Meditation for Everyone - Methods for starting or reigniting your meditation practice (4 April 2010)

0:00 You guys took care of everybody, yeah. I don't think there is anybody, but if that's the case, then Dina's here today. So she can take care of your needs. And also, if anybody saw anything during the weekend that they wanted to buy and didn't have a chance to, she's your girl. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:30 Really? Yeah, I'll add hot water to my cold water. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:30 Highlight the passage at 0:30

· · · silence, 3 minutes

3:30 And so, the same kind of idea that we use when we use the breath as an object, when you feel that your attention has wandered. You just gently bring the focus back to that visualized image of the Buddha. And again, it's the image in your mind's eye. We have a nice picture of exactly what it's supposed to look like on the front of your book. And this is, you know, all the right proportions with the tailed lions in the right. Report an error in the passage at 3:30 Highlight the passage at 3:30

3:58 We also have this statue right here. And it's fine to look at it to get... The idea of what it's meant to look like. But our object isn't the external visual image, right? So we're not focusing on the picture in front. We just use that as a way to get familiar with what it's meant to look like. And then it's just in your mind's eye about bodhicitta in midair about two meters. Report an error in the passage at 3:58 Highlight the passage at 3:58

4:30 So for some people, as I mentioned yesterday, some people are quite visual and for them it is quite easy. For some people it's a little bit more... It's challenging, but like Matt's question yesterday, just even if we get the rough idea of this sort of gold outline, you know, luminous gold-like, the point is to kind of really feel the qualities of that enlightening in front and the presence. Report an error in the passage at 4:30 Highlight the passage at 4:30

4:56 And then as our practice progresses, we can fill in more of the detail. But even if you just get kind of the rough outline of the seated figure, use that as your object, because the point is not so much... To be an artist and get every detail, the point is to develop your concentration. So however clear the image is, isn't so important. Report an error in the passage at 4:56 Highlight the passage at 4:56

5:16 The point is just keeping your mind fixated on that image with whatever level of clarity that you need. Now what we're going to do is train our vigilance, our introspection also. So when you notice that your mind has wandered off, label the distraction. Think fantasy, sound. You know, pain. Whatever it is that your mind has wandered off. And that's a way we can train ourselves that watchdog of the mind that notes when we're off the object. Report an error in the passage at 5:16 Highlight the passage at 5:16

5:48 Because remember I said, good to train that to kick in the minute you're off, instead of 12 minutes later. You know, the whole story has played out and you've just gone into this whole big fantasy and then suddenly you sort of come to and think, what am I doing sitting across the room on this floor? Report an error in the passage at 5:48 Highlight the passage at 5:48

6:06 What am I doing now? Oh, right, right, I was supposed to be right. So you train it to kick in quickly. And so this is one of the qualities of mind that we're trying to develop that really helps us develop that meditation practice. So when you notice that you're off the object completely, you've lost it, don't beat yourself up, don't feel like a failure, just note what is the nature of the distraction. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:34 And you learn a lot about your habitual distractions that way, right? I mentioned yesterday Jack Kornfield talks about the top ten tunes. We all have these kind of playing in our minds all the time. Like what are the compelling distractions that we always keep going back to? And then you will note when you're in that distraction more quickly and then bring your mind back. Report an error in the passage at 6:34 Highlight the passage at 6:34

7:02 So any questions about what we're actually going to be doing with focus? And we'll do the preliminaries, we'll do the whole preliminaries a little bit more gradually the way we did yesterday morning so that again we can become familiar. Now one thing that's suggested when you're using a single object for single point of concentration, the instructions say instead of a long session, do several short sessions. Report an error in the passage at 7:02 Highlight the passage at 7:02

7:32 Okay, in the Sathya tradition they say 12 and a half minute sessions. I don't know how they figured out how much 12 and a half minutes was in ancient Tibet. It was actually some strange thing to do with like tapping your knees and snapping your fingers or something, but that seems really distracting to me. I don't know how you're supposed to be doing that. Report an error in the passage at 7:32 Highlight the passage at 7:32

7:52 It's like something like this, you know, like a kid's game or something. We have clocks now, so it doesn't mean in between that you get up and make a cup of tea and check your email and then come back. It means you just kind of pause in your focus for a minute, adjust your posture, relax your concentration, maybe look around, shift around and then go back. Report an error in the passage at 7:52 Highlight the passage at 7:52

8:18 So we'll do that halfway through an actual main meditation. For this morning, we'll meditate on the object for maybe 25 minutes or so. And then halfway through, I'll ring the bell just once and that means just relax your focus for a minute. Just relax the focus on that image. Change your posture if you need to. And after about a minute or two, then just go back. Report an error in the passage at 8:18 Highlight the passage at 8:18

8:44 And this really helps, you know, because you're sitting on your cushion and you're like, oh god, I have to do this for 45 minutes. How am I ever going to do it? It's easier to concentrate well if you know that you're going to have these little mini sessions within the longer session. So if you're sitting for like 45 minutes, you know, if you're trying for half an hour or 45 minutes on a single object to develop that single point of concentration, do this for yourself. Report an error in the passage at 8:44 Highlight the passage at 8:44

9:11 Break it up into these little mini sessions. Just give your mind a break. Relax your hold on the object, maybe open your eyes and look around. Like I say, don't get up, don't make a cup of tea, don't make it a whole big production, but just give a mini, mini break in between. So we'll do that and I'll ring the bell halfway through and just relax, shift, you know, and then go back to the concentration. Alright, okay, so let's begin. Report an error in the passage at 9:11 Highlight the passage at 9:11

9:38 And we'll do the body sweep again before we start the session. So first getting ourselves in our posture. Keep your back straight, your head tilted slightly forward, your eyes lowered with your gaze going down the plane of your nose, slightly open. You let the light in and now you know that that's the antidote for that subtle dullness that's such a dangerous obstacle. Report an error in the passage at 9:38 Highlight the passage at 9:38

10:13 Cushions under the small of your back so that your pelvis is tilted slightly forward, forcing. Your back into the straight position and if you need extra cushions under your knees, that's fine. Report an error in the passage at 10:13 Highlight the passage at 10:13

10:30 Let's just sweep through the body to make sure that we're not holding any extra tightness or tension. So starting the crown of the head and Report an error in the passage at 10:30 Highlight the passage at 10:30

10:45 sweeping down through the head, noting especially any tightness around the eyes. Report an error in the passage at 10:45 Highlight the passage at 10:45

