Spring 2012 Shamatha Retreat

Tonight we finish a set of mindfulness of breathing as we move our attention to focus on the sensations at the apertures of the nostrils. The practice has been explained fully in previous teachings so we proceed directly into meditation. Q&A * [preceding the meditation] How much of the nostrils is a valid target? 25% 50%? * Neurological disease and shamatha. * Does the moon disappear when it's out of mind? * Why are we afraid to release? * From the research of Ian Stevenson, why don't children remember previous lives as animals or from hell realms? * Experimentation with practices to get traction during our retreat. * Does the achievement of shamatha with awareness of awareness leave a wake of unaddressed mental issues that would have been resolved by practicing settling the mind? Meditation starts at 02:59