How to Meditate by TRB

8/3/2019 How to Meditate by TRB

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How to Meditate

This article offers step-by-step instruction for nine insight meditation exercises, as well as a detailed

explanation of mindful eating, hints on dealing with problems such as wandering mind, sleepiness,

disturbing mental images, unpleasant emotions, and more.

The following exercises are not necessarily listed in order of difficulty. Exercises suitable for beginnersare noted. We generally recommend beginners start with the rising-falling or the hand-motions

exercise. Basic walking meditation is also appropriate for beginners.

To start, choose one or two exercises and practice them daily. Even after you gain more experience, you

don't have to do all the exercises. Practicing just one of them consistently is more important.

Although these Buddhist meditation exercises come from the traditions of the Burmese teacher MahasiSayadaw and the Thai teacher Chao Khun Bhavanapirama Thera, you don't have to be a Buddhist to

practice them. Vipassana is a non-secular method.

[Note: This information is not meant to substitute for the guidance of a qualified instructor. Anyoneserious about insight meditation should eventually find a teacher who can offer individualized counsel.In order to better understand some of the ideas presented here we recommend reading the link: What is

Vipassana?]

A Suitable Place

Find a place where you can sit comfortably, without interruptions, for at least ten minutes. Althoughcomplete silence isn't necessary or even desirable for insight meditation, the room should be free

of obtrusive noises such as music, television, ringing phones, and nearby conversations. Even quiet talk

can distract you because the mind will try to understand the words.

On the other hand, background noises like the sound of traffic, the bark of a dog or a ticking clockshould not be considered hindrances, and in fact can be legitimate objects of mindfulness. Don't wear

earplugs in an attempt to "soundproof" your practice.

If you meditate in the bedroom it's better to sit on the floor instead of the bed, which may cause

sleepiness. (If you are ill or disabled, however , it is fine to practice in bed). Your sitting meditationspace doesn't have to be large. Even a walk-in closet will do.

Clothing

Wear loose clothing if possible, and remove your shoes. Sometimes you might want to practice away

from home (at the office, for instance) and won't be able to change clothes. But as long as you haveprivacy you can loosen your belt, remove your jacket and footwear, etc.
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Sitting Styles

The following postures are suitable for sitting meditation: 1. Half lotus ; 2. Full lotus; 3. Cross-legged

tailor fashion; 4. Legs bent with one leg in front (Burmese style); 5. Kneeling on a meditation bench; 6.

Sitting in a chair.

The first pose, half lotus, is the one most often seen in the Buddha statues of Southeast Asia. The legsare crossed and the right foot rests on the left thigh. This position is appropriate for most meditators.

The next pose, full lotus, is only practical if you are very flexible. The right foot rests on the left thigh,

the left foot on the right thigh.

Tailor fashion is less stable but easier than half lotus. Easiest of all the floor positions is the Burmesepose in which the legs are bent but not crossed. One leg lies in front of or "outside" the other. Both legs

rest on the floor but don't touch each other. If these postures are too difficult you can sit on a chair or a

meditation bench.

When using a chair, keep your feet flat on the ground and try not to let your back touch the chair. If youneed to change posture because of discomfort , do so slowly and mindfully, observing the intention to

move before you shift the body. Whatever pose you choose should be comfortable enough that you can

maintain it without moving for at least twenty minutes.

When sitting on the floor it will help to use a cushion. The cushion should be firm enough that it won'tbe compressed flat when sat on. The ideal thickness is somewhere between two and six inches. You'll

want to experiment and find out what works best for you. Place the cushion under your buttocks with

your legs touching the ground. The legs should not rest on the cushion. Elevating the hips takes stressoff the neck and back vertebrae and aligns the spine, which allows you to sit comfortably for longer

periods.

Regardless of which position you choose, don't let your back slump too much. On the other hand, you

shouldn't sit so straight that you tense the body. Mind and body should feel relaxed, yet alert. Strikingthe right balance between the two extremes will take some experimenting. Think of tuning a violin

string: it should be just right neither too tight nor too loose.

Having found a comfortable position, put your hands in your lap, one on top of the other, with the

palms facing upward. Traditionally the back of the right hand rests on top of the left palm. Don't clenchyour hands. In all the exercises except walking meditation your eyes can be either open or closed (in

walking meditation your eyes must be open).

We advise beginners to close their eyes, which allows for easier concentration. But sometimes

concentration becomes stronger than mindfulness. In that case opening the eyes may help disperse theexcess concentration and bring the two factors into balance again. Only momentary concentration is

needed for insight meditation. Occasionally a meditator may experience disturbing mental images, in

which case it may help to open the eyes.

Now you are ready to begin meditating. Choose one of the following exercises and practice it for at

least ten minutes. Remember that all physical movements, such as walking and moving the hands,should be performed slowly, with continuous mindfulness. Shall we dive in?


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Resolution

(Optional)

You may wish to make a resolution before each practice-session. Doing so will help strengthen your

determination. You can use your own words, but the spirit of the aspiration should be something likethis: "By this practice of insight meditation may I reach the end of suffering. May others also benefit

from this wholesome action." Don't just repeat the words; really concentrate on the resolve for a

moment or two.

View video of rising and falling

ordownload the video.

Exercise 1: Rising and Falling

(Suitable for beginners)

We recommend this vipassana technique for everyone. Adopt one of the sitting postures. If you aredisabled or have a chronic illness you can do the exercise lying down.

If you choose a sitting position, place your hands in your lap, palms facing upward, the right hand on

top of the left. If doing the exercise lying down, put your hands on the abdomen, one on top of theother, or at your sides. Close your eyes.

Next, direct your attention to the abdomen, an inch or two above the navel. Find the point that seemsclearest to you. Don't actually look at the spot; just place your mind there. The point should lie along

the vertical midline of the body.

As you breathe in, the abdomen expands; as you breathe out, it contracts. In meditation these

movements are called, respectively, "rising" and "falling." They never cease to alternate as long as youlive.

As the abdomen rises, observe the motion from beginning to end with your mind. When the abdomen

falls, do the same. That's it. Just keep watching the rising-falling movements. You don't have to do

anything to them. Just know the movements without judging or describing them.Restrict your attention to what is occurring in the immediate present moment. Don't think about the pastor future don't think about anything at all. Let go of worries, concerns, and memories. Empty your

mind of everything except the movements occurring right now. But don't thinkabout the motions; justknow them.

It's important to understand that knowingphysical motion (or any phenomenon) as it actually is in thepresent moment is entirely different from thinking about it. In insight meditation the aim is not to think,

but only to know.

To know an object during vipassana meditation means to experience it with bare, nonverbal awareness.

You merely register the sensation with impartial attention, without identifying, naming, judging or

describing it. So you don't have to comment on the movements: "That falling motion lasted longer thanthe previous one. That rising movement wasn't as clear as the others," and so on.

As soon as there is bare awareness of the rising or falling movement , you are already knowing it. The

same is true of everything you might observe during practice.No matter what appears, just know itwith bare attention for one moment, then let it go.

Keeping your mind on the rising-falling movements may not be as easy as you think. Be patient and

don't judge yourself, even if the mind wanders out often. Remember that you're learning a new skill.

When learning to play the piano, for example, you wouldn't expect perfection right away. Likewise,
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/risingfalling.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=risingfalling.wmvhttp://e/Documentz/Buddhism/howto.htm#tochttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/risingfalling.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=risingfalling.wmvhttp://e/Documentz/Buddhism/howto.htm#toc


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you shouldn't expect it in meditation. Don't get discouraged if your progress seems slow. As long as

you stick with the practice, results are sure to come.

As a beginner, you should label the abdominal movements with a mental note. A mental note also

called a "label" is a word or short phrase said silently in the mind at the same time you notice anobject. The practice of mental noting helps keep the mind on the meditation object and prevents it from

getting distracted. But this technique is only a temporary crutch. The mental notes should be dropped

when mindfulness is strong enough to observe objects without them. In fact, the labels will fall awayon their own when no longer useful.

