Vipassana meditation techniques for stress relief.(Collections from various books of Theravada Budhism ). Part-4.

Vipassana meditation techniques for stress relief.(Collections from various books of Theravada Budhism ).

Part-4.

There are two general methods for keeping the attention focused on the breath:

You can either settle back and relax, letting the sensations come to you as if you were listening to sounds, or you can make more of an active effort to connect and sustain your attention. One or the other method will be appropriate at different times.

Remember: the heart of meditation practice is the ability to begin again, no matter how often your mind wanders.

Walking meditation

Sustaining awareness of the physical sensations in the legs and feet while walking helps bring interest and openness into everyday life.

Walking meditation continued

Choose a flat place about ten meters long to walk back and forth.

Simply experience the changing textures, temperatures, weights, densities, vibrations, and so on. The main focus is on the soles of the feet, as you walk back and forth at a normal or slow pace. Slowing down can allow concentration on more subtle sensations.

Just enjoy one step at a time, as if you had all the time in the world.

Notice that it is self-defeating to set goals such as, "I will be with every step till the end of my line." That thought is already a break in the simple meeting with physical sensations--and besides is an unlikely goal to be fulfilled!

If you are distracted, pause at the end of each "lap," close the eyes, and reconnect before turning around.

Some people find that the "noting technique" helps concentration: keep most of the attention on the physical sensations while allowing words such as "lifting, moving, placing," to describe the movement of the feet. If the words take up too much attention, then please drop the noting.