10:57 Eyebrows, forehead, especially around the eyes, down through the face, just noting and consciously relaxing. And just like the tall redwood tree, we have this column of our spine held upright and then our body just relaxing around that column of the spine just like the branches of a tree hanging down and then down through. Report an error in the passage at 10:57 Highlight the passage at 10:57

11:28 Your face, relaxing the muscles of the jaw, making sure there's no tension, your mouth isn't open, your jaw isn't slack, but just make sure it's not clenched and tense. Report an error in the passage at 11:28 Highlight the passage at 11:28

11:46 And sweeping down through the neck, the Report an error in the passage at 11:46 Highlight the passage at 11:46

11:53 shoulders, Report an error in the passage at 11:53 Highlight the passage at 11:53

11:57 relaxing the shoulders so that they're just hanging evenly. Report an error in the passage at 11:57 Highlight the passage at 11:57

12:05 And down through the arms. Maybe it helps to imagine. The sensation of warmth kind of flowing down through your body, helping to melt any tension in the muscles down through the arms and Report an error in the passage at 12:05 Highlight the passage at 12:05

12:26 down through the hands, fingers. Still holding them in the position just below your navel, not letting them drop, just relaxing in the excess tension that might be there. Report an error in the passage at 12:26 Highlight the passage at 12:26

12:50 Being down through your torso and Report an error in the passage at 12:50 Highlight the passage at 12:50

12:57 open your chest. Just a little bit, straightening your spine, opening. Sometimes we hunch over and hold tension there, this constriction in our chest. If you just lift your sternum and open up your chest, Report an error in the passage at 12:57 Highlight the passage at 12:57

13:17 relaxing down through the small of your back, Report an error in the passage at 13:17 Highlight the passage at 13:17

13:26 pelvis, Report an error in the passage at 13:26 Highlight the passage at 13:26

13:34 your hips, your legs, Report an error in the passage at 13:34 Highlight the passage at 13:34

13:48 and down through your calves, finally to your feet. So just checking, making sure that there's no tightness. And tension, if we relax the body before we start sitting, there's less of a need to move around, less restlessness. Report an error in the passage at 13:48 Highlight the passage at 13:48

14:15 Now turn to your breath, Report an error in the passage at 14:15 Highlight the passage at 14:15

14:21 the same way still in the agitation of your mind by focusing on the breath. For a few minutes, put your mind in neutral, present here in your body, Report an error in the passage at 14:21 Highlight the passage at 14:21

· · · silence, 2 minutes

16:52 everything you do Report an error in the passage at 16:52 Highlight the passage at 16:52

16:58 for the benefit of that. Report an error in the passage at 16:58 Highlight the passage at 16:58

· · · silence, 1 minute

17:49 The beautiful golden throne, adored with jewels and help out in each corner. Report an error in the passage at 17:49 Highlight the passage at 17:49

18:04 The throne is a beautiful multicolored lotus cushion from the sun, the moon cushion on top of that, Report an error in the passage at 18:04 Highlight the passage at 18:04

18:17 and Shakyamuni Buddha seated on the moon cushion. Report an error in the passage at 18:17 Highlight the passage at 18:17

18:25 And his body isn't made of flesh and blood and bone like ours is, but he's made of golden light. And Report an error in the passage at 18:25 Highlight the passage at 18:25

18:37 the three robes of a monk, his face is beautiful, Report an error in the passage at 18:37 Highlight the passage at 18:37

18:45 he's a loving, His smile, his lips are red, his hair is blue-black, there's a crown of protrusion on top of his head, Report an error in the passage at 18:45 Highlight the passage at 18:45

18:59 the palm of his right hand is resting on his right knee with the fingertips touching the moon cushion, in the gesture of meditation, holding a bowl filled with nectar, Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

19:17 a glider going out from his body in all directions, carrying numberless manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha. To benefit all beings, and this part of the visualization symbolizes the enlightened qualities of the Buddha Report an error in the passage at 19:17 Highlight the passage at 19:17

19:38 effortlessly. Whenever a being has the karma, the virtue, there a Buddha appears to benefit them. To get a sense, even if the visualization isn't completely clear in all the details, to try and get a sense of this living presence here with you, Report an error in the passage at 19:38 Highlight the passage at 19:38

20:05 Buddha, that we're visualizing. It embodies all enlightened qualities, compassion, loving kindness, wisdom. You Report an error in the passage at 20:05 Highlight the passage at 20:05

20:30 are seated, infinite sensitive beings, with your mother on your left, your father on your right, Report an error in the passage at 20:30 Highlight the passage at 20:30

20:41 friends and family behind you. These Report an error in the passage at 20:41 Highlight the passage at 20:41

20:50 people you don't get along with very well, seated in front. Report an error in the passage at 20:50 Highlight the passage at 20:50

20:58 All the beings and human forms spreading out around you, infinite beings. I'm taking responsibility for all these beings to lead them to enlightenment, guiding them through this meditation. Report an error in the passage at 20:58 Highlight the passage at 20:58

21:20 Refuge, regenerate bodhicitta, refuge being our sense of trust in the path that the Buddha taught to free ourselves from suffering. Report an error in the passage at 21:20 Highlight the passage at 21:20

21:31 Bodhicitta, because we're not just doing it for our own sake, but for the sake of all of the beings, but Report an error in the passage at 21:31 Highlight the passage at 21:31

21:41 for refuge, eternal enlightenment, for the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. While my practice of giving and other perfections, may I become a Buddha to benefit all sentent beings. I go for refuge and time enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. While my practice of giving and other perfections, may I become a Buddha to benefit all sentent beings. I go for refuge and time enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. Report an error in the passage at 21:41 Highlight the passage at 21:41

22:15 While my practice of giving and other perfections, May all sentient Report an error in the passage at 22:15 Highlight the passage at 22:15

22:29 beings have happiness in the causes of happiness. May Report an error in the passage at 22:29 Highlight the passage at 22:29

22:43 all sentient beings be free from suffering in the causes of suffering. May Report an error in the passage at 22:43 Highlight the passage at 22:43

22:58 all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that is free from suffering. Report an error in the passage at 22:58 Highlight the passage at 22:58

23:10 May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment to friends and hatred for enemies, Report an error in the passage at 23:10 Highlight the passage at 23:10

23:31 generating a sense of respect. For the enlightened qualities that Buddha visualized in front, Report an error in the passage at 23:31 Highlight the passage at 23:31

23:44 reverently I prostrate with my body of speech and the Report an error in the passage at 23:44 Highlight the passage at 23:44

24:03 whole sky filled with offerings, both actual things that we can offer, that we can set out, that we own and also everything beautiful that you can imagine. Imagine these offerings as extensive, as beautiful as possible. Report an error in the passage at 24:03 Highlight the passage at 24:03

