Dharma Treasure Community | ward | Activity http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/members/ward/activity/ Activity feed for ward. Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:32:53 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v=4.2.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 eedcba37f07185a6a35f92a860886381 ward replied to the topic No-Self/True-Self/Consciousness/Pure-Awareness in the forum Principles of Dharma http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/no-self-true-self-consciousness-pure-awareness/#post-3573 Sat, 09 Mar 2019 17:52:51 +0000 My practical answer to the question is: Of course there is a Self; but I’m not It.

]]> 89ef616b3a06e1181d44e3e201a80443 ward replied to the topic (How) can I change the point of focus from the nostrils to the hara? in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/how-can-i-change-the-point-of-focus-from-the-nostrils-to-the-hara/#post-3445 Fri, 02 Nov 2018 02:24:22 +0000 At first I was resistant to the idea of focusing on the nostrils. I thought I would not be able to stay with something so light and subtle, as opposed to the more conspicuous sensations of the abdomen. Plus, I was conditioned to think of the hara as more significant, or energetically special, while the nostrils seemed completely arbitrary. These…[Read more]

]]> ad8b9f56725478794f78852f6aa39f67 ward replied to the topic Index of a/v recordings in the forum Help Wanted or Offered http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/index-of-a-v-recordings/#post-3209 Mon, 30 Jul 2018 17:40:44 +0000 Although you requested only recordings, I would like to offer a listing of Culadasa’s posts from the old Jhana and Insight Yahoo group. This is in the spirit of compiling valuable info that is not directly from TMI. I found these posts to have both practical and historical interest. I posted the links here some time ago, but now I am attaching…[Read more]

]]> 262bd614745d32732ed309f998c1c498 ward replied to the topic Is there a classification of discoursive mind events? in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/is-there-a-classification-of-discoursive-mind-events/#post-3014 Wed, 30 May 2018 16:59:27 +0000 I do think it helps to categorize thoughts. This is the benefit I get from labeling distractions. The idea is to recognize them quickly in the future before they snag you. A distraction such as a physical sound is easy to recognize, but some kinds of thoughts are downright sneaky and require extra vigilance.

]]> 8841b8944d3e65e44dd2fee06d0f3cec ward replied to the topic Rebirth in the forum Principles of Dharma http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/rebirth/#post-2201 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 22:37:32 +0000 I am of the opinion that SOMETHING of the person persists after physical death, and I might describe that as the patterns of thinking, being, feeling, behaving, etc. that have built up in this life (and previous lives) and that already persist in some form outside time and space. Those patterns don’t belong to anyone, as there is no core self, but…[Read more]

]]> 11ac247b35a650e18412f6729f30c8b6 ward replied to the topic Lucid Dreaming in the forum Dharma Practice in Daily Life http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/lucid-dreaming/#post-2019 Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:01:52 +0000 I have had a few OOB experiences in my life and am familiar with the vibrations you speak of. I do not think they are piti or are directly related to meditation. For one thing, I didn’t have a regular practice until recently. Plus, the vibes were generally accompanied by sleep paralysis and sometimes the perception of demonic attack…[Read more]

]]> 9d6d6a54531c49f5eaf2c23b7732a757 ward replied to the topic Renunciation and Social Interactions in the forum Dharma Practice in Daily Life http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/renunciation-and-social-interactions/#post-2000 Sat, 17 Jun 2017 20:57:21 +0000 Look for friends who share your preferences. A few close relationships is plenty. Friends who are comfortable just sitting around saying nothing.

As for your old friends, you don’t have to break with them overtly. Just quit participating in the mindless stuff day to day. Show up at a party every now and then, shake everyone’s hand, and feel the…[Read more]

]]> e61449c005ed655f4e6a3ff21abb9f54 ward replied to the topic Fasting and meditation in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/fasting-and-meditation/#post-1928 Sat, 06 May 2017 13:55:57 +0000 I fasted recently for 3.5 days, for the first time in a couple of years. It was rather difficult, due to my waning health (at age 65) and consequent heavy elimination symptoms (including emotional). I was open to going a few more days but opted out in the interest of safety. Meditation was not easy or satisfying; it was effectively like trying to…[Read more]

]]> dfad66118475a0c665a540a64d15e819 ward replied to the topic Self retreat schedule in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/self-retreat-schedule/#post-1901 Mon, 10 Apr 2017 21:26:13 +0000 Yes, thanks much. It’s hard to imagine that my subminds will ever “shut up and listen,” but I’ll try to stay open to that and hold the intention.

