Meditation Q&A - January 6th, 2024

This talk / Q&A was originally posted on Ven. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu’s YouTube Channel. To watch it on YouTube kindly click here.

 

00:00 Welcome
01:16 Meditation Q&A
02:36 Meditate Together
15:39 What are the ways to be rooted in the present moment, apart from verbalizing mentally?
20:13 When I meditate I will notice that I'm distracted by thought, and I note “that was a thought about the past" or future, but I'm struggling to return to and sit with just sensation without words. Do you have any advice?
22:32 Can mindfulness aid in understanding other people's hidden motives when communicating with them, and help one become less naive or childlike?
24:26 Is the mindful moment I obtain forcefully different from the mindful moment I obtain naturally? Is it correct that meditating correctly creates merits?
28:23 I sometimes feel very low energy, to the point where I can't move and sometimes can't get out of bed. I meditate and try to be mindful most the day but nothing seems to help. Any advice?
33:31 By the same way that I put my attention in the movement of the Stomach while saying mentally rising/ falling, when I feel fear I will say, "fear fear" mentally but should I put my attention in the whole body not on the stomach?
34:48 Can you explain the mental narrator of physical and mental actions? It can sometimes feel very claustrophobic and schizophrenic when the actions I complete are narrated and judged upon in this mind.
36:42 When you have reached the root of just being, what does it then mean that the subject awakens to itself?
38:39 Is there a connection between meditation and loss of memories? I have noticed both loss of memory and planning and picturing the future.
40:04 How do I stop stress eating?
42:53 Is there a reliable way to determine what will lead to true liberation beyond short term personal preference? How can one know what interpretations to trust, given we all start at ignorance?
45:27 Is there a concept of recklessness in the first precept? I go for a long mindful walk every day knowing that there is a chance I might step on small ants and bugs by accident.
46:30 Is reflection useful in meditation for professional growth? Is there any art of reflection?
47:45 Every time I use a mantra to focus on an object, my focus goes on the mantra itself, not on the object but on me saying the mantra in my head, and it's very difficult to focus on the object. Do you have any advice?
55:20 When I meditate, I often get curious about "who" or "what" is directing my attention. This can sometimes cause disturbance as if I don't know myself on a fundamental level. Is this seeing non-self?
56:56 Sometimes when the feeling is intense, I look at myself in third person and the feeling as a separate entity, which then brings some clarity. Are these and other techniques skillful with noting practice?
59:36 When I note my fear, and say to myself "fear, fear" how does it help that the fear goes away? Isn't it much more helpful if I analyze the fear and try to change a belief?
1:02:27 How does one go about mindfully discerning delusions from one seeing everything in an empty perspective?
1:03:24 I've been noting for a long time and I've noticed that in sexual practices, early on a feeling of passion with pleasure would arise, but after noting there is nothing intrinsically pleasurable about the act and the feeling that arises. Sometimes the feeling no longer arises and it seems as if sexual activity is odd and futile and I wonder if it it's possible to partake in the act without the feeling. Is this correct perspective or am I reading too much into it?
1:04:30 How do I really remember something when studying, if only seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, thinking runs in my mind?
1:05:11 As a beginning meditator, what guideposts should one look for to help with progressing in their meditation?
1:08:37 Sadhu...

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