Mi'sen

I generally agree, but some people will too readily ignore or negate a serious window of opportunity because they’ve been taught to see all meditative experiences as just more sensory arising. Nuanced approach is optimal; but yours is probably safer on avg.

Sorry to be so abrupt. I’m trying to make that the old me, but it squeezes back through every now and then.

No need to say sorry Jody. I respect the position you and Chagmé are coming from; I just think we can be more adult about meditation practice. I’m sympathetic to the ‘so what’ school of thought - and yet taking that as a blanket approach might be a massive flaw in training.

In fact, I’d say it’s a missed opportunity to not ignore it. It’s a different feature than the normal distracting thoughts and sensations, and thus affords a chance to lock in focus in a more rigorous setting, like jogging with leg weights.

Sure, in that context of practice that could be a perfectly reasonable way to train. One could also do the exact opposite and open to the full vividness of subjective space-time in all its bizarre co-emergent transient glory. Both could be valid approaches, among others

I don't give a fuck what people tell me for practice if it works. I would sing mantras over a sheep's skull if it would do something fun. But it can be a bit rattling to see "practice this way only" stated when it can't possibly be an authoritative claim. Where are the results?

I think if we limit the idea of meditation as being attentional training, we can say that it’s best to keep that as front and center in the practice, which means ignoring the fireworks at every opportunity. Meditation is more for many, so it’s not a blanket proscription.