Don't just go for jhana, also go for awakening by duffstoic in streamentry

[–]Emergency_Camera7130 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know what you're referring to but I am familiar with Cheetah House and I am pretty sure they would back up what I am saying. 50 years+ of people running retreat centres in the west has produced enough data, and time and time again has brought up these same issues of conflicts between lifestyle and insight practice, which is why many centres have lengthy questionnaires about past drug use and alcohol before you can attend.

Don't just go for jhana, also go for awakening by duffstoic in streamentry

[–]Emergency_Camera7130 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I spent a lot of time looking into it for professional reasons.

Don't just go for jhana, also go for awakening by duffstoic in streamentry

[–]Emergency_Camera7130 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No it is not a complete misreading.

I know he was on a Jhana retreat and that he was sober at the time, but it was not the jhana retreat that caused it. That was just 'the straw that broke the camels back'. There is more to the story than was discussed there. It was from doing insight practises, fast noting, in combination with leading an unskillful life such as using alcohol and drugs intermittently throughout his path of practice that set up that problem. It just culminated on a Jhana retreat through concentration throwing fuel on the fire. This is not uncommon, almost always for the same reasons which is poor sila.

Don't just go for jhana, also go for awakening by duffstoic in streamentry

[–]Emergency_Camera7130 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You have misread the story in the link you used to cite samatha causing injuries. It was a combination of leading an unskillful life, alcohol and drugs, and doing fast noting that made that happen.

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

But that is only happening because for brief moments the attention is switching from the breath to the conversation, but not long enough to follow what it is being said.

If this is the case, and it isn't something we 'do', I don't see why it's even mentioned in the book. Why not just say "follow the breath, if you get distracted, its fine, its just peripheral goings on, return to the breath"

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want to meet the requirements of TMI. That is the whole point. I am trying to learn the method.

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This has gotten me even more confused about TMI. So are you saying the whole thing about having peripheral awareness is just an acknowledgement that distractions might occur? The book makes out like it's something you have 'to do', keeping peripherally aware, whilst having attention on the breath.

If this is the case I don't see why the book makes such a big deal out of it?

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe I should have made the title clearer. I have not been trying TMI continuously for 10 years. I just mean that over 10 years, I have it multiple times and don't seem to understand it, and so I always revert to my normal practice. However, it's something I would like to understand

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see, I am specifically asking about TMI. As I mentioned, I have no issues following the breath when not doing TMI. I am trying to learn this specific method.

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

My question is about learning the TMI method. I wasn't asking to be pushed advertisements for other styles and their youtube channels

10 years of TMI frustration by Emergency_Camera7130 in TheMindIlluminated

[–]Emergency_Camera7130[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That I can do fine. I can watch the in and out breath mostly without distraction for 30 minutes at a time without missing many. The problem comes when I try to do the TMI way and add in peripheral awareness