Week Two - moving into mindfullness

Week Two

Moving into mindfulness

• The difference between Shamata and Vipassana
• The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
• Start with one pointed awareness, and slowly expand to hold more
• Practice time (intention, Anapana Sati, open to mindfulness of moment)

Some Definitions

Sati (Pali) = Smritti (Sanskrit) = to remember

sati bhavana = the mood of remembrance

Shamata - Calm Abiding
Concentration Practice, Learning to stay
Begins with selcetive attention (anapana sati) and begins to expand and include

Anapana Sati -> Mindfulness of inbreath and outbreath, forerunner to meditation

Sati Patthana Four Foundations of mindfulness

4 Foundations of Mindfulness

• Mindfulness of the Body
• Mindfulness of the Emotions
• Mindfulness of the Mind
• Mindfulness of The Objects of The Mind

Mindfulness is the moment to moment registry of our experience without interfence.
This means that we notice our life in real time without judging what we notice, or comparing it to another moment, or trying to figure out why it is this way, or any kind of mental gymnastics.


Shamata: Purpose, Method, and Results

The first practice that we will work with is called Shamata. We will translate shamata to mean 'calm abiding'. It trains us in this very capacity, it trains us to calmly abide. It gives a firm foundation from which to practice gaining deeper insight into the nature of our mind. So, this is its purpose; to train us to sit still, and be calm, to concentrate. It prepares us for deeper meditation adn insight. It is important to have this in mind. This practice has a purpose. All practices have purposes, it is good to know what it is, so that you know why you are doing it. This can be helpful when your motivation ebbs.
The next thing that you will need to know is the method. All practices have methods. Piano players run scales, basketball players take layups, actors say their lines in front of the mirror. These are methods that lead to mastery.

Our method is quite simple:
We sit comfortably, preferably with the spine straight and vertical and relaxed.
Then we turn our attention to the breath moving in the belly.
We watch the breath move in and out, and we watch the belly rise and fall.
When we notice that our minds have become distracted, and that we are thinking instead of watching, we use a label (dukha, thinking, doubt, judgement) to remind ourselves, and we return back to the breath.
We continue like this for the predetermined period of time.

There are short term and long term results. The short term results might include an experience of distractability, an awareness of the inability to concentrate, and sense of mental wandering and frustration. This can lead to doubt in the efficacy of the practice. This is normal. This practice reveals the ineeficiency and unrulyness of our mind, which is something we must come to terms with if we are ever to experience the longer term results of the practice. The longer term results include experiences of concentration, mental clarity, alert relaxation, greater sensory awareness, and inner peace.

I recommend setting a timer. When we don't set a timer, we have a tendency to pop up as soon as we feel a slight bit of restlessness.