Foundations

[寒月 Hanyue]

As the thread topic says really.

 

Having good basics and a solid foundation is something most 'understand'. And it is often said that to avoid pitfalls we should have one. But what is a good foundation?

 

What practices/methods or developments/achievements do YOU consider to be a FOUNDATION. If you'd like to share please feel free.

 

No rights or wrongs, people and traditions vary. I'd prefer it for people not to attack other posters suggestions, and instead start a dialogue and discuss, but hey I haven't forgotten where I am

 

Best,

[RiverSnake]

1. Emptiness Meditation

[Apech]

Something good i.e. firm and comfortable to sit on!

 

Only half joking.

[Ish]

1. Relaxing

2. Being present

3. Focus

4. Determination/perseverance

5. Stability of mind

 

If we're referring to some traditional Taoist alchemy then as an achievement it could be returning all your prenatal jing/ chi, and reaching stage of non-leakage

[寒月 Hanyue]

Something good i.e. firm and comfortable to sit on!

 

Only half joking.

[Jetsun]

I have started to understand the value of the Tibetan Buddhist Ngondro foundations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%B6ndro , the basics of reflection on precious human birth, impermanence, Bodhicitta and the inevitability of death I think are very important to maintain motivation to keep practising.

 

I think aiming to understand and integrate yourself before you try to change anything is fundamental too, so you need a self compassion to ensure you are not doing your practice out of a wish to change yourself due to rejection of the parts of yourself you don't like.

[Friend]

1.Proper Tension and Relaxation.

2.Stillness and Patient and calm.

3.Concentration and expanding Awareness.

4.Learn morals, listen to wise words.

5.Get confidence in the Art on learn and become familar with it.

 

But whatever comes result from above.

 

Subsection

0.Get Massage

1.Progressive Relaxation

2.Wallsquatting

3.Eyetraining focus to regain normal sight in connection with breathing

4.Stance training, either sitting or standing.

5.Dewiring Concentration

6.Dewiring Stillness.

7.Alphabet,words,etc. Mandala work of expansion of sight and mind.

8.Movement Integration

9.Cancel the weakness to each training.

 

(Can be done it whatever order but depending on ones mometary knowledge its different and each of the subsections points is vast as finding will cancel one foundation training and put it on Stand By. Like I did standing Qigong meditation for years

but found wallsquatting is key to have free back and overall for standing and crossleged sitting I did stop because of logic to avoid harm. A stiff back harms the knee in standing and sitting.)

 

Favorite Foundation exercise.

Sitting Crosslegged.

Sitting in Chair.

Watching a clock.

Watching a flame.

Hold a Qiball.

Wu Chi stance.

Tai Chi opening and closing.

Marching.

Meditation of Caring Lovekindness.

Empty mind.

Homolateral/Heterolateral Deswitching.

Wayne Cook Exercise (Important for Breathing exercise)

Real Inner Smile (No Mantak Chia Style)

True Face Method (Own style)

 

Highly Favorite and too much to explain since it is in levels when I do the deeper

finding. Some things can be shortend for later generations to archieve faster results.

Night Practise by Samuel Sagan from Opening the Third Eye only first part.

Unlocking Breath.

Sinking Qi.

 

Trivia Foundation.

Eat enough when you are hungry.

Sleep enough when you sleepy.

Rest enough when you are tired.

[Desert Eagle]

walking in the forest or beach etc.

[konchog uma]

if you look at world traditions they overlap on the points of prayer and meditation. There is hardly a wisdom or spirit tradition that produces results without them. So to me they are foundation. Since there are a million ways to meditate, and countless deities and spirits to evoke, they are kind of like the foundation for a sprawling palace of vast proportions

 

scriptural poetry is pretty universal too

[idquest]

1) Alignments. If the alignments are bad, any practice, even walking, will be dangerous

2) Deep abdominal breathing. The one that engages the whole diaphragm and upper spine

3) Ability to relax muscles. Without that any attempt of meditation will be futile.

 

Of course there are lots more, but these three are critical in my view. Even though they don't look sexy. If only I knew this short list when I started!

[Birch]

Something to help get rid of anything that is no longer necessary. I've understood people can't do this by themselves. I don't know if they used to be able to. So, I guess, practices.

Something that helps one bring consciouness anywhere, to anything. Sometimes I think this involves making people strong. Sometimes weak but always discerning.

Something that helps you get out of what you thought was yourself.

Something that helps you withstand what you find in yourself

 

---opinion --- etc

[lienshan]

But what is a good foundation?

A pair of shoes

 

 

Probably too dualistic an answer to most onenessfreaks in here

[johndoe2012]

I have started to understand the value of the Tibetan Buddhist Ngondro foundations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng%C3%B6ndro , the basics of reflection on precious human birth, impermanence, Bodhicitta and the inevitability of death I think are very important to maintain motivation to keep practising.

 

Any books on Ngondro anyone can recommend?

[C T]

Any books on Ngondro anyone can recommend?

Dudjom Tersar Ngondro

 

 

http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Dudjom_Tersar_Ng%C3%B6ndro (wiki explains...)

 

The guidebook: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1306169.Ngondro_Commentary

 

 

 

Depends which tradition one wants to keep to. But all Ngondro practices are efficacious, as in they are complete in themselves, meaning the Ngondros already contain both the foundation and the complete path to realization of Buddhahood, so calling it a preliminary practice is not altogether accurate.

 

Hope you can make a connection somewhere.

 

 

 

(typo)

Edited April 22, 2012 by C T

[astralc]

Realistically, I would have to say earthing and centering - being grounded makes harsh things easier to bare, being centered makes it possible to attach and then detach as needed. The flexibility these give makes life a little more interesting. Plus money to pay the bills with some left over for dinner with the missus

 

astralc

[joeblast]

1. Emptiness Meditation

This. Complete and utter stillness. Pacifying the cranial nerves, which doesnt happen until you've done all the other aligning, relaxing, breath harmonization, etc.

