Relax to da maxx 101
I decided switch back to the tranquility mode recently and wanted to share the practice that I do if it benefits anyone else. Tried my best to put it into words.
--What to do--
Establish Sati with Kindness.
--How to do--
- When sitting, I know that I am sitting.
- When typing in my keyboard, I know that I am typing...
- When breathing, I know that I am breathing...
- When feeling bodily pain, I know that I am feeling bodily pains with kindness.
- When feeling mental pains, I know that I am feeling mental pains with kindness
If forgotten, I know that I have forgotten and re-establish Sati with kindness.
I try to accept the discontentment experienced right now directly with kindness.
(no running away or masking it)
--What is the goal or Intention? --
**Nothing but to establish Sati now, absolutely nothing else**
The goal is not to enter jhana, cessation or mystical experience, all those are gifts.
I would call it, the gifts of practicing the Dhamma.
I don't need to be a beggar and beg for the gifts.
Uncle Sid will drop them If I have been a good boi and practiced.
So, I just need to remember to acknowledge any current discontent with Sati + kindness.
--Natural progression as a result of progressive letting go--
- As a result of Sati, attention self-selects objects and sticks to objects.
- As a result of Developed Sati + Kindness, Attention self-selects but inclines to letting go of the objects.
- As a result of letting go, attention lands on breath naturally and prefers it as the object.
- As a result of deeper letting go, mind produces delight.
- As a result of letting go fueled by delight, breath tends to soften.
- As a result of even more finer letting go, applied effort disappears and Samadhi takes over. (working on improving this atm)
* Further stages yet to be experienced...
* I experience delight as a deep coolness in the chest and super calm mind as aftereffects.
* Breaking Sati breaks the progression, and it will often...so I consider it like a training.
* All this happens naturally with application of sati + kindness.
--When to practice--
Anytime, even right now... as I am typing this.
Sati can be done in all postures, but I use seated closed eyes sits to hit deeper stages.
(~1hr or more)
--Challenges--
Hinderances kicks in at various lay life settings. This tends to break sati and samadhi fades away.
I am sure after more iterations I will be able to refine this and progress further.
* What's written above is purely experiential, repeatable and I will update with further refinement over weeks/months for my own reference and reflection.
* Intentionally spammed "Kindness" everywhere so it's not overlooked haha
* Good to clarify that there is no forcing attention on the breath or anything here, it's the wisdom way. Forcing often implies more "Selfing" and struggling.
* Oh, also this method was inspired by Ajahn Brahm da GOAT of course :D
Watch this to get the feel of it:
Where the hindrances live Ajahn Brahm Deeper Dhamma - YouTube