How to Find Time to Meditate, How to Pray in Buddhism and more… (Q&A Session Jan’18)
Questions answered during our Q&A session:
2:46 How do you find a regular time to meditate every day when you have so many things that may disrupt that plan? Also is there a right way or a wrong way to do walking meditation?
13:21 What are the 10 fetters and how do you break them?
25.40 In the Yuganaddha sutta, Buddha defines 4 paths to become an arahant. 1) How to understand the meaning of “the path is born” after development of insight or samatha? 2) Could you explain the fourth path (the restlessness concerning the Dhamma) 3) How do you find out which path is right for you?
34.44 Have a question regarding prayers in Buddhism. What is the right method of praying and who are these prayers directed to? Can I ask Buddha to bestow his blessings upon me and help me in my life problems/issues? If possible, please share some prayers that are recommended.
48.08 When you practice mindfulness in daily activities, do you watch things rise and fall gently with content observation, or do you make mental notes and memorize everything? What is the goal in mindfulness in daily activities?
53:06 I have been having a lot of emotions come up with my chronic insomnia, such as anxiety, panic, and sadness, and I am wondering – Does meditation/mindfulness help with insomnia?
57:59 How important is diet in Buddhism?
1:04:17 What were the highlights of your recent pilgrimage, in terms of the pilgrims’ experiences?
1:10:17 I am getting better at having a quiet mind when meditating and wonder what I should do with upcoming thoughts. Is it of any benefit to watch them and try to see them clearly (without analysing them) because they tend to be rather diffuse and sneaky sometimes. Or do I rather concentrate on the gaps and let the thoughts pass without trying to recognize them? Or are both ways ok and have different benefits? Also I find it easier to meditate on sound than using my breath, so I do this most of the time. Is this ok, or is using one’s breath in any way better?
1:16:10 For someone in the earlier stages of development, what is a good balance between time spent on insight meditation vs. metta meditation. Right now I practice about 7-10 days of insight meditation for every metta meditation (often guided).
1:18:25 Have you had experience with Lam Rim practice and if so would you do a video series on them? And what is a good way to introduce meditation and Buddhism to children?