]]> 61b7a283b4ff8e7f93191200c1eefca5 ward replied to the topic Self retreat schedule in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/self-retreat-schedule/#post-1896 Mon, 10 Apr 2017 18:41:25 +0000 Jeremy said “…the sub-minds in a mind-system unified by meditation are no longer wasting their energy by incessantly generating desire- and aversion-based thoughts and feelings at an unconscious level; the act of meditation is a much less energy-intensive process than our usual neurotic mental activity!”

Wouldn’t it be more correct to say that…[Read more]

]]> ad3962467e9faa4b2280e145f9677e71 ward replied to the topic Hard Problem of Consciousness in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/hard-problem-of-consciousness/#post-1643 Wed, 02 Nov 2016 16:13:15 +0000 Relevant scientific article: https://aeon.co/essays/the-hard-problem-of-consciousness-is-a-distraction-from-the-real-one

]]> f2b2f86bc072d2ab57e1560e32aa53ba ward replied to the topic Insurmountable strong dullness and the perception of light in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/insurmountable-strong-dullness/#post-1634 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:42:25 +0000 A couple of mundane thoughts, which may or may not apply:

If there is significant sugar and other empty carbs in your diet, dropping them in favor of increased dietary fat might make a difference. Could improve sleep too.

Bright light is said to inhibit melatonin production, which might explain a temporary increase in wakefulness. It’s also why…[Read more]

]]> 22450fb712efc49a9e12e528d79c060e ward posted a new activity comment http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/all-activity-streams/p/1449/#acomment-1453 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:40:54 +0000 I’m not qualified to answer that. But working on increasing peripheral awareness sounds like a good experiment to me. You could try “being aware” of thoughts and sensations before you start focusing on the breath. What happens to them when you focus on the breath? Are they already gone when you first check in?

In reply to - roncraig posted an update Culadasa writes, “Checking In: Instead of waiting for introspective awareness to arise spontaneously, as you have been doing, now intentionally turn your attention inward to see what is […] ]]> d7fa41ba3a8597bae3209b3bbfb9840b ward posted a new activity comment http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/all-activity-streams/p/1449/#acomment-1450 Mon, 26 Sep 2016 15:04:09 +0000 The book also says that using attention to check in creates a “snapshot” of what the mind was doing a moment ago. You might find it helpful to inquire about that snapshot, such as: How vivid was my perception of the breath sensations in that moment? Was there a thought present, and if so, how much of my attention was on it? Was I aware of…[Read more]

In reply to - roncraig posted an update Culadasa writes, “Checking In: Instead of waiting for introspective awareness to arise spontaneously, as you have been doing, now intentionally turn your attention inward to see what is […] ]]> c2c33a375f7d263782bace006d32ca14 ward replied to the topic Hard Problem of Consciousness in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/hard-problem-of-consciousness/#post-1518 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 22:57:24 +0000 I see what you mean, now that I’ve looked into the hard problem a little further. I wonder if there are any meditation masters who have addressed this directly. I suspect that the answer you would get is that the solution is transcendent and cannot be expressed in the realm of duality.

