This post could not have been timelier. Yesterday and today I've had some mental "weather" blowing through. Reminding myself again and again, "thoughts are not reality," is an umbrella I can carry with me.
Love it. At some point formal practice starts to naturally spill over into your life and it strikes me from what you’ve said that liturgy is actually a framework for supporting this. We can keep the religious bits or make them universal whatever works best for us as individuals. My family often teases in a kind way about the Buddhist stuff I do but we have adopted a shared household chore practice at home on the weekends (Samu) where we ditch the devices meet for quiet check in and then all do our cleaning chores at the same time - I was surprised that the experiment worked and has been adopted into the family ritual!
As a long term practitioner (1970 till today) I agree short and frequent is so important in the beginning to begin to approach awareness and start to loosen the stickiness of our human and modern brain habits, but at some point, and i think it is useful to tell beginners, that it will not be enough to stabilize the mind sufficiently to look more deeply. Longer sessions of shamatta and vipassana are going to be essential.
It all depends if one is asking tibetan buddhist meditation to be an aspirine for our daily suffering and anxieties or a path to total freedom, which is what it is designed for and deserves respect for. You both mention the joys of long sessions and retreats and i am grateful for the inspiration you give us all. This video on how Dudjom Rinpoche teaches meditation to westerners is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest gifts the internet holds for us in this day and age; for the sake of all beings...
Thank you for this post. The problem maybe is even more delicate than formal practice or informal practice.
The problem I find is between moments of practice that are minded so, be it in a formal posture or any wished moment, and life as it goes, often partly unaware, with whatever can occur : at these last moments that are not thus controlled, it is not always so clear that we are willing to be one with the Dharma.
We just have to hope that our conscious practice of the Dharma at some established moments acts like a training, and that it results that, whatever manifests, we are more accordingly to the Dharma, fit to it and sufficiently relaxed, even when we don't mind it beforehand.
Because things can immensely be out of plan sometimes.
Love this emphasis on short, regular practice sessions. I m grateful to you all for starting this publication and sharing authentic wisdom teachings! So needed!
This resonates deeply. I’ve spent 30 odd years developing what I call Adaptive Cognition Framework - essentially somatic sovereignty for daily life. The “anywhere, anytime” principle is exactly right, but I’d add that it’s not just mental awareness - it’s training voluntary control of the nervous system itself. Your NIMHANS study showing advanced meditators can shift states at will? That’s measurable evidence of what I call “volitional modulation” - conscious control of automatic processes. The dentist example is perfect: maintaining regulation under actual load (not retreat conditions) while transforming the experience. Kitchen, not ashram. Would be interested in exploring the somatic mechanisms underlying the “view” - I suspect bilateral negotiation between nervous system subsystems is part of what makes the mindset shift possible.
I'm struck by the fact that the view itself has such a powerful effect. I suspect that persons who've incorporated the view into their lives may spontaneously develop/discover the habit of such mini-moments of awareness/meditation, which might be one component of the effectiveness of the view. Has this possible connection been explored in your research?
I really liked that you did an experimental group using a simplified and non-esoteric version of a Buddhist view as a clinical intervention. It would be nice to have a Bodhicitta arm as well.
I have been meditating for 30 years in a Buddhist context. 12 years ago I did an MBSR/MBCT course which revolutionised my approach to moment to moment awareness. Being a busy working Mum, that has kept me anchored when I can only manage a week or two on retreat a year. I have done several Satipatthana retreats which have deepened my understanding. At the moment, I do hardly any formal meditation except in short bursts. An emphasis on the heart, right view , gratitude and a wish for the welfare of the world are the touchstones of my practice now. I am also an energy medicine practitioner and cultivating the heart field is important to me. As Santideva says, When I meet someone, may it never be meaningless to them.
As a post script, I teach meditation to teachers and have written a book about how these short bursts help them stay focused, calm, connected and purposeful.
This post could not have been timelier. Yesterday and today I've had some mental "weather" blowing through. Reminding myself again and again, "thoughts are not reality," is an umbrella I can carry with me.
Did you notice when they went away?