24:28 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 24:28 Highlight the passage at 24:28

24:46 Thank you. not feeling like we're but just acknowledging non-virtues, maybe things that are habitual, things that we've done recently, or maybe some-virtue that you're working on, purifying in your life, maybe something major that you feel like happened at some point. Report an error in the passage at 24:46 Highlight the passage at 24:46

25:13 I'm just reflecting and generating a mind of regret, confession. I declare all my negative actions accumulated since beginning this time. Report an error in the passage at 25:13 Highlight the passage at 25:13

25:46 I see a mind that's happy about virtue, happy about the virtues that we've done, that our friends, our Dharma friends have done, our teachers, overcoming a sense of jealousy or envy about others' virtues and low self-esteem about their own. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:06 Capacity to rejoice in the merit of all holy and ordinary beings. Report an error in the passage at 26:06 Highlight the passage at 26:06

26:29 Men, creating a cause for our teachers to stay, keep teaching us lifetime after lifetime. We request, please remain until the end of your sacric existence and turn the wheel of Dharma to living beings. Report an error in the passage at 26:29 Highlight the passage at 26:29

26:55 Dedicate my own merit and those of all others to the great enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 26:55 Highlight the passage at 26:55

27:14 I am imagining the entire universe transformed into a Buddha, paradise, enlightened environment. This ground, anointed with perfume, streamed with flowers, adored with Mount Meru, full cleanses the sun in me. I imagine this as a Buddha-feel in Alfred. May all living beings enjoy this pure land. I offer this jeweled mandala to leave my precious school. Report an error in the passage at 27:14 Highlight the passage at 27:14

27:54 This is the third type of meditation that we do, review and glance meditation, just briefly reviewing the points of the path to put those scenes in our mind, those imprints. Report an error in the passage at 27:54 Highlight the passage at 27:54

28:12 So this prayer, the three principal aspects of the path, Lama Tsongkhapa, and I'll recite it and you're welcome to recite, or just listen and meditate. Report an error in the passage at 28:12 Highlight the passage at 28:12

28:27 I bow down to the venerable spiritual masters. I will explain, as well as I am able, the essence of all the teachings of the conqueror, the path raised by the conquerors and their spiritual children, the entrance for the fortunate ones who desire liberation. Report an error in the passage at 28:27 Highlight the passage at 28:27

28:45 Listen with clear minds, you fortunate ones, who direct your minds to the path pleasing to the Buddha, and strive to make good use of freedom and fortune. Without being attached to the joys of psychic existence. For you embodied beings bound by the craving for existence, without the pure determination to be free, renunciation. Report an error in the passage at 28:45 Highlight the passage at 28:45

29:08 From the ocean of existence, there is no way for you to pacify the attractions to its pleasurable effects. Thus, from the outset, seek to generate the determination to be free. Report an error in the passage at 29:08 Highlight the passage at 29:08

29:22 By contemplating the freedoms and fortunes so difficult to find, And the fleeting nature of your life, reverse the clinging to this life. By repeatedly contemplating the infallible effects of karma and the miseries of cyclic existence, reverse the clinging to future lives. By contemplating in this way, do not generate, even for an instant, the wish for the pleasures of cyclic existence. When you have day and night unceasingly, your mind aspiring for liberation, Then you have generated the determination to be free. However, if your determination to be free is not sustained by the pure, dedicated heart, bodhicitta, it does not become the cause for the perfect bliss of unsurpassed enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 29:22 Highlight the passage at 29:22

30:15 Therefore, the intelligence generates the supreme thought of enlightenment, swept by the current of the four powerful rivers, tied by the strong bonds of karma, which are so hard to undo. Caught in an iron net of self-grasping egoism, completely abound by the darkness of ignorance, born and reborn in boundless self-reconsistence, unceasingly tormented by the free sufferings, by thinking of all mother-sensitive beings in this condition, generate the supreme altruistic intention. Report an error in the passage at 30:15 Highlight the passage at 30:15

30:54 Even if you meditate upon the determination to be free in the mind of enlightenment, Without the wisdom analyzing the final nature of how things actually exist, you cannot cut the root of psychical existence. Therefore, strive for the means to realize dependent arising. One who sees the infallible cause and effect of all phenomena in psychical existence and beyond, and destroys all false perceptions of their inherent existence, has entered the path which pleases the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 30:54 Highlight the passage at 30:54

31:30 Appearances are infallible, dependent arising. Emptiness is free of assertions of inherent existence or non-existence. As long as these two understandings are seen as separate, one has not yet realized the intent of the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 31:30 Highlight the passage at 31:30

31:46 When these two realizations are simultaneous and concurrent, from the mere sight of infallible, dependent arising comes definite knowledge, which completely destroys our modes of mental grasp. At that time, the analysis of the profound view is complete. In addition, appearances clear away the extreme of inherent existence. Report an error in the passage at 31:46 Highlight the passage at 31:46

32:09 Emptiness clears away the extreme of non-existence. When you understand the arising of cause and effect from the viewpoint of emptiness, you are not captivated by either of the extreme views. In this way, when you realize the exact points of the three principal aspects of the past, by depending on solitude, generate the... Report an error in the passage at 32:09 Highlight the passage at 32:09

32:30 The power of joyous effort can quickly accomplish the final goal, my child. Report an error in the passage at 32:30 Highlight the passage at 32:30

32:44 We'll turn our attention back to that visualized image of the Buddha and we can take a minute to rebuild that visualization. Report an error in the passage at 32:44 Highlight the passage at 32:44

32:54 The golden throne adored with the jewels and the multicolored lotus sun and moon with the Buddha seated on top. You can use the picture on the head of the prayer book. Report an error in the passage at 32:54 Highlight the passage at 32:54

33:10 To guide you in what the visualization looks like, your posture with the Buddha's right hand and his right knee. And hold that as the object of your concentration. Just hold your mind on that image single-pointedly. And you notice that your mind has wandered off into agitation, distraction by some other thoughts, sounds, or slipped into dullness. Report an error in the passage at 33:10 Highlight the passage at 33:10

33:45 You've lost it. Focus on the object and slip into dullness, drowsiness. Just note the nature of the distraction to train and vigilance. Just gently bring your mind back about visualizing yourself. Report an error in the passage at 33:45 Highlight the passage at 33:45

· · · silence, 1 minute

34:45 Distracted by a lot of agitation, a lot of dullness. Here's the antidotes that we talked about yesterday. But Report an error in the passage at 34:45 Highlight the passage at 34:45

