What does everyone practice :)

[CedarTree]

I practice Zazen (Simply sitting) method that is taught in the Kosho Uchiyama-Shōhaku Okumura lineage at places like Gyobutsuji Zen Monastery in America, Sanshin Zen Community, and the famous Antaiji.

This method is harmony of body and mind and utter alertness and presence (Bodymind).

It is the practice of learning who one is and also moving beyond.

I also practice Samatha in the tradition of Theravada in which one enters absorption states (Jhana). From these states I experience and gather insight (Vipassana).

I would associate more with the Ajahn Chah style than the honorable Pa Auk as I don't codify these experiences as strongly and directly by writings of the Abhidhamma and Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga.

These deep meditational experiences I believe show how when conditions change one changes and this can be in radically different way.

I also believe it helps purify ones practice as when one establishes deep Samadhi one moves past sensuality and other factors that can trap someone in basic practice.

Please share your practices and how you would define them I look forward to hearing from everyone.

[Marblehead]

I practice no-practice.  And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

[doc benway]

Hi Cedar Tree,

My practices are Yungdrung Bön and internal Chinese martial arts.

 

Yungdrung Bön originated as the indigenous, shamanic tradition of Tibet. It includes a wide variety of practices referred to as the Nine Ways of Bön. These include the ancient shamanic practices, sutric practices, tantric practices, and dzogchen, often referred to as the great perfection. My primary practice is dzogchen with some supporting practices from the tantras, primarily yogas of dream and sleep. 

 

Internal Chinese martial arts include taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang. I have studied all three but my primary focus is taijiquan. The distinctive characteristic of internal Chinese martial arts is the emphasis on cultivating internal power through mind-body integration. This is accomplished, in part, by standing meditation which is unique to each art: taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang. There are other internal arts such as yiquan and liuhebafa. Yiquan grew out of xingyiquan. It's founder, Wang Xiangzhai, felt that martial excellence could be achieved through almost exclusive practice of standing meditation. 

[Fa Xin]

2 hours ago, Marblehead said:

I practice no-practice.  And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

I try to practice no-practice, but it ends up being practice.  So then I stop practicing, and once I realize it's no-practice, I automatically start practicing and thus defeats the purpose.

 

One day I'll give up all practices and achieve the elusive no-practice practice.

 

But it takes practice...

[sagebrush]

last evening aroung 11:00 pm I went to pick up my son from a party.

 

I had to stop and use the bathroom in emergency. somewhat familiar with the general area I had plenty of options off the main route. in the few minutes I was off the road and on gravel road not a car had passed anyway.

I got out. relieved. and then delighted in the sound of running water of a creek. I looked up to the night sky and it was so full of stars and crisp air. it could not get any better in that moment.

so my practice is simple nature

sometimes it is so intelligent like watching morning glories grow exponentially each day -like how it knows to wrap around a pole and reach out to wrap around a sunflower?

and I have a practice of trying to relax into relaxing

 

and I practice nattering away to myself about non important things like--

I might be a daoist if......

I find myself happy that I am not going to need yoga pants....

because laughter is good

 

Trying to incorporate going out to see the sunset in the evening even for five minutes

the sky

 

and I have other practices but not formal

 

[thelerner]

In the morning if I wake up early, I'll listen to a guided meditation.  These days Barry Long on freeing the mind from habitual thought.  Sometimes I'll do sets of Wim Hof breathing in bed.  In the shower, when I'm good, its cold, and afterwards I'll do Rawn Clarks YHVH canticle chanting. 

 

I'll try to get near water and either meditate with counting breaths or into reverie- a more opened eyes state.  In the evening a little more meditation.  Sitting in half lotus, hands on dantien, a gentle natural rocking, lately just sitting.  I've found breath counting makes my breathing faster.. like I'm bored and want to get done with it.  So lately I'm not counting.  Just sitting, then a rub down close (shortened version of Stillness Motion close) at the end. 

