Om nomi nomi nom

"You are what you eat" - Ludwig A. Feuerbach.

As a materialist, Mr. Feuerbach is probably travelling on according to his Kamma. However he did produce this marvelous statement which is quite pithy, when looked upon in a Buddhist light. What we eat we become. I don't mean to say that because I had chops for dinner last night I'm going to be reborn as a sheep, but perhaps that what we do we become. Intention leads to action and action bears result. If I eat laziness, then lazy is what I shall become. If I make an intention to spend lots of time loafing around on the sofa every day then why shouldn't I be reborn a cat, a sloth, a dog? Habit may just breed habitation.

If we make meditation a habit, only good can come from that. But that's all we need to do. Sit down and make it a habit. Often we get all worked up we think: "Gee it would be nice if my meditation was really bright and full pleasure, or it would be nice if I could see a nimitta." but that's like placing an order for a bucket load of Dukkha. We're setting ourselves for up for suffering, every time we work for a goal. That's because progress in meditation doesn't work like progress in worldly matters.

To paraphrase what Ayya Khema said in one of her talks: We're all as if travelling down a stream, and the Buddhist practice is like turning around 180 degrees and going upstream. It's important that we do go against the grain - When we consider where most streams end up...

Here's a relevant Sutta:
Kukkuravatika Sutta: The Dog-Duty Ascetic (MN. 57)

Metta
Jack