Report 63

6 Paramitas: Dhyana/Samadhi

I usually work with breath and counting, letting counting and breathing flow naturally while feeling the body. I find it easier to approach emotions and thoughts by feeling tensions, seeing OKness in them and going back to breath and counting. The area around the belly and the hands in a mudra are also helpful to notice. Some days are more quiet, some a bit heavy, some a little tight etc. It varies even within a sitting.

I like doing formal practice in the morning before eating and getting on with the day. During and a while afterwards, it seems I am less affected by hunger, thirst or cold. And I feel usually more alert during the day.

I often enjoy doing something before sitting, for example, prostrations, tai chi, chanting or I Ching, depending on the day and how I am etc. It’s nice to have a variety of things that I can choose because I am generally susceptible to turning things into dry routines, which are not much worthwhile. Tim and I also do a short sitting together in the evening :)

There are days when I cut down to a minimum or skip for whatever reasons. The closest way that I can describe how I feel when such a gap prolongs is some deep ‘loneliness’.