Labeling an object with a mental note should not be confused with recognizing and inwardly repeating

the conventional name of the object (as we do in daily life as soon as we see or hear something), or

describing the object further. Mental notes support mindfulness in the early stages by aiding

the development of momentary concentration. But even when using the noting technique, you shouldfocus on the bare sensation of knowing the object, letting go of the conventional names, associations

and meanings that in ordinary life are automatically attached to sights, sounds, and so on.

Here's how to use the noting technique with this exercise: As the abdomen expands, say the word

"rising" in your mind. When it contracts, say "falling." Continue to note rising, falling, rising, falling,

from one moment to the next.Only say the mental note one time per movement. For example, during one rising motion you would

say the word "rising" once, stretching it out to last as long as the inhalation. When beginning to exhale

you would say "falling," stretching the word out to last as long as the exhalation. Again, these wordsare said silently. Ninety-percent of your attention should be on the actual movement instead of on the

label. The aim in vipassana is to know the object itself, not the word.

The mental note should coincide with the motion, not be tagged on afterwards. Sometimes you might

catch yourself saying "falling" after the rising movement has begun, or vice-versa. In that case you areno longer knowing the present moment. Just start again by noticing what is actually happening now.

Later we'll talk more about mental notes.

During the rising-falling exercise, focus on the movement the subjective experience of motioninstead of on the physical abdomen itself. Motion is perceived as a subtle sensation of tactile pressure.That sensation keeps changing from moment to moment. Your job is to keep being aware of this

changing phenomenon in real-time, from second-to-second. That's all you have to do.

If it is difficult to perceive the rising-falling motions you can put both hands on the stomach to help you

feel the movement more clearly.

The abdomen should not be visualized. You only have to know the movements.

Be sure to breathe naturally; don't try to control the breath in any way.

If you can watch your abdomen rising and falling one time, you can practice insight meditation. Why

not try it right now before you continue reading? It will only take a few seconds.Close your eyes and observe one rising motion; then observe one falling motion. Don't worry this

page will still be here waiting for you. It isn't going anywhere. After you try the exercise you can keepreading. Let any resistance drop away. Go ahead and try it now, on the count of three. One, two, three:

Begin.

Congratulations. You see? Insight meditation isn't difficult.

The rising-falling exercise is not only for beginners. Most long-term meditators continue to use it as

their main practice. Even if you move on to the other exercises you should not forget about this one,


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since the abdominal movements can be noted anywhere, anytime.

Motion belongs to the first foundation of mindfulness, the body. The rising-falling motions are material

form (in Pali, "rupa"). Regard them with a detached, scientific attitude. Realize that in the ultimate

sense, these movements are impersonal phenomena, not your self. They are not the mind. It is the mind(nama) that knows them. Yet in ultimate terms the mind what you call "your mind" is not a self,

either, but just an impersonal faculty whose function is to be aware of something.

You can practice the rising-falling exercise from ten to thirty minutes, working up to forty-five minutes

or longer.

Limit Your Goal

Sometimes you'll feel bored or uncomfortable during practice. You might keep peeking at the clock,

wondering how much time has passed. Another twenty minutes! How will you get through it? Even one

more minute seems too much.When that happens, limit your goal. Just take it one breath at a time. Remind yourself, "I only have tonote one rising movement." Or, "I just have to note this single falling movement. Just this much." To let

go of your resistance, worry or aversion for one moment isn't hard (and even during those times when it

isn't easy, it's still doable). Then do it again for one more moment. And again. In a few minutes the

negative feeling will probably change by itself, because it's the nature of the mind to change.

So don't worry about the future during meditation practice. Let go. To think ahead, even if only to the

next breath, is to move away from the present moment. Then thoughts will get stirred up distracting,

delusive thoughts about how difficult or boring meditation is. You'll think of many things you'd rather

be doing. Soon those thoughts will force you to stand up and walk away from the cushion withouthaving finished your meditation session. It's important not to follow those thoughts, because they are

nothing but the mind's attempt to trick you into giving up. Instead of allowing such thoughts to control

you, just stay in the now; take it one moment at a time.

If meditation seems very difficult or you lack self-discipline, try this strategy: decide you will meditatejust one minute per day. Anyone can do that, right? You will find, however, that once you get "over the

hump" of your initial resistance and actually sit down to do it, you might sometimes want to meditate

longer. It's that initial hurdle that's by far the most difficult. But even if you don't end up meditatinglonger, keep practicing one minute every day, without exception, and your attitude will gradually

change.


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While observing the abdominal movements, other phenomena will sometimes intrude thoughts,

sensations of itching, pain, numbness, emotions, sounds , and so forth. In the following sections we'll

discuss how to deal with some of these objects.

Secondary Objects

Every meditation technique uses a meditation object: something you put your mind on. In the exercisegiven above, the rising-falling motions were the primary object. Although your attention should usually

stay with the primary object, other phenomena should also be noticed at times. (We'll explain when to

notice these in a moment.) These other things are called "secondary objects."

The word "object" has a special meaning in vipassana practice. It does not refer to a three-dimensionalThing like a desk or a bicycle. An object here is merely something that is known (something you' re

aware of) as opposed to the subject that knows it. The subject is the mind or "knower." (Yet in the

ultimate sense, the subject is not a self, but the mere faculty of knowing).

In vipassana, an object of awareness can be either material or mental. Practically speaking, a "materialobject" refers to a sense- impression: color; sound; odor; tactile sensation (including movement); and

flavor. A mental object refers to such things as pleasant or unpleasant feeling; desire; anxiety;peacefulness; thought, etc.

As we said, while you're observing the rising-falling movements other phenomena will be appearingand disappearing. For instance, you will be peripherally aware of sounds. Sometimes you'll experience

emotions and thoughts. You might feel itches, numbness or discomfort in the body. Or you might feel

peaceful. All of these are secondary objects.

If a secondary object makes a faint impression on your awareness and does not pull your attentionaway from the primary object, keep your attention on the latter. In that case you don't need to label the

secondary object with a mental note. The mind will peripherally know these things as they arise, but

when they do not trigger liking or disliking you don't need to put special attention on them.

But when something "hooks" your awareness and pulls your attention away, causing desire or aversionto appear, you should label that object with a mental note.

Mental Noting

A mental note identifies the object in general but not in detail. For example, when a sound pulls your

attention away, label it "hearing" instead of "motorcycle," "voices" or "barking dog." If an unpleasantsensation arises, note "pain " or "feeling" instead of "knee pain" or "my back pain." Then return your

attention to the primary object. When aware of a fragrance, say the mental note "smelling" for a

moment or two. You don't have to identify the scent.

Your eyes will usually be closed during the rising-falling exercise, so you won't have much occasion tosee. But sometimes you might want to open your eyes, as when changing posture. When aware of

color, note the bare sensation of seeing for a moment or two, labeling that act "seeing." Don't pay

attention to what the sight is an image of, or whether it's attractive or unattractive. Then go back to

observing the primary object.

Mental notes help prevent clinging and aversion from arising. But as soon as an object is noted it

should be let go. Even the sensation or thought you noted one moment before should not be kept in the

mind. Every phenomenon should be forgotten as soon as it is noticed.

The mental note should be limited to one or two words. If it' s too long, another object will have arisen


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by the time you finish saying the label. It should also be a word easily recalled so you don't have to

search your mind for it. Don't waste time looking for the right mental note. This will take you out of the

present moment. If you don't know what to call a certain phenomenon, just use the general label:

"knowing."

If an object has already appeared and vanished before you were able to label it, don't go back and tag

on the mental note. Let go of that past object and attend to whatever is being experienced in the present

moment.

Although the labeling technique is mainly for beginners, even advanced meditators will benefit fromreturning to it when mindfulness and concentration are weak. Don't be afraid to compare both

procedures. Use the mental notes, then drop them for awhile. What is the difference? Are you able to

stay with the present -moment object equally well in both cases? Eventually you'll know instinctively

when it is useful to use the labeling method and when it merely gets in the way.

Remember: the mental notes are said silently at the exact moment of perceiving the object, not added

later.

The instructions for noting secondary objects apply to all the exercises in this article.

