Let’s say I start meditating with my eyes open and then spontaneously close them. Should I keep them close? Let’s say I spontaneously start rocking. Should I keep rocking? Let’s say I become thirsty. Should I get a drink, meditate on my thirst exclusively, make my thirst another thing I’m allowed to meditate on, or continue attempting to meditate on whatever I was originally meditating on?
Good questions. Clarifying the aim of meditation might help answer them.
Roughly, I think the purpose of meditation is to increase internal reflectivity by promoting better communication between certain mental subsystems/processes, thus (hopefully) resulting in a more preferred outcome. The use of a neutral anchor (like the breath) may serve to prevent any one process from monopolizing resources to propagate itself. From this perspective it doesn’t seem wise to allow your attention to completely shift from one thing to another. I’d suggest remaining centered on an anchor while allowing yourself to have thoughts (that you “see through”) about things that are happening (like thirst arising or body rocking). See footnote 5 of this post for an elaboration on what “seeing through” means.
Let’s say I start meditating with my eyes open and then spontaneously close them. Should I keep them close? Let’s say I spontaneously start rocking. Should I keep rocking? Let’s say I become thirsty. Should I get a drink, meditate on my thirst exclusively, make my thirst another thing I’m allowed to meditate on, or continue attempting to meditate on whatever I was originally meditating on?
Good questions. Clarifying the aim of meditation might help answer them.
Roughly, I think the purpose of meditation is to increase internal reflectivity by promoting better communication between certain mental subsystems/processes, thus (hopefully) resulting in a more preferred outcome. The use of a neutral anchor (like the breath) may serve to prevent any one process from monopolizing resources to propagate itself. From this perspective it doesn’t seem wise to allow your attention to completely shift from one thing to another. I’d suggest remaining centered on an anchor while allowing yourself to have thoughts (that you “see through”) about things that are happening (like thirst arising or body rocking). See footnote 5 of this post for an elaboration on what “seeing through” means.