Some questions about zen meditation and the Power of Now

[den32]

Hello all,

After reading Eckhart Tolles book "The power of Now" and Sifu Wong's writings about meditation, some questions arrived in my mind. I would be very thakfull if someone could enlighten me with some confusion I have. Or I will find answer asking questions.

1. In everyday life to be present it is easier for me to let go for all thoughts than to be aware of all my monkey mind. So, how letting go is connected to mindfulness? Is it correct to say that letting go is the part of this higher conciousness?
And in everyday life I do this: Be totally relaxed, smile from the heart and let go with awareness.

2. I want to attempt mindfulness meditation to gain more control of my mind. Must I first perform one pointed awareness meditation to strengthen my mind before I perform mindfulness meditation?

3. As I understand, concentration and mindfulness are yin-yang of meditation. Both of these must be balanced for correct meditation. But one can emphasise anyone of them. If one perform more concentrative meditation his mind becomes strong and he can better manage his internal force/energy. If one emphasise mindfulness he attain awakening or enlightenment. Am I correct with these statements?

4. I meditate like this: perform lifting the sky 10 times then stand relaxed, gently focus the mind on dan tian and let go with awareness for all thoughts.
If there is distraction, I notice it, let go for it and gently return to the instructions.
With this meditation I strengthen my concentration and mindfulness with emphasis on one pointed mind.
Are the technique correct?

5. What is more required for internal force and energy management (in chi kung)- skill of one pointed mind or skill of ultimate awareness/no mind?

6. Sifu Wong mentioned that in standing meditation one must totally relax and don't think of anything. So, how there concentration and mindfulness are incorporated? Are these factors totally balanced in no thinking?

Sorry for long post, but I want go get this confusion out of my mind.

Regards,
Den

[den32]

I found answer to one of the above questions thinking about a lot, but I'm not sure if it's correct:
Letting go is the conciousness (awareness meditation) itself. It results from strong mindfulness. When someone lets go, he has already acknowledged the thoughts, distanced from them and therefore can let go for all thinking. As well as he can be aware on how well he can let go. This is the pure conciousness.

Den

[den32]

Oh, one more puzzled thing. I found that in pure conciousness there is no "I am" at all. There is definitely something larger than "I am".
It is realization that "I am" something bigger than the watcher of the mind and body.

[Benedikt]

Dear den,

be gentle to yourself. Never force yourself to be aware of the present moment.
If you want to practise in your everyday-life just remind yourself to be in a chi kung state of mind.
For example: You´re stuck in traffic and start to tense, now just remind yourself to be in a chi kung state of mind: body relaxed, mind relaxed and most important, gently smile from your heart.

In fact you cannot force yourself to be mindful of the present moment because the present moment is just there. I think what will help you the most is just enjoy yourself and what you are doing.
Don't worry and follow the instructions given by Sigung (Grandmaster Wong).

Greetings
Benedikt

[den32]

Dear Benedikt,

Thanks for your post. Yes I understand that I must not force anything in mind training disciplines. There must be effortless effort.

And for my questions I found almost all answers in my mind.

Regards,
Den

[Chiahua]

Dear den,

be gentle to yourself. Never force yourself to be aware of the present moment.
If you want to practise in your everyday-life just remind yourself to be in a chi kung state of mind.
For example: You´re stuck in traffic and start to tense, now just remind yourself to be in a chi kung state of mind: body relaxed, mind relaxed and most important, gently smile from your heart.

In fact you cannot force yourself to be mindful of the present moment because the present moment is just there. I think what will help you the most is just enjoy yourself and what you are doing.
Don't worry and follow the instructions given by Sigung (Grandmaster Wong).

Greetings
Benedikt

That's a fantastic reminder. It's very easy to forget the present moment when you're stuck in traffic. What I need is some sort of mp3 I can play in my car that will remind me.

[Zach]

There's been mention in various places on the forum about the difference
between keeping your mouth gently open versus closed.