· · · silence, 22 minutes

57:01 today I feel better than this. Report an error in the passage at 57:01 Highlight the passage at 57:01

57:08 And sometimes the different objects make a difference too. And that's why it's good to experiment a little bit with the different objects for some concentration. Too bad we don't have enough time to really experiment with, you know, all the different possibilities, but that's quite interesting to do. Report an error in the passage at 57:08 Highlight the passage at 57:08

57:26 And there's some good books that explain about the different objects that you can choose and Report an error in the passage at 57:26 Highlight the passage at 57:26

57:34 see what works for your mind. And then it's important to stick with the one that you've chosen and not jump around too much, you know, after you've sort of determined what one works best. Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

57:49 I actually found it much. It's easier than focusing on the breath. Not because my image was so clear, but at least on the vague outline. But I do have a question because it seems like it's a different object, if the breath is a neutral object and this isn't, so it's kind of like you're analyzing and feeling all the other kind of, sometimes you use it as an object to generate certain... Report an error in the passage at 57:49 Highlight the passage at 57:49

57:53 And, um... Report an error in the passage at 57:53 Highlight the passage at 57:53

58:22 During the IHS consultation. And that's actually, I mean, one of the benefits is that it is a virtuous object. I mean, if you're going to sit around, you know, to develop Report an error in the passage at 58:22 Highlight the passage at 58:22

58:34 hundreds and thousands of hours of focusing on your chosen object, so better to focus on a virtuous object because at least, you know, I don't know if it's subconsciously or subliminally or something, you're getting some kind of imprint like... You know, subconsciously, yeah, your mind has this undercurrent of maybe admiration, devotion, focusing on virtue, that then puts those karmic influences. Report an error in the passage at 58:34 Highlight the passage at 58:34

59:00 Even though those feelings of, you know, admiration aren't the object of your meditation, in that context, they can be for other practices that you think of those beings that you admire so much and generate some sort of aspiration to be. Just like that by really meditating on their virtuous qualities. That's not what we're doing here. But it's sort of a subtext to what's going on that's helpful. Report an error in the passage at 59:00 Highlight the passage at 59:00

59:25 You know, as long as it's not a distraction. And again, be careful about the distraction of thinking that focusing on something virtuous is okay. You know, so if we're focusing on the Buddha and then all of a sudden we go to this whole good thing about, wow, he's just like a Soliness the Dalai Lama. When I saw Soliness last year in Long Beach. Report an error in the passage at 59:25 Highlight the passage at 59:25

59:45 I was so inspired for weeks, and boy, you know, then that's the distraction of another virtuous object, which we often think is okay. So you're right, it's not a neutral object, which is an advantage unless we make it bad a distraction. So there's other times that we focus on, you know, the virtuous qualities as a way to just sort of engender those in ourselves, but when we're using the visualization as the object of our single-point concentration, then we should just... Report an error in the passage at 59:45 Highlight the passage at 59:45

1:00:15 For the most part leave it at that and know that on a deeper level just by using that as our focus. We can focus on any visualization. We can focus on the visualization of a stick and you're going to develop your singaponic concentration but why waste thousands of hours focusing on something like that that's neutral. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:15 Highlight the passage at 1:00:15

1:00:35 And that's the Tibetan take on it. But then again that's very generic advice and for different people like I said yesterday Advice for people with just crazy distraction in their mind and a lot of like jumping around is use the breath because that is an easier object for just doing the distraction. You know, so that's why it's interesting to get, there are those details of like for this kind of person focus on this, for this kind of person focus on that, which is a whole other course on developing single point of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:35 Highlight the passage at 1:00:35

1:01:10 And we kind of say that generic advice is, yeah, think of a visualized image. And it doesn't need to be Shakyamuni Buddha, and we'll talk about this a little bit when we talk about daily practice. Some people have the daily practice of doing, for example, meditation on Tara, you know, meditation on Chiraisi. How do we incorporate all of the advice that I'm giving you into doing those kind of practices as well? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:10 Highlight the passage at 1:01:10

1:01:33 And if your main practice is Tara and you do Tara Sadhana every day, Great, use Tara. Use that, incorporate a little bit of time developing your single point of concentration by when, within whatever practice you're doing, you at some point generate a visualization of Tara. Then stop and use that for 15 minutes as your object of developing single point of concentration. You don't have to add a whole other meditation session onto your main meditation session. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:02:06 If that's your main practice, weave in the single point of concentration into that. Sometimes you hear about these different practices and all of a sudden it seems so huge because then you have to do a whole other session on single point of concentration. No, just weave it into whatever your daily practice is. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:06 Highlight the passage at 1:02:06

1:02:30 also you could either say more or remind us about how to improve the visualization or what to start with again. I think you said outline because mine was just moving around a lot and changing sides and a lot. Right, right, There's a couple of ways they say to do it, and they say you can start with the outline and then just kind of move sort of in and build up the detail. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:30 Highlight the passage at 1:02:30

1:02:56 Another instruction is sweep up and down, like start at the head of the visualized image and kind of sweep down. You know, getting all the detail and then sweep back up again and do this sweeping up and down. And that's considered analysis in terms of building up a visualized image. Then when you get the image clear, then stick with it, right? These are all techniques to get the image clear. So either start with the outline, build up the detail kind of from the outline in, sweep up and down, or start with... Report an error in the passage at 1:02:56 Highlight the passage at 1:02:56

1:03:32 Part of the image, like generally the face, they say. Try and get that really clear, even if the rest is just a vague image. Focus on getting the face clear and after that easily becomes clear, then add a little bit more detail of the rest of the image. So all of these are mentioned as techniques to progress in the complexity of the visualization. Nobody is expected to be perfect. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:32 Highlight the passage at 1:03:32

1:04:01 Write all the detail right off the bat. So these are some of the ways to build it up that are set in the text. Sometimes they'll be visualized. I don't know if we've got one here. Sometimes they'll be these Buddha figures that have like a third eye. And then for some of them they say, just focus on the third eye. That's your object, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:01 Highlight the passage at 1:04:01

1:04:20 And then the rest of it's just kind of there. But this... Part of the image or just the face is the actual object and then the rest of it is just sort of peripheral until you build up the capacity. So that's a way that you can do it too. If the whole thing and the throne and the lotus and the lions, that's a lot. So just pick part of that image as your focal object and the rest is just sort of there. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:20 Highlight the passage at 1:04:20

1:04:48 Or sweeping up and down a little bit at the very beginning to really establish the image. then focus on When it starts to fade or if you notice you've gone off into distraction, spend another minute sweeping up and down to get it clear again. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:48 Highlight the passage at 1:04:48

