira is steady or strong. You are here for a purpose. What is your purpose? Stay true to it. Clarify it. Believe it is possible. An optimistic wise person questions their beliefs. A fearful person doubles down. Don’t be afraid, be good.
11/9/22
How do you get enlightened? Buddha said to follow the 8-fold path which is in short form Chapel’s 3 R’s. Right effort and right Sati are directed to overcoming the 5 hindrances and using the 5 powers. Right samadhi is 2nd jhana or deeper. 4th is enough. To help us deal with the 4 noble truths and our craving attachments to the 10 fetters, we apply ourselves to the 4 tetrads of mindfulness which each are: clear perception, observation, rationalization, and liberation. Finally you feel your craving and don’t fear it (anger, shame, anxiety like the Enneagram describes). Instead identify it, pause before fulfilling it, and consider what if you didn’t?
11/2/22
Do you create or allow your life to happen? control is not the issue, attachment is what causes suffering. So be happy with your effort and understand that the result will be what it will be, though usually correlated with our effort. Allowing: being sick is like meditating. you arrange and maintain your circumstances (rest and fluids) and trust your body to heal. For meditation you maintain yourself calm and focused and trust your mind to awaken and be present with jhana. be steady and trust. Controlling: choose your circle of awareness with your attention. consciousness is like being asleep, alert, dreamy, agitated, worried, afraid, happy, loving, content and is affected by your attitude and degree of alertness. Energy maybe controlled with coffee, and you need enough to maintain effort, but too much doesn’t help. Practice is effort overcoming obstacles, not just being free of them.