Sunim has said previously that we should be comfortable when we meditate,
But when I try to sit in the meditation position,
I am typically uncomfortable.
My back aches from trying to stay straight,
My hips are tense in trying not to fall over,
And my legs lose feeling.
I find that this discomfort distracts me when I try to meditate.
What should I do to improve?
So in the short run,
It is true that this discomfort is going to be an obstacle for you to overcome.
But in the long run,
This is the best position for you to get used to.
So there are three main distractions or obstacles when meditating.
First is you're sleepy,
Drowsiness.
But if you fall asleep while meditating,
Then you're sleeping,
You're not meditating.
But if you're meditating while being drowsy,
It's that you are becoming mindful despite being drowsy.
And then that's not the wrong meditation.
Just because you're drowsy.
You're drowsy because you're either tired or your body's tired.
It's a matter of a physical issue,
Not your mental issue.
So let your body be drowsy as it will,
But maintain your mindfulness while it's being drowsy and you're practicing meditation that way.
The second is physical pain.
And we feel that pain because we sit in a lotus position.
Similar to the pain you feel after you exercise for the first time in a long time.
But you can't quit there because after a while,
Your body will get used to the new activity and be fine with it.
And the third is physical pain.
But you can't quit there because after a while,
Your body will get used to the new activity and be fine with it.
So if you're not used to the half lotus position,
Then your body's going to resist and that's going to cause pain.
But after a week or so,
The pain will go away.
When I say after a week,
I mean after a week of consistent everyday meditation in that position.
And your body will adjust to that new posture.
And then once it gets used to it,
That posture is going to help with your mental concentration.
And that period in which you overcome the resistance of the body and train it to the new posture,
We call that kind of training the body.
It's almost like going through physical therapy after you overcome the resistance of the body.
It's almost like going through physical therapy after you overcome the resistance of the body.
It's almost like going through physical therapy after you overcome the resistance of the body.
It's almost like going through physical therapy after you've been immobilized or crutches for a long time.
Although the first time in physical therapy and rehabilitation is going to hurt,
You have to keep at it and make sure that you return to your normal kind of activity.
However,
If you actually suffer from a physical handicap on a permanent basis,
However,
If you actually suffer from a physical handicap on a permanent basis,
Then you have to adjust your posture to accommodate the level of your disability.
Then you have to adjust your posture to accommodate the level of your disability.
However,
If you don't have those kind of permanent disability,
Then if it's the discomfort or the pain that you're kind of complaining about,
Then you have to go back to the root of the problem.
If you don't have those kind of permanent disability,
Then if it's the discomfort or the pain that you're kind of complaining about,
Then you have to go back to the root of the problem.
If you don't have those kind of permanent disability,
Then if it's the discomfort or the pain that you're kind of complaining about,
Then you have to go back to the root,
The reason of meditation,
Which is to free yourself from the desire's attachment.
And this is,
You should consider that as a first obstacle to free yourself from the desire to be comfortable.
When these thoughts arise that provide distraction,
It's to be able to pause that.
If you are comfortable,
Close your eyes,
Kind of try to focus,
But then all these thoughts from the past will come unbidden.
And then all these concerns or great ideas or plans for the future will unseasonably.
Then you know that you're not awake to the here and now,
But you're kind of watching videos of the past or the future.
And if your awareness kind of chases after these dreams or these thoughts or plans of the future,
Then you're just thinking,
You're not really meditating.
However,
If you say you want to cease all thoughts,
You can't really cease thoughts,
But you can choose not to be distracted and create stories around them and chase after those stories.
So you're just trying to focus on the breath alone in the spite of these thoughts.
So no matter who you are,
All these three obstacles I just talked about,
They'll come to you,
Whether sequentially or all at once.
So if we say we were to do this 10 days,
Every day,
Meditate for 10 days,
Then your sleep,
Your drowsiness will go away after two to three days.
The physical pain,
You'll get used to it after five days or so.
However,
The distracting thoughts will actually get worse.
So it's not the absence of these obstacles that determine the success of your meditation.
It's that you are able to focus on the breath in the spite of the presence of these obstacles.
So meditation is not being able to singularly focus on the breath despite these obstacles.
It's you attempting to actually focus on the breath as much and as well as you can in spite of these obstacles.
So practicing continuing practice of meditation is not being able to singularly focus on the breath in spite of the presence of these obstacles.
It's you attempting to actually focus on the breath as much and as well as you can in spite of these obstacles.
So it's not being able to singularly focus on the breath in spite of the presence of these obstacles.
So practicing continuing to practice despite these obstacles is meditation.
So meditation is really not subject to performance rating every time you do something or a session.
So in conclusion,
It's simple.
Relax your body and mind.
Miss that relaxation.
Focus on the breath.
Do not get disappointed or despair if you don't do well.
And do not get excited or happy if you do well.
Despite all this,
Just be continuous and consistent in your breath.
In this case,
The right posture helps.
But in the short run,
That posture will cause pain and it will be a distraction.
But if you overcome that obstacle,
It will no longer be an obstacle.
Unless you have like permanent disability.
