>>39221068
Fatren lost.

>>39221068
Meditation for calmness is the most widespread type. Go ask the bots.

Samatha (Sanskrit: शमथ; Chinese: 止; pinyin: zhǐ[note 1]), "calm,"[1] "serenity,"[2] "tranquility of awareness,"[web 1] and vipassanā (Pāli; Sanskrit: विपश्यना; Sinhala: විදර්ශනා), literally "special, super (vi-), seeing (-passanā)",[3] are two qualities of the mind developed in tandem in Buddhist practice.

In the Pāli Canon and the Āgama these qualities are not specific practices, but elements of "a single path," and are "fulfilled" with the development (bhāvanā) of mindfulness (sati) and meditation (jhāna/dhyāna) and other path-factors.[4][5] While jhāna/dhyāna has a central role in the Buddhist path, vipassanā is rarely mentioned separately, but is usually described along with samatha.[4][5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samatha-vipassan%C4%81?useskin=vector
> When [the Pāli suttas] depict the Buddha telling his disciples to go meditate, they never quote him as saying "go do vipassanā," but always "go do jhāna." And they never equate the word "vipassanā" with any mindfulness techniques. In the few instances where they do mention vipassanā, they almost always pair it with samatha — not as two alternative methods, but as two qualities of mind that a person may "gain" or "be endowed with," and that should be developed together.[web 2]


> Basic Breath Meditation Instructions
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/breathmed.html

>>39221068
You got this chief

>>39221068
When you're listening intently, you do not think, the mind becomes receptive. Just employ that quality to listen inside your body, in particular use the faculty of hearing to make breathing as subtle as possible and gather your attention(not intention, that's still listening) to the movement of the lower abdomen(both navel and lower back). By scanning around with your hearing, you can locate areas of strain and pressure and relax them. Once you relax the body on a certain level, another layer opens up beneath that one, and so on until you're peeling the subtle body like an onion.
The ears gather water, the eyes extend fire, if you gather them in once place you produce steam.

>>39221301
I understood 1/3 of this. Do you have a more in depth guide?

>>39221075

can everyone get some sort of ultra instinct power?

>>39221347
When you hear(passively) your ears send a signal(energy) to the mind, when you listen(actively) your mind sends a signal(energy) to the ears. Say you're trying to overhear a conversation in the other room, but the room is your lower abdomen, this creates a two-way connection of energy flowing and since the nature of this connection is both active(+) and receptive(-), this creates a polarity(-+) field. Since the subtle organs related to hearing are connected to the kidneys and draw energy from there to function, when that polarity is established, the energy(water) of the kidneys begins to gather in said field. In meditation this is felt as a trickle of water down the inside of the sacrum.
Once you have a pot of water, you can boil it.

>>39221347
Not that anon you quoted but I'd say that his guide is already pretty in depth.
And it's better to not have much depth anyway when giving meditation instructions since it's all basically the "Deliberate focus of your unconditional awareness", plus words/thoughts are not something to cling on during meditation (watch how you may cling on the thought "I must not cling on thoughts!" during meditation and avoid that hehehe).

From my experience I think that this anon indeed gets it, I have experienced somewhat of the same: I sat everyday in the dark and I focused my attention to the here and now - on me, not on ideas about me but ON the presence of the here and now.
Thoughts always came up along with emotions but if I was aware then they just evaporated on the spot, after these were gone I was left with the proprioceptive feelings of my body and I became aware of blocks inside my body, especially in my breathing apparatuses, as the anon said I became aware of those strains and pressures and by just focusing on them they relaxed (I don't really think that I relaxed them as in "doing an action of relaxing" - I believe that just focusing unconditionally on them relaxes them). And finally yes, after you do it for some time it feels like you unlock new layers of yourself.

The only thing I don't understand about what that anon says is the "Hearing" part and the polarity, but I have never studies such stuff.

>>39222571
>The only thing I don't understand about what that anon says is the "Hearing" part and the polarity, but I have never studies such stuff.
nta but the chi flows where the Yi goes
if you want to cultivate yourself, focus within

>>39222697
>nta but the chi flows where the Yi goes
While true for the most part, you have to realize that beginners often cannot grasp the notion of directing the mind's intent(Yi) and the proper amounts of attention or concentration that have to be employed. That is why it's safer and better to go off something that they know and work from there. Everyone knows how to employ the senses, so instead of teaching people to differentiate the qualities of the mind and energy, it's much more direct to point out the mechanism by backtracking what they already know.
Practice makes perfect, no two people will ever be the same, that is why teachers succeed where systems fail.

>>39222697
Olfactory anon, long time no see.
Serious question: If someone wants to contact you how can he do that? Do you have any email or discord server?

>>39221301
>gather your attention(not intention, that's still listening)

Can you explain this? You mean that intention= listening? Or I got it wrong?

>>39222829
It would be paying attention vs concentration. In this I differentiate the level of intent being employed. If you pay attention you're still aware of something without directing your concentration there. I often explain it by asking people to extend their hands, one in front and concentrate the eyes on it, one behind and out of sight and listen to it. You can vividly examine and skillfully direct the hand you're concentrated on, while you're still aware of the back hand. One is an active quality, the other is receptive. If you go to a taichi class, you'll probably learn this in a week or two.

