Objects of meditation

Previous posts mentioned that an object of meditation is utilized as a basis for cultivating insight.  That is, you return to your object when mind does something else.  As you meditate it becomes obvious that mind is doing all sorts of stuff you didn’t plan on, as demonstrated by your meditation object.  Anything that is not your object is clearly the result of an uncontrolled process, because your intention is to meditate on the object!  So, you get to learn all about how mind works, because you are seeing it get repeatedly distracted.  Even better, you are retraining mind to NOT get distracted and to gently let go of the things that pulled it away from the meditation.  As you get familiar with how mind’s attention moves and you let go of more and more distractions, you can stay with the object with greater ease, and you enter into states of increased awareness and fun called Samadhi or the Jhanas.  There’s more, but that’s the start.  Simple. 

The Buddha taught various object of meditation: some sources say 40, but if you look in the Pali cannon you can find at least 108 and also make a case for more.

Why so many?  One answers is: because they all have different qualities and side effects.

The breath is a pretty cool object.  It has some very useful qualities; it’s calm, always present, and when you slow your breathing it is great for your nervous system etc etc etc.  However, it’s not my favorite.  I find it to be easy to learn, but very difficult to master.  Master?  I mean attain the higher Jhanas and eventually awakening - yeah, there is a goal to all this meditation stuff, aside from feeling good and having your life improve and so on.  I am not sure why the breath is such a popular object in meditation training these days.  Maybe because it is so simple to start with?  That’s actually the reason why I wrote about it first… everyone has a breath to work with, so talking about the breath is a great way to get down to the mechanics of meditation without having to talk about a complicated meditation object.  However, the breath is not an extremely common object in the Pali cannon.  It appears that other objects were utilized more frequently, at least they show up in the suttas more frequently.  There are good reasons for this.

Some personality types are better suited to some meditation objects.  For example, if you are a pissed off, salty, generally dissatisfied person you might enjoy Loving-Kindness.  I know I do!  Seriously, even if you have been having a blast with the breath and are the kindliest person you know, I strongly suggest you give Loving Kindness aka Metta a shot.  It’s a little tricky to get started, maybe, but progress is much faster and it has a lot of benefits that the breath does not have.  Even better, all your awesome meditation skills with the breath will directly translate. 

Instructions:

Sit like you do – eyes closed, perfectly still, etc etc.

Make a silent wish one time– “may I be happy.”  Or, “may I have ease,” ”may I be peaceful.” The specifics don’t really matter, just something along those lines.

Now, feel this wish.  You know what it is like to feel peaceful, so bring up that feeling.

Sometimes people use triggers to get this feeling started – like remembering something really happy – puppies, babies, motorcycles…  Whatever makes you grin.  See, you know what it is to feel Metta, it’s a common human feeling – friendliness, good will, happiness.  That spontaneous smile when you see something hilarious or adorable.  That’s Metta.

So you bring up the wish, feel it, and stay with it…

Until it fades, or you start planning dinner, or whatever.

Then you let the distraction go – let it be there and relax your head and body once.

Smile, just because.

And then make one more wish and feel that.

Repeat.

The method for dealing with a distraction is identical to the using the breath.  Now instead of returning to relaxing on your breath, you return to the feeling of your happy wish aka Metta. 

Some more about Metta. 

Metta is a feeling, it is not an emotion.  You already know what it feels like, but have probably never consciously cultivated it.  You get to rediscover it.  How?  Pay attention to what the wish feels like.  What feeling arises in your body right after you make a wish, or simply smile?  Well, eventually it will probably feel like a warm, glowing/radiating feeling in your chest.  Seriously.  Maybe other feelings will happen to, that fine.  This may sound a wee bit odd, or fluffy, but this is anything but.  If it helps for all you science based hard heads out there (myself included), when the vagus nerve is stimulated, it feels like a warm, glowing/radiating feeling in the chest.  That’s well documented neuroscience.  So, something like that is happening with the meditation.  In my recent bout of school, I did several studies looking at the effects of meditation on novices; autonomic nervous system markers were our primary outcome.  And yes, the effects of the vagus nerve become stronger with meditation training.

Don’t get me wrong, there is way more going on with meditation then simple autonomic re-regulation; it’s a process that goes to the core of your perception and supposed self.  But, one step at a time.

Don’t make this too complicated.  Just smile, have a light mind, make your wishes, and follow the instructions carefully.  Metta will naturally arise and develop.  If you don’t feel it, that’s fine.  Just do the instructions, don’t try to feel it too hard, and it will naturally arise.   When you get good at bringing up the feeling, try letting go of the verbal wish.  The wish is actually just a cue to bring up the Metta, nothing more.

Make good wishes for yourself for about 10 minutes.  Then you get to give it away.  This is actually easier for some folks, but you MUST send to yourself at first.  This is a gradual, methodical training, and every part has a purpose.  Also, you really can use the Metta, especially if you’re so rough on yourself!  So, you get to get over any resistance you have to wishing happiness for yourself.  Whatever comes up, let it be there, relax, smile, and make a wish for yourself, despite your resistance, and stay with the feeling.

Then send Metta to someone else – your “spiritual friend.”    Your friend is someone alive, is the same sex as you, not a family member, and one that makes you feel good whenever you think about them.  No complicatedness in the relationship.  You don’t need to know them either.  The Dali Lama is a good candidate for most guys who like Buddhism, or pick another person that could use the good vibes.  Choose a person, and don’t change them once you are settled.  Give yourself like three or four sessions to decide, and then choose.  Later in the training you can change the person, but for now just have one.  No need to be complicated, let it be simple. 

So, a good wish to try would be “may they be happy.” Right?  Or whatever you feel like.  "may they have ease,""may they be joyful."  Etc.

You don’t need to visualize them perfectly.   You might see them, you might not.  About 10% of your focus is on sending/visualizing.  The rest is on generating and staying with the sensation of Metta and the rest of the meditation instructions. 

Remember, Metta is just the object of meditation.  Instead of returning to the breath, return to Metta.  Metta is a little more complicated with all the above details, but has some pretty nice benefits.  Ultimately, Metta is simply an object of meditation – a reference point that allows detailed insight and stabilization of mind.  Once you get the hang of it, it is really quite simple and the benefits are remarkable. 

Have fun!