Wandering Mind

Your mind will sometimes wander during meditation, spinning out thoughts about the past or future. Be

assured this is normal; but what should you do when it happens? The strategy is simple: When youcatch yourself thinking, just note "thinking," saying the label for a moment or two, and then gently

return your attention to the rising-falling movements.

There is also another approach: if the thoughts are only faintly in the "background" and don't snag your

interest, just keep observing the primary meditation object. The thoughts will fall away on their own.The mind will still be peripherally aware that thinking has occurred, even though you won't have

labeled it.

The latter method is mainly for meditators with some experience. Beginners can try it, too; but since it

is more difficult for beginners to notice when they are thinking, there is a danger they will get hookedby their thoughts and, without realizing it, get carried away on a long mental tangent. Labeling thinking

with a mental note helps prevent this.

Don't get upset or judge yourself when the mind wanders away. Keep gently bringing it back to the

principal object. Be patient with yourself and understand that it's the nature of the mind to think, sotraining it to stay in the present moment and just know takes time.

Actually, if you are aware the mind has wandered it means you are being mindful. If you didn't have

mindfulness, you wouldn't know the mind had drifted away. In daily life we're unaware how flighty and

agitated the mind always is. It is only when making an effort to meditate that we can actually see the

full extent of the mind's restlessness as it jumps from one thought to the next, second by second. Thesuttas compare it to a monkey jumping from branch to branch.

When you catch yourself thinking you might be tempted to wonder, "How long have I been thinking?

When did I stop knowing the rising-falling motions?" But those are more thoughts, and even as you'rethinking them, more rising-falling movements are passing by unnoticed in the present. Don't go back to

find the spot where you lost mindfulness or try to reconstruct the links in the cognitive chain. You can't

bring back those past moments in order to acknowledge them.

The conventional meaning of your thoughts is irrelevant in vipassana. In meditation you shouldn't care


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whether the content of a thought is good or bad. During everyday life it is better to have wholesome

thoughts. But all objects have equal value during vipassana practice.

That means you don't have to feel guilty about having unwholesome thoughts. The key is to be aware

of them as they arise. Everyone has bad thoughts at times. In reality most thoughts arise spontaneouslydue to causes we cannot directly control. Instead of trying to suppress them, the right approach is to

"know and let go."

Imagine two meditators: the first has many angry thoughts but doesn't get involved in them. He lets

them go right away. The second meditator clings to beautiful thoughts about the Buddhist teachings.Which student is practicing correctly? The first.

When a meditator is aware of a thought early enough, he realizes, "The thought was not in existence

before; it appeared just now and disappeared at once. I have previously imagined thought to be

permanent because I have not carefully observed it. Now that I have watched it, and seen itdisappearing, I know it truly as it is, impermanent" (Mahasi Sayadaw, The Great Discourse on Not-

Self, pp. 115 6).

It is important to understand how to observe thinking correctly because, as Mahasi Sayadaw explains,

thoughts and tactile sensations especially sensations of bodily movement are the most frequent

objects of contemplation. Even exalted thoughts about the Buddhist teachings should be let go, asshould painful thoughts.

When nothing else presents itself to be noticed no sound, smell, thought, etc. your attention should

stay with the primary meditation object.

One Object at a Time

The vipassana technique involves focusing on one thing at a time. That doesn't mean you have toobserve one object exclusively for the entire meditation period. It means you know only one thing permoment. Observing two objects or sense-impressions in the same moment "confuses" mindfulness.

Therefore, when observing a rising or a falling motion, don't pay attention to sounds, thoughts, feelingsor smells.

But understand that in any two consecutive moments the meditation object may be different. For

example, even if you sit down to practice rising-falling for thirty minutes, it doesn't mean you will

know the abdominal movements during every single moment of that half-hour period. Secondaryobjects will sometimes hook you, and whenever you deliberately note a secondary object you should

switch the whole of your attention to it. Whatever object is being observed at any given moment should

be the only thing you direct your mind to at that time.

For instance, if a sound pulls your attention away from the abdominal movement and causes you todislike the sound, switch your attention to the sound and note "hearing" for a few seconds. During

those few seconds, ignore the rising-falling motions and all other objects and focus only on hearing(but if other phenomena are still peripherally in the background of your awareness, that's all right. Thepoint is that you are not intentionally focusing on them). After one or two moments of noting "hearing,"

return your attention to the primary object and forget about the sound. The same procedure applies to

all objects smells, thoughts, itches, emotions, pain and so on.


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Itching

During vipassana practice you might feel an itch somewhere on the body. In daily life sensations of

itchiness arise frequently, but since our normal response is to scratch the itch unconsciously, without

clear mindfulness, we don't realize it happens hundreds of times per day. During meditation you beginto see that uncomfortable bodily sensations arise much more often than you thought.

If you can keep your attention on the principal object and let the itch stay in the "background," it will

often disappear by itself. If it doesn't and becomes uncomfortable, just watch the sensation for a few

moments, saying the mental note "feeling" or "itching." Desire might arise desire to be rid of thefeeling. Label this "wanting" or "desire." (Here you don't observe the sensation of itchiness per se, but

the wanting, which is a different object).

If the itch persists and you have to scratch it, use the following step-by-step technique:

1. Observe the desire to be rid of the feeling, saying the mental note "desire."

2. Before moving your hand, note "intending to move."3. Slowly move your hand to the itchy spot, noting "moving."

4. Pause for a moment (i.e., stop moving completely for a second or two).

5. Begin to scratch, noting "moving" or "scratching."

6. Pause before moving your hand back to your lap.7. Move the hand back, saying the mental note "moving."

8. Pause again before placing the hand in your lap.

9. Place the hand in your lap, noting "placing." Now you are back to the original meditationposture.

10.Note the pleasant feeling that has replaced the unpleasant one, labeling it "feeling" for one or

two moments. Notice if liking arises for the good sensation. If it does, label it "liking" or"desire."

11.Resume watching the rising-falling motions.

Pain

When you keep the body in the same position without moving it, sooner or later pain or numbness willarise. How should you deal with pain during meditation practice?

Instead of automatically shifting the body when you feel discomfort, try to observe the sensation itself,

labeling it with the mental note "pain" or "feeling." Sometimes the pain will disappear on its own.

Sometimes it will grow stronger first, then diminish or disappear. In any case, by observing unpleasantfeeling you will notice that it does not stay the same. It changes from moment to moment. Like

everything else, pain is impermanent.

But if the pain becomes too severe you should change your pose. Beginners shouldn't try to grit their

teeth and tough it out. Only advanced meditators can observe severe pain effectively. The object is too

heavy for a beginner's mindfulness to "lift."

On the other hand, you don't want to change position at every little twitch or tingle. Don't give in to

desire easily. Progress will not come without the patience to bear many unpleasant feelings. Only

change position if you cannot tolerate the discomfort and it is interfering with your mindfulness.

If you decide to change position, follow this step-by-step technique:

1. Observe the sensation of pain for a few moments.2. Note the desire to be rid of the pain. Try to let go of the desire. If possible, wait until your mind


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is no longer struggling against the painful feeling before you move on to the next step.

3. Say the mental note "intending to move."

4. Slowly move the body into the new posture, noting "moving." Break the entire action into

several smaller movements, stopping for a moment between each one. This creates clear objectsfor mindfulness.

5. Note the pleasant feeling that has replaced the pain, labeling it "feeling" for a moment or two. If

you like the pleasure, label it "liking," or "desire."6. Resume watching the rising-falling motions.

By practicing insight meditation we gradually realize there is no bodily position comfortable enough

that we can always maintain it. Pain inevitably appears, even when lying down (if you doubt this, ask

anyone who's bedridden in the hospital). No matter how comfortable the position initially, we arealways forced to move because of the changing nature of the physical elements. That is one way in

which the body is unsatisfactory, or a cause of suffering.

There is another method for dealing with physical pain, which is: disengage your attention from it and

observe a different meditation object. For example, you can focus your attention on the body'smovement, whether the abdominal motions or the movement of the foot or hand (see Exercises 2 and

3).

