Awareness Meditation

Attended a meditation practice recently that is quite enriching, hence quickly drop down some pointers as reminders.

Fixed point 定 Meditation verus Awareness/Mindful 觉知 Meditation.

Unlike Fixed Point Meditation, Awareness Meditation does not focus on a single point. The awareness can move from one's breathing to movement of the body, awareness of the thoughts and emotions that arises as well.
For example, one's aware of what one is doing at the moment, ~ I am aware of I am typing right now, I am listening to a song, etc.
The constant awareness of what one is doing will help reduce wild thoughts from arising and drifts one along.

Venerable likes to use the illustration of cleaning a table.
One can focus on using a cloth to clean the table, and do a good job on it but that is still an external view, thoughts can arise that there is a corner spot that needs more effort to clean, why didnt the earlier cleaner do a better job?

Awareness is more internal in that one realises and is aware of one's movement in cleaning the table and the arisen of such thoughts. One continues to do as per normal speed what one is doing but at the same time, one is aware of the movement and thoughts that arises. For a thought that: "Oh, I had done a good job!" . One realises that such a thought arises.

Constant consistent awareness of thoughts and emotions arising will thus cause less drifting by the thoughts as awareness causes breaks in the thoughts and hence reduce continuation of any bad thoughts ~

For an anger that arises, one is aware that one is getting angry. 1st awareness I am angry with 1st thought of anger, continue with angry thoughts, then 2nd awareness, I am still angry, continue, but broken with constant awareness breaks the angry flow/cycle, one gets out of the situation faster than in an unawareness state that one drifts along with the flow of anger and creates more negative karma.

We can practise this constant awareness meditation anytime, anywhere.
A recommendation is always to refocus on one's breathing when one has lost it.

Tried the awareness meditation this morning when I am brushing my teeth.
Generally, I am very mechanically or unmindfully just brushing my teeth but with the awareness practice to work on, I believe I did a relatively good job in comparison to normal days.
I brushed more thoroughly in & out, left & right, front & back. Hopefully, I could always maintain this awareness.
Aware, Aware I am brushing, I am typing, I am reading, I am breathing...

Practice, practice until it becomes part of me, so that whenever any unwholesome thought arises, I will be aware and bring myself back to present moment and refocus on completing my tasks.

Amituofo.:-) 感恩

PKFT will be holding their next English Basic Meditation class from 2 Mar 2013 to 18 May 2013 (Sat nites). Registration has already started, you may visit the temple at 21 Shunfu Road, S'pore 575741 (beside Shunfu mkt) to register.

Their weekly activities include Friday nite chanting on 观音普门品 Pumenping .
Abbess will generally conduct an hour's of Dharma session from 7.30pm before the chant. Their last Fri session for the year is 14 Dec 2012 and and their monthly Dabeichan held on 1st of each lunar month nite will have their last session on 12 Jan 2013, then it is holiday til after Chinese New Year in Feb 2013.
(so sad, have to rely on oneself to chase away blues til then)