Daily Entry: October 16th, 2020

Dream

Meditation is later today, so let's write down dreams now.

Intention (2317 the night before)

Let's keep drilling those habits!

Watch myself fall asleep. WBTS. WILD. Incubate strawberry donuts.

Good night.

With Daysha at the Airport

I am at the airport with Daysha (my first dog I had, whom passed away in 2015). Need to put her in the kennel and check her into the flight. I realized I forgot a blanket and am very worried about her being too cold. I look around the locker room I'm in for a blanket I can use. Can't find anything that's good enough.

Wake (logged at 0811 this morning)

Got page as I was laying down to sleep. As such, decided against WBTS for sleep quality purposes. This practicing of flexibility is also an important habit.

I also just captured the vagaries of the dream I remember. That may be all I remember. Or, as I digitize later, I may remember more and update it to a present-tense narrative.

The original dream notes for "With Daysha at the Airport":

Daysha airport. Locker room. No blanket. Worried it'll be too cold for her.

Pre-nap (1406)

Tight schedule today. Let's get a solid nap in while I can.

Post-nap (1420)

Feeling energized! Had an energy current surge through me at one point. Had to move it was so strong.

Some philosophy and work stuff drifted thru my mind, but the main thing I remember is thinking of pumpkin donuts. Also, fixing oven.

Experimental (Special Meditation)

Did a short meditation (took advantage of the work session). Woke up late (due to being paged right before going to sleep last night) and had a meeting right after the work session, so couldn't just extend it.

I plan on doing a "proper" one at 1600 now, but am very glad to have at least done the short one. Still gives me that "hit" of focus that should prove valuable for the rest of the day.

So today's "special" was a short session in morning to get the day started, but a proper, training session of the 45 minute variety at around 1600.

Meditation (Day 134)

Prep (1610)

Not going to write these from memory today as a bit short on time.

Motivations:

  • Practice Intentionality (set specific intentions)
  • Unity of mind
  • Subduing distractions
  • Overcoming the illusion of self

Intentions for the day:

  • Prep posture as long as necessary, then set intention to sit completely still
  • Before starting to focus on meditation object, cultivate joy
  • Eyes closed today
  • Body-scan during the "focus on the breath throughout the body" beginning part of meditation (stage 5)
  • Body-scan when few distractions and when focus not as vivid as could be (stage 5)
  • Focus exclusively on the meditation object (stage 6)
    • usually the breath at the nose
    • also the body parts being scanned
  • Keep awareness strong so that it can stop distractions and dullness from interfering
  • Specifically be aware of posture and do not give it attention
  • Do not feed distractions with attention (even with labeling now), instead just list the ones you remember during post-meditation reflection
  • Increase scope of breath attention to more body parts to help subdue subtle distraction

Distractions to look out for:

  • Wife
  • Cat
  • Outside
  • Cardcaptor Sakura
  • Pain
  • Shoulder
  • Lower back
  • Lotus
  • Posture
  • Reflection
  • Fantasy
  • Vision
  • Body-scan
  • Dreaming?
  • Labeling
  • Meta
  • Swallowing
  • Timer
  • Work
  • Slack

Post-Meditation (1700)

Lots of subtle distractions. Still a really good meditation. Pretty sure stage 5, stage 6 still correct.