Sometimes, even in daily life, the mind is momentarily distracted when the body is in pain. When

you're aware of the pain again, you realize that for those few moments of thinking about your finances,or the upcoming football game, or the daffodil bulbs you were going to plant, you didn't actually feel

the discomfort anymore. Why? Because the mind was occupied with something else. It's a fact that

consciousness can only know one thing at a time.

From this experience you realize that when the mind lets go of pain and focuses on a different object,the pain effectively disappears. But that's not to say you should think and fantasize during meditation

practice. The idea is to stay in the present moment, but disengage your mind from the feeling and put

your attention on something else happening in the present.

With this method you let the pain be there in the background if it's going to, but don't pay it anyattention. The attitude is that you don't have to get involved with the pain or worry about it. The

unpleasant feeling is solely the business of the body. If you can let go of the pain, you won't feel the

suffering as before. Then, even though the physical sensation may still be there, it won't make the mind

suffer with it. This method is called "changing the object."

Generally speaking, however, feelings should be noted when they appear. This is not only true of

unpleasant feeling. It is important to know and let go of pleasant feelings, too. If you fail to do so,

attachment can arise. Before you're aware of it, you will cling to the feeling. You can easily get caughtup in the pleasure and forget about staying in the present moment.

You should also be aware of any desire that arises in connection with feeling whether the desire to

get rid of a painful sensation or prolong a pleasant one.


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Mental Images

Some meditators see mental vivid images when reaching a certain stage of insight. Others never see

such visions. Whether or not they appear depends in part on the student's temperament. The images

might be of anything: people, animals, gardens, colors, dead bodies, skeletons, geometric shapes, etc.Some students see an image of the Buddha.

These visions can range from exquisitely beautiful to very frightening. But no matter how vivid it is,

this type of image is not real. These things are mental formations that arise from imagination (coupled

with concentration) and have no significance. They are neither good nor bad. The meditator shouldneither desire nor fear them.

If an image occurs, try to focus on the primary object again (such as the rising-falling motions),

ignoring the image. Let the image remain in the "background," but don't pay attention to it. Eventually

the image will fade away.

If an image persists and becomes intrusive, there are several things you can do:

1. Try practicing with your eyes open.2. Label the image with a mental note. (You can use the mental note, "seeing," although it should

be understood that knowing a mental image is not the same as genuine seeing.) Continue to notethe image from moment-to-moment until it disappears. The image will usually disappear afterseveral notings.

3. Switch to a different meditation exercise. If you are sitting, get up and practice walking

meditation or do the hand motions exercise.

Be aware that if you are noting the image with the aim of getting rid of it, due to aversion or fear, it willlast longer. Enjoying the vision will also make it persist. Whether it's pleasant or unpleasant, try to note

the image impartially, just as you would any other object, without liking or disliking it.

Mindfulness When Changing Posture

Insight meditators usually alternate a period of sitting with an equal period of walking meditation,

especially during an intensive retreat in which vipassana is practiced many hours per day.

During the transition between postures it is crucial to maintain step-by-step mindfulness. You should

resist the temptation to jump up or stretch when the sitting time is over. In the long run, even a few

moments of speeding up will slow you down, because careless movements cause a break in continuity

that scatters mindfulness.

In the old days, people started a fire by rubbing two sticks together until the friction produced a spark.

Continuity of effort was essential in getting a flame; if you stopped to rest, the sticks would go cold and

you'd have to start over. Continuity is just as important in vipassana practice.

Here we'll describe how to move from sitting to standing in a step by step manner, enabling you tomaintain mindfulness. The same principles apply when moving between any two postures.

First, note your intention as "intending to move." Next, start moving the body slowly, breaking the

motion down into a series of discrete actions. Move each hand to your stomach one at a time. Tilt your

torso forward as you prepare to stand. Uncross your legs. Lift one knee, then the other. Note the feelingof pressure against each foot as you place it on the floor, and then slowly stand up.

Each of these actions should be performed slowly, methodically, and observed from beginning to end.

Whenever possible, move only one body part at a time. It's very important to stop fully at the end of

each movement. Label each action with an appropriate mental note or simply note "moving."


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Once the body is upright you should observe the standing posture for a few moments, noting "standing,

standing." (This means to focus awareness on the position or shape of the body as you are standing. If

this is difficult you can focus on one point, such as the pressure of the soles of your feet against the

floor.)

Whether you are standing, sitting, or lying down, apply this step-by-step technique whenever you

change posture during vipassana practice.

Below are a series of drawings that illustrate the reverse process, changing from standing to sitting, in

even more detail. Here the process has been broken down into sixteen steps (this information has beenadapted from Helen Jandamit's book, The Way to Vipassana, Bangkok, V.H. Publications, 1990).

1. Begin by standing with your feet together, arms at your sides (alternatively, you may hold your

arms in front of the body, one hand clasping the wrist of the other). Move your left foot

backwards, noting "moving."2. Slowly bend your knees, noting "moving" or "down".

3. As your left knee touches the ground, note "touching".

4. Move your left hand toward the floor, noting "moving."


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5. Place your left hand on the floor, noting "touching" (your hand needs to be in this position to

support the body prior to moving the right leg).

6. Move the right leg back until it is parallel with the left leg, noting "moving."7. When the right leg touches the floor, note "touching".

8. Move your left hand backwards, noting "moving."

9. As your left hand touches the floor, note "touching".


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10.Lower your body until you are sitting, noting "lowering".

11.Move the left foot backwards so that it is further under your body (it should be in the correct

position to sit cross-legged), noting "moving."

12.Lifting the right knee, move the right foot forwards, noting "moving".


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13.Reach your right arm forward and take hold of your right ankle, noting "grasping".

14.Lift the right foot, noting "lifting."

15.Move the foot towards the body, noting, "moving".


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16.Set your foot on the floor, noting "placing".

17.Put your hands in your lap one by one, noting "moving."

This series of movements is only one of many possibilities, and does not have to be followed precisely.If you have a disability or other chronic physical problem you may need to alter the steps. Adjustments

will also have to be made if you meditate in a chair. The important thing is to follow the principle of

breaking down your larger movements into separate, individual actions that can be noted one at a time,and to stop completely at the end of each action before beginning the next. Also, be sure to

acknowledge each movement with a mental note, especially if you're a beginner. You may devise your

own notes; the ones given here are only suggestions.

Exercise 2: Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is an important vipassana technique. The basic walking meditation exercise is

similar to normal walking, only slower and more deliberate. Your attention should be minutely focusedon each action.

The primary object during walking meditation is the motion of the feet with an emphasis on motion(as opposed to the physical feetper se). Observing the movement of the feet does not differ in essence

from observing the rising-falling movements. If you can, mentally isolate the motion itself from the

corporeal foot the bones and muscles and only observe the motion. ( The same principle applies to

the hand motions exercise.) Though it may seem difficult at first, isolating and observing motion willget easier with practice.

Pay no attention to the abdominal movements during this exercise. As we said before, you should only

observe one object per moment.

One final note: don't look at your feet. Just be aware of the movements with your mind.

The best environment is one with few visual distractions. Remove your shoes, if possible. You shouldhave enough space to walk at least seven paces in a straight line.

Follow the instructions on changing from sitting to standing.

Once you are standing, hold the hands in front of the body, one hand gently clasping the wrist of the

other. Do not allow your eyes to look around, but keep them directed straight ahead or slightly

downcast toward the floor (but don't bend your neck too far forward. This may cause discomfort).


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Don't turn your head independently. Even when you turn around at the end of the walking path, keep

your head in a straight line with the body, as if you were wearing a neck brace. Relax your shoulders.

View video of basic walking


Basic Walking Exercise

(Suitable for beginners)

1. Observe the standing posture, noting "standing" for a few moments. This means to focusawareness on the posture of the body as you stand. If this is difficult you can choose one point

to focus on, such as the pressure of the soles of your feet touching the floor.

2. Before moving, note "intending to walk." (Don't skip this step).3. Slowly lift the right foot and place it down, taking one step. This should be a single fluid motion

without breaks. Be aware of the entire arc of movement from beginning to end. As you do so,

label the step "placing" (remember to label while the motion is happening, not afterwards). The

left foot should not have moved. The left heel should still be on the ground. Pause (i.e., stopmoving completely for a second or two).

