In my previous post, I have mentioned that meditators feel that their practice is not improving well most commonly because of over-analysis of the object or the state of concentration and unnecessary attention to sensations and experiences that are unrelated to meditation. These problems in turn to lead to restlessness and doubt, which greatly affects the quality of your mindfulness and concentration. In this last part, I will be explaining why having too much expectations for each sitting or session can hinder your meditation progress.
Most meditators - either in the concentration practice or insight meditation - often approach their sessions with high expectations in order to achieve the best that they can from each sitting. These expectations typically involve desiring to keep a consistent sense of calmness, bliss, and joy throughout the session, maintain unwavering focus on the nimitta, maximise the brightness and stability of the nimitta, continuously retain the presence of the jhāna factors, experience a state of suspended breathing (in the fourth jhāna), and perceive rūpa kalāpa or nāma vīthi with utmost clarity, etc. The more these issues persist, the worse each session will become in terms of quality.
So how does this occur? When someone enters a meditation session with the intention and expectation to achieve the best result possible, whether in a pronounced or very subtle manner, restlessness, doubt, elation, and extreme happiness are bound to arise at some point inevitably during that session. When desirable outcome arises during the sitting, one may be extremely joyful and happy that the outcome they desire to achieve has arisen. One may also become frustrated, angry and restless when the outcome they intend to achieve has not yet risen until the time when the meditation session comes to end.
Therefore, by actively having the expectations before and during each sitting, one ends up participating in both desirable and undesirable experiences that stems from being able to or not being able to achieve the intended outcome. Then one eventually experiences a loss of concentration because the mind shifts from remaining steady and focused with the chosen meditation object to becoming absorbed in various sensations, experiences, and thoughts. Moreover, after the meditation session has ended, one may end up tired, dissatisfied and demotivated if it is not up to one's expectation to achieve the best result within that sitting, or overly joyous and greedy if the session has exceeded the expectation in a positive manner. In summary, therefore, the root of this whole mess of a problem is this: having expectations before and during each sitting. Due to the expectations, a practitioner ends up leaning towards the two extremities mentioned above that one should not. We must refrain from doing so in order to instil the sense of equanimity, calmness and mindfulness before, during and after meditation. When one leans towards the two extremities, mental foundation ends up not being solid enough for further improvements with meditation and therefore, no further progress with meditation can occur in the near future - only deterioration.
How can we solve this problem? There are two methods to addressing this issue:
(1) Have a beginner's mindset
For every sitting, start with a fresh mindset like a beginner in meditation that is sitting for the first time ever, who does not know what to expect and does not have any expectation towards meditation. It is vital for both advanced and beginner practitioners to instil this type of mindset because the less expectations we have, the more we are acceptable of the fluctuations of the state of mind during the session and the more we are able to accept and let go of them without participation. In every meditation session, it is essential to incorporate this approach as a form of mental training consistently, consciously and thoughtfully as a part of our practice.
(2) Acceptance without participation
Just as I mentioned in Part 1, we have to practice the act of acceptance and not paying attention towards sensations and thoughts that arise without participation. Occasionally, due to the mental habit or inclination, the tendency to put in imbalanced effort to match the state of concentration or experiences in the sitting to the expectations will arise. In such instances, it is important to train oneself not to become entangled in such thoughts to match the expectations and instead return to the chosen object of meditation mindfully.
At the end of each session, whether it has been a bad or good one, it is important to maintain a balanced and wholesome mindset. If the session is not good, just know that it's not good and cultivate a balanced and wholesome will and effort, not greedy expectations, to try to improve the quality again next time. If the session is good, just know that it's good and then again also have a balanced and wholesome will and effort, not greedy expectations, to improve more in the next session. Thus, rather than harbouring greedy expectations or beating ourselves up, we should approach future sessions with a well-rounded, balanced and constructive will and effort to enhance the quality of our practice. By avoiding an unbalanced and unwholesome will and effort, which can give rise to greed and unhealthy expectations, we ensure that our intentions remain within the boundaries of wholesomeness. With dedicated and consistent training, this process will gradually become more effortless over time.
Moreover, if we can integrate this approach into our daily lives, we will also be able to engage with people and in our tasks with equanimity (upekkha), without harbouring excessive expectations. Excessive expectations can have detrimental effects on our well-being, even beyond the scope of meditation. Gradually, through the mindful application of this practice, we will come to recognise the nature of non-self (anatta), which will help you accept both desirable and undesirable things in life.
(3) Last piece of advise from me to you, with whatever you do with Dhamma, is to be confident!
Yes, have faith in what you're doing, in your object, in the practice and most crucially, yourself. You are here reading this post because you have decided to follow the noble eightfold path, to be wholesome, to put in the right effort (sammā-vāyama), to develop right concentration (sammā-samādhi), to perform right actions (sammā-kammanta) and most importantly, to attain right view (sammā-diṭṭhi).
Always bear in mind that one of the most challenging tasks a human being can undertake is to cultivate mindfulness, maintain inner peace, and understand the workings and skillfully navigate their own mind. Take a moment to reflect on this: in your very own neighbourhood or street, how many people can you observe who are engaged in mindfulness, meditation, attaining jhāna, or perceiving ultimate reality like yourself? I dare say less than one, with the exception of yourself. This means you are endowed with the most precious gift of all time, which is to come in contact with Dhamma and even practice it.
Kiccho manussapaṭilābho, kicchaṁ maccāna’ jīvitaṁ, It is rare to acquire (birth as a) human, rare is the life of mortals,
kicchaṁ Saddhammasavanaṁ, kiccho Buddhānam-uppādo. it is rare to hear the True Dhamma, rare the arising of Buddhas.
The well-known verse 182 of the Dhammapada describes that it is extremely rare for beings to cultivate the desire to practise the Dhamma diligently, and hence, few amongst humans transcend Saṃsara and reach the security of Nibbāna. I hope that these verses serve as a further source of inspiration for you to strive towards liberation from the bondage of this whole mass of suffering. As a result, you must have faith, confidence and realise that eventually, with paramī, your perseverance, dedication and patience in the practice will lead to the most arduous and challenging task what every sentient being can do: to escape from the saṃsara.
I hope all my fellow practitioners can cultivate the right effort to gain the right concentration and right view and eventually, be released from suffering.
May you realise the four noble truths in this lifetime.