How to Achieve Balance in Meditation

Just as walking a tightrope commands attention to balance, meditation is a process of gaining balance in attitude. In the beginning, the mind is untrained. Zen Buddhism calls this the Monkey Mind. It jumps from limb to limb, distracted and without focus. Balance in meditation helps to develop a mind that neither clings nor repels, is not attached, nor does the mind condemn.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Buddhist meditation practice
• Teacher
• Sitting meditation supplies
• Buddhist writings and teachings

1. 

   Develop three factors to achieve balance in Buddhist meditation: Effort, concentration and awareness are necessary to hold in appropriate weight. Too much effort results in a restless mind. An abundance of concentration restricts awareness and attention. There are five points that can be practiced to guide balance.

2. 

   Witness your own experience. Note, without attachment, what you experience. Create a witnessing consciousness.

3. 

   Let go. Cease clinging to desires for this or that, or clinging to impulses. Releasing, letting go, creates the necessary space to see.

4. 

   Remove your censor. Cultivate an attitude of acceptance of all thoughts, feelings and sensations. Cease judgment and preferences.

5. 

   Develop an attitude of neutrality. Allow your awareness to note the coming and going of physical and mental events that occur during meditation.

6. 

   Be receptive. Meditation does not mean to hold yourself apart from experiences. Rather, you are alert and have an intimate relationship with your experiences. You observe receptively.

Resources

• Heedfulness
• Buddhist Insight Meditation Online
• Buddhist Meditation in the Samatha Tradition