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**mArVHDO6** · 05-03-2011, 10:22 PM

What happens during mind-calming (sammatha) meditation is that you become aware of just how busy your mind really is. A sense of urgency arises because just sitting there doing nothing seems so contrary to everything you have always done. In Tibet, there is a saying that when a sheet of paper is rolled up, every time you try to lay it out flat it wants to roll up again. But eventually, it will lie flat. The mind is just like this. So you have to be patient, and add another minute each day to your meditation time.

At some point, you will notice that even though all sorts of thoughts arise, they are no longer a distraction. It is similar to having a conversation with someone while kids are playing in the next room, or a short distance away. they make all sorts of noise, but they keep themselves busy. You know they are there, but they do not distract you from the focus of your conversation. Likewise, at some point you will still be aware of arising thoughts, but they won't interrupt you any more.

At this point many people start to become acutely aware of sounds and other things in their environment, things they never noticed before. But this is a distraction and it too falls away with practice.

later, there is just a sort of awareness of the mind's awareness, without that being any kind of specific 'thought' and you can find that you are able to sit for hours if you want to, not distracted, not bored, no "want" at all.

But just give it time.

Here is something you (or anyone here) might want to explore once in a while: Focus on listening, the way you do when you hear a very faint or unusual sound, like when somebody says, "Shhhhh---do you hear that?" and while you are focused on hearing, simply notice -just casually be aware of -what your visual consciousness is up to.

Most people find that they are sort of staring off in one direction, and even though they are seeing, the mind is not on that, because it's focused on hearing. Why do this? Noticing the activity of visual consciousness while your attention is on your hearing will give you a sense of non-conceptual awareness: seeing without any arising of the thoughts of what you are seeing.

05-03-2011, 10:22 PM	#12
mArVHDO6 Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 526 Senior Member	What happens during mind-calming (sammatha) meditation is that you become aware of just how busy your mind really is. A sense of urgency arises because just sitting there doing nothing seems so contrary to everything you have always done. In Tibet, there is a saying that when a sheet of paper is rolled up, every time you try to lay it out flat it wants to roll up again. But eventually, it will lie flat. The mind is just like this. So you have to be patient, and add another minute each day to your meditation time. At some point, you will notice that even though all sorts of thoughts arise, they are no longer a distraction. It is similar to having a conversation with someone while kids are playing in the next room, or a short distance away. they make all sorts of noise, but they keep themselves busy. You know they are there, but they do not distract you from the focus of your conversation. Likewise, at some point you will still be aware of arising thoughts, but they won't interrupt you any more. At this point many people start to become acutely aware of sounds and other things in their environment, things they never noticed before. But this is a distraction and it too falls away with practice. later, there is just a sort of awareness of the mind's awareness, without that being any kind of specific 'thought' and you can find that you are able to sit for hours if you want to, not distracted, not bored, no "want" at all. But just give it time. Here is something you (or anyone here) might want to explore once in a while: Focus on listening, the way you do when you hear a very faint or unusual sound, like when somebody says, "Shhhhh---do you hear that?" and while you are focused on hearing, simply notice -just casually be aware of -what your visual consciousness is up to. Most people find that they are sort of staring off in one direction, and even though they are seeing, the mind is not on that, because it's focused on hearing. Why do this? Noticing the activity of visual consciousness while your attention is on your hearing will give you a sense of non-conceptual awareness: seeing without any arising of the thoughts of what you are seeing.
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