Problems with compassion meditation

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
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TaTa
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Problems with compassion meditation

Post by TaTa »

Recently i decided to go back to my compassion meditation because if thought it might help with some attachment problems that i was having. I find out that its getting kind of hard generating compassion although my shine is stronger than before. Before de compassion feel was very strong and now is kind of subtle.

Any ideas on what the problem might be? Any advice?
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Ayu
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by Ayu »

What you write here is so short, makes no clear image of your problem - for me. Sorry. :shrug:
If you could discuss this with a teacher or an experienced lay person from face to face, i think you could get better advices.
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futerko
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by futerko »

It could just be progress, increased strength and subtlety both sound like you are moving in a good direction to me.
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Grigoris
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by Grigoris »

I had the same problem with my tonglen practice, in the beginning it was strong and vibrant and then it slowly became mechanical. My teacher advised me to just keep practicing. Even mechanical or flat practice is better than no practice at all. The other thing worth doing is checking your motivation. Motivation plays a huge role in the generation of compassion.
:namaste:
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
Yudron
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by Yudron »

Grief or depression could make it difficult. Compassion begins at home.
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futerko
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by futerko »

Just a thought based upon a lecture I was just listening to, but the antidote to aggression is meditation on compassion, and the antidote to attachment is meditation on impermanence.
TaTa
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by TaTa »

Yudron wrote:Grief or depression could make it difficult. Compassion begins at home.
Maybe it sounded worst than it is. It was a small problem but i thought it was a good opportunity to start my compassion meditation again.
gregkavarnos wrote:I had the same problem with my tonglen practice, in the beginning it was strong and vibrant and then it slowly became mechanical. My teacher advised me to just keep practicing. Even mechanical or flat practice is better than no practice at all. The other thing worth doing is checking your motivation. Motivation plays a huge role in the generation of compassion.
:namaste:
One of the reasons why i decided to start meditating on compassion again was to improve my motivation. I believe firmly in mahayana and i try very hard with prayers and so on to set up a good motivation, but if im honest to myself my motivation still is to make my life a little better, Im hoping the seeds im planting now will have good results in the future in terms of bodichitta. You are probably right, i should just keep practicing. For some reason since I've started meditation i haven't been able to establish a regularity in terms of daily and more than 15 minutes with this kind of practices ( the four immeasurable ).
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Karma Dorje
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by Karma Dorje »

TaTa wrote: One of the reasons why i decided to start meditating on compassion again was to improve my motivation. I believe firmly in mahayana and i try very hard with prayers and so on to set up a good motivation, but if im honest to myself my motivation still is to make my life a little better, Im hoping the seeds im planting now will have good results in the future in terms of bodichitta. You are probably right, i should just keep practicing. For some reason since I've started meditation i haven't been able to establish a regularity in terms of daily and more than 15 minutes with this kind of practices ( the four immeasurable ).
There is nothing at all wrong with wanting to make your life a little better! Just extend the feeling to want to make the lives of others a little better as well, knowing that all beings are looking to do the same thing but most of the time don't know what will make them truly happy. Compassion is not punishing yourself, it is wanting the very best for all beings.
"Although my view is higher than the sky, My respect for the cause and effect of actions is as fine as grains of flour."
-Padmasambhava
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Grigoris
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

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TaTa wrote:One of the reasons why i decided to start meditating on compassion again was to improve my motivation. I believe firmly in mahayana and i try very hard with prayers and so on to set up a good motivation, but if im honest to myself my motivation still is to make my life a little better, Im hoping the seeds im planting now will have good results in the future in terms of bodichitta. You are probably right, i should just keep practicing. For some reason since I've started meditation i haven't been able to establish a regularity in terms of daily and more than 15 minutes with this kind of practices ( the four immeasurable ).
To deal with the motivational aspect you could try contemplation on the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind Towards Dharma and then begin your meditation on compassion. You see you need to be motivated to practice compassion otherwise why would you practice it?
:namaste:
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
muni
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by muni »

In our daily interconnection, honest respect for all can also be defined as compassion.
I understood something like: through our own peace the free flow of compassion is opened.
This sounds good. :smile: But indeed, easy to say. :smile: No worries anyway.

All the best with your practice.
TaTa
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by TaTa »

Karma Dorje wrote:
There is nothing at all wrong with wanting to make your life a little better! Just extend the feeling to want to make the lives of others a little better as well, knowing that all beings are looking to do the same thing but most of the time don't know what will make them truly happy. Compassion is not punishing yourself, it is wanting the very best for all beings.
Dont worry, no guilt here hehe.
gregkavarnos wrote:To deal with the motivational aspect you could try contemplation on the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind Towards Dharma and then begin your meditation on compassion. You see you need to be motivated to practice compassion otherwise why would you practice it?
:namaste:
Thanks ill try that.


Can chenrzig practice be a substitute for compassion or tonglen meditation??
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Ayu
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by Ayu »

TaTa wrote:...
Can chenrzig practice be a substitute for compassion or tonglen meditation??
I think so.
You should ask your teacher.
(If there is none, please contact your inner teacher. He is in the deepest point, maybe in form of a Buddha.)
dakini_boi
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Re: Problems with compassion meditation

Post by dakini_boi »

TaTa wrote:Recently i decided to go back to my compassion meditation because if thought it might help with some attachment problems that i was having. I find out that its getting kind of hard generating compassion although my shine is stronger than before. Before de compassion feel was very strong and now is kind of subtle.

Any ideas on what the problem might be? Any advice?
Think of all the people out there who are sick and in pain. And how wonderful it would be if you could take away their pain. I think of people I know with cancer diagnoses. . . or I think of a hospital and how it is just full of people in pain and scared. That usually helps me.
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