Question about my vipassana practice

[FredFred]

Let's say that I'm sitting on cushion meditating, when suddenly I feel anxious. Should I simply notice the feeling and move on to something else? Or should I investigate that feeling further, trying to determine what is causing me to feel anxious?

I'm a bit lost here.

[Salvijus]

Have you done vippassana retreat?

[Anton Rogachevski]

@FredFred

Hello and thank you for the great question,

When any sensation or emotion comes up you should welcome it with an open heart, let the love within you heal and transmute any negativity that arises - that's precisely what Spiritual Purification is.

Yes go as deep as possible and don't try to seek a rational explanation for the emotion, most of the time there's no reason for it, other than the fact that it seeks your attention in an attempt to achieve resolution, and ultimately integration.

That anxiety is in fact you! Your missing part which you repressed, divided from yourself, and judged as "Bad".

Your subconscious mind is a miraculous mechanism that sees exactly when is the right time for you, and you are ready to receive the repressed shadow.

I hope it helps you dear friend,
Good luck!

[FredFred]

@Salvijus I have not

@Anton Rogachevski Thank you for the answer

[Gabriel Antonio]

To practice vipassana correctly, you should go to the retreat.

If you try to do it by yourself, you’re almost guaranteed to fail.

[Enlightenment]

@FredFred Ignore it

If it becomes so strong that you can no longer ignore it - make it your meditation object

[Salvijus]

8 minutes ago, Enlightenment said:

@FredFred Ignore it

If it becomes so strong that you can no longer ignore it - make it your meditation object

I'm guessing you haven't went through vippassana retreat aswell

[Enlightenment]

From "The Mind Illuminated"

Quote

The strategy for dealing with emotions, thoughts, or images is simply to ignore them for as long as you can. Then, just like with pain, when something becomes too strong to disregard make it your meditation object. Don't resist, avoid, or reject this potent material.

Culadasa is a meditation master with over four decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist traditions

@Salvijus

[Salvijus]

Just say no

[Enlightenment]

1 minute ago, Salvijus said:

Just say no

I've not been on a vipassana retreat.

So what?

I've reached higher stages of Samatha/vipassana practice at home than many people on 10 day retreats. Why don't you agree with ignoring strong emotions?

[Salvijus]

By your advise it's obvious you have no idea what vippassana is.

And by the questions that @FredFred  is asking it's also obvious that he never went to vippassana. 

Those who went there would never ask such stupid questions. And those who went there would never give such an advise to ignore.

Ignore is good. But it's a totally different practice then what vippassana is all about. 

He's asking how to do vippassana and you give him advise on a totally different techneque. 

It's like i ask how to do self-enquiry and somebody gives me an advise just focus on your breathing. Watching breath is fine but that's not what I asked for.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Salvijus

[Tistepiste]

@Salvijus So why don't you give him some legitimate advice instead of calling it a "stupid question".

[Salvijus]

Okey I will.

Go to a vippassana retreat. There's no other way to learn it. It's a subtle practice with subtle instructions. This practice needs to be delivered and received in a proper way for it to be effective.

2 hours ago, Gabriel Antonio said:

To practice vipassana correctly, you should go to the retreat.

If you try to do it by yourself, you’re almost guaranteed to fail.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Salvijus

[FredFred]

@Salvijus To be honest your participation to this thread so far as been absolute shit

Get lost

@Tistepiste Thank you for being a normal human being

Edited February 16, 2019 by FredFred

[Gabriel Antonio]

4 hours ago, Enlightenment said:

Why don't you agree with ignoring strong emotions?

If you ignore strong emotions, you numb them. That works for a while, but then they eventually come back even stronger.

[Tistepiste]

@Gabriel Antonio So what should you do with them?

[Enlightenment]

@Gabriel Antonio You are not supposed to numb them but be fully aware, alert, and from that position ignore them with attention

99% of people are not ignoring strong emotions, and they surface up again and again - nothing is changing 

We actually train the mind and cure our neuroticism by being fully aware of them and then ignoring

[Gabriel Antonio]

8 hours ago, Tistepiste said:

So what should you do with them?

It’s tricky. Some emotions are too hard to bear. Medication might be needed. A professional psychologist will give much better advice than I can. 

If a person chooses to deal with them through meditation, an experienced teacher is pivotal to succeed. 

Edited February 17, 2019 by Gabriel Antonio

[Jkris]

@FredFred There is something called prathipaksha bhavana meaning just bring the opposite thoughts and emotion to the current negative emotion. Its a yogic practice. May be some experts in the forum can throw some light on this. 

[Tistepiste]

@Gabriel Antonio medication is basically ignoring it though. The emotions are never dealt with. Only surpressed. But I get your point.