The Dopamine Detox Challenge *(Science Based)*

Day 6/30

Just checking in for today. It was not as productive as I had expected, but there's no harm on it. I feel a bit tired from the week and hope to slow down during the weekend. I'm also starting to participe on a virtual community of Buddhism practitioners (Sangha).

 

thank you for the reply. For my mind, your language seems complex. In short, What is the practice? I am interested in technique, not much in theory.
Example:
Vipasana technique:
1. Be aware of your breath

2. Gradually, you will come to the awareness of body
3. Then, you will be aware of your thoughts
4. Then, emotions
5. As practice advances, you will be aware of more and more things. It all starts with breath awareness.

 

Day 1

 

Sorry for making it too complex. I'll try to focus on technique but I probably need to explain some theory as well.

As I tried to explain (poorly) in my last post, all forms of Shamatha and Vipashyana are very similar, as they are the quintessential Buddhist meditation practice. It's the main practice from the day you set foot on the path until you achieve complete Buddhahood. Shamatha and Vipashyana are always there.

Ultimately, Vipashyana is recognizing the true nature of reality. I think that recognition can happen on any level of the path but when that recognition hasn't happened yet in a meditation practitioner, he's practicing a more crude form of Vipashyana. I think that's generally the case with Vipassana, even though the techniques are quite similar.

It's hard for me to explain this without getting into complexity, because it's not just about a technique, I'm trying to explain the differences between the techniques.

To use your technique as an example:

Vipasana technique:
1. Be aware of your breath (This is basically the same as one form of Shamatha, but it also develops Vipashyana in the exact same way as you describe here.)

2. Gradually, you will come to the awareness of body
3. Then, you will be aware of your thoughts
4. Then, emotions
5. As practice advances, you will be aware of more and more things. It all starts with breath awareness.

Basically, Shamatha and Vipashyana are both included in this technique. From step 1, placing your mind on the breath over and over again is Shamatha, the awareness in the background is Vipashyana. The expansion of awareness, to the fullness of your experience, is the development of Vipashyana. That's what's happening in your technique, it's basically the same thing as what I've been talking about. Shamatha also develops there, because all those new aspects of your experience become part of your mindfulness.

So, in terms of technique, in the Tibetan tradition it's more or less the same technique that you described, they just go further with it.

Something like this:
6. As practice advances more, you will realize that your whole experience is part of the meditation practice, you get a sense of the full expansion of awareness.
7. You recognize that the essence of your experience, the ground of experience, is non-dual, timeless, deathless, birthless, spacelike awareness. There is experience without experiencer.
8. You realize that there's nothing beyond that, all suffering is naturally liberated, because the one who was supposedly experiencing the suffering, our self, our ego, was never there to begin with.
9. The rest of the path becomes stabilizing this recognition so it's there in every moment, even when you're dreaming and in deep sleep.

There are many ways to come to this recognition. I can't really give you a technique for that over the internet. To do this, you really need personal guidance from a teacher. Mingyur Rinpoche's program will get you there, but there are many ways to get there. If you're really interested, I suggest you find a Tibetan Buddhist centre in your area and go from there, or follow an online program if you don't have anything local. You can also do both.

Keep in mind that not all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism have a strong emphasis on these techniques from the beginning, so make sure you find out what their meditation path looks like. I would try to find one that places a strong emphasis on Shamatha and Vipashyana practice, especially in the beginning.

So, I'm sorry it became more theoretical again but I can't really give you advice on technique over the Internet. It wouldn't be very responsible of me. This kind of meditation can have negative consequences as well, if not done correctly, so best to learn it from a real teacher.

My only advice on technique would be to keep doing what you're doing, that's a great practice.

 

This is another online program that looks great: https://www.fullybeing.org/

 

Some info on mindful eating: https://shambhala.org/about-shambhala/the-shambhala-path/oryoki/

 

I discuss techniques over internet because there are many whose life can be changed by the techniques. If one is not deserving the techniques, then he wouldn't be able to master that technique. They can practice the techniques on their own risk.
If one person is doing a technique and he gets some bad effect then it is his responsibility. He can take the technique or he can leave it.

I don't give any guarantee but i give the opportunity to everybody to see the technique.
(May not be the full technique but i always ready to give, at least, its basic form.)

 

Thank you for the link.

 

The danger is that people are not always able to realize that they're making a mistake. That's why a teacher is necessary, for these kinds of practices.

I guess my way of sharing techniques is by advising people to go learn them from people more qualified than me.

I'm not creating any obstacles to learning any technique. Anyone can now go learn the techniques I'm talking about, with the information I gave. I think this is giving the opportunity.

I'll even throw in a little taste:

 

This might also be of interest.

 

Sorry if I'm spamming this thread with meditation related info now, I guess that kind of got out of hand.

I hope everyone is okay with it, if not, we can take it somewhere else.

 

Mantak chia freely shared some techniques and it changed my life so i share what i know. It may be a initial step but i share it. You are also doing it by sharing the links and pdf. You are doing it fair @AmeVirupa brother... i shall go through the links and book. thanks

 

I understand. Yes, it's better this way. Meditation should be step by step. Mingyur Rinpoche's program is one of the best I've ever seen, so I tend to recommend that one. It's also secular at first. If people don't want more than the basics, they can just stick to that part of the program. You don't have to be Buddhist. It's way better than anything I could ever share in a million NoFap posts. He also has books and YouTube videos people can check out, it's all freely available to everyone. It's better that people learn from him (or teachers like him) than from me. I think it's one of the best things I could possibly share. All the techniques you need are included in his program, in a step by step, brilliantly organized way.

 

Dopamine Detox Day 7 - May 2 2020:

Experimented a lot with constructive rest yesterday and it was very helpful. I spent some time in nature, just sitting, not doing anything. I did try to maintain a state of meditation but in a very informal, relaxed way. It was very beneficial.

Later on, I spent some time just maintaining my meditation, while allowing my exhausted body to do whatever it wanted. If my eyes had to close, I closed them, if my body had to slump over a bit, I let it, etc. Just maintaining the essence of meditation.

I thought it was very profound and it helped me see that with my illness, it's probably better for me to keep a lighter schedule and just spend a lot of time resting and maintaining a state of meditation, not focusing too much on intensive formal meditation practice, because that requires too much energy.

I did end up staying up a bit too late so I'm a little groggy again today but not too bad. I'm going to have to do a double workout now so I better not be too tired.

Coffee! I love you and hate you. Today, you're a friend.

 

Hmmmm..... noice. I'll join for the while the lock down lasts.
Banned Activities: 0., 2., 3., 7., 8.(I don't even have one....)
Allowed Activities: Habit stacking. Literally the only activity I need to focus on to get everything in line.

 

Day 7/30

One more day completed. Starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with the amount of free time one gets by eliminating most of the "junk distractions". I think I need to plan my use of time with more attention and care.

 

Day 2

 

Day 1: Woke up early, even thought I slept late. Did some research on neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. It's still afternoon, have been unproductive yet.