hello to all my friends, sorry if it is a few days I do not write, but I was very busy at work :( however here is what I wanted to talk about today:
<center>**Introduction**</center>
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The Buddha taught in the terms of the four noble truths: problems, their causes, the state of their complete elimination, the paths of the mind that lead to this elimination. Therefore, to face the difficult experiences that arise during meditation and retreat and to eliminate them, we must know the causes of the problems.
<center>**Mental attitude, meditation and behavior**</center>
<center>A balanced Buddhist practice involves three aspects:</center>
<center>1. a mental attitude, vision or constructive mental state (lta-ba)</center>
<center>2. meditation on it (sgom), which means getting familiar with this mental state</center>
<center>3. Integrating mental attitudes into our daily behavior (spy-od-pa)</center>
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If one of them gets lost, our practice will only have minimal benefits. We will probably have to face difficulties and frustration, not only in meditation but also in life.
. If we try to meditate without having a constructive attitude as a mental state that we want to develop through meditation, we will get little.
. Knowing what a constructive mental state is but not pondering about it, does little change in us.
. Meditating on a constructive mental state without putting it into practice in our everyday lives, transforms our meditation into a hobby and has little effect.
. Trying to have a constructive mental state in life without meditating on it is extremely difficult.
<center>**Listening, reflection and meditation**</center>
To meditate, let us know what a mental state, attitude or constructive vision is. Therefore, we need the power to hear a correct explanation so that with this information we can get a precise idea of the words (sgra -spyi) on:
. The state of mind and heart that we want to develop - what it focuses on (dmigs-pa) and how this cognitively meets this object ('dzin-stangs) - such as compassion that addresses the suffering of others and its causes, desire that they may be free from both
. The function of the state of the mind - the destructive or disturbing emotion or attitude that contrasts it and how it acts to counter it
. The benefits of developing that state of mind
. The disadvantages of not developing it
. What depends on the state of the mind - what we must develop earlier that will serve as a basis for the development of the state
. The instructions to develop it
. How the methods for developing the state act to produce it.
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So we need weighting power (bsam, think, contemplate, reflect) so that:
. We understand the above points.
. We get a precise idea of what actually mean words describing the state (don-spyi) and what exactly do the instructions.
. We are convinced that the state and the methods for obtaining it conform to logic and experience, and correspond to the teachings of the Buddha.
We are convinced of the benefits of getting the state and the disadvantages of not developing it, so we have a strong desire and aspiration (dun-pa) to achieve it.
. This desire and intention is what in Buddhism is meant for motivation (kun-slong). The intention may be not only to obtain this state as our goal or purpose but also, once we have obtained it, to use it to help all other beings. The motivation or goal needs to be accompanied and supported by an emotional or constructive attitude, such as compassion.
.We convince ourself that we can achieve the state, based on the realistic understanding of the non-linear way in which good quality grows - progress is high and low.
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By basing ourselves correctly on the powers of listening and reflection, we can then engage in meditation to get and get acquainted with constructive mental state. To do this, we need a spiritual master who guides us, verifies our progress, and corrects any mistakes in our practice.
Daily meditationEveryday practice is essential to make any progress in meditation. As it happens when we vote, if we promise to engage ourselves in practice every day, we eliminate the difficulty or indecision that can arise on whether to meditate or not. The good habit of meditating has to become like the habit of brushing teeth.
In addition to the usual Buddhist methods to overcome laziness and frustration, and to develop ethical, patience and perseverance, the following steps are useful to minimize the difficulty of practicing a daily meditation practice.
.Meditate or in the early morning just wake up or late at night before going to sleep. This will minimize distraction for the day's occupations and the road and house noise. In the evening, however, do not wait until you are so tired that it becomes a struggle to stay awake.
Do not meditate on a full stomach to avoid the feeling of heaviness or slackness.
.Cup the floor and clean the meditation room to help the mind to be more composed.
<center>**Retreats in modern Western use of the term**</center>
Contemporary Western Buddhists often use the term retreat for any residential meditation course, even just for a weekend, and for any period of time in which your daily busy life is interrupted and spent solitude meditating on any topic. This can include spent time on reflection themes such as lam rims (the gradual path for lighting) to get a basic understanding of them.
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Some Westerners also call "retreat" the time spent in solitude by studying or familiarizing themselves with a particular practice. The goal is to have a "taste" or "experience" that can inspire them for future practice.
These retreat types can lead to rivalry with other practitioners and to disappointment if you do not get any experience. If having an experience is the goal of a retirement, it is important to undertake it without any hope or expectation to achieve any result.
<center>**Lung (thin energy disorders)**</center>
Whether it is in a retreat or in our daily meditation, it is important not to overdo it. Asking too much for ourselves leads to anxiety and frustration, commonly called in Tibetan lung disorder (rlung, energy-thin wind). The lung can also manifest itself due to insufficient preparation for retreat or meditative practice, and for the confusion and frustration caused by the lack of clarity about what is being done or why.
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The lung can manifest with accelerated beating, pain around the heart and back and a general feeling of nervousness, restlessness and irritability. It can cause visions, bells in the ears, experiences of feeling "out of body" and / or insomnia.
The lung imbalances are not easy to calm down. Knowing when to pause and rest is useful as well as watching broad panoramas, laughing, friendly affection, and keeping warm. If needed you can have a nap during the day, only twenty minutes are enough to cool off and short enough to avoid the feeling of heaviness and slackness when you sleep too long during the day. Avoid feeling cold, lazy or windy or under a fan, listening to high volume music, especially music with a strong base and percussion. Even noisy machines and television and computer screens that emit a lot of radiation can worsen the lungs.
Diet also affects the lungs. Foods that **worsen** a lung disorder are:
<center>coffee, black tea, green tea, chocolate and anything that contains caffeine</center>
<center>lentils</center>
<center>chicken</center>
<center>pig</center>
<center>Foods that **calm down** a lung disorder are:</center>
<center>fatty dairy products</center>
<center>warm milk</center>
<center>lamb</center>
<center>wheat products such as bread</center>
<center>**Emotional upheaval during retirement**</center>
During retreats, deep memories and repressed emotions are often sparkling. This is especially the case when it is reflected on the teachings and is made of analytical meditation, especially in reference to one's own life experience. The quiet space of retreat and meditation lower our inner defenses and, consequently, these come naturally. In Western psychology, the process of meditation helps us to have access to the unconscious.
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If these memories and emotions emerge and make it experience a lot of disturbance, it is useful to recite a mantra as a hum hummy man, with a sense of compassion, and not reprimere them. The mantra and compassion provide a balance container for the experience. Especially when you are not engaged in a functional retreat or a retreat to develop concentration, working on this emotional material by applying Dharma methods can be of great benefit.
. Offer them at least bowls of water, and do prostrations before you sit down to meditate, to show respect.
.Make sure that the meditation posture is comfortable, so that the physical pain is minimized.
. Make sure the minimum daily practice is short so it can be handled even when you are very busy, ill or traveling.
.Create the meditative period with 1) preliminary - such as calming focusing on the breath, reaffirming motivation and practicing in seven branches - 2) main meditation and 3) dedicating it. If the positive force of meditation is not devoted to obtaining illumination for the benefit of others, it will simply benefit our samsara existence.
Do not attempt too much meditation without being prepared and prepared - not only in terms of having the power of listening and reflection and meditating on the stages leading to it, but also in terms of having enough maturity and emotional stability.
I hope it will be useful to someone :)see you soon dear friends, Happy steeming !!!!