1:05:10 In terms of the concentration part, is it ever okay, say, and then it. Yeah, good. Yeah, Jordan. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:10 Highlight the passage at 1:05:10

1:05:17 um, um... Going back to the breathing part, it's one other way to get back to it. Is it ever okay, say for example, if you are doing a chanrek sing, to do a mantra to bring you back? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:17 Highlight the passage at 1:05:17

1:05:33 That's something different, okay? When you're doing single point of concentration, it's best to just stick to that. And when you notice that you're off the object, just gently bring your attention back to your object. The danger with using something like a mantra to bring your mind back, then you're adding a whole other thing, right? And then the mantra, then you have to focus on the mantra, then you switch back to the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:33 Highlight the passage at 1:05:33

1:05:57 It's best just to note that you're off and then just bring your mind back to the visualization. Now, having said that, of course there's plenty of practices that involve one of these visualized Buddha images where you then do certain practices in relation to that image. You recite a mantra. You visualize colored light coming from their heart into your heart, something like that. And that's all fine, and that's something different. You know, that's not for developing single point of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:57 Highlight the passage at 1:05:57

1:06:26 So when we're really developing single point of concentration, it's better to just stick with one stable object that's not changing too much, and then just do that. If you're using something like tenresic, like I said, if you're doing it within the context of the whole practice, Do the preliminaries, right? You'll find in, for example, Chinrezig Sadhana, you've got refuge, you've got some version of the Southern Wind Prayer, you've usually got the four measurables. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:26 Highlight the passage at 1:06:26

1:06:54 No need to do this if you do Chinrezig Sadhana every day. You don't have to add a whole other session to do the preliminaries. The preliminaries are right there in the Chinrezig Sadhana. Then you build up the image of Chinrezig in front. And then it's nice if you're working on your Singaporean concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:54 Highlight the passage at 1:06:54

1:07:12 Maybe 15 minutes before you get into the mantra recitation and all of the other stuff to just focus on that visualized image and that's a way to weave that single point of concentration practice into your daily practice. Then you're reciting the mantra and imagining that light going out from Turezig's heart or your heart or whatever, right? But when you're actually doing the single point of concentration session, just stick with that. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:12 Highlight the passage at 1:07:12

1:07:38 Donna, you look uncomfortable. I want you to have a cushion. There's cushions. I can't focus. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:38 Highlight the passage at 1:07:38

1:07:55 There's actually cushions right there. Thank you. I think Roger had a question. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:55 Highlight the passage at 1:07:55

1:08:09 So with these shorter segments, they're 12 and a half minutes. so. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:09 Highlight the passage at 1:08:09

1:08:13 Is it okay to start off with a single point of concentration and then after you readjust go into a love and kindness type meditation and change again and go into an improvement of meditation? Yeah, it's better to just stick with one. Like for the 12 and a half minute thing, that's mostly the advice for developing single point of concentration, to divide that up into... Report an error in the passage at 1:08:13 Highlight the passage at 1:08:13

1:08:38 It's easier to sit for 45 minutes if your mind has a lot to do, right? A lot of analysis and then you're doing this and you're generating these feelings. Harder to sit for 45 minutes without your mind wavering if it's really just zeroing in on one object. So it's best to kind of, you know, if you're really working on developing a single point of concentration, they say when you're doing that in retreat, for example, they say don't do a whole lot of other practices. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

1:09:07 Short sessions per day, right? So that's probably about half an hour each, you know, and you divide it up into all of these little mini sessions, you know. So it's best not to kind of do 12 and a half minutes of the thing and then 12 and a half minutes of loving kindness and then go back to the image and then 12 and a half minutes of mantra and then go back. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:07 Highlight the passage at 1:09:07

1:09:27 Because then it becomes quite complicated. Like if you're really focusing on the single point of concentration, you better just stick with them. Or like I said, yeah, you can have a session of that within the context, like a lot of people have practice commitments that every day they need to do a certain sadhana, they had a tantric empowerment and they made a promise they'd do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:27 Highlight the passage at 1:09:27

1:09:49 And then often they feel, well wait, I don't have time for all these other things like developing my single point of concentration. Weave it in as part of that, you know, bigger practice. And that's fine, that's fine to do. And actually we should do, because otherwise then we don't ever have time for developing some point of concentration, because you're too busy doing all your tantric sadhana recitations that you've committed to do, and you feel like your concentration isn't progressing at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:49 Highlight the passage at 1:09:49

1:10:20 There's so much, you know, depending on where, what kind of daily practices people have to do, you know, but the point is to try and get all these components kind of in. your daily practice, you know, including developing a cedoprotic concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:20 Highlight the passage at 1:10:20

1:10:39 So the visualization didn't work so well for me, because when we were talking about the image of the Buddha, and of course we're supposed to, I mean it's supposed to be like a live image, not a statue, not a picture, so then I got distracted with that, and you know, memories of seeing Report an error in the passage at 1:10:39 Highlight the passage at 1:10:39

1:11:05 The specific memory that I had was seeing the Karmapa of Gaia and then that was too much. That was just overwhelming. So which should I do? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:05 Highlight the passage at 1:11:05

1:11:21 You were kind of feeling the energy of His Holiness the Karmapa. And sometimes that happens and then you have a really powerful emotional response. I feel that way. Sometimes all I have to do is think about His Holiness and I just lose it. And that's okay too, you know, and that might happen for a session or two because of something else that's kind of coming up. It probably won't happen every time you try and do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:21 Highlight the passage at 1:11:21

1:11:46 I think His Holiness the Karmatha is a great one to use. You can almost just use him. He's just so gorgeous and kind of purified. They say you're supposed to visualize like the aspect of the Buddha because it's kind of perfect and not visualize your own. teacher because you might see quote-unquote faults and aging and blogging and all this stuff. Well, some of this to come up is basically perfect. So that's great. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:46 Highlight the passage at 1:11:46

1:12:12 So it may be that at times you do have a strong emotional reaction of just like, whoa, an appreciation. And I think that's okay, but it probably won't happen every single time. And actually that strong emotional connection you feel makes the visualization so much more powerful and compelling. Like if you can really get that merging of the energy of those teachers into the Buddha that you're visualizing, then it's awesome because it's so compelling. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:49 It's not just some like... You know, it's really like vibrant and energetic, so I think it's worth kind of going through that, even though it can be a little distracting maybe the first couple of times you do it. But then, you know, once they're up there, they're really imbued with those qualities, which makes it so much more engaging. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:49 Highlight the passage at 1:12:49

