- interviewing a Buddhism meditation participant
A week-long Buddhism meditation program (in China) gives participants a chance to scrutinise their senses, inner integration of sensory input and the generation of self awareness. The whole process are divided into three parts: sense (观), self (自), being (在). I have a stronger personal experience on the first part.
- sense (观) -
We are so used to sensing the external world. We notice the cherry blossom in our neighbourhood, we notice our friend's happiness or sadness, we notice the weather change... Yet after this meditation trip, I realises that my senses have long been incomplete. Our senses are attracted by external world, which makes us ignorant of the sensations happening inside our bodies. Algorithms might be doing a better job in getting feedback from its internal mechanism.
Meditation of drinking water:
My first attempt: taking a cup and drinking water from it - I noticed that my muscles are contracting, but the motion are not sensed and acknowledged.
Second attempt: with an awareness towards external conditions - I sensed the weight and temperature, of the cup, flow of the water…
Third attempt: with an awareness to focus on internal feedback - I noticed the motion of my hands, and then sensed the pushing moment from my should and arm to my hand in retrospect. I noticed my finger are pushed backwards when I hold the cup. I sensed my face muscle’s tendency to move before I start drinking. But the whole process is a little frustrating - realising that I am not capable to sense what exists within my sensation
Recovery Method: Mediation of Sitting and Walking
By repeating the basic motion of sitting and walking for a long time, I gradually overcome my impatience and anxiety of not being able to sensing within my body. The process of overcoming negative emotions is through sensing and acknowledging. When I sensed the itchiness on my leg muscle for seating for a long time, I marked the itchiness. When I sensed the muscle soreness from a long walk, I marked the soreness. I started to treat the process not as a suffering, nor a challenge, but merely an event for my sensing. I devoted my sensing organs fully to the process, not distracted by externality. My effort brought significant progress - I was able to marked up to nine sensing points on my body, which I have never noticed before. This is amazing. My body has been taking information by various ways, but I was too distracted by other stimulations that I completely ignores those sensations.
Comments