These are some of the most frequenly asked questions about meditation practice. Follow the links for FAQ Practice for questions regarding the meditation practice path and FAQ Study for questions regarding the study path. If you have a specific question that you'd like to submit, please email us.
Both sleepiness and excitement are considered obstacles in meditation practice and both are quite common. Some remedies for sleepiness are to raise the gaze of the eyes a bit, to focus on following the breath all the way out and in, to tighten up your posture, or even to get up and practice walking meditation for a while. You might also try opening a window or turning down the heat.
Laziness is considered an obstacle to beginning our meditation practice. There are three kinds of laziness. The first is attachment to sleep or to spacing out, second is a craving for frivolous or nonvirtuous activities like "having fun" or "making money." Third is the laziness that suggests to us that there's plenty of time and that we can wait until tomorrow to practice. Laziness in any of these forms is a difficult challenge. The antidotes that are traditionally suggested are faith that meditation is worthwhile, taking an interest in your own mind, exertion or effort, and developing a more pliable mind.
Meditation practice is practice for being in the world and often we find ourselves sitting on chairs. The traditional cross-legged posture emphasizes keeping an upright torso and this can be done on a chair as well as on a cushion. Other aspects of the posture such as crossing the ankles are not compatible with sitting on a chair where the recommendation is to keep both feet flat on the floor. However one chooses to sit, attentiveness to the object of focus is the most important point.
What is important is not the length of your practice session but the clarity and precision of it. One can sit for an hour and have only a moment or two of actual meditation and one can sit for five minutes and have five minutes of meditation. Meditation is not about how long you are sitting, it is those moments of awake attentiveness or mindfulness. Over time these fleeting moments will become more frequent and one's desire to encourage them will increase. Ponlop Rinpoche has said that one should arise from meditating while one is still enjoying the practice. Thus one will have a desire to return and practice again.
It is good to practice whenever and wherever one can. Ideally one should train in practicing throughout both day and night. In the beginning it is best to practice when one has the time to do so.