 

The above is when I'm good.  Lately I haven't been. 

[Gerard]

1. Bagua

2. Seated meditation

3. Walking meditation

4. Chinese herbs

5. Chinese tea

6. Listen to trees, flowers, birds, insects, moon (sun too strong in Australia so I minimise contact with it unfortunately, other wildlife when I see them

7. Listen and watch children talking, walking and playing. Their minds are soft and open. I like their naturalness and curiosity. 

 

good luck

[Gerard]

5 hours ago, CedarTree said:

...one moves past sensuality

 

This! Major factor of illness. Also worrying and thinking too much. Going with the flow is not as easy as people think. 

 

 

[morning dew]

1. Eight pieces of brocade
2. Cloud Hands
3. Wu Tai Chi
4. Seated meditation (counting breaths)
5. Walking along the sea

Edited July 31, 2017 by morning dew

[Brian]

Listening & Stillness-Movement.

 

All day, every day -- and sometimes while I'm asleep.

[doc benway]

13 hours ago, Marblehead said:

I practice no-practice.  And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

 

11 hours ago, Fa Xin said:

I try to practice no-practice, but it ends up being practice.  So then I stop practicing, and once I realize it's no-practice, I automatically start practicing and thus defeats the purpose.

 

One day I'll give up all practices and achieve the elusive no-practice practice.

 

But it takes practice...

 

9 hours ago, Gerard said:

 

Going with the flow is not as easy as people think. 

 

 

 

My main practice, dzogchen, is also the practice of no-practice.

While it sounds sort of ambiguous and nebulous, it is quite precise and challenging.

Consequently, the Tibetans have codified it within a framework of preliminary and support practices to improve one's chances of success. If one is able to get it, all of the preliminary and support practices are unnecessary.

[Aletheia]

Starting from today I'm going to do this -

 

Morning: 3 rounds wim hof seated with perhaps added rounds in deep horse stance depending how I'm feeling

 

Morning & Afternoon: 3X15/20 mins Moving yin/yang (with visualisation because I realised I wasn't visualising)

 

Evening: 60 mins seated meditation on DT plus concentrating wherever energy goes (right now it's in the head and face and magnetic) and finish by putting everything back in the DT and closing with Master Lin's routine.

 

I'm also going to try out some mudras when I'm out and about away from the house and see how they work and I'm going to look through that book called The Way of Energy too and do some of that stuff.

 

So far today I haven't even done the wim hof stuff yet. I spend most of the day picking my nose tbh!

 

Maybe if I get a personal practice area I can try and hold myself accountable by marking off what I do each day. Can I request that in this thread?

 

EDIT: I noticed when I stay with the DT I feel a load more energy wherever else it happens to be.

 

Edited August 1, 2017 by Aletheia

[Brian]

9 minutes ago, Aletheia said:

Starting from today I'm going to do this -

 

Morning: 3 rounds wim hof seated with perhaps added rounds in deep horse stance depending how I'm feeling

 

Morning & Afternoon: 3X15/20 mins Moving yin/yang (with visualisation because I realised I wasn't visualising)

 

Evening: 60 mins seated meditation on DT and concentrating wherever energy goes (right now it's in the head and face and magnetic) and finish by putting everything back in the DT and closing with the Master Lin's routine.

 

I'm also going to try out some mudras when I'm out and about away from the house and see how they work and I'm going to look through that book called The Way of Energy too and do some of that stuff.

 

So far today I haven't even done the wim hof stuff yet. I spend most of the day picking my nose tbh!

 

Maybe if I get a personal practice area I can try and hold myself accountable by marking off what I do each day. Can I request that in this thread?

 

You'd probably be better off making the request here --

It is more likely to be noticed by a Moderator.

[CedarTree]

18 hours ago, Marblehead said:

I practice no-practice.  And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

 

15 hours ago, Fa Xin said:

I try to practice no-practice, but it ends up being practice.  So then I stop practicing, and once I realize it's no-practice, I automatically start practicing and thus defeats the purpose.

