Hello Alaska,

I'm not sure I understand your message.

Previously Alaska wrote:
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I've heard lots of cases that a person can make/wish another dead one go to 9th levels of Heaven and really suprise.

If Lestrange or HL can really be able to help others:

1. Can anyone of you help me to do the same thing for myself. I've tried many years but can't reach that level easily.
2. Tell me who am I?

Thank you in advance.
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Recently Alaska wrote:
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My method of meditation is Samatha, and some Vipassana practise sometimes.

My stuck is I not be able to get concentrated as I usually did before. Certainly, I can move forward as I really wish to.
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About Buddha Dhamma, I practice Vipassana and gain knowledge of Dhamma through practicing. When practicing Vipassana ,
-- The question, "Tell me who am I?", is a thought, temporary, passing-by. The end.
-- The question, "Can anyone of you help me to do the same thing for myself. I've tried many years but can't reach that level easily." is a thought, temporary, passing-by. The end.

When practicing Vipassana , the concept of "stuck" can't be. There is nothing to be stuck in because everything is temporary. Because everything must end, so "stuck" must also end, thus, "not stuck". The freedom from suffering is right in the suffering itself, so, the four Noble Truths. Nibbana and Suffering occur all the time, and the difference is a misconception. When misconception ends, which it will, the concept "stuck" must also end.

When Vipassana practitioners report about being stuck in their practice, they receive similar  advice, which is to "go back to your initial object of meditation and start practicing from the beginning." Meaning, the practitioner thinks s/he practices Vipassana (for years!!) but in reality, there was absolutely No Practice. Nothing at all. Therefore, the advice is to go back to lesson # 1 as learned from day 1 to rebuild the foundata of the practice. Returning to lesson 1 is extremely important. Try it and see how practical it is.

Right now my concentration is not as strong as "I usually did before"; but there is NOTHING for me to "move forward" to.  The thought that "I can move forward as I really wish to" is itself a thought, just a passing-by thought. Had the meditator recognize, observe and see the thought when it arises and vanishes in time, this thought will simply disappear. But since the practitioner does not practice observing the thought in time, the practitioner identifies him/herself with it, and now wants to find ways to overcome that thought.

The bottom line, the basic, the foundation of Vipassana is "everything is impermanent". Because of impermanence, the expectation to have a steady concentration is not in line with reality. Reality is things change. Sometimes you have concentration, and sometimes you don't. However there is a Cause & Effect. If you practice and so, increase paramitta (ba la mat), concentration will eventually return on its own time.

If you don't practice Vipassana, the above explanation doesn't apply.

About Samatha, I guess Anh HL and LeStrange excel ....

BY .

Hello BY,

You can see the consistency of my writing in through the messages posted. Just that I changed the intention at which level I could say and expect so that we can easier to understand.

BY, I have practised Vipassana sometimes to support my Samatha which I prefer most. So that's why I can't have that structure saying when mentioned Vipassana. Though, by practising it, I did have some answers came to me naturally and the questions (casina) was being automatically answered without my consciousness during that point of time. E.g: The questions about myself: "who am I?" and "why I was born in this life?", "what is the purpose of my this life" were being answered after a period of time I asked myself...

I can see the benefits of your advise and if I'm patient enough to practise, sooner or later it will bring me some benefits at the level of my efforts paid. However, because of the busy of my works and some other constrains in my personal life  makes me from inside have some excuse for some lazy, not very self-disciplined,.etc... and I can't continue to practise continuously or so often. I can easily loose my momentum and give up as the beginner ever. Some my friend which HL mentioned manytimes in his sayings, foresaw this and told me before, about 5-6 years ago. I've been trying to struggle on this and continue practising. However, it doesn't help much at the moment. Though I strongly believe in myself that I will be able to do it again one day when my good karma is strong enough by keeping myself more and most self-disciplined, keep the commandments and do more good things to others, understand and learn to love more human beings... Nothing can stop me from this will except for my willing.

Just some my further sharing and thanks so much BY for your good will.

All the Best,

Alaska

Hello Alaska,

I don't think I can be of any help to you because I practice Vipassana for myself only .

Alaska wrote: "... because of the busy of my works and some other constrains in my personal life  makes me from inside have some excuse for some lazy, not very self-disciplined,.etc... and I can't continue to practise continuously or so often."

Me too !!!  But we know that's merely an excuse . Anh HL goes to work but practice 24/24 , but you and I can't , so we have excuses instead .

I would like to share with you some of my attitude when I face my "failure" (if you would like to call it) or "Karma" (if you like to call it so).

== Whether I can concentrate or not, I just do it !!  

== Instead of feeling like I fail , I simple accept that "the time is yet to come" , it is not the time yet .  

== I do not debate with myself about my practice .

== My practice is as it must be in the moment .

== Other than this moment , I do not have anything else .

== My practice is moment by moment , and my patience is that much (from moment to moment).

== When it seems like there is no way I can concentrate or practice in the moment , I simply accept as if it is the time I pay my dues for my past deed . I simply accept that "here, now, in the current moment, this is the result of my past deed ."  Call it Karma or use Karma as an explanation for "the failure" is ok , I guess , but I don't even go there .

== I have this funny thinking once in a while : "If my inability to concentrate or practice is uncomfortable (Hell-like) , then let it be me who must go through this uncomfortable moment , and may others be happy and jolly ."  

== In practicing Vipassana , Right View is very important , and so "seeing the moment as it is" (a moment without concentration, a moment without practice, a moment without Vipassana) is definitely Right View .  The effort is to see that this "thought" (seeing the moment as good or bad practice) should be acknowledged and observed as appearing and disappearing . Vipassana is boring , nothing new , but change is always .  

== If we do not ACCEPT the current moment , then there is No Practice , No Vipassana whatsoever , because we REJECT reality and WISH for something else (unrealistically) - Wrong View . In each moment , there can only be one thought , and we don't accept the current thought , what else do we have in the current moment ?  

I guess I don't have a strong will or a big wish . Regardless of what happens in the mind , I sort of feel this steady happiness and calmness , even when I am upset as long as I know and observe my upset raising and falling away . Funny how it sounds, but that is how it works (sometimes, when I observe the moment).

Just practice ... and it will come back ... Thinking about practicing is to make practicing go away . Practicing is to bring it back .

Take care .

BY .

I am sorry if I shouldn't be here but I am very interested in  the topic!
I find it really exciting!
But I have a tip for you Alaska,
My mother has been meditating for a long time too.
She has a lot of work and things to do around the house.
she also has a hard time meditate like you.
Yes concentration is a key in meditation but also is relaxation.
When you sleep relax, let your body calm and drift.
Forget about everything around you.
Then meditate. This is not always easy, I know from experience,
But if you just let go of all your problems in your life the stress melts away a little bit!
Meditation will be easier this way.
I know I am not Lestrange, but I hope I can help you and get to know you better!
- Be Hat Tieu