Love it. At some point formal practice starts to naturally spill over into your life and it strikes me from what you’ve said that liturgy is actually a framework for supporting this. We can keep the religious bits or make them universal whatever works best for us as individuals. My family often teases in a kind way about the Buddhist stuff I do but we have adopted a shared household chore practice at home on the weekends (Samu) where we ditch the devices meet for quiet check in and then all do our cleaning chores at the same time - I was surprised that the experiment worked and has been adopted into the family ritual!
Really nice to share this
As a long term practitioner (1970 till today) I agree short and frequent is so important in the beginning to begin to approach awareness and start to loosen the stickiness of our human and modern brain habits, but at some point, and i think it is useful to tell beginners, that it will not be enough to stabilize the mind sufficiently to look more deeply. Longer sessions of shamatta and vipassana are going to be essential.
It all depends if one is asking tibetan buddhist meditation to be an aspirine for our daily suffering and anxieties or a path to total freedom, which is what it is designed for and deserves respect for. You both mention the joys of long sessions and retreats and i am grateful for the inspiration you give us all. This video on how Dudjom Rinpoche teaches meditation to westerners is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest gifts the internet holds for us in this day and age; for the sake of all beings...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbJ7u_nJb54
Very nice comments, thank you
My go-to micro practice is when I am walking I bring my awareness to the sensation and the temperature of the air on my skin
Nice hack. Are you able to maintain for some time?
About the same as I do when I’m sitting. lol.
Thank you for this post. The problem maybe is even more delicate than formal practice or informal practice.
The problem I find is between moments of practice that are minded so, be it in a formal posture or any wished moment, and life as it goes, often partly unaware, with whatever can occur : at these last moments that are not thus controlled, it is not always so clear that we are willing to be one with the Dharma.
We just have to hope that our conscious practice of the Dharma at some established moments acts like a training, and that it results that, whatever manifests, we are more accordingly to the Dharma, fit to it and sufficiently relaxed, even when we don't mind it beforehand.
Because things can immensely be out of plan sometimes.
Really nice post
Thank you🩷
Love this emphasis on short, regular practice sessions. I m grateful to you all for starting this publication and sharing authentic wisdom teachings! So needed!
Will be checking out your new book!
This resonates deeply. I’ve spent 30 odd years developing what I call Adaptive Cognition Framework - essentially somatic sovereignty for daily life. The “anywhere, anytime” principle is exactly right, but I’d add that it’s not just mental awareness - it’s training voluntary control of the nervous system itself. Your NIMHANS study showing advanced meditators can shift states at will? That’s measurable evidence of what I call “volitional modulation” - conscious control of automatic processes. The dentist example is perfect: maintaining regulation under actual load (not retreat conditions) while transforming the experience. Kitchen, not ashram. Would be interested in exploring the somatic mechanisms underlying the “view” - I suspect bilateral negotiation between nervous system subsystems is part of what makes the mindset shift possible.
I'm struck by the fact that the view itself has such a powerful effect. I suspect that persons who've incorporated the view into their lives may spontaneously develop/discover the habit of such mini-moments of awareness/meditation, which might be one component of the effectiveness of the view. Has this possible connection been explored in your research?
I really liked that you did an experimental group using a simplified and non-esoteric version of a Buddhist view as a clinical intervention. It would be nice to have a Bodhicitta arm as well.
Welcome to Substack, Richie! Had no idea you were here until this popped up in my feed.
I have been meditating for 30 years in a Buddhist context. 12 years ago I did an MBSR/MBCT course which revolutionised my approach to moment to moment awareness. Being a busy working Mum, that has kept me anchored when I can only manage a week or two on retreat a year. I have done several Satipatthana retreats which have deepened my understanding. At the moment, I do hardly any formal meditation except in short bursts. An emphasis on the heart, right view , gratitude and a wish for the welfare of the world are the touchstones of my practice now. I am also an energy medicine practitioner and cultivating the heart field is important to me. As Santideva says, When I meet someone, may it never be meaningless to them.
As a post script, I teach meditation to teachers and have written a book about how these short bursts help them stay focused, calm, connected and purposeful.
Let us know how it goes!
I did the same thing!
😂 I am right now sitting at the dentist.