One Stage at a Time?
Should we practice a single TMI Stage in each meditation session?
A Meditator’s Question:
I’m meditating with The Mind Illuminated (, and I recently began reaching Stage Four of The Elephant Path.
Am I supposed to work only with the practices of this Stage in each meditation session, or should I move through other Stages I already know?
Some people say we’re supposed to start immediately with the practices of our latest Stage. Others say we should move gradually through the earlier Stages first. Some say to stay with a single Stage throughout the session, while others say to move through several Stages.
At this point, I’m very confused.
What am I actually supposed to do?
Oded’s Answer:
To simplify things, let’s make a clear separation between the mental states we wish to cultivate and the actions we need to perform in meditation.
The Stages of The Elephant Path classically relate to meditative mental states. Although TMI presents them together with specific practices, they are still separate entities, and should be treated as such.
The mind is dynamic, and there are no automatic “save points” that keep its state fixed between sessions. It’s always dependent on varying causes and conditions, so we can rarely continue exactly where we left off.
For this reason, I strongly recommend going through the same sequence of TMI practices in their given order in every sit, regardless of how far you’ve reached in previous sessions. See that you meet the criteria for completion before moving on to the next practice. That’s how we build our meditative skills and make progress.
This core concept is one of the main reasons I developed The Playful Path to Awakening, building on Culadasa’s brilliant work.
Practically speaking, and keeping TMI’s original terminology for now, this is my suggestion for modifying your practice:
Begin with The Formula for Success in Meditation (Relax, Find the Joy, Observe, Let it Come/Be/Go), continue to The Six Point Preparation, then the Four Step Transition (to the meditation object), Counting Breaths (to stabilize attention), Following the Breath (+ Connecting, if necessary), and lastly, Labeling and Checking In (monitoring mental objects).
This way, you build a solid foundation for your practice. If the mind is sharp and ready, going through the practices will be a breeze. If it isn’t, working on the currently challenging practice is exactly what’s needed to strengthen and cultivate the necessary skills.
By focusing on meeting the criteria for completing these practices, you’ll climb up the Stages of The Elephant Path naturally, without the need to address them directly. Your ability to complete the practices is proof of the maturation of your skills.
Take all the time you need to train your mind through meditation. Don’t cut corners, and don’t look for shortcuts. This is not a race, and there’s no need to rush. Build your meditative skills patiently, and they’ll serve you for a lifetime.
With Metta,
Oded