[寒月 Hanyue]

Thanks for the responses so far.

 

Best,

[Vmarco]

1. Emptiness Meditation

 

Lao Tzu said, "Do you think you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear."

 

The Long Path devotee is concerned with learning how to concentrate his thoughts in the practice of meditation, and later even with meditation itself, to some degree, so far as it is an activity among ideas and images. The Short Path practioner is not. She is concerned with direct union with the object of all these efforts, that is, with the Overself. Paul Brunton

 

As Hui Neng reportedly said, that meditation is unnecessary, and warned that such practice can easily become a narcotic.

[Vmarco]

 

Having good basics and a solid foundation is something most 'understand'. And it is often said that to avoid pitfalls we should have one. But what is a good foundation?

 

 

Lao Tzu correctly said, "The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to (two) yin and yang. Yin and yang give birth to all things."

 

"If you wish to unite with the heart and mind of the Mysterious Mother, you must integrate yin and yang within and refine their fire upward." Lao Tzu

 

Unfortunately, the foundations regarding this are seldom directly found in today's Taoism. For a foundation, of how to recognize and integrate the 2 - yin and yang, check out 'A New Concept of the Universe.'

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33856291/Walter-Russell-A-New-Concept-of-the-Universe

[C T]

 

As Hui Neng reportedly said, that meditation is unnecessary, and warned that such practice can easily become a narcotic.

He also reportedly scolded his monks for spending too much time sitting in meditation.

 

"When alive, one keeps sitting without lying down.

When dead, one lies without sitting up.

In both cases, a set of stinking bones.

What has it to do with the Great Lesson in life?"

 

Yet, i do not agree that meditation is unnecessary. It may be so when one has fully synthesized path and fruit, not before.

[Protector]

hmm yeah, Lao Tzu said that once

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/21954-meditation-is-not-a-good-way-for-practising/

[RiverSnake]

Hmm....interesting perspective Vmarco...all i can say is that personally i have benefited enormously from emptiness meditation.

 

Because of it everyday i live an easy and more graceful life with very little suffering and find joy and serenity in the simplest of things...yet i am able to be focused and stay in clarity in all that i do....but that's just me, perhaps others do not find such benefits.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited April 22, 2012 by OldGreen

[寒月 Hanyue]

Lao Tzu said, "Do you think you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear."

 

Hmm....interesting perspective Vmarco...all i can say is that personally i have benefited enormously from emptiness meditation.

 

It's an admonition to remember that even if you sit for say 4 hours in 'stillness' there are still 20 hours of the day when you are not. Practice should be/become a 24/7 thing, if you are only still/clear/tranquil when sat on a zafu etc... It is incorrect to read the quote as an admonition against sitting practices IMO The 'narrow mind' is the one that has narrowed the understanding of still/clear/tranquil to the duration of sitting in the belief it will magically blossom into all aspects of life.

 

A basketball spinning on your finger is already spinning, but needs a 'boost' everynow and then to keep it going. Constancy 常 (chang) is often viewed as important within Daoism.

 

My 2 cents,

Edited April 22, 2012 by snowmonki

[thelerner]

Seems to me to get anywhere, in anything, requires the foundational skills of focus and concentration. Having a clear quiet mind is essential to almost all practices. Meditation is an excellent way to develop it. Ofcourse there are health benefits that come with it.

 

Once you have a clear quiet mind that flows, meditation is a tool that can be dropped. Or if you have another tool for training the mind it could be superfluous.

 

I've met some very impressive spiritual people who meditate very little a day. I was impressed by one former TBer who said they meditated 24 minutes a day. One minute for each hour. I've met others who say they only meditate once a day; but it lasts 24 hours.

 

Meditation won't make a rock a mirror, but it can make a mirror clearer.

Edited April 22, 2012 by thelerner

[Friend]

It's an admonition to remember that even if you sit for say 4 hours in 'stillness' there are still 20 hours of the day when you are not. Practice should be/become a 24/7 thing, if you are only still/clear/tranquil when sat on a zafu etc... It is incorrect to read the quote as an admonition against sitting practices IMO The 'narrow mind' is the one that has narrowed the understanding of still/clear/tranquil to the duration of sitting in the belief it will magically blossom into all aspects of life.

 

A basketball spinning on your finger is already spinning, but needs a 'boost' everynow and then to keep it going. Constancy 常 (chang) is often viewed as important within Daoism.

 

My 2 cents,

 

I agree Snowmonki,

 

I will also assume that one has 20 hours to destroy what one has build 4hours if one not know how to use them for cultivation.

The concentrated practise is a time to sort out, of reflection on observation of ones state and minimizing of ineffectiveness - a time to keep other things out which would hinder growth.

 

It is that a blade is sharp most of the time and if you can use it like in the story of a butcher who never needs to sharpen the blade because of the feeling when to stop and when to cut: to know the right moment and appropiate doing.

 

Emptiness dulls the mind when one presence leaves the body. As long one stay there and add the presence then emptiness is helping because of reduced distraction to reach the goal of greater presence better. Else emptiness can catapult a meditator in forgetfullness.

Emptiness Meditation is "dangerous enough to produce different effects".

 

Learner,

 

I assume a rolling stone do not need to push further right?

And if one can move a mountain then there is no need to split the mountain if one cant and move one rock by another.

Also meditation to quiet the mind works because one is not quiet else one would not need to meditate. If one is quiet then there is no need to do mediation as one is the meditation.

 

Either effectivness, lasting or hard work - best would be all but as I see humans are like to be full of flaw, like to make mistake even if they want.

 

Best,

Q