4. Slowly take a step with the left foot, noting "placing." Pause.

5. Continue walking, pausing for about one second between each step. Only move one foot at atime.

6. When you reach the end of the walking path, place the feet together on the last step, noting

"stopping." Pause.7. Note "standing" for several moments.

8. Now you will begin to turn, in four steps. Note "intending to turn."

9. Lift the toes of your right foot and pivot on that heel, turning to your right. At the same time,

say the mental note "turning." The right heel should stay on the ground. Be sure to keep yourhead in line with your torso. The left foot should not move. Pause.

10.Lift the left foot and place it down next to the right. (The left foot doesn't pivot, but steps). Note

"turning." You should have moved about ninety degrees. Pause.11.Pivot on the right heel again, noting "turning." Pause.

12.Lift the left foot and place it down next to the right, noting "turning." By now you should be

facing in the opposite direction, having turned one-hundred-and-eighty degrees.13.Repeat steps 1-12.

That is the basic exercise. Next we'll give five variations in which each step is broken down into a

series of smaller movements. Substitute any variation for instructions number 3 and 5 above. The rest

of the exercise is the same.

A word of advice: don't move on to the variations until you feel adept at the basic exercise. And don'tproceed to the next variation until you've mastered the previous one. That may take one week, one

month, or longer. (During an intensive retreat, however, you might spend only one day on each

variation.)

Remember that the "resting" foot should not come off the floor until the active foot has finishedmoving. Don't forget to stop moving completely between each segment of a step.

Advanced Walking Meditation

View video of the two-part step


The two-part step: (Lifting, placing). Lift the heel, noting "lifting" (the toes are still on the floor).

Pause. Now move the whole foot forward and place it on the floor, noting "placing."
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/basicwalking.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=basicwalking.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/twopartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=twopartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/basicwalking.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=basicwalking.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/twopartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=twopartstep.wmv


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View video of the three-part stepordownload the video.

The three-part step. (Lifting, moving, placing). Lift the whole foot straight up as a unit, noting

"lifting." Pause. Move the foot forward, noting "moving." Pause. Place the whole foot down as a unit,noting "placing."

View video of the four-part step


The four-part step: (Heel up, lifting, moving, placing). Lift the heel, noting "heel up." Pause. Lift thewhole foot straight up, noting "lifting." Pause. Move the foot forward, noting "moving." Pause. Place

the foot down as a unit, noting "placing."
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/threepartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=threepartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/fourpartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=fourpartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/threepartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=threepartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/fourpartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=fourpartstep.wmv


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View video of the five-part stepordownload the video.

The five-part step: (Heel up, lifting, moving, lowering, placing). Lift the heel, noting "heel up." Pause.

Lift the whole foot straight up, noting "lifting." Pause. Move the foot forward, noting "moving." Pause.Stopping about an inch from the floor, lower the foot as a unit, noting "lowering." Pause. (Be certain to

stop completely here.) Place the whole foot on the floor, noting "placing."

View video of the six-part stepordownload the video.

The six-part step: (Heel up, lifting, moving, lowering, touching, placing). Lift the heel, noting "heel

up." Pause. Lift the foot straight up, noting "lifting." Pause. Move the foot forward, noting "moving."

Pause. Stopping about an inch from the floor, lower the foot, noting "lowering." Pause. Touch the toes

only the toes to the floor, noting "touching." Pause. Place the heel on the floor, noting "placing."
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/fivepartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=fivepartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixpartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=sixpartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/fivepartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=fivepartstep.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixpartstep.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=sixpartstep.wmv


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View video of hand motions


Exercise 3: Hand Motions(Suitable for beginners)

This exercise is similar to walking (and rising-falling) in that you simply track the body's physical

movement. By focusing on a different part of the body, however, you give mindfulness a larger

repertoire of objects, just as a weightlifter trains different muscles in rotation.

Since mindfulness sometimes gets "bored" or slows down when observing the same object for a longtime (especially during a meditation retreat), changing to another primary meditation object can help

mindfulness maintain strength and continuity. And because some of the movements here are shorter

than in the other exercises, mindfulness is able to observe more "moments" in the same amount of

practice time.

The hand motions exercise, performed while sitting or lying down, is especially useful for those whocan't do the walking practice due to illness or disability. Note: you don't have to look at your hand. Just

watch the movement with your mind.

Exercise A

1. Adopt one of the sitting postures, or lie down. Place your hands on your knees, palms facingdownward. (If lying down, place your hands at your sides, palms touching the floor).

2. Slowly rotate your right hand laterally (to your right) until it is resting on edge, perpendicular to

the knee. There should be no space between the fingers. Pause (i.e., stop moving completely fora second or two).

3. Raise your hand straight up about eight inches. Pause.

4. Lower the hand back down, stopping about an inch or two above the knee. Pause.5. Continue moving your hand down until the lateral side of the little finger touches the knee.

Pause.

6. Rotate the hand medially until the palm is resting on the knee. Pause.

7. Repeat steps 2-6. Beginners should label the actions with the following mental notes: "turning,""raising," "lowering," "touching," "turning." Practice with one hand from five to thirty minutes;

then change to the other hand, giving it equal time.

Exercise B
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/handmotions.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=handmotions01.wmvhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/handmotions.htmlhttp://www.vipassanadhura.com/download.php?f=handmotions01.wmv


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1. Adopt one of the sitting postures, or lie down. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing

downward. (If lying down, place your hands at your sides, palms touching the floor).

2. Slowly rotate your right hand laterally (to your right) until it is resting on edge, perpendicular to

the knee. There should not be any space between the fingers. Pause.3. Raise your hand straight up about six inches. Pause.

4. Pivoting from the elbow, slowly swing the hand and forearm inward toward the center of the

body, stopping a couple of inches before touching the abdomen. The hand and wrist shouldremain in a straight line with the arm. The fingertips will now be pointing to the left and the

palm will be facing the abdomen. Pause.

5. Place the right hand against the abdomen. Pause.6. Rotate the left hand laterally (to your left) until it is resting on edge, perpendicular to the knee.

Pause.

7. Raise the left hand straight up about six inches. Pause.

8. Pivoting from the elbow, swing the left hand and forearm inward toward the center of the body,stopping a couple of inches from the abdomen. Pause.

9. Place the left hand on top of the right. Pause.

10.Now you will repeat the motions in reverse order. Swing the left forearm out until the hand isagain above the knee. The hand and wrist should stay in a straight line with the arm. Pause.

11.Lower the hand straight down, stopping about an inch from the knee. The hand is still

perpendicular. Pause.12.Continue moving the left hand down until the lateral side of the little finger touches the knee.

Pause.

13.Rotate the hand medially until the palm is resting on the knee. Pause.14.Repeat steps 8-13 with the right hand. You may label the movements with the following mental

notes: for steps 2-5 and 6-9: turning, raising, moving, touching. For steps 10-13: moving,

lowering, touching, turning. Practice this exercise anywhere from five minutes to one hour.

Exercise 4: Sitting

(Beginners can practice this for a few minutes before doing the rising-falling exercise. Intermediate oradvanced students can practice it longer. We don't recommend beginners practice it for the entire

meditation period, because posture is a more difficult object to observe than physical motion.)

In the previous exercises you had a moving object. Here you will practice with a stationary object the

sitting posture itself (technically, however, movement is still present, because the mind moves). Withyour mind you are going to look repeatedly at the body's posture, as it appears in the present moment.

Adopt a comfortable sitting position. Now, focus your awareness on the posture of the body as it sits.

(Pay no attention to the rising-falling motions.) The body is adopting a form that differs from standing

or lying down. This may seem obvious, but there is a difference between the vague, intermittentawareness of posture we have in daily life, an awareness interrupted by talking or thinking of a

thousand things, and an attention that is wholly focused on that pose.

What you should be aware of is not a visual image of the posture, but the kinesthetic experience or

"feel" of it. For instance, there is a tactile feeling when you hold the back upright as you sit. You willalso experience sensations of tactile pressure at various points where your body touches the floor, or

one leg presses against another.

