Advice On Mixing Meditation Methods

[InDaZone]

Hi Guys,

I'm new here, although I have been following Leos videos for quite a while now. 

I have been meditating for about 1.5 years now. Mostly,  I employ my own type of meditation method for the majority of my practice. The gist of which involves sitting in the present moment and becoming aware of my thoughts, emotions and sensations whilst trying to not attach to any of them i.e. when I notice they have pulled my attention away, I acknowledge this and bring my awareness back to observing the present moment unfolding in my experience. This I see as being a form of insight meditation.

Recently, I find that I need to start giving some focus (pun intended) to concentration meditation i.e. focusing on the breath as I tend to have trouble concentrating at times.

I also would like to develop a regular self-inquiry practice possibly using Leos method that he eludes to in this forum.

My issue is, how do I go about scheduling these 3 methods into my daily life without neglecting either one? Has anybody on here done this successfully and could offer their advice? 

Thanks in advance

Edited March 9, 2017 by InDaZone
Grammar / Semantics

[John]

@InDaZone I am struggling with this aswell.

One insight that has helped me is from Shinzen Young. He defines meditation as cultivating three main skills:

(1)Concentration Power, (2) Sensory Clarity, (3) Equanimity

So long as you are disciplined in whatever meditation you are doing you are cultivating these three skills. He doesn't seem to mind if you mix and match under this paradigm.

Under this paradigm, I think it's also OK to pick whatever you feel you need the most at a given moment.

 

[InDaZone]

@John thanks for the comment.

I'm a fan of Shinzen Young but I haven't studied much of his material. This seems reasonable, what about Self-Inquiry however? I mean you could draw a parallel between the concentration aspects, but self-inquiry seems to be a whole other ball game. I was thinking about taking a more structured approach and trying to switch up self-inquiry with my normal practice day by day, and then do some concentration meditation at night time.

[Delinkaaaa]

Hello InDaZone (I like your nickname prett much! )

I think that the solvation is simple.

Do as you feel. That is what I do. I am doing as I feel alike.

I know that in place like this you would like to look more as someboady who has got everithing in the shedule — BUT — your emotinons will never be conquered! So placing them in such a shedule might not be the best idea. Atleast — I feel like saying that.

So when it comes to meditation, folow your feelings! And I mean even with the nunber of it durring your day. It doesnt really matter, if you have meditation twice a day or once a day. Do as you feel alike.

Nice day! Delinkaaa

[Danielle]

Self inquiry doesn't have to be a thing you do formally, you can self inquiry all day if you want. I ask myself all kinds of questions from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep.  You can self inquiry when you get in a state of deep concentration. i do SDS in the evening and around 30 minute mark it turns into self inquiry.  You can combine all of those methodes in one sitting, if it doesn't work, go for what works. Keep it simple

[InDaZone]

@Delinkaaaa thanks Delinkaa, I appreciate the advice. Nice to meet a fellow Greenhorn around here btw .

I see what you are saying and that's actually what I have been pretty much doing up to this point, and it has served me well.

I will continue to do what feels best, many thanks.

[InDaZone]

@Danielle Thanks for the comment, I heard that Self-Inquiry is actually meant to be kind of an informal practice to be done as and when you see fit. So  I will probably have to try and start being a bit more disciplined throughout the day with this sort of practice

I can see the value in doing it as a sitting practice as well though and although I have never actually sat for a full session and tried it out, I could imagine it being quite intense (in a really good useful way).

 What is the SDS practice you mentioned in your post if you don't mind me asking?

[Danielle]

Try it out and be playful about it, curious like a child  

Leo has a video about it, it's called Meditation on steroids i think.   SDS stands for strong determination sitting. To summarize, it's sitting for as long as possible without moving, like at all. It can get quite intense, but self inquiry is really boring and repetitive to be honest. The whole point of questioning yourself is to give up  the questioning entirely.

I find SDS the best for self inquiry because thoughts kinda lose their initial relevence after a while and you gain a lot more focus than  in say regular mindfulness meditation.

i think everyone should try SDS at least once in their life to see how addicted to stimulation and neurotic they are. It made a hell of a wake up call for me! 

 

[InDaZone]

Ah yes, I have seen that video but didn't connect it with your acronym. I haven't actually tried it yet, but will absolutely consider giving it a go in the near future. Sounds like the perfect thing to do early on a Saturday morning once in a while 

What the longest amount of time you managed to do SDS for?

[Danielle]

It's the most effective I know of, it does wonders for me, I still suck at it though. I still consider myself a newbie and the longest session I did  was 1 hour and 10 minutes, it sounds really unimpressive when you hear how long zen monks sit a day, but let me tell you, when you're doing it, it feels like you're willingly torturing yourself over and over again for eternity. In reality, there is nothing horrific happening and right there you can see how disconnected with reality you truly are. 

But it's worth it because I get rid off so much shit in a short period of time. I do 40-45minutes of SDS daily nowadays combined with self inquiry I mentioned, my goal is to do 1 hour of Sds within my 1 year of consistent meditation. It'll be a wild ride