Question

Rosemary talked about changing objects of meditation yesterday, say from the breathing to being aware of a sensation in the body, unpleasant sensation in the body leading to a reflection on impermanence and said that is ok. Was she only referring to this being ok while doing the breathing or is it ok for doing also with Reflection meditation?

Answer

I was referring to it mainly being ok with the breathing. With Reflection meditation, we try to have a little bit more determination in the mind to keep to a theme, otherwise we're going to be jumping from one thing to another and the mind will never settle down into its subject. Because it's very easy when we're using thought to jump from one thing to another and then not penetrate into that particular theme we're trying to contemplate.

Say, for example, we're doing Dukkha meditation and we're feeling a lot of compassion arise and so this inspires us to want to do Compassion and Lovingkindness meditation and we start doing the Lovingkindness phrases and then we're off in that form and we forget about actually going and investigating Dukkha in an impersonal way as well. So we've actually veered off the subject into Compassion and Lovingkindness meditation at that particular moment. We do hope that Compassion and Lovingkindness will arise when you're reflecting on Dukkha, this is its main object, to bring about a certain amount of compassionate understanding, but we don't actually have to go into the Lovingkindness phrases at that particular moment. it can remain unsaid or not thought, and just allow a Lovingkindness feeling to arise at that particular moment, if it arises, and continue to contemplate Dukkha at that time. And if a very unpleasant physical sensation arises when you're doing Reflection meditation you can try to just note, "sensation, sensation" and return to your Reflection. If it gets to the point where you're having aversion towards it then it's better to change your posture and continue on with the reflection.

Our apologies if there are any errors in the above text. If anything seems to be wrong or confusing in any way, please feel free to contact the teachers for further clarification.