Grounding
In general
Aspects of personal state to reflect and reflex on:
- sleep
- breath
- posture
- water
- temperature
- teeth
- food / meals
- supplements / meds
- meditation
- communications
- appointments
- logistics
- finances
- tools
Meditation stages
This is a WIP mish-mash mix and match of meditation practices. Choose your own routine.
Grounding is to be established well for the sake of calm abiding (tranquillity) and knowledge and vision (insight).
Mindfulness is remembering the present awareness of the body, feelings, emotions and thoughts; both internally, externally and together.
10 minutes a stage, or whatever. The practice doesn't have to be all stages.
30 minutes for breath + forgiveness or metta + breath.
40 minutes for breath + forgiveness + metta + breath.
60 minutes for breath + body + feelings + emotions + forgiveness and/or metta + breath.
Decide upon a meditation process before starting it.
Don't hold on to an object of meditation too tightly or too loosely. Hold as if a bird in the hand.
Making your mind quiet can take time. Longer sessions can become easier than short sessions.
Sitting down
- withdraw to a secluded place
- become ardent, situationally aware and mindful
- take some time to listen to and move your body before sitting down
- stretching / yoga
- consider sitting with back support or in a chair or another posture
Breath
- being mindful of breath, slowing it and then gently letting go of control
if there is mind chatter, focus on repeating these words instead:
- "breathing in / breathing out"
- "rising / falling"
Body
- body scan, a slow and deep listening to the sensations of the body
- recognise the parts and materials the body is made of, as well as those of other bodies
Feelings
- recognise and let go of pleasant, painful and neutral feelings valences
- recognise and let go of carnal and/or spiritual feelings
Emotions
- recognise if there is lust or not , anger or not, delusion or not
- recognise if emotions are concentrated or scattered, exalted or not, surpassed or not
- recognise if there is peace, tranquillity or liberation
- let go
Thoughts
- recognise and move away from sensory desire, anger and ill will, sloth and apathy, restlessness and remorse, and doubt
- recognise and develop mindfulness, discernment, energy, joy, tranquillity, absorption and equanimity
- recognise how all these states come to be, how they can be abandoned, and how they can be avoided in future
- let go
Forgiveness
- "forgive me, I forgive you, I forgive myself."
Metta / loving kindness
- love, amity, sympathy, friendliness, active interest in others
- active love
- traditional: "may all beings be happy, may all beings be safe, may all beings realise liberation."
/ repeat in the mind which ever comes easiest:
- "may I be happy and free from suffering."
- "may [a loved one] be happy and free from suffering."
- "may [a neutral person] be happy and free from suffering."
- "may [a disliked person] be happy and free from suffering."
if there is trouble after moving to a new target, move back and train more / short and easy version:
- "may I be happy"
Compassion / karuna
- wise empathy
- sympathy for another being’s sorrows
- preventive love
- "if I were given one thousand hands and eyes right this instant, then I will work towards the benefit and happiness of all living beings." (Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī / Great Compassion Mantra)
Compersion / mudita
- sympathy in other's welfare / joy
- appreciative, congratulatory & benevolent attitude
- disinterested love
- "i have joy in the joy of [another]" (dyad)
- "i have joy in the joy of [two others]" (triad)
- "i have joy in the joy of [group]" (network)
- "i have joy in the joy of [all beings]"
Equanimity / upekkha
- allow equanimity, to be aware of and accept reality as it is, without craving or aversion
- aware and unaffected, non-reactive, cool
- peace and acceptance
- like a reed in the wind
Other
Breath
- to finish