Question

How can I balance using all the techniques?

Answer

It helps greatly to write them all down, so at least you know what they are. You've got this big toolbox and you want to be sure that you are clear on each one. Some of these techniques are for developing our thoughts, the reflections, Compassion/Lovingkindness, Sympathetic Joy and such. In these, you are developing wise thoughts, called in Pali, Yonisomanasikara.

Another part of the practice is that we are letting go of our thought: the breath awareness, the walking meditation, and observing the sensations in the body. We are letting go of thoughts.

So basically you have these two main aspects, two avenues of practice. Initially, divide them in half, 50% and 50% if you want. Then it might change due to your personality. You might get 60/40, 40/60, depending on your personality. But you never want to forget any of the tools. As much as nobody builds a house with only a hammer, nobody will build a house without a hammer.

When you think of all the tools, all of the techniques of the practice, you've got this big toolbox. They are going to be important. Every one of these tools will probably be important for you. It's okay to have your favorite, that's quite okay, but you don't want to forget how to use all of them. As you divide up and do some each day, then you really want to make sure that you are covering all of them from time to time.

Some of them can be done everyday. Compassion/Lovingkindness and breath awareness, those two in particular, can be done everyday, always thinking about more people in the Compassion/Lovingkindness and so on.

However, reflecting on How Fortunate You Are for an hour can't be done everyday. This is an overload. If you haven't figured out how fortunate you are yet, do an hour once a week. You really don't have to do it every day for an hour. To remind yourself every morning or at the beginning of the retreat, that's helpful also. But doing it an hour every day, that's too much.

Yet you could do Compassion/Lovingkindness an hour a day, all the time. And within the reflections themselves some could be done every day, some wouldn't be done every day, and for some it's maybe once a week, you have to decide for yourself. However, make sure you don't forget any of them.

And definitely don't forget the walking meditation, either. There are so many meditators around the world who, in their normal everyday life, sit morning and evening. Don't forget the walking meditation! If you are comfortable with the standing, use the standing, too, from time to time. Your life has lots of other postures than just sitting, especially sitting cross-legged. Keep in mind that walking is the connection between formal meditation and active life. If you can be meditative walking back and forth, back and forth, then you can grab the door, you can put on and off your coat, you can put on and off your shoes. Walking meditation is the connection between formal meditation and active life, so don't miss developing that one.

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.