Only A Beginning
While we place a great deal of emphasis on meditation practice during 108 days, sitting meditation is just a place to begin. Even if we sit every morning or every day, more is required if our goal is to transform the ways we live our lives such that we become more compassionate and active around what matters and less consumed by the easy paths of consumption, grasping, negativity and the like.
Do not indulge in heedlessness.
Avoid craving for sensual pleasures,
whatever their nature.
The mindful person is tranquil in mind.
He will attain the great bliss....from The Illustrated Dhammapada, Verse 27
The Illustrated Dhammapada includes this list in the commentary on Verse 27:
The following six conditions tend to the eradication of sense-desires.
(i) perceiving the loathsomeness of the object
(ii) constant meditation on loathsomeness
(iii) sense-restraint
(iv) moderation in food
(v) good friendship, and
(vi) profitable talk
What do I find the most interesting about this list personally? To the degree I don't employ moderation in food, when I'm detached from friends and not cultivating friendships, when I entertain unprofitable talk, when I'm not paying attention to the loathsomeness of a particular thought pattern or way of being, my meditation practice wanes.
Practice flowers in an environment suited to practice, just like flowers grow in an environment suited to flowers. If you plant a seed in a pot of gravel, it won't grow... even if you water it. If you attempt meditation practice in a vacuum without attempting to love more, connect more, consume less and grasp less, you may learn to concentrate a little better, but the net effect on the way you live will be negligible.
As this first cycle winds down and comes to a close, consider for yourself the things you may want or need to partner with your practice that you could be more diligent about.
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