Years ago I sat/meditated/practiced mindfulness in San Francisco. I have always been intrigued by it and knew it would be something that could be useful for me, but I didn't have the discipline to do it on a consistent basis. Well, as those of you who either know me or read this blog regularly the floor dropped out from under me last month. As part of the work I am doing to regain some footing emotionally I have chosen to practice sitting again.
I had the great opportunity to ask questions about the practice with a dear friend of mine who has been sitting for 30 years. Joost agreed that I could share those questions and his insightful answers here. He gave me great assurance that this practice was useful or meaningful when he said, "If you asked me what the most valuable thing I do is, I would probably say sitting." If you have ever been intrigued with the idea of mediation I hope that his answers help - if you already practice I would love to know your experience as well.
Hey, Do you still sit?
Yes, definitely.
Do you sit for an hour a day?
Yes, I would prefer to sit for an hour—twice a day (morning/evening). (I did that for 3 years.)
Do you sit in the day or night?
I’m a morning person. It’s what I do after walking the dog—usually around 6:30 AM. I’m pretty much guaranteed to be awake, not suffering cramps of any sort, and most of all it’s the time I’m most likely not to be burdened with the worries of the day.
When you started did you work with a teacher?
Back in the mid 70s, I heard on NPR (WBAI NY) two (Jewish boys from Brooklyn) guys Joseph Goldstein, and Jack Kornfield talking about something called Vipassana meditation. I was impressed with how simple, direct, and non-guruish what they had to say was. Also the fact they weren’t “promising” anything (i.e., “If you do this, you will get this…”). They’d come back to the US after having studied in monasteries in Thailand and that area for years. I went to the free afternoon they invited and then sat for about 6 months alone, but soon I wanted more direction and got involved in a weekend retreat. Eventually, I did a week retreat—great experience. (So, all in all, besides extensive reading, and occasional showing up at Saturday events I heard about on (W)BAI I didn’t for the most part study with a teacher.
Although I am experienced and mature enough to understand that many roads lead in the right direction, I am still attracted to the Vipassana movement because it is still so non teacher-centric. (There are, mind you, plenty of teachers, good teachers—and stories about teachers, if that interests you.) You’re likely to be able to find a house or 20 in your town where a group of people come once a week to sit for an hour and little more, and from there you can find out the extent of the Vipassana community and local or traveling through teachers.
I would recommend a teacher, at least initially. A retreat, if you can spare the time is really good.
Do you follow a particular school of mediation (Zen, Insight, Tibetan, etc.)
Vipassana is more commonly called Insight Meditation. It is the simplest and most straightforward practice I’ve been exposed to. It is the closest to not having a method.
Zen would interest me also, if only for its rigor, but it is slightly different than Vipassana. Tibetan I associate more with doing things to get things.
Do you sit on a particular cushion or can you sit anywhere?
You can sit anywhere. (You can walk, etc.) I’ve spent hours, days, years, trying to find the perfect thing to sit on (Zafu, triangular pillow, folded blanket) so that I would not experience pain or numbness, but that’s just part of the game. Actually, what I’ve settled on and really like is one of those “bean pillows” (husks of something) in a pillowcase and spun so that it doesn’t lose its shape when I sit on it. (Strictly speaking, if you have good posture and are flexible you shouldn’t need anything to sit on, but lotus position (I do half lotus) without anything is difficult for Westerners.
MORE - Tomorrow... follow my conversation as I ask all manner of questions about his personal experience with sitting.
