Meditation technique contradictions?

[rorghee]

I've been meditating for a couple years now and I seem to sometimes do different techniques on different days and I feel like they mess eachother up. For example I will one day practice staying present and redirecting my attention to the present and other days I will do nothing and let thoughts take over. The thing is, It feels like each time i change techniques It feels like Im starting from square 1 again because if I use the "do nothing" technique, my mind is already trained to notice when Im off track and tries to get me to focus when thats the opposite of what Ive set out to do in that specific session. and vice versa, If i try to constantly redirect my attention instead of letting go it feels like Im resisting my thoughts and being too judging. This all has caused confusion and this confusion gets me mid session where I feel guilty for not concentrating/staying present or guilty for not letting myself go and it's as if I have to unlearn one technique to do the other one. 

Is this an actual thing? should I just stick to one technique?  I want to learn to stay present but I also want to learn to let go 

Also, does just sitting down and not really trying to meditate count as meditation? like literally just sitting down, and how is this different to "do nothing"

 

 

[PsiloPutty]

Yeah, when techniques differ greatly at their core, I think you'll run into issues by trying to maintain them both. LOL, issues exactly like you're describing. We're trying to set up a strong neural circuit in our brains with meditation, and alternating between 2 very different (even contradictory) techniques can't help but retard the establishment of that strong circuit. 

HUGE difference between the do-nothing (choiceless awareness) technique and simply plopping your ass down and sitting there. With the former, you are not controlling anything at all that your brain/mind does, whereas with the latter, you're likely going to be actively steering your thoughts, whether or not you realize it. Some people say that "do-nothing" is the easiest meditation style to learn, but I think they're conflating easy with simple. It's certainly a simple concept, but it's anything but easy to do correctly. It's an advanced technique.

[ground]

11 hours ago, rorghee said:

Also, does just sitting down and not really trying to meditate count as meditation? like literally just sitting down, and how is this different to "do nothing"

Although meditation is recommended in many teachings one should not get obsessed about meditation. Meditation is not a necessary cause or prerequisite for anything. It is just that meditation may be helpful depending on circumstances, but notice 'may' not necessarily 'is'.
Meditation can also be harmful depending on one's own situation and depending on the teaching one follows. There are even teachings that recommend to avoid meditation.

What did strike me was your 'do nothing' technique you described with 'I will do nothing and let thoughts take over' and I wondered what 'let thoughts take over' actually should mean.

[rorghee]

@ground I'm gonna try stick with one technique for a while and see how that goes 

@PsiloPutty What do you mean exactly by harmful? 

when I said "let thoughts take over" I just meant that I do the technique, which results in my thoughts going wild and not trying to redirect my attention which I would typically do in a different technique

[ground]

33 minutes ago, rorghee said:

when I said "let thoughts take over" I just meant that I do the technique, which results in my thoughts going wild and not trying to redirect my attention which I would typically do in a different technique

As far as I understand 'do nothing' implies that one does neither follow/attend to thoughts nor try to suppress them. In that way thoughts usually subside naturally so 'thoughts going wild' appeared a bit strange to me.