1:13:11 You know, you're way more in tune. Just like, can you imagine? I mean, if we were sitting in this room and the Dalai Lama really were two meters in front of us on a golden throne, would your attention wander to the vacation in Hawaii? No way. You'd just be like... So that's the point, really, you know, to imbue that visualization with those qualities so your mind doesn't want to go anywhere else. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:11 Highlight the passage at 1:13:11

1:13:36 Just like if you saw Lama Tsongkhapa were right in front of you, God, can you imagine? Would you be distracted? You'd just be like completely into it. So that's kind of the point of having those qualities. It just may take a while to kind of get it in a way that you can kind of handle it that it's not so... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:36 Highlight the passage at 1:13:36

1:13:55 But I think that that strong feeling we have is actually great because it means that that image is going to be very compelling when you kind of get used to that merging of the aspect and the energy of your own teachers. So I should continue to use the image and work with... Because it means that it's working. It means it's going to work. It's just, you know, that emotional reaction probably isn't going to come up every time. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:55 Highlight the passage at 1:13:55

1:14:20 It's going to kind of transmogrify into... a feeling of sort of connection and intensity which is kind of what looking for, you know, so it's good, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:20 Highlight the passage at 1:14:20

1:14:41 know it's getting entangled in it. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:41 Highlight the passage at 1:14:41

1:14:46 So if it's kind of a live presence and not just a statue, then what kind of is the energy of it, like the receiving energy? Report an error in the passage at 1:14:46 Highlight the passage at 1:14:46

1:14:59 From the object. So if it's kind of a live presence, what is he doing? Is he happy? Oh yeah, really happy that you're meditating. That's one of the things that you're supposed to visualize, that they're smiling at you. Like, since beginningless time, we basically haven't been focusing on virtue at all, finally, for once, since beginningless time. You know, and they're just stoked, like, right on. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:59 Highlight the passage at 1:14:59

1:15:28 You know, so that's it. And it's interesting, I had this thing come up that sometimes comes up, I've shared this with students. I have this whole issue about patriarchal authority figures. So that really came up for me when I was in this long meditation retreat. And I realized that my refuge field, all of these teachers that were sort of these male authority figures, instead of looking at me lovingly and kindly, they were kind of like, yeah, right. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:28 Highlight the passage at 1:15:28

1:15:56 I think you're good enough. You know, all of my stuff around patriarchal authority figures was getting Really tainting my visualization. And so that was quite interesting. So I think sometimes, you know, with that, I mean, I had to look at, like, my relationship with my father and then how I would, like, be projecting that onto my relationship with my teachers because they were that male authority figure and all this stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:56 Highlight the passage at 1:15:56

1:16:22 So it's just what we have to work with. The point is, I had to really strip all that stuff away and go, no, they really love me and they really are happy and they're not judging me and they're not doing all that stuff that I perceive my father doing. You know, this is a different relationship and not to put that stuff. So it's interesting and I think sometimes for people that does come up. So that's, you know, I'm sharing it just because it's something to be cautious about in that relationship with those. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:22 Highlight the passage at 1:16:22

1:16:52 authority figures you know some of us especially i think americans have this a lot i mean we threw the tea in the We have a deep anti-authoritarian streak in us that Asians don't have. Cultural Asians are just authority, great, no problem, I'll just bow down. We're like, bow down? I don't think so. So it's interesting to look at that in our relationship with those visualizations. And I just mentioned that because you might notice in your practice at some point that there's a taint of that. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:52 Highlight the passage at 1:16:52

1:17:26 But their energy is loving, unconditional acceptance, you know, so much happiness that we're doing this practice. And so that's what we should try and kind of feel coming from that figure and not stop. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:26 Highlight the passage at 1:17:26

1:17:44 Yeah, Lynn. I'm just responding to what you just said. How did you resolve? I mean, I'm not just talking about the male hierarchy. I mean, why aren't there female lambs and rinpoches? Yeah, yeah, yeah. How did you... Oh, wow, that's a horrible thing. There are more in that. It's, you know, and I think for me, it was seeing that there was Buddha Dharma, and then there's culture. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:44 Highlight the passage at 1:17:44

1:18:14 And it's a patriarchal, you know, as one feminist comedian in the 80s used to say, it's the planet of the guys, you know. And there's patriarchal culture that has nothing to do with Buddhism and like really stripping. And yeah, you know, there's all of these things that you read in Sūtra about pray to be reborn a man. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:14 Highlight the passage at 1:18:14

1:18:34 I lived in India. I really get why there were those prayers. What kind of opportunities? You know, historically, do have women in these countries? Have. Tibetan nuns, until this very generation, never learned how to read and write, right? The monks were getting the Geshe degrees, and they're getting, you know, trained in debate and philosophy, and the nuns are sitting around, chanting tarot praises, and didn't even learn how to read and write. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:34 Highlight the passage at 1:18:34

1:19:05 Never studied philosophy. But that's all changing. You know, that's changing a lot. And I don't, luckily, I'm a Western woman. I don't really have to deal with that a lot because in the West, you know, it's not that it's perfect, but it's certainly really different. And I feel like as a Western woman, I've never been denied any opportunities, you know, because of my gender. My teachers have never said, oh, only the guys get this teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:05 Highlight the passage at 1:19:05

1:19:31 So that's my reality. And the other stuff we work on changing, but, you know. I just really see that it has nothing to do with Buddhism, so I'm not going to ditch Buddhism just because patriarchy exists in the world and happens to infect religious institutions. I'm not crazy about it, but I'm not going to let it interfere or become an obstacle with my personal practice. Interesting, I was teaching at London Medicine Buddha for my friend John Landau, who's out of town on Tuesday night, and I took over his class, and I'm teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:31 Highlight the passage at 1:19:31

1:20:03 It was a really huge group because they had a group. They have this thing called elder hostel that these older people come to do yoga and all this stuff. So they all came along and it was the normal students and then it was all the staff and it was like 60 people. And so we were talking about emptiness and I was talking about what creates the causes for a Buddha and how a Buddha is empty and how you impute Buddha onto a valid basis of imputation, this whole philosophy. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:03 Highlight the passage at 1:20:03

1:20:28 And then I said, so why am I not a Buddha? Meaning, why am I not a valid basis of the imputation Buddha? That's what I was after. And some guy in the back said, because you're a girl. You should have heard. I am surprised you didn't get tarred and feathered on a rail. As with many Buddhist teachings. And that, because there was this whole elderly group there, which was mostly women, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:28 Highlight the passage at 1:20:28

