[Gem]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Not easy but definitely worth the effort, yeah, I'm on my sixth day of longer sittings and I'm already feeling the benefits. Made me chuckle, what you said about raising emotional blocks, because people new to meditation might have this image in their minds of a serene, perfectly tranquil meditator in the lotus position, but in reality it's had the effect of making me feel murderous with rage at times The releasing of previously repressed material is all part of the purification process, though, so it is a positive development even if it doesn't feel like it (though obviously self-control is important, as is self-care - best not to subject yourself to people and situations that are going to trigger you when you're feeling hyper-sensitive, for example).

Well meditation is a purification process, as it isn't like we need to be more loving, only that we need to address the obstacles that restrict the free flow of universal love. Rather than an aversion toward such obstacles, and a craving to be rid of them, this pertains to the truth of our nature and how we restrict ourselves from the full expression thereof. We all do that to some degree of another, and we all have this sort of life issue, so it isn't a 'bad thing' - its just how human beings survive. Our recourse is to build upon that resilience, the ability to withstand the intensity of experience, without losing the plot, and maintaining that sensitive balance of the mind. In a determined practice like you describe, experience will become intense, often significant pain in the body, sometimes deep meditational states, but the practice itself is always keeping that silent observation regardless of the experience unfolding. This builds a stable equanimity, which enables the purification process. With stabler balance of equanimity, one can withstand higher intensities, so the purification can accelerate and deepen.

Excellent point, yeah. There is a danger that we can fixate on certain sensations, try to work them out, get rid of them, etc., when as you say it's about dispassionate observation and not manipulation. Release happens on its own, you can't force it.

Yes, you can work on the ability to maintain stillness, stability, equanimity. That's meditation. The desire to get rid of stuff (aka aversion) won't work because desire/aversion disrupts equanimity - and equanimity is the key. Hence it shouldn't matter if a block is there or not, because it doesn't. It just happens to be that way and it's the truth of 'yourself'. Of course it can't stay the same, and will inevitably change, so equanimity is the same as being at peace with change, and being at peace with change is the same as 'allowing it' - but without implying you have a choice or control over what is already observably 'the way it is'.