 

One day I'll give up all practices and achieve the elusive no-practice practice.

 

But it takes practice...

You two are masters of course.  I was more referring to us lay individuals

[Marblehead]

9 minutes ago, CedarTree said:

 

You two are masters of course.  I was more referring to us lay individuals

Caused me a chuckle.  I am the Welcome Master.  That is all.  Chuang Tzu told me to practice no practice so that's what I do.  Chuang Tzu was the master, I was the student.

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Marblehead

[blue eyed snake]

8 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

Caused me a chuckle.  I am the Welcome Master.  That is all.  Chuang Tzu told me to practice no practice so that's what I do.  Chuang Tzu was the master, I was the student.

 

 

you're doing a good job as welcome master.

 

practice: before I fell ill i meditated daily between 20 minutes /hour.

chigung daily, around an hour and most days a little taichi, about half an hour.

 

since illness I cannot do physical practice anymore, so I only do a little meditation

[lifeforce]

Xing Yi Nei Gong.

Silent Sufi Meditation.

Spending time in nature walking with my Siberian Huskies.

[Fa Xin]

1 hour ago, Marblehead said:

Caused me a chuckle.  I am the Welcome Master.  That is all.  Chuang Tzu told me to practice no practice so that's what I do.  Chuang Tzu was the master, I was the student.

 

Nice. 

 

Im a jack of all practices, master of none...

Edited July 31, 2017 by Fa Xin

[Fa Xin]

5 minutes ago, lifeforce said:

Xing Yi Nei Gong.

Silent Sufi Meditation.

Spending time in nature walking with my Siberian Huskies.

Love those dogs!

[Mig]

20 hours ago, Marblehead said:

I practice no-practice.  And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

You are totally right. Following someone practice doesn't mean much. It is your own practice and the way you know it works for you. I hear and read many ways to meditate and it may me wonder why for some people work and others won't? I guess the response is the way you believe it.

[Mig]

1 hour ago, Marblehead said:

Caused me a chuckle.  I am the Welcome Master.  That is all.  Chuang Tzu told me to practice no practice so that's what I do.  Chuang Tzu was the master, I was the student.

 

I think you are the American master of Zhuang zi

[CloudHands]

Mostly Yang Tai Chi

 

Qi Gong : 8 pieces, horse stance and many others actually we have plenty exercises including qi gong walks, weapon qi gong, static... as the need comes

 

Meditation : mostly Half lotus / MCO, more recently inner smile (learning)

 

Stretching these days, mostly the hips.

 

MostAny thing done with presence is/can be an interesting practice.

 

If I'm tired but that I consider I must practice tea is my gateway.

[Nungali]

Booglebar practice and extensions  ( 'Australian Aboriginal Shamanism' ) . 

 

Neo Egyptian 4 cycle Sun adorations.

 

Sokken 3 sai and 3 kama forms . Various bo forms .  Two eku forms.  A self developed jo form.  Sword .   Shorin-Ryu Matsamura Seito ( family)   form - empty hand . 

 

Gardening ,    art of bamboo  ,   cultivating  relationship to native animals and 'earth energy' .

[Marblehead]

4 hours ago, Mig said:

You are totally right. Following someone practice doesn't mean much. It is your own practice and the way you know it works for you. I hear and read many ways to meditate and it may me wonder why for some people work and others won't? I guess the response is the way you believe it.

I think it is more than just believing.  It has much to do with our individual nature.

[roger]

A practice I find very helpful is affirmations beginning with, 'Every part of me is.....'

 

Every part of me is worthy. Every part of me is healthy. Every part of me is divine.

 

It's been said that the best affirmations are 'I am......' affirmations.

 

I've found it helpful to use 'Every part of me is....' rather than 'I am.....' because the former tends to give the benefit of the affirmation to one's entire self, whereas it's possible that with the latter, parts of oneself will be untouched by the affirmation.