>>39222805
namaste fren
the only email I've got rn has my name in it and I'm not giving that out here, lol
I'll look into setting up a discord for those of you that would like to discuss things

>>39222797
this is why its most appropriate to master anapanasati as a first foray into these areas.
breath is the most coarse ongoing bodily function that we have direct control over

>>39223044
>this is why its most appropriate to master anapanasati as a first foray into these areas.
Breath is a powerful tool, but there is a reason the pattern and subtlety of breath needs to practiced to the point where they become unconscious, and the breath itself imperceptible, otherwise it becomes a hindrance and another attachment that separates the no-breath states.

>>39223321
>Breath is a powerful tool, but there is a reason the pattern and subtlety of breath needs to practiced to the point where they become unconscious, and the breath itself imperceptible
yes, this reason is that the energy remainders left over build up until they reach a threshold value, once exceeded jumps into higher brain centers and produces a random thought, which destroys advanced meditative states - for they compete for the same energy. this is why contemplation is not an avenue to meditative progress.
>otherwise it becomes a hindrance and another attachment that separates
the only hindrance is within the mind of the practitioner, really
>the no-breath states
please define more thoroughly
any pause in respiration is a deviation
while breaths holds can be nice and quiet,
the idea is to produce the same quiescence but in a sustainable manner, by refinement of breath mechanics
any holding of the breath, even if "spontaneous," simply leads to hypoxia and thwarts progress
if the breath spontaneously stops, this means one's training is not thorough enough and the medulla forgets

>>39222805
/ppuujBFZ

>>39223363
>please define more thoroughly
The point where breathing becomes harmonious with internal circulation and the rhythm of the diaphragm becomes receptive to the flow.
Before this, no matter how subtle, the diaphragm movement was messing with the bowl, afterwards i could quietly tend the stove.
Apologies for the metaphors.

>>39223642
good stuff, I have experience of this
but I try to avoid saying its a no-breath state,
#1 since respiration continues
#2 it gives the impression that respiration pauses

>>39223732
>but I try to avoid saying its a no-breath state
I understand why, but it's often called that.
#2 it gives the impression that respiration pauses
Perhaps observing if from the outside may give that impression. It's unlike the deeper pause that you get in the 4-fold breath movement. I can best describe it as when circulation reaches a certain momentum, the cycle of respiration seemingly becomes continuous.
I feel there's a sort of progression to this, I really need to observe more to be sure.

>>39223363
>>please define more thoroughly
the breath ceases in the 4th jhana

this is basic buddhism

>>39221593
>>39222571
Kind of don't understand the actual directions. I'm probably autistic but I meant more in a step by step guide.

>>39221301
Do you know what the ball of electricity is? I relax my body and focus on breath, all sound melts into a humm then disappears into the background, then comes the electricity feeling, like i can move a ball of electricity around my body at will. Thats as far as i have gotten. when i wake up i feel stoned, i just feel at peace and content for hours, food tastes amazing, everything is perfect.

>>39221068
just imagine that pic of jiren

>>39221068
I'm trying to do the same thing to get over childhood trauma and avoidant tendencies. It's especially difficult when it's easy for you to get lost in a sea of your own thoughts.

If you're like me, overthinking comes to you as naturally as breathing. Bumping thread for interest

>>39224316
>I understand why, but it's often called that.
yep, just clarity for the reader
>Perhaps observing if from the outside may give that impression. the cycle of respiration seemingly becomes continuous
it should be entirely continuous, a key factor is transitioning smoothly between inhales and exhales. one of my teachers called this the one breath, but I had reached it in practice before I met him. the only way to really not disturb the nerves and cause excitations requires mastering these finer aspects of breath tuning. and not disturbing the nerves forms the basis for things to get exciting.
>>39224570
"the external breath ceases"
the breath stopping is a deviation caused by insufficient breath training to keep things going subtly enough while the 4th jhana progresses. the light of samahdi forms from this, but if your breath is stopped then the whole matter simply becomes unsustainable. in order to properly catch the spark of samahdi and keep it arisen for long periods of time when it arises, a sustainable process is required.
clarity on these matters becomes crucial for the practitioner if he is to not waste time. it takes a lot of training for the body and mind to become prepared and all the conditions set for samahdi's arising, and if the training is not very rigorous, then it winds up being long durations of time in between the arising of the spark. when the spark can be properly caught and the mind is able to stay calm and firm with very long chains of ungapped awareness cultivated, then it will come to return every day like clockwork.
I never got it going enough so that I'd have a frickin halo or anything, but the above I can tell you with absolute certainty from my own experience.

