Right Effort

The sixth element of the Noble Eightfold Path – Right Effort – can also be considered a form of active meditative practice or mental discipline.  In the practice of Right Effort, one consciously strives toward four mental goals in the course of daily living: to prevent the arising of unwholesome states; to abandon unwholesome states which have arisen, to arouse wholesome states which have not yet arisen, and to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.  

This conscious attempt to reject unwholesome thoughts and form one’s thoughts/character toward wholesome states also presupposes that one has awareness of what is present (Sati) in their current experience, and is one example of how all elements of the Eightfold Path are envisioned as working together to strengthen each other.  

Although Sati (and the Vipassana/Insight which may be developed as a result) and Jhana meditation are the most emphasized forms of meditative practice in the Theravada tradition, all elements of the Path and the full Dhamma/teaching are considered essential for the personal development of the Nibbana seeking aspirant.  The entire Dhamma is broad teaching, and other portions may also be considered “meditative practice” depending on how one categorizes or makes sense of the tradition.