The question whether to practice samatha or vipassana comes up again and again. In the early days of the Burmese Vipassana movement, long debates were waged on which approach would be the correct one (samatha || vipassana, that is). This…
If you drive back from a peaceful mountain region to the busy town, you can reflect on all the milestones and passing sights either while you drive or when you are back home. Now, of course, watching the scenery while…
Vitakka and vicara — applied and sustained thought — are the two mental factors that carry the meditator into the first jhana. A close reading of the Pali Canon reveals their exact meaning and how to use them in anapanasati practice.
A Howto: Go to a secluded place Close your eyes, take up a meditation topic and concentrate, for example on breathing in and out. Repeat ONE thought, bringing back the mind and trying to “establish” it on this one topic…