My new set of tools had allowed me to apply for a variety of HR positions throughout January and February. By March, I was in an unpaid internship, which was an important stepping stone. At least I was no longer "frozen."
At the beginning of March, I realized that the primary arena for the Anapanasati is off the cushion, not on. While on-cushion practice is like the gym, off-cushion is applying that strength for life tasks. For three weeks, I was inspired by Culadasa’s The Mind Illuminated, and tried to develop stabilized, continuous breath focus off-cushion. It ended up causing more hindrances than it reduced, but it was a worthwhile experiment.
I started to integrate Richard’s explanations of Supramundane Right View into my practice paradigms. Right View is to have no views. Right Morality is to have no artificial rules, but instead to always respond to actual causes and conditions, and target optimal effects based on them. This helped support the disciplined action I had begun earlier.
I tried Lama Tsultrim Allione’s technique of feeding one’s inner demons, which is her interpretation of the classic, Tibetan Chod practice. Although the process didn’t quite ‘stick’ with me, it did seem to make me question my obsessive thinking for the first time in my life. Maybe overthinking things does more harm than good, and is not worth the comfort and security feelings it brings? I had never considered this before.
In my inconsistent sitting practice, I began to attempt complete, physical stillness, and refusal to check the timer. I also started emphasizing the celebration of the remembrance of the breath, rather than the continuity discussed by Culadasa.
At the beginning of March, I realized that the primary arena for the Anapanasati is off the cushion, not on. While on-cushion practice is like the gym, off-cushion is applying that strength for life tasks. For three weeks, I was inspired by Culadasa’s The Mind Illuminated, and tried to develop stabilized, continuous breath focus off-cushion. It ended up causing more hindrances than it reduced, but it was a worthwhile experiment.
I started to integrate Richard’s explanations of Supramundane Right View into my practice paradigms. Right View is to have no views. Right Morality is to have no artificial rules, but instead to always respond to actual causes and conditions, and target optimal effects based on them. This helped support the disciplined action I had begun earlier.
I tried Lama Tsultrim Allione’s technique of feeding one’s inner demons, which is her interpretation of the classic, Tibetan Chod practice. Although the process didn’t quite ‘stick’ with me, it did seem to make me question my obsessive thinking for the first time in my life. Maybe overthinking things does more harm than good, and is not worth the comfort and security feelings it brings? I had never considered this before.
In my inconsistent sitting practice, I began to attempt complete, physical stillness, and refusal to check the timer. I also started emphasizing the celebration of the remembrance of the breath, rather than the continuity discussed by Culadasa.
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