[tjansenMember]

Congratulations on your practice. I have no reason to think that this might help, but it’s something that most of us miss in the preparation steps. On page 94 there is a gray box which is advised to be used as part of our preparation for meditation. Just for fun, you might take a look and see if you are doing those things. And if not, give them a try.

[tjansenMember]

Good idea. Please include virtual/online groups.

[tjansenMember]

I had similar questions about Advaita Vedanta’s teachings. Just to take one little portion of your question and to give my homemade explanation that I tell myself is this. The Everpresent Awareness that Vedanta refers to might not be so ever-present when the mind gets fine-tuned down to observing arising and passing away. Perhaps Awareness will also be arising and passing away, and not be so permanent and continuous after all.

[tjansenMember]

When I was getting lost in the six-step preparation, I started setting an initial intention to keep my attention on the six steps as I went through them. You could try that, and for your goal for the current session, which is step two, you could set the goal of finding pleasure and satisfaction in getting as far as you get in the six-step preparation.

So far the solution to problems that I’ve had has been to calm down and work at the skill level I am currently at, rather than trying to push ahead anxious to get to the goal.

And a big congratulations for your patience and persistence up to this point. Also, putting a smile on your face really does help.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by  tjansen.

[tjansenMember]

I think you’re referring to the 6 step preparation for meditation. Is that correct? I am not a teacher, so this is my own personal experience. I was doing a lot of forgetting and mind-wandering during that preparation. So I started setting intentions to keep my attention on the six step preparation, and I renewed that intention frequently until I made it rather quickly through the steps. That has helped me a lot to get through those steps. Good luck, Tom

[tjansenMember]

I think you’re referring to the 6th step preparation for meditation. Is that correct? I am not a teacher, so this is my own personal experience. I was doing a lot of forgetting and mind-wandering during that preparation. So I started setting intentions to keep my attention on the sixth step preparation, and I renewed that intention frequently until I made it rather quickly through the steps. That has helped me a lot to get through those steps. Good luck, Tom

[tjansenMember]

I am just getting ready to push my resistance and start doing loving-kindness meditation. I plan to use a Guided Meditation based on TMI. It was created by Chris Gagne (sp?). One place to find it is on the Insight Timer app. Computer or smart phone. Search for Guided Metta meditation TMI Chris Gagne. It is about 30 minutes long, and uses the wording from the TMI Appendix. For me, a relatively painless way to get into Metta meditation. Culadasa confirmed that listening to a guided meditation is a good way to do it.
Tom Jansen

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by  tjansen.

[tjansenMember]

I won’t be able to help you, but I am very curious what Stage you are on and where you are headed. I am always measuring my progress by the requirements for mastery of the Stage I am on, and looking to move to the next Stage to learn new skills required to continue on the path toward Stage Ten.
Thanks, Tom

[tjansenMember]

Adrian, what helped me when I couldn’t grab onto the breath initially was on page 98, Sustaining Attention Through Following and Connecting. It included going back to Stage Two briefly, when he refers to it in the firzt paragraph of FOLLOWING.

I had missed doing that in Stage Two.

Notice on page 99, …recognize three or four distinct sensations every time. To help this to happen I would pulse my attention.

I didn’t use connecting as much.

Good luck. Persevere and be patient.

Disclaimer. I have no training as a meditation teacher. Therefore, I use the book in looking for solutions.

Tom

[tjansenMember]

Henrik. I was stuck in a similar way with checking in. I then made a short list of what I was to look for when I checked in:

1) Thoughts (my most common distraction, 2) Sensations (e.g. pain, itch, etc), 3) Perceptions (noises, maybe internal sights with eyes closed), 4) Dullness (Does my awareness or attention seem dull).

There are other things he mentions as he progress through the stages, and we continue to develop Metacognitive Introspective Awareness through Stage 8, so there is time (for me) to add other things in after Stage 5 when the Total Power of Consciousness becomes stronger.

This helped me a lot. If I find dullness, I apply the remedies he suggested. If I find distracting thoughts, I applied the remedy.

Let me know if this helps. I am pretty much of a beginner, so I won’t address your other questions.

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