Sifu brought this subject up again at a course in Penang in January.

The exercise went something like this: think of a problem.

Now think of a solution, first with your mouth closed, then with your mouth
gently open. Everyone noted that mouth open is much easier.

In the months since, I have noticed that when I'm feeling in a state of
frustration—or when things just feel "off"—that invariably my mouth is closed.

As for being in the present moment, my experience is that mouth gently open
really helps.

Try it out for yourself!

My best to you all,

Zach

[Benedikt]

Thanks Zach.

Very interesting. I'll try this one and observe the differences.

[Buddhasfist1]

Hello all,

After reading Eckhart Tolles book "The power of Now" and Sifu Wong's writings about meditation, some questions arrived in my mind. I would be very thakfull if someone could enlighten me with some confusion I have. Or I will find answer asking questions.

1. In everyday life to be present it is easier for me to let go for all thoughts than to be aware of all my monkey mind. So, how letting go is connected to mindfulness? Is it correct to say that letting go is the part of this higher conciousness?
And in everyday life I do this: Be totally relaxed, smile from the heart and let go with awareness.

2. I want to attempt mindfulness meditation to gain more control of my mind. Must I first perform one pointed awareness meditation to strengthen my mind before I perform mindfulness meditation?

3. As I understand, concentration and mindfulness are yin-yang of meditation. Both of these must be balanced for correct meditation. But one can emphasise anyone of them. If one perform more concentrative meditation his mind becomes strong and he can better manage his internal force/energy. If one emphasise mindfulness he attain awakening or enlightenment. Am I correct with these statements?

4. I meditate like this: perform lifting the sky 10 times then stand relaxed, gently focus the mind on dan tian and let go with awareness for all thoughts.
If there is distraction, I notice it, let go for it and gently return to the instructions.
With this meditation I strengthen my concentration and mindfulness with emphasis on one pointed mind.
Are the technique correct?

5. What is more required for internal force and energy management (in chi kung)- skill of one pointed mind or skill of ultimate awareness/no mind?

6. Sifu Wong mentioned that in standing meditation one must totally relax and don't think of anything. So, how there concentration and mindfulness are incorporated? Are these factors totally balanced in no thinking?

Sorry for long post, but I want go get this confusion out of my mind.

Regards,
Den

I think that the others here have answered your first question so lets move on to the second.

First of all if you are going to attempt any Meditation techinque, I am going to suggest you go to a teacher to learn it, and I can not stress more, it is absolutely vital for you to do so, as a teacher will be there to teach you properly the techinque, and watch your over all progress.

Secondly you can not compeletly control the mind. With in Zen true stillness of mind is that you "Let Go" of thoughts as you see them arise! And as thought arises let it pass and pay no attention to them and do not play any part in them.

As for questions 3,4,5 you seem to have the knowledge required to preform the meditation, I still am unclear as to whether you have a teacher for learning Chi Kung and meditation, so I am going to stress once more that you find a teacher or attend a Chi Kung Intensive course.

Question #6, concentration means being focused on what you are doing, Mindfulness here is defined here as being aware. And to a certain degree yes these are balanced with proper concentration.

[den32]

Meditation with master

Yes, I understood all about meditation and it is very important to practice with a master. Everyone's meditation is different as human mind is unique. So, everyone must receive specific instructions according to mind's condition. I don't have a teacher so I will not practice on my own.

I tried standing meditation on my own for three months. At beginning I had warm navel, tingling at fingertips, feeling of leaving my body, pulsing third eye. But all sensations stopped after two months. However I found that focus had improved. So, however, assuming dangers of meditation, I will better find I master to make sure of what I am doing.

Regards,
Den

[Dorit]

Hi den32,

maybe Frank Kinslow's "Quantum Entrainment" would give you answers ... it is a method to learn (better: to find again) Pure Awareness and understand how to achieve and keep it.
Just try it, read about it, try the ways of learning he mentions.

Regards,
confermezza