]]> 7978e3d0e6e8ed7cc6cf3c177ed4e199 ward replied to the topic Hard Problem of Consciousness in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/hard-problem-of-consciousness/#post-1516 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 14:32:45 +0000 I suggest to go back and re-read the Seventh Interlude. It is one of the most profound pieces I’ve ever read. The problem is “hard” only if you equate consciousness with human subjectivity. You mentioned trees as an example of unconscious entities. Coincidentally, this article came out today:…[Read more]

]]> 125fab3f5be4db55ec64aad0d8be4d9e ward replied to the topic How to make breath sensations more "interesting" in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/how-to-make-breath-sensations-more-interesting/#post-1502 Sun, 11 Sep 2016 23:56:56 +0000 For me it can definitely be a challenge engaging with the faint sensations at/in the nostrils. Two situations are especially difficult: strong dullness and strong agitation. Although these seem like opposites, what they have in common is that noise in the nervous system overwhelms the more subtle sensations in the nose. In the former case, it is…[Read more]

]]> 83294d734c6a21e806a3a4b8f3ff68be ward replied to the topic How to make breath sensations more "interesting" in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/how-to-make-breath-sensations-more-interesting/#post-1502 Sun, 11 Sep 2016 23:56:56 +0000 For me it can definitely be a challenge engaging with the faint sensations at/in the nostrils. Two situations are especially difficult: strong dullness and strong agitation. Although these seem like opposites, what they have in common is that noise in the nervous system overwhelms the more subtle sensations in the nose. In the former case, it is…[Read more]

]]> ddbc61ed932f4899da0e86e6a630d5b9 ward started the topic Buried Treasure in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/buried-treasure Fri, 02 Sep 2016 23:17:52 +0000 I have enjoyed exploring the “Jhana and Insight” Yahoo group (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/jhana_insight/info) over the last couple of weeks. In particular, I wish to draw your attention to the posts written by Culadasa, which date all the way back to 2005. They are most enlightening and have provided me with an excellent supplement to The…[Read more]

]]> f05a35fe5412e45499c27f33c0735d4a ward replied to the topic Questions from Stage One. Peripheral awareness vs Attention. in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/questions-from-stage-one-peripheral-awareness-vs-attention/page/2/#post-1444 Fri, 19 Aug 2016 22:05:43 +0000 It seems to me that the teaching’s emphasis on strengthening peripheral awareness would be more of a challenge to some meditators than to others.

As someone with a neurotic, anxious nature, peripheral awareness is a given for me. The slightest change in my external or internal environment almost never goes unnoticed and usually stimulates a…[Read more]

]]> a7671ef81577d94da0f4453d9c96ef56 ward started the topic Breath and scope of attention in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/breath-and-scope-of-attention Wed, 10 Aug 2016 21:17:42 +0000 As I struggle with strong dullness, I am experimenting with expanding the scope of attention to include more elements of the breath. As my breathing becomes shallower, I often find it difficult to “tease out” the faint sensations in the nostrils from the background of mental (especially hypnagogic) noise. It’s as if those faint sensations don’t…[Read more]

]]> 2cc8c2c00f530c20582b43db0dd61058 ward replied to the topic Dullness and insomnia in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/dullness-and-insomnia/#post-1337 Sat, 23 Jul 2016 21:44:07 +0000 Thanks for the encouragement, Jeremy.

Today I was able to meditate for an hour without nodding off. There was strong dullness, but I was able to overcome it enough such that I would lose track of the breath only momentarily (not much vividness, though). After an hour, the struggle was so fierce that I decided to “quit while ahead” and end on a…[Read more]

]]> a9b84d2173af9c46656aa48dbe349c73 ward started the topic Dullness and insomnia in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/dullness-and-insomnia Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:07:38 +0000 I’m a lifetime insomniac who lives in a perpetual state of mild sleep deprivation. My meditative skill is somewhere in stage 2, though I haven’t really mastered stage 1 yet. As you might guess, strong dullness is my main obstacle. On the other hand, dullness is my best friend at bedtime.

My sleep technique, which I already sort-of knew but…[Read more]

]]> 8336339b423a4b405cd2ec16129078c2 ward changed their profile picture http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/all-activity-streams/p/700/ Tue, 07 Jun 2016 19:44:56 +0000 0 9969f9276ba171cb3f5136bea57e343a ward became a registered member http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/all-activity-streams/p/681/ Sat, 04 Jun 2016 00:43:13 +0000 0