1:20:56 Because women lived longer than men and they were all like 85. There was this kissing. and I mean he it was unbelievable he just pops up from the back because you're a girl and he ah he just kind of like That's really not okay in the West. You know, you can say that in Tibetan, everybody agrees with you, and all the monks are taught that as they're growing up, but that's not okay in the 21st century. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:56 Highlight the passage at 1:20:56

1:21:24 You know, Santa Cruz. It's really not. And that was interesting. So I just realized, like, our reality is different. And so I don't really worry about that kind of stuff, because my reality is really different. And I'm not getting denied anything on the basis of gender, thank God. You know, and there are a lot of up-and-coming women teachers, like Pema Chodron, people like that, who are just internationally known. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:24 Highlight the passage at 1:21:24

1:21:50 You know, and the whole Rinpoche thing, I mean, I think it's questionable anyway. His Holiness says the only reason to get recognized as a reincarnate Lama is to go into the monastery when you're very young and get a special education and to take financial responsibility for your monastery. Well, it's too late for that for me. I'm, you know, 53. I'm not going to go into the monastery at the age of five, like maybe next life. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:50 Highlight the passage at 1:21:50

1:22:16 And I don't have a monastery. You know, it's like... The Rinpoche thing, I mean, who cares about that? It's all about what you're doing in this life, I feel. And I don't feel like I have ever faced a hurdle. A couple of times in Asia I have, and I haven't taken it very well. Like last summer I was told I couldn't go into a room in a monastery because I was a woman, and that didn't go over really well. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:16 Highlight the passage at 1:22:16

1:22:42 And the monk that told me that got that that wasn't okay. That happens from time to time, you know, instead of the scene. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:42 Highlight the passage at 1:22:42

1:22:53 But, you know, I live in the West most of the time, so I usually don't have to face that kind of discrimination. Sorry, that was a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:53 Highlight the passage at 1:22:53

1:23:07 Like I said, it's a lot, you know. His Holiness is encouraging. Let's go. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:07 Highlight the passage at 1:23:07

1:23:11 Jane. Just stuck on the microphone? It's okay. I don't know. His Holiness is encouraging so many women, and just to add what you were saying, I've had a great privilege of meeting a family. Mother Changchuk Cuomo is her name, is in fact a recognized Dakini. She downplays it for the same. Her first child was a woman, a Rinpoche, recognized. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:11 Highlight the passage at 1:23:11

1:23:37 They downplay it completely. There were four boys, all of them, two coops. Actually, one was just recently recognized. Big hoopla, lots and lots and lots. Youngest child, I'm guessing, from my experience, is really clear. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:37 Highlight the passage at 1:23:37

1:23:56 So, there was a situation where I took one of the boys over to show them where to play basketball. Boys, he's a young man, forgive me. But Penzun is the oldest woman's name, and there were so many things that the family had to do, and of course the women do most everything while they're playing basketball. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:56 Highlight the passage at 1:23:56

1:24:19 And I asked something in reference to that, and Penzun's response is, they're just boys. And that's kind of, I'm personally being brought up in rural Appalachia. That influence is quite strong. Maybe not necessarily overall in America, but I'm really grateful too because I see how we contribute to that and how we fight it in our generation. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:19 Highlight the passage at 1:24:19

1:24:47 Like you, issues come up for me as well. So we don't have quite the caliber of patriarchal influence. We can stand up. But honestly, there are many times, including... His Holiness makes reference that being reborn as a woman is not such a bad thing and that women leaders are really important in the near future and that we should nurture this. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:47 Highlight the passage at 1:24:47

1:25:13 Yeah, he said actually, just one last thing about that, he said they elected a prime minister of the Tibetan government in exile because His Holiness didn't want to be the spiritual and temporal leader anymore so he's trying to get the political responsibility. So they elected a prime minister and who they elected, who the cabinet elected was an older monk, right? And His Holiness once said, I wish they'd elected a young woman. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:13 Highlight the passage at 1:25:13

1:25:42 I think that would have been better. Just another old monk, another old fart. Like, why did they do that? So His Holiness is actually like, you know, such an advocate. For nuns, equal rights. And he's the big one pushing for the nuns to get an equal education. And he's kind of encouraged the nuns to debate publicly the way that the monks do. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:42 Highlight the passage at 1:25:42

1:26:05 So all of that is happening now. So thank goodness we have an advocate like as long as the Dalai Lama, a world-renowned figure. And because of his advocacy, things are really changing a lot for Tibetan nuns, just because he really is insisting on that equality. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:05 Highlight the passage at 1:26:05

1:26:23 Okay, good. Let's see. Before we take our break, let's review quickly just what we talked about yesterday, just by way of review. So we were talking about antidotes to distraction and agitation. So what were some of those antidotes? We had a whole list in order of first we try this, then if that doesn't work we try this, then if that doesn't work we try this. Ian. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:23 Highlight the passage at 1:26:23

1:26:52 Do you remember any of our, any, up to all, antidotes? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:52 Highlight the passage at 1:26:52

1:27:04 So these are the antidotes to distraction. Yeah. So start by checking the posture. Okay, so what's happening with our posture if we're distracted? Sometimes the head can be tilted up rather than pale, which creates more distraction, more focus on that. Heads tipped forward. Okay, good. I'm trying not to look at my notes. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:04 Highlight the passage at 1:27:04

1:27:37 That's all right, if you're good enough to take notes, you're allowed to report it. Okay, so dimming the lights to create a more conducive atmosphere, concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:37 Highlight the passage at 1:27:37

1:27:50 Oh, that doesn't... notes. And, but I'm happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:50 Highlight the passage at 1:27:50

1:27:52 You can loosen your focus slightly, intensity, and then bring it back. But it's still been distractions, and people sobering thoughts, such as impermanence, death. And you mentioned the example of a falling out of a plane, I think, with a pair of sheets. That always works for me. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:52 Highlight the passage at 1:27:52

1:28:19 That reminds me of a joke that big Paul Newman said in the movie Cool Hand Luke where he talks about a man who's falling out of a building and as he's passing every floor he's saying, well everything's okay so far. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:19 Highlight the passage at 1:28:19

1:28:40 So if he's still distracted then the last thing to do is return to the breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:40 Highlight the passage at 1:28:40

1:28:50 So try those antidotes, right? Just put those into practice because the antidote we usually use is, oh, I'm hopeless, I'm going to give up and just get off the cushion. And that's not an approved antidote according to Kamala Shila or any of the ministers that have followed in the last 12 centuries. Good. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:50 Highlight the passage at 1:28:50

1:29:10 So what about that dullness, that sleepiness? What are some of the antidotes to that? What about Roger? I've got Roger. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:10 Highlight the passage at 1:29:10