Just "look" with your mind's eye to know what the sitting posture is like. If it's difficult to be aware of

the whole posture at once, place your attention on one area, such as your hands in your lap. As youmentally know the posture, label the object with the mental note "sitting." Do this once.


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After you have focused one time, do it again. The method is simply to observe the posture for one

moment, let it go, then bring the mind back to it again, labeling "sitting" a second time and so on. In

each moment the object, which is the posture, will appear. Watch this action i.e., the action of the

mind as it turns to look at the sitting posture again and again. As you observe the object, be aware ofthe act of knowing it.

Each act or instance of focusing should be fairly quick, lasting about one-and-a-half to three seconds.

Another way to think of it is that you focus for the duration of the two-syllable word "sitting," orroughly as long as one rising motion. Then you do it again. A reminder: don't look at the body withyour eyes. Just look with your mind.

As Achan Sobin explains, it may help to think of the mind as a camera taking a series of snapshots.

Take a "shot" of the sitting posture. Then take another snapshot of the same thing.

Moreover, when a photographer focuses a camera lens, he looks at one spot only; but the entire imageturns out clear, not just the particular spot he focused on. (This is akin to focusing only on your hands

instead of on the whole sitting posture).

Don't keep holding the mind to the object with seamless concentration. Instead it's an uninterrupted

series or chain or individual acts of focusing. The approach is: Focus and forget it. Then immediately

focus and forget it again.

But in practice the "forgetting" or "letting go" is not a separate activity. Letting go of the previous

moment happens by itself every time you focus anew on the posture. So really it's a matter of:focus,focus, focus, in a series of moments. Keep taking consecutive "snapshots" of the posture, each onelasting roughly two to three seconds.

A few pointers: don't mentally review your whole body, piece by piece. That would take too long and

would pull the mind out of the present moment. And even though you use the mental label "sitting,"

remember to focus on the actual posture, not the word itself.

Every moment has two components: the object and the mind. In this case the object is the sittingposture. So you have only: the sitting posture (material form, or rupa) and the thing that is actively

knowing it (the mind, or nama). The mind itself cannot adopt a posture; it can only be aware of the

body's posture. In summary: the sitting posture is material form (rupa). The mind (nama) knows isaware of the form.

Intermediate or advanced meditators can practice this exercise for the entire meditation period, or for a

few minutes before practicing the rising-falling exercise. Beginners can do the latter.


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If Strong Emotions Arise

It is natural that strong emotions may sometimes arise during meditation. If that happens, don't assume

you are practicing incorrectly. Emotions are valid objects, too, objects of the fourth foundation of

mindfulness. As objects of the mind they have no more or less importance than motion or posture. Theyare, however, more challenging to observe.

When an unpleasant emotion such as anger arises, don't get upset or try to suppress it. Nor should you

try to look for a "better" object. The emotion is the truth of what is happening in the present, so just

know it.

If an emotion is strong you should label it with a mental note. For example, if you realize you're feelingangry, label the feeling "anger, anger" for one or two moments. If you're depressed, note "depression";

if anxious, note, "anxiety." Do the same with pleasant emotions: if you feel joyful, note "joy"; if

peaceful, note "peace." You get the picture.

The insight meditation method entails a middle path between 1) suppressing an emotion and 2)indulging it by: "letting it out," trying to feel it more deeply, or thinking about it further. Whether an

emotion is pleasant or unpleasant, the vipassana technique is simply to know it with impartialawareness, neither liking it nor wanting to make it go away.

Don't judge the emotion or your self. For instance, if you're suddenly livid, don't criticize yourself forgetting angry. Instead, disengage the mind from any involvement in the anger and just watch it, as if

you were watching it happen to someone on television, or as if you were a scientist examining a

specimen under a microscope. Instead of "becoming" the emotion you mentally pull back from it, thenturn your awareness around and observe it. The emotion then becomes another object of your attention.

Now instead of being caught up in it you're looking at it from the outside.

Having noted the emotion for one or two moments, let go of it and bring your attention back to the

primary meditation object. Over time this method weakens anger, depression, etc., since you are not"feeding" them with your thoughts and reactions. If you simply recognize the presence of these

emotions when they appear but don't get hooked by them that is, don't get upset or intrigued by them

they'll eventually fade out .

When in the grip of a negative emotion we tend to believe it will never end. But in training the mind toknow emotion as it is, we come to see its impermanence. Then we realize that even strong grief, anger

or fear can last only a moment before passing away. True, it might come back; but even so it passes

away again instantly. When you leave an emotion alone and become an impartial observer, it has nopower to control you or cause more suffering. The key is to be mindful as soon as it appears so you

don't get hooked.

But sometimes beginners are so overwhelmed by painful emotion they cannot practice effectively. In

that case one of the following methods may help:

1. Press the fist against the center of the chest (around the heart area) and repeat "knowing,knowing, knowing," being aware of the sensation of pressure from your hand. Keep this up until

the emotion subsides.

2. If you're sitting, get up and practice walking meditation.3. Temporarily switch to a concentration technique until you are able to resume vipassana practice.

For example, you might repeat the word "Buddho," or another mantra (a mantra is a special

word or phrase that is deliberately focused on in concentration meditation).

A word of caution: this last technique should not be used beyond the beginning stages of practice.


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Mindfulness must learn how to handle emotional objects or you won't be able to make progress in

insight. Switching to a concentration technique should not be used as a means of avoiding unpleasant

emotions.

Pleasant emotions should also be known impartially, without liking or disliking. They, too, areimpermanent. If you try to make a pleasant emotion stay, it will become a cause of frustration and

suffering when it inevitably changes, because you'll want to keep something that cannot endure.

An emotion of any kind is not your self or the property of self. The sadness, anger, peace, etc., is only

an impersonal phenomenon, a kind of mental weather that arises in the mind according to certaincauses and then passes away.

Most painful emotions spring from memory hence the value of staying in the present moment. When

recalling a painful memory whether of a broken heart, the loss of home, health, career, or the death

of a loved one remember that the painful event that triggered the feeling is no longer actuallyoccurring in the present. Although the event is over, we tend to cling to it in the mind. But that only

generates more suffering.

Or sometimes we worry about the future, dreading the loss of wealth, youth, or health that hasn't yet

occurred. But none of these imaginings is real in the sense that none is actually happeningat the

moment we are thinking about it. If it did occur in the past, it no longer exists now. What might ormight not happen in the future does not exist right now, either. Why should we let the mind drag us into

unnecessary suffering? That doesn't mean we shouldn't plan for the future. But there's a difference

between behaving responsibly doing what needs to be done and needlesslysufferingover thingsthat may never happen, or are already gone; things which, in both cases, we cannot control. Suffering

about past or future events can only arise when we fail to stay in the present. So don't fast-forward or

rewind.

Sleepiness

Sleepiness may bother you more during intensive retreats than in your daily practice. Nevertheless, it

can be a frequent hindrance for beginners. Just know that sleepiness is present when it arises. You can

mentally note it as "sleepiness." If it does not disperse after a few minutes of noting, try some skillfulantidotes: open the eyes; walk instead of sit; turn up the lights, or splash your face with cold water.

Cooling the room may also help. An excess of concentration can cause sleepiness. Be careful to follow

the meditation techniques correctly so that mindfulness and concentration stay as balanced as possible.

How to Observe Objects

It is important to understand what constitutes a correct object for mindfulness. As we explained in"What is Vipassana?" the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the objects used. Once again, these are:

1. The body: i.e., motion and posture;2. Feelings: painful, pleasant and neutral feelings (these don't refer to emotions);

3. Consciousness: for example, thinking, and consciousness with or without hatred, delusion, etc.4. Dhamma objects: mental hindrances such as lust, sleepiness, restlessness, etc.; also the five

sense-impressions: sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches. Some objects in this group are

mental, some, material.

Reduced to their essentials, the Four Foundations are simply material phenomena (rupa) and mentalphenomena (nama).


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In daily life our minds become obsessed with some forms and run from others. Inevitably we like good

feelings, sounds and smells, and dislike unpleasant ones. Partiality reigns. But vipassana is the ultimate

democratic technique. Whether good or bad in conventional terms, all objects are treated equally during

insight meditation practice. Having identified the appropriate objects, we need to understand how toobserve them.

