Do you have to make a number of effort in your meditation apply?
Or is that counterproductive in a apply that’s actually all about letting go?
It’s an important query.
And the reply isn’t so apparent. However in case you’re critical about making progress on the trail of meditation, it’s a query you possibly can’t ignore.
Why?
Since you want each. Generally we have to make ALOT of effort. At different instances, we have to ease on again…manner again.
So how are you aware when to make effort or to ease up? And what sort of effort are we speaking about in any case?
Let me begin by telling you a narrative primarily based on the expertise of a seeker I as soon as knew.
The Seeker’s Story
As soon as there was a younger man. He did tons of meditation retreats. He studied with a number of lecturers. He was on a one-pointed mission to get enlightened.
He spent hours and hours working towards within the hallowed halls of Vipassana facilities doing 10-day silent retreat after 10-day silent retreat. He visited with many so-called enlightened masters.
After a number of years of one-pointed dedication, he was feeling somewhat worn out. All of the vitality and energy he was making didn’t appear to be transferring him nearer to his objective.
Then someday, an previous pal referred to as him and stated, “Hey, come meet me at this place in India, there’s a extremely superb trainer. I feel she’s the true factor.”
So the younger man met his pal and shortly discovered himself on the toes of the trainer. And he requested the venerable Ma, “What sort of effort do I must make to be free?”
The wizened girl stated quietly, “You don’t need to make any effort to be free.”
At that second, one thing gave manner, and the younger man discovered what he’d been looking for.
In reality, all his looking for and energy had turn into an impediment to his personal realization.
Sure, it had introduced him to the toes of the trainer. And sure, all that sustained work had little doubt gathered and ripened.
However it was clear that making extra effort was not the reply.
The Coarse Thoughts & The Delicate Thoughts
Now, I’m not saying that you simply and I don’t must make an effort to comply with our meditation directions. However I’m saying that the way you body these directions and the way you maintain them in your physique and thoughts is all the things.
I as soon as studied with a trainer of Tibetan Buddhism and Mahamudra. In the course of the preliminary steps within the meditation apply, we needed to make nice effort.
“Enhance the depth” he would say, referring to the deal with our meditation object, the breath. “Maintain making effort till you possibly can keep on the breath with out getting distracted.”
This was referred to as Shut Staying.
And the objective was to make use of that elevated depth to focus our consideration on the breath with out dropping focus.
However then, at a sure level, when your consideration was reliably near the breath and staying for like 80-100% of the time, he would say, “Ease up!”
That’s proper.
Like going by the trying glass, the directions turned 180 levels, and he gave the alternative injunction.
At this second within the apply, ahead progress was achieved by much less effort.
Our trainer described it this fashion. To start with, our consideration is coarse or gross. So we have to apply extra effort.
However then, by cautious and sustained deal with our meditation object, our consideration turns into very refined. And when that occurs, extra effort is counterproductive.
In truth, at this stage within the apply, extra effort is detrimental. Much less effort, a feather gentle contact, easing up, and enjoyable. That’s what propels you ahead.
Wonderful…
Meditation Is Not One thing You Can Do
I really like this quote from one other Tibetan Buddhist trainer. I feel it speaks to this line we’re exploring between effort and no effort. He says:
There’s a revealing Tibetan saying: “Gompa ma yin, kompa yin,” which suggests actually: “Meditation shouldn’t be; getting used to is.”
It implies that meditation is nothing aside from getting used to the apply of meditation. As it’s stated: “Meditation shouldn’t be striving, however naturally turning into assimilated into it.” As you proceed to apply the tactic, then meditation slowly arises. Meditation shouldn’t be one thing which you can “do”; it’s one thing that has to occur spontaneously, solely when you may have perfected the apply.”
There’s a level in meditation, and it’s possible you’ll know this from your individual expertise, when the meditation simply begins taking place by itself.
At that time, it’s computerized and self-arising.
In truth, no effort in any respect is strictly what’s required. Our job in these moments is to easily relaxation in that good center place. Not too tight, not too unfastened. We simply must get out of the best way and let it circulate.
