Key Meditation Skill

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

Buddhist meditation practices are not intended to be relaxation techniques. Relaxation is one of the first welcome results of meditation, but is by no means its final goal. This may seem an obvious point, but its also one frequently forgotten. Inexperienced meditators find it hard to resist indulging in the pleasant feeling of relaxation as a reward for their efforts in overcoming distraction. By doing so their mindfulness weakens, their mind become dull, and their meditation session is derailed. Alertness and clarity of mind are crucial to progress in meditation. Any decline in them is an indication that the correct balance between effort and relaxation has been lost.

Learning how to sustain this balance is a key meditation skill. It begins with posture: the meditator must put effort into maintaining a straight (but not rigid) back and head, while allowing the rest of the body to relax. In the practice itself, we are taught to hold the meditation object in our mind as we would hold a small bird in our hands. We must expend enough effort to prevent the bird from flying away, yet keep our hands relaxed enough to prevent us from causing it pain.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.