In every present moment, the mind (nama) makes contact with an object. You have to observe both

components. But that doesn't mean you observe two objects at the same time. As we said earlier, invipassana you only observe one object per moment. But you're also aware of the knowing.

In other words, what you should observe is: the mind in the act of knowing the object. It's not as

complicated as it sounds. As soon as you're cognizant ofknowingan object, you'll automatically be

aware of the object, too, because consciousness must be aware of some thing outside itself, some

phenomenonx . A moment of consciousness has to have something to know.

So when we say, for instance, "be aware of the rising motion," what you actually want to observe is,

"the-act-of-knowing-rising," or "the mind-knowing- rising." That is true for all the meditation objects,

not just motion. The complete unit of observation is always "the-mind-knowingx."

Momentary Knowing

Another point is that objects should be observed momentarily. What does "momentarily" mean? Duringmeditation you should only stay on an individual object for example, an individual instance of

"rising" for one moment of time. The mind should let go of an object after observing it for just one

moment.

The motto is: "Focus and forget it," or "know and let go." After you focus on a form, mentally release itand go on to the next one. Because, in the ultimate sense, reality is a series of different phenomena

coming into being and dying one after another, your attention has to keep moving to the next thing in

order to keep up. Mindfulness is always moving to know the next object that appears. It drops theprevious object in order to know the reality in the nextpresent moment.

But what if you're observing an object that continues for a few minutes? Say, for instance, you're

observing a secondary object like a sound that goes on longer than one moment. You would observe the

act of hearing for one moment, and then drop the object. Since the sound would still be going on (andprovided it was still disturbing your mind), you'd observe it a second time, letting it go again and so

on, in a series of consecutive acts of knowing.

But the question might arise: Since the meditation instructions say you can practice an exercise for

forty-five minutes, doesn't your attention stay on that primary object longer than one moment?Conventionally speaking, yes. But although we can talk about continuing to observe the same primary

object for half an hour or forty-five minutes, during that period of time many individual acts of noticing

occur, and the mind lets go of each one in sequence.

For example, even if you continue observing the sitting posture for a total of forty-five minutes, withinthat period you still let go of the sitting object after each two-second moment of knowing it. Then you

immediately return to the same primary object. But in the ultimate sense, every time you observe the

"same" movement, sound or posture, even from one moment to the next, you are actually observing anew form. Material form such as the sitting posture is continually appearing and vanishing, even

though we can't perceive this.


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Exercise 5: Sitting-Touching

In this exercise your attention switches back and forth between two primary objects. The first is the

sitting posture itself, as described above.

For the second object, find a point on your right or left buttock where you can feel the contact of the

floor. That will be the touching point. The idea is to "touch" this spot with your mind i.e., to bringyour awareness to focus on that point, momentarily.

Adopt one of the sitting postures. As described above, observe sitting for one moment, focusing, if you

wish, on the hands in the lap. In the next moment, move your mind to the touch point and observe the

contact. (Note: it is mental contact we are referring to; the contact of the mind "touching" that point.)The mind will jump from the sitting posture to the touch-point.

Keep alternating between them from one moment to the next, noting, "sitting, touching, sitting,

touching." Focus on each object for approximately the same length of time: about one-and-a-half

to three seconds, or roughly as long as it takes to say the two-syllable mental note a little more slowlythan normal. (Another way to think of it is that the duration of knowing "sitting" is roughly equal to the

length of one rising or one falling motion. The same is true of touching.) Practice this exercise

anywhere from twenty minutes to one hour.

During a meditation retreat, observe the touch point on the right side of the body for one meditationsession and the left side the next, alternating sides throughout the day. In your regular daily practice

you can do the left side on one day, the right side the next.

Exercise 6: Rising-Falling-Sitting

Once you feel comfortable with the rising-falling and sitting-touching meditations individually, you can

begin to combine them as in this exercise. Like a juggler adding another ball, you add a third object togive mindfulness more work to do. If you have noticed a pronounced gap between the moments of

rising and falling, you can try adding "sitting."

Adopt one of the sitting postures. Observe one rising and one falling motion. Before breathing in again,focus on the sitting posture for one moment, taking a mental "snapshot" of the pose. Eventually, the

duration of these three moments should be roughly equal, but when first learning the exercise it's often

uneven. That's all right, as long as none of the moments is longer than three seconds. (Note that sitting

is observed in between falling and rising, so do not breathe in while observing sitting.)


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After observing sitting one time, start over with rising again. Keep going in sequence: rising, falling,

sitting; rising, falling, sitting. Use the corresponding mental notes: "rising," "falling," "sitting."

At first you might have to hold your breath for a moment in order to fit the sitting object between the

previous falling and the new rising motion. But with practice there will be a natural space long enoughin which to observe the posture. Practice this exercise for a minimum of twenty minutes, working up to

forty-five minutes or one hour.

Exercise 7: Rising-Falling-Sitting-Touching

Once you feel comfortable with exercise six you can add a fourth object, combining the rising-falling

and sitting-touching exercises. Adopt one of the sitting postures. Observe one rising and one fallingmotion. Before you breathe in again, observe sitting for one moment. Then (also before breathing in)

focus on the touch point at the buttocks. In total there are four objects observed in sequence: 1) rising,

2) falling, 3) sitting, 4) touching. These should be of roughly equal duration. After you note touching,

start over with rising again.

Continue the sequence, using the mental notes "rising," "falling," "sitting," "touching," if you wish.

Observe each object for about one-and-a-half to three seconds each time. At first, as in Exercise 6, you

may have to hold the breath slightly in order to fit in sitting and touching between the falling and risingmotions. But with practice, conditions will balance by themselves and you will be able to fit all four

objects in without having to consciously adjust your breathing.


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View video of lying down


Exercise 8: The Lying Down Posture(Suitable for beginners if practiced a short time only, or when ill)

During a meditation retreat, when devoting the entire day to vipassana, it's important to practice in all

four postures: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. Not that you should spend equal time in each

pose. Typically, sitting and walking are practiced from thirty to sixty minutes at a time, standing and

lying down, from five to fifteen.

Only an advanced meditator can practice lying down for long periods without getting sleepy or losing

mindfulness. And although standing can be practiced longer, it's usually too uncomfortable for the

novice to maintain for long periods.

In the beginning, therefore, unless you are ill, do not exceed the fifteen-minute maximum for lying

down. Change into the reclining pose slowly and mindfully, following the step-by-step technique ofpausing between movements.

As you change from standing to lying down, note each small action: observe the sensation of contact as

you bend each knee to the floor and lower the torso. Move the legs one at a time, placing one on top ofthe other. Note the contact there, too. Label these actions with the word "moving."

Lay on your side, with the arm closest to the floor extended under your head or in front of the chest, the

uppermost arm resting against the side of the body. (You may place a pillow under your head).

Now observe the lying down posture, taking repeated mental snapshots, as with sitting. As you do so,

note "lying" or "lying down." Ignore the rising-falling motions.

Alternatively, instead of the posture itself you can observe rising-falling (but do not also watch theposture; choose one or the other). You can also practice the hand motions exercise while lying on your

back. In that case, ignore the posture and abdominal movements and observe only the movement of the

hands.
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View video of the standing posture


Exercise 9: The Standing Posture(Suitable for beginners)

As with sitting and lying down, the object here is the posture itself. You might want to practice this

pose for five, ten or fifteen minutes before doing walking meditation. Stand straight with the arms held

in front of the body, one hand clasping the wrist of the other; or clasp the hands behind your back.

The eyes may be open or closed. If you open your eyes, don't use them to look at objects in the room.Let your attention stay with the kinesthetic "feel" of the posture. If you wish, you may focus on one

area of the body, such as the soles of your feet. Now take a mental snapshot of the posture, noting

"standing." Ignore the rising-falling motions. Just keep observing standing, being aware of knowing the

posture from moment-to-moment.

If You Experience Bliss

Some students experience strong feelings of rapture, peace or bliss at a certain stage in the practice. If

this happens to you, don't get excited. Just note the bliss or peace as you would any other object. Don't

cling to the feeling (but neither should you try to avoid it). Like everything else, blissful or peaceful
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feelings should be known with impartial attention. Then let them go.

