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deeply to a daily meditation practice helps to manifest observes also vary. For a new Buddhist, how does
the opportunities and situations that will support a one navigate the path to find the right form of
deepening of the meditation. meditation practice?

You are trained in the Ajahn Chah Thai Forest I have heard my primary teacher, Ajahn Anan, who is
Tradition. What is the unique style of meditation a respected meditation master, answer this question
that’s taught in this tradition? when asked by many people. He usually says that

breath meditation is a suitable foundation practice for
I am not so sure that the methods are unique. I expect that everybody. It is the foundation of my own practice. We
similar methods are contained within all of the ancient can then add other practices to supplement this, such as
Buddhist lineages. Different schools do place a different mettā bhavana and the contemplation of impermanence.
degree of emphasis upon certain themes though.
If one has been practicing meditation for some

My main practice is Anapanasati, breath meditation. years, how can one know that progress has been
Lord Buddha described breath meditation as the crown made in one’s practice? Are there signs that tell us
jewel in the crown of all meditations. The practice is we are on the correct path?
an excellent foundation for developing both calm and
wisdom. But I also do several reflective/contemplative This is a bit tricky to answer. Because meditation
practices. We recollect the Buddha’s wonderful qualities actually increases mental clarity and sensitivity, it
and abilities, his vast merits and boundless compassion, can sometimes seem that there are more hindrances
which gives joy and confidence and affirms our own and negative qualities in the mind after practicing
potential. We also contemplate impermanence, death meditation correctly. But what is occurring is that the
and dying, in order to arouse a sense of urgency, to mindfulness is noticing the qualities present in the mind
weaken attachments, and to fully appreciate our current more clearly, truthfully and consistently. So we have to
opportunity. Then there is the mettā (loving kindness) persevere and be patient with the process. We shouldn’t
meditation, to lessen ill-will and anger as well as to chop and change too much. Seeing which negative
gladden the mind. And body contemplation, to weaken qualities affect the mind is actually progress, because
lust and clinging, and also for developing insight. There then we begin to have more choices and to have the
are other reflective meditations that I do, but these are ability to restrain our speech and behaviour to be more
the main practices. skillful. Then the negative qualities lessen in power over
time. But there needs to be a sense of more clarity in the
Body contemplation does have an important emphasis mind, more truth discerning awareness developing.
within the Forest Tradition. Seeing the body as made of
separate parts, to counter the sense of it being a solid Most people probably don’t do enough formal meditation
‘self’, and then contemplating further to see these parts practice to really see tangible results. If we feel we are not
in terms of the predominant element. For example, getting great results, it might be that we are not doing the
seeing the bones as earth element, leads to less meditation enough, rather than the meditation not being
identification with the form of the body. effective. You can definitely get some good results from a
half hour of practice each day. But you can’t really expect
Many great masters have had important breakthroughs amazing results with just a basic practice. We do have
while doing these ‘nature of the body’ meditations, to put quite a bit of effort into truly establishing a clear
having profound insights into ultimate reality that is not quality of mindfulness, and then train in maintaining it
obscured by the ‘self-view’. consistently throughout the day.

Within the Theravāda tradition, the approach I recommend two sessions of practice per day to my
to meditation and the techniques that one students. A sitting in the morning to actually establish