"Why do I have to settle down?"
The point is not to introduce into sitting a feeling or thought pattern from previous sitting.
Instead, to observe, with as little change in the body's condition, the thoughts, feelings, visions, and motions of energy.
"Why can't I just sit back in a chair?"
If so, the point in meditation will revolve around getting more and more comfortable.
You will adjust your body again and again to reach for comfort.
When you want to put a statue of a meditating figure in a home, do you want a statue of someone laying back in a chair meditating?
There is no cultivation of effort in sitting back
Sure sometimes my back needs rest.
That's fine.
"But meditation isn't supposed to use effort."
Whoever told you that doesn't understand what effort really is.
There are only degrees of effort.
All creation is pulled and pushed by gravity forces, every thought produces a vibration that must overcome this gravitation.
These people say "introduce the mantra as easily as these thoughts freely come to us."
That is fine, but that is effort in my opinion.
Silence within requires the least effort, yet still energy must have effort so as not to go to sleep.
For meditation, I think, is being awake, and awakening...
From our environment and our normal self, to reach a greater Self.
If anyone could reach a greater Self without effort, everyone would be as a god or goddess.
If you want to practice your mantra and sit back and relax, that's fine.
It will get you there.
I used to do that and be that
But my personal meditation is different.

"How do you meditate daddy?"
Meditation is hiding how I meditate even from my own pen.
You may observe me meditating and learn that way.

Behind the heavens,
life and death, a tone,
Behind the heart,
a butterfly dancing,
In the end everything is simple,
as simple as a leaf that one holds in one’s hand,
as simple as the laughter of a child.

Why do we sit?
"Om" she chanted, the spritely tween she was.
Oh, the sovereingty of those at peace?
"sure" her older sibling said.
Why do we sit to look within? Does it make us strong?
What else makes us powerful?
Speaking, acting.
Does thinking make us powerful.
yes.
Does thinking, speaking, and acting create a lot of unrest?
It can.
Thus, we stop thinking, stop speaking, and stop acting.
"Isn't that what sleep is for?"
Yes. Do you sometimes dream in sleep?
yes.
Sitting in meditation, no thought, voice, or act, induces a dream state, but you are awake.
Do you like sometimes the feeling of dreams? yes?
This ecstasy one feels in a good dream is the same as in meditation.
But to see visions and have feelings like in a dream is only a biproduct of meditation.
So why do we meditate? "?"
TO go beyond, beyond acting, speaking, thinking, even beyond feeling and seeing.
This beyond can only be experienced for oneself.
It comes in many forms.
What is central to it is that you exist before it,
and you exist after it, but after you experience
it, you feel like a new you, a truly awakened you.

There is no home like sitting.
But words take one step toward the mind
And one step away from "I".

Time equals dedication.
Aspiring to be as dedicated as my house mate,
Rather even more dedicated.
How do I compete with almost 50 years of regular practice?
Just minute by minute.
No comparison is really needed.
He has his mantra and siddhis,
While I have my shikantaza.

Beyond the veils of normalcy
there's a hint of the extraordinaire
the fruit of magnificence
within the Spinning hole of the vortex
lies the base for restoration.
You Close your eyes to see
the true nature of life's realities
I felt the presence of the ones before me
The divine beings
basking in the glory
emanating from all
My heart drew them near
Their words I hold dear
This Safe space I cherish
till eternity.