Meditation - one way to get started easily

Someone wrote on a Buddhism list:

Someone:
> I just cant sit still for 10 mins.
> Can anyone suggest what I should do?

Ramon replied:A lot of folks get discouraged because they find sitting still too difficult. And if they do sit still, then they find their mind wandering all over the place. The thing is, you first have to learn to concentrate the mind before you can 'relax' into the wonderful feelings. I've found that if my eyes wander, my mind wanders. So the first thing is to keep the eyes settled on one spot. One easy training method that I use is to stare for five or so seconds at a light source - just a regular low-watt light between - 3 and 5 feet away is fine. I stare for five seconds, then turn away from the light source, close my eyes and concentrate on the after-image, usually a purple oval on my eyelids. I stare at it as it slowly dissolves, which takes about 1 or 2 minutes. As long as I keep my focus on the afterimage, ignoring my thoughts is quite easy. Sometimes I also count my breaths at the same time to 10 and back to zero.

After a while, concentrating the eyes on one spot becomes very easy, and a certain 'feeling' begins to spread from the third eye, the forehead, into the body. It then becomes possible to stay concentrated more or less at any time, and I think this is called 'fixation.' Please, someone, correct me if I am wrong.

There are various levels of concentration described in the classic texts, as well as various levels of fixation. But once fixation becomes permanent, one then can 'relax' away from the object -- in this case the afterimage -- and just learn to unfold deeper and deeper into that feeling that started in the third eye area.

This 'relaxation' is meditation, and again can be described within many different levels. But I believe the 'first jhana'(bliss absorption) begins with that 'certain feeling' in the forehead that gradually spreads into the rest of the body. The main thing is not to just stop on these early levels, but always 'go beyond,' remaining alert and not spacing out.

I watched HH the Dalai Lama live on the tube the other night. I noticed that he blinks about four times more than I do, so I started copying his blinking pattern. It was quite interesting, and I noticed it tended to 'blink away' any random thoughts -- sort of like an eyelid 'thought swatter.' I use it now along with concentrating on an object to begin fixation. Blinking frequently open-eyed keeps the object visible more clearly in three dimensions. Blinking with closed eyes is also interesting, flexing the 'blink muscle' without opening the lids. Doing either type of blinking also helps keep me alert.


Comments are definitely welcome!


"Thanks for everything. I have no complaints whatsoever."
Wavy Gravy's daily response to occurring events of all flavors

A real Bodhisattvatudinous dude.

I'm beginning to close in on my essay, "Light to De-Light," (tentative title) but meanwhile I've been enjoying a book by Wavy Gravy, my clown guru, titled "Something Good For A Change." (1992)
It's truly a terrific book, with a few excellent exercises for cheering up, such as the Funny Mantra:

"Put a paper bag over your head and do a bunch of
mouth farts - (razzberries), vibrating the paper."

He hands out paper bags to sick kids in the hospital wards and teaches them how to do it.

Also from the one-page intro:

This is Wavy Gravy- author, kids' camp director, humanitarian, activist, pacifist, clown, and temple of accumulated error. I currently reside within these very words you're looking at right now. Juts gaze directly at the page. Start to open your eyes really wide, WIDER STILL! Just explode your eyeballs onto the page.
SEE ALL THE WORDS AT ONCE
LET YOURSELF BEGIN TO FLOAT IN LIGHT
NOW! Quick, touch my cape!
go WHOOSH . . . and
SQUEEZE YOUR EYES SHUT!
See those bright spots on your eyelids? Now go for the light inside the center of your head. Head for the blinding flashes. . .

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ramon: the funny thing is how close his exercise is to the one I've been polishing - staring at an electric light, turning away, closing my eyes, and then meditating on the afterimage as it gradually dissolves into nothingness -- along with your individual self. It's a combination of Patanjali's yoga 'tratakam' concentration on a object -- in Buddhism the 'kasina' technique of staring at an object until there's a sharp afterimage when you close your eyes -- and from sungazing yoga.
--=-=-=-=
Another Wavy one from the book:

Laughter is the audio announcement that Fun is being had. In its fullest form, laughter is both healthy and holy. The dictionary further suggests that to amuse means to "delight a person's sense of humor."

Wavy Gravy says, "If you don't have a sense of humor it just isn't funny any more."

Did I get you that time? At least a little flip? Don't worry if you didn't get the flop yet. Just keep on flipping away and the flop will come. In fact, it is that moment between the flip and the flop that the major insights and healing occur.

Try vocalizing the flip as "Aaaahhhhhh." Imagine the Angel of Comedy inserting an invisible tongue depressor into your head -- Aaaahhhhh! -- till you are wide open and totally relaxed. Enter the heavenly hyphen (-) followed b y the great release. "HA!" All together now. "AH-HA! Again. AH-HA! Once more. AH-HA! I think you got it. Now, go with the flop:
HA HA HA HA HA HA.

[END QUOTE]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Anyway, Wavy's always been my guru and I just love the guy. A real American Bodhisattvatudinous dude.

See if you can pick up the book at your local library.

Wavy's mantra at all times, even after a third flat tire: "Thanks for everything. I have no complaints whatsoever."

For a guy who's been in a full body cast for months of his life, and many physically pain-filled moments, that's impressive.