The Mostess

[thelerner]

I'm certainly a slackard so I don't think I'll be up for the mostess on any of these:

 

Who meditates the most per day?

 

Who exercises the most? or hardest?

 

Who been doing retention the longest?

 

Who has the most stringent diet?

 

If you think you're in the running, please add to this thread.

 

Its certainly not about competition. But I'm interested in what people have gotten out of extreme longer held practices.

 

 

Michael

[sunshine]

Trying to keep up steady practice

[Spectrum]

It's important in Tai Chi Chuan to know when to stop. That sounds very Taoist. Daily practice produces steady growth. Long and Slow. Like the breath during Tai Chi.

[forestofsouls]

It's important in Tai Chi Chuan to know when to stop. That sounds very Taoist. Daily practice produces steady growth. Long and Slow. Like the breath during Tai Chi.

 

As it says in the Classics, "Not too much, not too little."

 

I was at a point where I was meditating two hours a day, plus about thirty minutes of Tai Chi. However, the quality of the meditation was quite poor. I spent most of my time in a dullish state of torpor.

 

A lot of Taoists I was coming across in books or otherwise were saying that a few quality minutes of practice is infinitely better than hours of quality practice. They suggested starting with five high quality minutes, one if necessary, and building from there.

 

I cut my practice in half, and am slowly building back up, emphasizing quality over quantity.

[minimoke]

I cut my practice in half, and am slowly building back up, emphasizing quality over quantity.

 

 

Could you please define quality? What type of meditation do you practice or what do you strive to achieve?

 

Thanks for your help. Anyone else is invited to help with this issue also.

 

Bruce

[TwoTrees]

you ask ... Who meditates the most per day?

... I try to never stop. Every moment is a chance to be mindful.

 

you ask ...Who exercises the most? or hardest?

... yep, this certainly could use improvement for me.

I do, however, have a regular spar-buddy now.

 

you ask ...Who been doing retention the longest?

... lifelong endeavor.

 

you ask ...Who has the most stringent diet?

 

... I try to stay as healthy minded as possible, but with my current budget, my diet is crap, lol

Tough, severe, strict - it's different for everyone.

[forestofsouls]

Could you please define quality? What type of meditation do you practice or what do you strive to achieve?

 

Keep in mind I use the word meditation in the common American-English sense of the term. Many would consider what I do concentration practices.

 

I use object-based meditation, anapana and vipassana. The first, I concentrate on the breath, and on the second, I concentrate on the body. When I do Tai Chi, my objects are different depending on what I'm working on.

 

I measure quality in two significant ways: focus (i.e. how long I can stay on the object) and subjective quality (i.e. the level of mental clarity vs. mental dullness). A third factor would be equanimity (i..e if I can let whatever arises and fall away without clinging or aversion).

 

I have found that object-less meditation, such as "just sitting there" or "just letting what arises arise" results in mental dullness for me. I DO think it is important to let what arises arise, but personally, I need a target area to place my attention on.

 

As to what I'm aiming at: a clear, concentrated mind that can observe any objects that arise and dissolve with equanimity. Applying this state of mind to the world produces insight for me. Additionally, I am counting on the fact that over time, my chattering mind will stop completely (thus far, it has quieted and weakened, but it is still distracting). In the meantime, I have received too many benefits to even list.

[Yoda]

I can never get a straight answer out of this crowd about who is the best at retention, except for x-taobum Ron. But then again, it gets worse outside this circle:

 

Me--"So how often would you say you ejaculate?"

 

My brother--"[pause] you know, you really need to get out more often... see a movie, shoot some hoops, live a little."

 

Me--"You are right, of course... would you say twice a week?" (that's my guess )

 

My brother--"None of your business, actually"

 

Me--"I'm your brother, I need to look out for you... "

 

And so forth.

