Wall Gazing

[ananda]

You ever tried it before ?
What are your thoughts on it as a meditation ?

[Astus]

What do you mean by "wall gazing"?

[ananda]

Wall Gazing as in meditating by gazing at a wall. Like how Bodhidharma is said to have done for several years.

[Astus]

In Bodhidharma's case "wall gazing" likely meant not a physical posture but maintaining the mind like a wall, that is, without discrimination or attachment to emotions and ideas.

[Seishin]

What is it called when people meditate facing a wall?

[Astus]

There is "wall contemplation" (biguan 壁觀) and there is "facing the wall" (mianbi 面壁). In Bodhidharma's story the two becomes the same eventually. As for why in Soto Zen they rather sit facing the wall and how they call it, I do not know.

[Malcolm]

There is "wall contemplation" (biguan 壁觀) and there is "facing the wall" (mianbi 面壁). In Bodhidharma's story the two becomes the same eventually. As for why in Soto Zen they rather sit facing the wall and how they call it, I do not know.

When translated into Tibetan, "faced a wall" was translated as "faced reality".

[Jikan]

You ever tried it before ?
What are your thoughts on it as a meditation ?

It's a way to practice. Some find it helpful. I didn't find it contributed particularly myself, anymore than not facing a wall.

[tomamundsen]

You ever tried it before ?
What are your thoughts on it as a meditation ?

Yea, I've done a WHOLE LOT of this. This is how we sit in Soto Zen practice.

What are my thoughts on it??? That's a tough question. In short, I'd say it's easier to ensure you don't get distracted with your thoughts.