>>39225414
nta
dont waste your time with mental forms
proceed straight to breath tuning
go take a bath, lay back in it so that the water's against your ears, note how loud you breathe
figure out how to draw from the diaphragm properly so that you're not sniffing at the air when you inhale. support the exhale with the perineum and abdomen.
learn to breathe completely silently in this bath exercise, then carry the tech over to seated meditation, using earplugs can help mimic the bath but its not going to be as loud feedback as water.
tune your breath so that the structures rise and fall harmoniously as one, reaching their power simultaneously in the motion.
let the air flow through the nose, but dont assist the flow of air with the nose, sinuses, anywhere that air actually touches. any of that will draw more air across your olfactory nerves and cause the neural stimulation we're trying to avoid.
indeed, the neural stimulation from sense activity becomes the root of the arising random thoughts. this is why a habit of calming will induce more calming, restraining the senses often calms the nerves and mind and the habit energy built becomes the basis for building gung.
once the breath structures are well tuned, then you must spend some time bringing the heart into alignment with the breath. at first it will speed up and slow down along with the breath, but the whole mindful calm abiding concept applies to this conditioning of the heart.
the habit energy of breathwork means more mental capital available for attuning the heart
once the heart is tuned, then it becomes an awareness game of trying to maintain long chains of ungapped awareness
out of those long chains comes the great stillness, the most still thing ever
and yin to yang, the spark of samahdi will arise from the depths of the great stillness
when you get there, its like having a restorative energy bath every night, its really super.

>>39226809
So essentially hyper focus on your breathing and senses?

>>39225414
Sit in a preferably dark room in which you won't be disrupted

Don't use support for your back

Have a straight spine with your head stacked uppon your shoulders (no slouching)

Close your eyes and focus on your body, literally feel your body sitting there in the room

Thousands of thoughts, memories, analyzations and emotions will come and many of them will take your focus away without you realising it, once you become aware that you were dreaming return to the feeling of your body and especially of your breathing as it goes inside your body

There is no goal in meditation since chasing a "goal" is just another thought, stay as the silent observer of everything which may appear in the scope of your awareness.

>>39228124
you want good solid focus
on tuning the breath optimally
basically executing a perfect breath
but that concept will not always be the same as you make progress
senses are to be retrained

>>39229052
>retrained
restrained

>>39226758
>the light of samahdi forms from this, but if your breath is stopped then the whole matter simply becomes unsustainable. in order to properly catch the spark of samahdi and keep it arisen for long periods of time when it arises, a sustainable process is required.
in the jhanas, samadhi is ''one-pointedness'' and it's already there in 2nd jhana. Afterwards it's all about purifying it by removing the other factors of the jhanas.


>the breath stopping is a deviation caused by insufficient breath training to keep things going subtly enough

the breath stoping is automatic and does not stem from some lack of training. And the breath stopping is a good thing.

https://obo.genaud.net/dhamma-vinaya/ati/an/09_nines/an09.031.than.ati.htm
"When one has attained the first jhāna,
the perception of sensuality has ceased.

When one has attained the second jhāna,
directed thoughts and evaluations [verbal fabrications] have ceased.

When one has attained the third jhāna,
rapture has ceased.

When one has attained the fourth jhāna,
in-and-out breaths [bodily fabrications] have ceased.

When one has attained the dimension of the infinitude of space,
the perception of forms has ceased.

When one has attained the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,
the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space has ceased.

When one has attained the dimension of nothingness,
the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness has ceased.

When one has attained the dimension of neither-perception nor non-perception,
the perception of the dimension of nothingness has ceased.

When one has attained the cessation of perception and feeling,
perceptions and feelings [mental fabrications] have ceased.

"These are the nine step-by-step stoppings."

>>39228870
>There is no goal in meditation since chasing a "goal" is just another thought, stay as the silent observer of everything which may appear in the scope of your awareness.
Again false, mediation is a tool to achieve a goal. The primary goal is samatha.

>>39229590
I agree, however feeding thoughtforms like "I want to achieve samatha so bad!!" during your sits is detrimental to that goal, no?

File: bf8f97c13551cda38b6bb1627(...).jpg (23 KB, 518x319)

23 KB JPG

I often wonder why we don't have a meditation general here.

>>39231979
Because in my opinion the majority of /x/ anons don't meditate (at least daily) and generally speaking the majority of people who do meditate probably don't manage to actually get into a meditative state. Meditation is hard an even harder to put into words.

>>39229583
impressive scholarly knowledge copypasta
the misinterpretations of the unaccomplished remain

>>39229632
>feeding thoughtforms during your sits is detrimental to that goal, no?
100%

>>39229583
this 2nd J is merely the great stillness, not the brilliant spark of samahdi
https://buddhism.net/posts/buddhism-for-all/b802-right-samadhi-and-the-four-jhanas

>>39225553
I've been trying to figure out an answer to your question and hope it's something you truly experienced.
It depends on the level of achievement, but sometimes qi takes on certain qualities that are abnormal in alchemical sense, but in line with one's goals and Self. It's not really a qi deviation, but it's a branch in tradition. Some schools will explore this intentionally to some variety and extent. I cant say if it's good or bad, perhaps it will close some doors, but open others.
Having an "attribute" for your energy falls more into magic and mysticism, rather than alchemy.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nARIFaLnE3G67tSg5q3FvuUBEmNt4SB2/view?usp=sharing
There's info on lightning/thunder magic in the book. The author is the abbot of a Maoshan lineage.