Cattāri Brahmavihārā

I am coming more and more to an understanding of the practice as an off-the-cushion remembrance and calling to mind of the sense of ease and peace that can arise from anapanasati. In other words, when I am tempted to reach for unskillful or unwholesme sense pleasures I call to mind and try to recollect by means of the body the ease and warmth that can be developed through putting the mind on the breath. I don’t know if this is possible solely due to the hours of practice I put in or if anyone would be able to experience this after their first taste of peace but it certainly seems possible to me.

I think the hardest thing about practicing in this way is that it requires almost complete self-reliance. Books and teachers are important but can only take you so far. Once you come to understand that the sense of peace and ease.  You have tried to develop in your meditation must be nourishing enough to sustain your practice of the Dhamma and your commitment to skillfulness you realize you’ve got to take the training wheels off and start fending for yourself.