I like Shikantaza.

We basically have 2 meditation techniques.

  1. Hold your attention upon a thing as perfectly as you can for a while

  2. Watch the flow of experience-stuff (sights, sounds, thoughts, emotions, etc) while refraining from moving your attention in reaction to that.

Shikantaza is of the second variety.

  • Thelsim
    3·
    2 days ago

    I’m not very well-versed in these matters, so I don’t know if there is a name for it :)
    But I like to listen to my body and kind of disappear inside it. It usually starts with listening to one of the little aches I have, and let my attention drift along from there. Basically any tiny sensation I feel gets a little bit of detached attention where I observe where these sensations come from, what they really feel like and then move on to the next. Eventually my body just starts to feel like a gigantic cavern with many different branches where I’m just drifting along. I end up listening to my bowels, my heart beat, even the tensions inside my brain.

    Another technique I like to use is to keep my eyes closed but still try to see with my eyes. Just staring into the dark void and eventually I will see all kinds of shapes appear. Not the usual geometric shapes, but all kinds of things like cities, alligators, flowers, etc. They quickly shift from one into the other, and you can’t really look at them directly or you’ll break the flow. I need to keep my view unfocused and just let them appear as they come.

    • PotatoMoon@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
      2·
      1 day ago

      Are you familiar with your attention? Like, what it does and such.

      By attention I mean that which you direct when you pay attention. That which you concentrate when you concentrate. That which gets jerked around when you get distracted.

      I mean, it sounds like you’re letting it go where it will here. Drift and such.

      Which is basically what I do. (Shikantaza.) I describe it as getting big and fluffy.

      The other technique (the Buddhists call it samatha, it goes by other names in other traditions) is pretty easy and delivers amazing results quickly, among other things. It’s big payoff, imo, it that it gives you a great education in the ins and outs of attention.

      (But like I said, we have just 2 techniques. And they can definitely be derived from personal observation and experimentation)

      • Thelsim
        1·
        15 hours ago

        Hmmm, eventually my attention drifts around my body. Like, I don’t choose what to focus on but am just along for the ride.
        I’m not very well read with regards to meditation, though the Shikantaza sounds interesting. I might give it a try some time.