1:29:24 Again, you start checking your posture, your head, if you tilt it back too far, you want to bring it back down finally. Now for dullness, what's happening often for dullness? The head tilt to the back was more for the distraction, so what's happening for the dullness? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:24 Highlight the passage at 1:29:24

1:29:44 So that's why it's important to make sure your back is straight and one way of doing that is lifting a little bit under the small of your back and making sure your pelvis is kind of tilted. If you're right on top of your cushion often then you can You want to increase the light in the room. If that doesn't work, you want to tighten your focus. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:44 Highlight the passage at 1:29:44

1:30:08 You're kind of off being too much distraction. If that doesn't work, think about an inspiring thought. What are some of those? What kind of inspiring thoughts? More progress into your rebirth. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:08 Highlight the passage at 1:30:08

1:30:28 What an amazing opportunity that we have. To practice, why should we waste our time just spacing out, you know, kind of zoning out when we actually have this opportunity to practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:28 Highlight the passage at 1:30:28

1:30:44 Or think of your teachers, think of their example, like, you know, Ana was saying, it would be a great thing to think about when you're just kind of in that dull slack thing, because the intensity of that admiration that you have for being like that. It helps you kind of straighten up and be like, oh wow, you know, I want to be like that. This thing would be briefly refresh yourself, get some fresh air, look at something and get right back to it again. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:44 Highlight the passage at 1:30:44

1:31:16 Good. And what's a way to prevent Dalmas from happening in the first place? What are some of the things to avoid in terms of choosing, for example, when to meditate? Report an error in the passage at 1:31:16 Highlight the passage at 1:31:16

1:31:31 What's best for you early mornings, before a heavy meal, before you start getting distracted with other things in your life, or talking to somebody, just use your own quiet, peaceful mind. So we said, for example, really late at night, after you've had a really hard day, and then you've just eaten dinner, or me last night, I always feel like when I come to St. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:31 Highlight the passage at 1:31:31

1:31:51 Jeanine, it's a little bit like going to Mom's house as a college student. I bring my laundry, I see all my old friends, I take a long, hot bath. You know, after that long hot bath, it's a good thing I did my final prayers beforehand. You know, you just like calm right out. So timing your meditation so that, you know, it's not at one of those times that's less than conducive for alertness. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:51 Highlight the passage at 1:31:51

1:32:15 Good, good. Okay. And then we have laziness. And since the flip chart page is already up, let's go through that. The first antidote, what was laziness defined as, by the way? Report an error in the passage at 1:32:15 Highlight the passage at 1:32:15

1:32:29 Yeah, just not feeling like sitting down on your meditation cushion in the first place. So what do you do as an antidote? Do you think that you're a failure and you can't do it and you're hopeless? No. You meditate on the benefits. Just review in your mind the benefits of being able to learn how to meditate well, to develop that concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:29 Highlight the passage at 1:32:29

1:32:53 Physical health and pliancy, mental pliancy, that's that flexibility, you bounce back, your mind is more joyful and flexible and good natured and open. That creative thinking, and we use that example of my little airport dilemma, right? Like thinking of when things seem like such a dichotomy, right? It's very black and white, it's got to be either or. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:53 Highlight the passage at 1:32:53

1:33:18 There may be another way, a creative solution, and that kind of thing you notice just starts to happen more spontaneously as your meditation progresses. The ability to concentrate in general is enhanced. You're better at work, you're more effective at whatever it is that you're doing. And then, of course, the real reason for meditating is to develop the realizations of the path, to develop that understanding of the nature of reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:18 Highlight the passage at 1:33:18

1:33:47 To develop that compassion and loving kindness and those qualities that we're looking to develop. Then having understood the benefits, you have the aspiration to practice. As a natural result of reviewing the benefits, you think, wow, I want that. The next step is that state of mind that goes, that's cool. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:47 Highlight the passage at 1:33:47

1:34:08 I want all those things. So you have that aspiration to practice. And then you're willing to put the effort in. And we've talked about... The amount of effort that you need, for example, to develop that perfect single-point concentration, like learning to play a musical instrument well, about the same amount of effort. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:08 Highlight the passage at 1:34:08

1:34:27 If all those people can learn how to play an instrument well, you too can learn how to focus single-pointedly on an object. Much more beneficial than being a concert pianist. Sorry, but it is. For your future lives, for all sentient beings. So if they can do that just to be able to be a concert pianist, and it doesn't even really have to do with benefiting all sorts of themes, we should be able to generate the aspiration to put in the same amount of effort. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:27 Highlight the passage at 1:34:27

1:34:57 And then you start to notice the results, that pliancy, the concentration. With the effort you start to notice the results, and that kind of spurs you on more and more. Then you can't wait to get onto your meditation cushion. You know, that laziness, really by step number four, it's not even really coming up because it's so beneficial for your mind and you really see those benefits so much that you're really excited about practice, you're really looking forward to practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:57 Highlight the passage at 1:34:57

1:35:27 You know, you get to the point, if you skip your daily practice for some reason, you really feel the difference and you can't wait to get back to your daily practice. Okay, so those are the antidotes to laziness. Okay, so we'll take a break now and then we'll come back and we'll talk more about daily practice. We've had little bits and pieces throughout the weekend of how to do a daily practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:27 Highlight the passage at 1:35:27

1:35:52 We'll kind of summarize some of the advice that I've given so far and give some more pointers about how to set up and maintain our daily practice. And then we'll probably have a bit of time after that, and we'll talk a little bit more about conducive conditions for a longer meditation retreat. Okay, so about 15 minutes, so come back at 10 minutes before 12, and then we'll have a little more than an hour. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:52 Highlight the passage at 1:35:52

1:36:22 What Report an error in the passage at 1:36:22 Highlight the passage at 1:36:22

1:36:50 am I doing here in the evening? What you should do, where have you been? Huh? I worked here. I worked here. Good to And I'm sitting there admiring the fact you can sit in these tight pants and try to meditate. Oh my God. They're stretchy. These are knit from... They're so stretched. You know, it's really interesting. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:50 Highlight the passage at 1:36:50

1:37:45 but I spent a lot of time doing the scanning and studying the rub and all this kind of stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:45 Highlight the passage at 1:37:45

1:37:53 This looks like my drawing. And I did a great drawing. This is not a three-dimensional. Now shouldn't I just make, so I'm not getting into, and then I break the eye of the shadow. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:53 Highlight the passage at 1:37:53

1:38:13 eye of the Report an error in the passage at 1:38:13 Highlight the passage at 1:38:13