Trouble when focusing on belly

[LucidMind]

Wow, I love all of the responses! It's relieving to know that i'm not the only one with this issue. I will definitely keep practicing on focusing on my belly while at the same time letting go of my control issues. However, focusing on the breath in my nostrils will remain my go-to method.

Next time when I am focusing on my belly and this "control" issue arises, I think I am going to gently watch the urge to control. I might possibly switch all of my attention on this urge and really try to "feel" it in a mindful way. Perhaps it will melt away and then I can resume watching my belly.

[BioSattva]

Next time when I am focusing on my belly and this "control" issue arises, I think I am going to gently watch the urge to control. I might possibly switch all of my attention on this urge and really try to "feel" it in a mindful way. Perhaps it will melt away and then I can resume watching my belly.

That's the best approach I've heard yet. Meeting the controlling ego with compassion. Brilliant.

[LucidMind]

Next time when I am focusing on my belly and this "control" issue arises, I think I am going to gently watch the urge to control. I might possibly switch all of my attention on this urge and really try to "feel" it in a mindful way. Perhaps it will melt away and then I can resume watching my belly.

That's the best approach I've heard yet. Meeting the controlling ego with compassion. Brilliant.

Thanks Bio! I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

[BioSattva]

Next time when I am focusing on my belly and this "control" issue arises, I think I am going to gently watch the urge to control. I might possibly switch all of my attention on this urge and really try to "feel" it in a mindful way. Perhaps it will melt away and then I can resume watching my belly.

That's the best approach I've heard yet. Meeting the controlling ego with compassion. Brilliant.

Thanks Bio! I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

Please do. I tried it this morning, and it reminded me of something I used a long time ago. I used to notice how boredom during practice would cause my hands to want to start moving - like they were the parts of my body that I controlled the most to create some distraction. That makes sense since we humans are keen tool-users. So I used to practice 'letting go' of my hands first - imagining that the tendons were not connected, or that I had been paralysed or something - anything to disconnect the feeling of empowerment I enjoyed at being able to move even one finger. That helped me a lot to begin letting go of controlling other areas of my body - allowing it to 'just be'; for the cells to metabolise on their own without external influence. Watching one's desire to control things in general and seeing where that manifests in the body is a very fruitful approach in my experience, and I am enjoying revisiting it. So thanks for that again!

Jon Kabat-Zinn mentions in a talk a doctor who said he would rather try to land a plane without any previous instruction than attempt to actively control his liver to do it's job properly - our body supports us just fine without one drop of effort from ourselves. Easy to understand, but oh so difficult to do!