 

I'm around 2-3 times a week which isn't optimal for the long run. Whenever I bring a new practice on board like the 5 Tibetans, diet change (more juicing), primordial recently I slack off a bit until I get used to the new energy of the particular practices. Ideally, 1x a week seems to be best for one of my ability and interest level for long term. My experiences with longer term retention are exciting, but not perfectly conducive to the tranquil happy vibe I've been focusing on recently.

 

Imo, the guideline for any practice level should be how it makes me feel in daily life and I'm going for more tranquility over excitement these days.

 

Over the last couple of years, I've been doing an hour of practice a day. If you count exercise, it would be 1.5+ hours a day of practice.

 

I'm of the opinion that after Ron, Max and Plato have been the most hard core practitioners around here.

 

If you are ever stuck in line while shopping, it's a fun game to guess how many orgasms a week, if any, those in line with you have. Speaking of which, I just learned of license plate scrabble... take the three letters and make words that incorporate those letters in the same order. Give yourself 10 points for easy words and 50 for good words and 100 for exceptional words. That's a good one too.

 

RJ could play chess in his mind and I think that level of mentation is a good sign of retention feeding one's mental powers in a nice way.

[Smile]

Good post, Forestofsouls. I also practice Vipassana and think it definately brings "quality" to meditation.

 

Yoda, I nominate you for the most open minded and "try-all" Excellent trait.

[thelerner]

Now that winter is approaching I wonder whether its time to dedicate two weeks or so to heavy duty meditation. I mean sitting two hours at a time in emptiness every day, maybe twice a day.

 

SeanDenty spoke about his master requiring 3 hours a day of meditation. There may be some pretty good fruit to be gotten from such extreme practice. Is 3 hours so extreme? Maybe you give up an hour of sleep, some time on the tube or surfing the net.

 

How many people, the heavy hitters here go long? and how often?

 

Michael

[Yoda]

Dear Taobums,

 

This is Mrs Yoda here. Yoda just died attempting to electrify an aneros. His last wish was to tell everyone that while it does increase the contractions, it's not for everyone. I knew he'd go in an odd manner.

 

Yours,

Mrs Yoda

[thelerner]

He was too good for this Earth.

 

Thank you for the safety tip, I'll lower the voltage on mine.

 

 

my condolences and may I say you are taking it very well.

 

 

Michael

[Ian]

Now that winter is approaching I wonder whether its time to dedicate two weeks or so to heavy duty meditation. I mean sitting two hours at a time in emptiness every day, maybe twice a day.

 

SeanDenty spoke about his master requiring 3 hours a day of meditation. There may be some pretty good fruit to be gotten from such extreme practice. Is 3 hours so extreme? Maybe you give up an hour of sleep, some time on the tube or surfing the net.

 

How many people, the heavy hitters here go long? and how often?

 

Michael

 

The metaphor I like is that the mind is a huge speeding truck. First few months/ years, you're just trying to tie weights on the back as it rushes by, hoping to slow it down a bit. If you actually try to meet it head on you gonna know because you're all flat like wile coyote and you're inventing reasons to stop meditating.

 

I think what I mean is increase slowly. Do major sessions when you've got the support of a teacher/ group/ really nice venue.

 

If you can go three hours just like that on your own, you're either reaping the benefits of some serious work in another life or you're not actually doing anything.

 

I'm doing 45 mins every morning and I'd say 95% of that is rubbish. Plus 2 hours in a group every weds, 45 mins some evenings, and a few hours at weekends about every other one. This is as good as it's ever got.

 

The 45 mins is crucial. Once I've done that I give myself zero grief even if I do nothing else.

 

I

[freeform]

The 45 mins is crucial. Once I've done that I give myself zero grief even if I do nothing else.

 

I think you're onto something (as you've also illustrated with your standing practice) - choose one core practice and do it every day! Then build onto it if you can - but dont guilt-trip yourself if you dont.

[Lozen]

I take the mostess supplements.

[Treena]

There's supplements? Where can I get some of those?

[Lozen]

There's supplements? Where can I get some of those?

 

LOL. At the health food store..