As one teacher cautions, meditators who fail to notice pleasant feelings impartially, "thinking: 'After

all, these are good things,' will ultimately find themselves in difficult straits, unable to advance in

meditation." (Ven. Mahathera Matara, The Seven Stages of Purification, p. 39).

There's nothing wrong with good feelings; but it's their nature to pass away. Trying to make them lastwill only disturb your mind and prevent you from gaining the higher levels of insight.

Even if the bliss is stronger than any happiness you've ever known, you shouldn't mistake it for

enlightenment, or even an advanced level of insight. Generally speaking, blissful feelings arise at a

relatively early stage in vipassana practice. The peace that comes from maturing insight, which isindependent of the presence or absence ofpleasant feeling(sukha vedana), is quite different from the

blissful states that may occur in the earlier stages of vipassana-knowledge. The latter are merely

instances of pleasant feeling. But in vipassana we aim to transcend attachment to feeling so as to befree and happy no matter what kinds of sensations are present, even unpleasant ones. The "happiness"

of nonattachment is superior to the happiness of pleasant feelings that arise and pass away.

Desire is Not Your GuideBe aware that a pleasant feeling during vipassana meditation doesn't necessarily mean you are

practicing correctly (nor does an unpleasant feeling mean the opposite). Good or bad feelings are notreliable guides in insight meditation. Neither are your moods and desires. The important thing is

whether mindfulness can know and let go ofwhateveris happening in the present moment, be it good

or bad, even if the "thing going on" is anger, anxiety, pain, or another unpleasant state.

Your ability to simply know what is happening right now is the yardstick by which to judge yourpractice. So don't get self-satisfied if you feel blissful, or discouraged if your meditation is

uncomfortable. Just ask yourself, "Am I knowing what's going on from moment to moment, good or

bad, and letting it go without either clinging or feeling aversion to it?" If the answer is yes, be assuredyou are getting benefit that will increase day by day.

But some people, when angry or worried, say, "I'm too upset to meditate." They think it's better to wait

until the mind has calmed down. That's like a patient with an infection claiming he's too sick to take

medicine. He'll take it when he' s feeling better. By that time, of course, he wouldn't need it. It's thesame with meditation. If the mind were already calm and free of delusion...

Therefore, although there will be days when you won't want to practice, don't give in to your moods

and meditate only when you feel like it. Vipassana should be regarded as something necessary, like

taking medicine or brushing your teeth. We don't do those things because they are tremendous fun, butin order to keep the body healthy. Meditation makes the mind healthy. There is only one time to do it:

today.

As with anything else, progress in vipassana meditation requires self-discipline. It's no different fromexcelling in a sport or playing a musical instrument. No one would expect to become a concert pianistif he only practiced when he really felt like it.

Perhaps you feel peaceful when doing sitting meditation, but not when doing the walking exercise. You

decide to give up walking because it doesn't "work" for you. Or take another scenario: you sit down to

meditate for forty-five minutes, but after a quarter of an hour you switch to a different techniquebecause you feel bored. "Maybe the other exercise will make me feel peaceful or happy," you think.

The grass always looks greener, doesn't it?


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We're not implying you need to practice every exercise on this website, or always sit for forty-five

minutes! The point is to be scrupulously honest with yourself and let intelligence, instead of your

momentary whims and moods, guide your decisions. Don't allow desire to control your meditation.

But how should you decide which exercise to practice? Although occasionally it's good to try a newexercise as a way of testing your mindfulness, for the most part you should stick with the exercise(s) in

which mindfulness is able to observe the object clearly. If you practice the more advanced exercises

before you're ready, you'll just become frustrated and won't progress as quickly. Mindfulness has tobuild up gradually. As we said before, beginners are encouraged to start with the rising-falling and/orthe hand motions exercise; they can also practice the basic walking step, and some of the other

exercises for short amounts of time as noted.

View video of paying respectordownload the video.

Paying Respect to the Teachings

(Optional)

In the Buddhist tradition it is customary to pay respect to the Buddha and his teachings at the start of

each meditation session. Non-Buddhists may skip this step.

The instructions for paying respect are as follows. (These movements should be performed slowly and

mindfully):

1. Begin with hands on the knees, palms facing downward.

2. Slowly rotate the right hand laterally (to your right) until it is resting on edge, perpendicular tothe knee. There should be no space between the fingers. Pause. (I.e., stop moving completely

for one or two seconds).

3. Raise your hand straight up about seven or eight inches. Pause.

4. Without changing its orientation to the arm, move the hand toward the midline of the body untilit's in front of the chest. Pause.

5. Move the left hand as you did the right. Rotate it laterally (to your left) until it's perpendicularon the knee. Pause.

6. Raise the left hand straight up about seven or eight inches. Pause .

7. Bring the left hand toward the midline of the body, until it's in front of the chest. Pause.

8. Press the palms together, fingertips pointing to the ceiling. Pause.9. Bend the head in a small bow, thinking, "May I pay respect to the Buddha (wisdom), the

dhamma (ultimate reality), and the sangha (the company of enlightened beings)." Or devise

your own phrase to express something like this: "May I pay respect to the teachings and the

teachers of vipassana meditation, beginning with the Buddha himself."10.Now you will repeat the above motions in reverse order (with one small difference). Raise your

head. Pause.

11.Move the right hand back out until it's poised over the knee. The hand is still perpendicular.Pause.

12.Lower the hand until it's an inch or so above the knee. Pause.

13.Bring the right hand straight down until the lateral side of the little finger touches the knee.Pause.

14.Rotate the hand medially until the palm is resting on the knee. Pause.

15.Repeat steps 11-14 with the left hand, making sure to pause between each step.
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The Moral Precepts

The way to be free of suffering, the Buddha said, is to develop ourselves in three areas: morality,

concentration, and wisdom. The last two aspects are addressed by meditation practice. But these in turn

rest on a foundation of morality.

Without some degree of restraint in our behavior, the mind will be too troubled to concentrate andmeditate effectively. By adhering to a code of wholesome behavior, however, meditation practice will

advance smoothly.

Morality, called "sila" in Pali, is addressed by the precepts. The following five precepts are the

Buddhist guidelines for the layperson. We encourage everyone to follow them. Note that the fifthprecept is to abstain from alcohol. That doesn't mean you can't practice vipassana meditation unless you

give up drinking. You might begin by taking the first four precepts and adding the last one when you

feel ready, at the same time moderating and gradually decreasing your alcohol intake. The reason forthis precept is to avoid the loss of mindfulness, and consequent unwholesome speech and behavior,

which occurs with drunkenness and the use of recreational drugs.

The precepts below are given in Pali first, then English, but it's fine to say them in English only. If you

wish you can repeat these precepts aloud every morning while sitting and concentrating on them with

the eyes closed. If you happen to break a precept, take all five of them over again. And be sure toforgive yourself. Nobody's perfect.

The Five Precepts

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from killing any

creature (including insects).2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from stealing.

3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from

sexual misconduct (i.e., sexual relations with someone other than my spouse, or with a married,engaged, underage person, etc.). Any sexual action that hurts another can be considered sexual

misconduct.

4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from lying andharmful speech (the latter includes harsh speech, gossip, and idle chatter).

5. Surameraya majja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to

refrain from consuming alcohol and recreational drugs, which lead to carelessness. (This does

not include drugs used as medicine.)

Meditators usually take the eight precepts during vipassana retreats. You can also take them on so-called uposatha days (days of the half, full or quarter moon), weekends, or any time you choose.

The Eight Precepts

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from killing any

creature (including insects).

2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from stealing.3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from

sexual misconduct (i.e., sexual relations with someone other than my spouse, or with a married,

engaged, underage person, etc). Any sexual action that hurts another can be considered sexualmisconduct.

4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to refrain from lying and

harmful speech (the latter includes harsh speech, gossip, and idle chatter).5. Surameraya majja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami. I take the precept to

refrain from consuming alcohol and recreational drugs, which lead to carelessness (this does not

8/3/2019 How to Meditate

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