I thought I would return, because so far I haven't looked into it rightly, but only attempted to elicit a sense of what I will henceforth call 'looking'. I will have to assume people followed the thread, and I would hope, as I suggested, without the mind comparing what is said to its preconceptions in order grasp in agreement and disagreement.
Firstly, I'm not sure of the relevance of the brief comments made, and I'm assuming it is like they do in zen when the teacher says something stupid and pretends it has a profound essence, in that it doesn't. Personally I don't understand that sort of thing, but in so finding it pointless, I get the point, right?
What I speak of in the thread is not any of the things people call 'meditation'. I speak of that which can't be done, can't be taught, and can't be learned, because it already is the case and it is already known in the sense that when you look it is immediately revealed.
One may fairly ask, have we people here the capacity to look and discover the nature of things? Well I don't know, and no one does, because this is what I explore. I can't know it as an answer to a question, because then it becomes some banal lifeless knowledge - which I might say and another might believe. I don't want reduce people into compliance, docility and obedience. I want people to be alive and look, fearless in their inquiry, and find out directly by touching first hand. I don't know it, I'm not leading anyone, and if people do think I know the way, they will follow and be misled.
If people want a knower, a teacher, or something like that, this place has nothing for you, but should a person be really sincere about the truth, then it gets serious... so serious that spiritual teachers and the rest of the meditation economy starts to appear comically inane, and we are ready to look into reality without any sort of crutch to fall back on. That means we're ready, having abandoned what's comforting, to be alone in the understanding that no other is able to do the looking for us, and there is nowhere to turn for relief and satisfaction. Knowing only that this is where one takes that leap into the unknown.
If I sound harsh of tone, and perhaps appear offensive (I don't think I do), it is not that. It is just that this subject is on the nature of things... for example if I were to ask you, are you aware? Do you say, 'Yes,' because there is knowledge, or do you look to find out, and realise it momentarily? In my case, I don't have the knowledge if I am or am not aware, and my certainty is only in the moment of realisation, which has gone, and this observed truth is now and now and now and now, leaving nothing behind it which I can acquire.