Aikiben, thanks for softening that a little. I was having a good giggle at the fact that you deny that the answer depends on your approach to meditation, and then proceed to give a different answer based on your approach to meditation.

I think this demonstrates conclusively that there are different approaches, and people will tell you slightly different things and give you conflicting advice. I’m afraid you’ll have to find your own way through that, Mariposita. For example, I’m firmly in the “just move already” camp: if you need to scratch, scratch, do it mindfully, return to meditating. Same with changing position. It doesn’t “spoil” your meditation, it’s part of meditating if you do it with attention. But that’s my opinion, based on my style of meditation. I also think some people do meditate simply to relax, and there’s nothing wrong with that. (For clarity, I’m not one of those people, but I’m happy to accept that not everyone does this thing in the way I do it or for the reasons I do it.)

One more thing, Aikiben, I spy a contradiction in your stressing that you shouldn’t push thoughts away, and the way you talk about the mind like it’s a sly, undermining saboteur who is trying to get out of meditating any way it can. I don’t think that’s a very friendly way to look at ones own mind. It’s also confusing: if the mind doesn’t want to meditate, who or what does?

I try not to think of myself as a slave to my mind, or try to be its master. I’m much happier being its friend.