MEDITATION
Meditation means many different things to many people,especially when
they articulate it into their language.For some it may mean spacing
out with no thought,venturing into spaces of light and bliss,and entering
into trance states or pure escapism.If these are actually used in the
path to understand our own mind and how this "I" is functioning
,then meditation can really be of benefit.This "I" being this
ego we idenitify with,its grasping/clinging and fabricating being it's
ways of functioning.
Meditation aims at producing a state of mental health,tranquility and
equilibrium.The meditation common to most schools is silent (calm abiding)
meditation.Sitting on the floor or on a chair is best.Being comfortable
is important,with a straight spine,with the head resting slightly forward
and eyes slightly open.
So we just sit and be aware of the breath.Aware of the in-breath,the
out-breath and rhythm.
When we begin meditation we discover our minds are a never ending avalanche
of thoughts.Sometimes we just have to sit this through ,other times
we can try to put lots of energy into these thoughts so we exhaust the
mind.But with gentle perseverance spaces appear between the thoughts.
It's in these spaces a deeper awareness arises (whether we are in a
formal sitting meditation or in our daily life) that we can begin to
understand our mind.We can understand and feel when this grasping "I"
arises in a very clear way.Sometimes we see that we can be very unrealistic
with our demands,hopes and expectations.Through practice we can quickly
remedy the situation by letting them go whenever we see (our grasping
ego's) ridiculous nature.And just in a simple way our lives can be more
in balance ,more relaxed and happier.
Meditation can help us in a very simple way with our uncontrolled thoughts
and emotion as we get the ability to observe our mind.When we are lost
in anger if we can simply observe we may find ourselves ashamed and
the anger will subside,or we may be able to become aware of" it's
totally empty nature" and find ourselves able to transform that
energy into compassion for ourselves and/or the object of that anger.Of
course on rare occasions anger is necessary ,and with meditation the
manifestation of anger can become an act of compassion.
Meditation is a path out of our unease, a path to discover our own true
nature.Our true nature has many descriptions :at one with God,primordial
awareness perfected in the naturally luminous intrinsic knowledge of
the here and now,spontaneous lucid presence of self-knowing awareness,arriving
at home,naturally occurring timeless awareness beyond duality:everyone
may of had a glimpse to some degree of their own deep awareness.An experience
of deep joy/bliss with a spacious lucid mind where everything appears
of vibrating light,usually through viewing landscapes and nature,sexual
intercourse,hallucinogens,childbirth,extreme sports or pure giving.Most
of us have had some experience in this way but we do not recognize it
as such as being closer to our own true nature.We do not recognize our
own state of unease.
Honesty with ourselves is one aspect very much needed in our practice.The
nature of the "I" or ego is always to manipulate the way it
sees itself and the world around.It does it to secure its own adornment
or frolic in its own self-pity or whatever.With meditation we gain space
in our mind and with that, we have the ability to observe.To observe
this "I" ,thoughts and emotion,where they come from,how they
are existing and where they go to .Meditation will help us become aware
of this "grasping nature of the I" and with it the ability
to let it go. Then slowly we find ourselves resting in a deeper awareness
rather than being tossed around in the mental habits and patterns surrounding
this "I".We need to be like a scientist to observe and not
a judge to criticize or opinionate.
There are many different schools and lineages of meditation.Within the
Buddhists schools there are:Zen,Theravadin,Mahayana,Vajrayana,Pure land,Mahamudra
and Dzogchen.Within them there are different lineages and emphasis.There
are the Maha-Siddha traditions from India,meditations from Sufism,Judaism
and Christianity.Somehow we have to find what we connect with and what
works for us.Finding a proven lineage that has stood the test of time
with a stream of enlightened practictoners can give us great confidence
in its methods.
Always we have to continually check up to see we are not on some ego-gratifying
trip.Especially if we are looking into following the Maha-Siddhi-Guru
Traditions we have to really check up,be alert, aware and follow our
gut feeling rather than just blindly following a teacher.Only once we
are satisfied with the pure intent of the teacher ,should we enter into
a deeper relationship with that teacher.At the same time we have to
be carefull not to pre-judge methods which may seem strange or foreign.Only
when we have some experience of our own enlightened wisdom mind can
we really appreciate methods of symbolic alchemy and the transformative
powers of visualization.
To all travellers on the road to Shambhala who have ventured onto this
page ,I hope some clarity rather than confusion has arisen.May all awaken
from the "Matrix", the grasping/duality we are entranced by.
Fellow Traveller John
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