Re: Help for a newbie, please

["SeaWinder" <seawinder@...>]

>can't seem to still my thoughts so that I can keep just 
> one in my mind. 
> 
> Regards, Uthlagus

Hello, Uthlagus;

I found in my first steps at meditation that using the "chopping down
the tree" method provided results. In that method you focus on
thoughts that arise, identify them, and imagine an axe and chop the
thought/image at the root. Of course at the beginning you can not
visualize the root. But chopping it and imagining it
dissapating/disappearing in a poof, like a small cloud evaporates with
wind... dispels that thought for that moment. The next thought that
arises, same thing, and after awhile you will be experiencing less and
less introsions of thoughts and realize that it's ok to experience the
quiet of nothingness. It's quite peaceful in fact. Then you can
introduce just one thought and focus on it. 

Conversely you could also imagine beginning with one thought and
imagine a drain below that thought where all other thoughts arising
get sucked into the drain and leave. 

Another method would be to "ignore" the other thoughts, allow them to
surface, yet actively ignore them and return over and over to the one
thought you are purposeing to focus on. 

Either method may work for you. This is just sharing in the case that
it may be helpful to you. In the end it is the method that you find
for yourself that will be the winning method. For this is the process
of you conquering yourself and each of us have differing methods and
processes to conquer and how to conquer. The most helpful item in this
entire process I would think is the fact that you were victorious and
successfully conquered the practice and own in yourself the ability to
focus on one thought. 

I wish you well,
Chuck
SeaWinder