Thread: Battle Fatigue
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Old 11-12-2012, 10:39 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
vinyl
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by lilac0721 View Post
I;ve dipped my toes into the meditation waters before. I did one of the Chopra centers meditation challenges a little over a year ago and have practiced yoga sporadically for many years.

I busted out my zafu this morning (purchased nearly a year ago when I last vowed to begin a meditation practice but never really did), put some clary sage and rose oil into my diffuser, set my watch alarm for 10 minutes (seemed like a reasonable time to start with) and sat. What an incredible feeling. I really could have sat for a lot longer. I'll get up earlier tomorrow to do so.
How awesome! Glad you decided on 10 minutes. So many folks burn out because sitting zazen for 20-45 can really be very difficult, hard on the body and worse, hard on the mind. Counting your breathe and allowing thoughts to arise and leave is HARD WORK!

Many also go through a "honeymoon period" where their meditation seems so wonderful and joyous. The true mark of a student is the one who reaches the other end of that honeymoon, a month or so later and realizes, wait a minute, this sucks and nothing is happening! My legs hurt, I'm tired, I'm this, I'm that, I'll just do it tomorrow, etc. The student who can just sit through that, meditate and realize they are building these barriers themselves, those are the one's who will truly benefit.

When you reach that point you are actually making progress because you're peeling away all those layers of expectation and anxiety and simply just being here, in this moment, without craving. That's progress that many people mistake as boredom or "not getting anywhere". The beauty of Zazen is no longer chasing or running away and just being present.

Once a day, that's all it takes, but it's the hardest thing you'll ever love. Oh, and just like AA or any other practice, go to a local Sangha(community) and get support. When you sit Zazen (meditate) with others you realize this crazy **** you're doing isn't so crazy after all.

Keep sitting and be well.
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