finding stillness

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by wstein

Sitting (quietly) in a room is necessary for beginners as there are too many natural distractions normally to even get started. This is part of sitting meditation. One of the difficulties of sitting meditation is that it doesn't last when you try to return to your normal life. This is because you unknowingly RETURN rather than simply get up and go about your day. Way too often I hear meditation leaders say at the end,"now slowly return to the room and open your eyes". Following this advice is telling yourself to stop what you have been doing. Yes, opening your eyes is a practical necessity for most of us. After doing so, simply get up. At first you won't get very far before the inner turmoil returns. But over time, the quiet state will last longer and longer. Eventually it will last longer then the time between meditation sessions. At that point explicit meditation sessions become unnecessary as you nave learned to be in the quiet state during all activities.

In addition to acknowledging any tension, also acknowledge any thoughts, inner voices, inner turmoil, uneasiness, fidgeting, (anything not stillness). AS one does this over time, these things subside. Eventually the stillness settles in and becomes ones default state. Its no longer something that happens until you disturb it, its becomes your default way of being.

Agree with all that. Ultimately, it's a discipline, and discipline requires practise. Persevere, stay conscious, and it'll eventually become habitual.

Originally Posted by wstein

I disagree a bit here. IMO savoring is also holding on, another form of not simply being.

I take your point. Erm - be silence? Is that more accurate?

[wstein]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Agree with all that. Ultimately, it's a discipline, and discipline requires practise. Persevere, stay conscious, and it'll eventually become habitual.

Actually becoming habitual is a problem too, its subtle but that is a chatter all its own. Habits reacting (automatically) to things is no different than the voice in your head commenting on those things.

From a practical point of view, developing a habit might be a worthwhile crutch. The downside is that then you are adding one extra non-silence that needs to be released at some point. Not clear if you come out ahead or not.

Originally Posted by A human Being

I take your point. Erm - be silence? Is that more accurate?

just BE is the aim. At first however, its all one can do to just witness. Its all too easy to try to do something about what is seen.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by wstein

Actually becoming habitual is a problem too, its subtle but that is a chatter all its own. Habits reacting (automatically) to things is no different than the voice in your head commenting on those things.

From a practical point of view, developing a habit might be a worthwhile crutch. The downside is that then you are adding one extra non-silence that needs to be released at some point. Not clear if you come out ahead or not.

just BE is the aim. At first however, its all one can do to just witness. Its all too easy to try to do something about what is seen.

Hmm - I've been thinking that it's a question of breaking old, bad habits (compulsive thinking and mind-identification), and developing new, healthier ones. So that's not quite right, is it? Is it better to think of it as breaking old habits, full stop?

[wstein]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Is it better to think of it as breaking old habits, full stop?

In terms of spirituality, yes. In a practical sense, until you are greatly still inside AND very present, it takes too much mental effort to work through every situation to figure out what to do. So generally, its a goal that is probably better taken in moderation.

Note that as stillness starts to set in, many situations will start to be obvious, no habit or deep thought required. After stillness becomes the default, you will act when things align with who you, be that in motion or as you were before. These actions will occur almost instantly, tailored to each circumstance, without any ambiguity, turmoil, or confusion. Your intellect and certainly your ego if you have not dealt with it, will greatly dislike not getting a vote on what you are doing and often not even knowing what was done until after the fact. I know this seems counter to all reasonability.

An example might help here. The neighbor's young boy was riding a tricycle around behind me and his mother on my driveway. His mother and I were talking and facing each other. I saw him catch the outer wheel on the edge of the driveway and start to tip. Next I know, I was lifting and flipping him over (in one motion) and set him on his feet on the driveway. He had not even had time to fall over before I grabbed him. Only then did I realize that the child had landed perfectly inverted with his head in a puddle of water (thanks to other neighbor for leaving that hazard). Only then did his mother (not of inner stillness) unfreeze (from panic) and come to his aid. By that point her son was out of danger and just fine.

[psychoslice]

You don't find stillness, you allow stillness, because you are stillness, if your trying to find it, then you will never realize it, drop the finding and simply be still.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by wstein

In terms of spirituality, yes. In a practical sense, until you are greatly still inside AND very present, it takes too much mental effort to work through every situation to figure out what to do. So generally, its a goal that is probably better taken in moderation.

Note that as stillness starts to set in, many situations will start to be obvious, no habit or deep thought required. After stillness becomes the default, you will act when things align with who you, be that in motion or as you were before. These actions will occur almost instantly, tailored to each circumstance, without any ambiguity, turmoil, or confusion. Your intellect and certainly your ego if you have not dealt with it, will greatly dislike not getting a vote on what you are doing and often not even knowing what was done until after the fact. I know this seems counter to all reasonability.

An example might help here. The neighbor's young boy was riding a tricycle around behind me and his mother on my driveway. His mother and I were talking and facing each other. I saw him catch the outer wheel on the edge of the driveway and start to tip. Next I know, I was lifting and flipping him over (in one motion) and set him on his feet on the driveway. He had not even had time to fall over before I grabbed him. Only then did I realize that the child had landed perfectly inverted with his head in a puddle of water (thanks to other neighbor for leaving that hazard). Only then did his mother (not of inner stillness) unfreeze (from panic) and come to his aid. By that point her son was out of danger and just fine.

I've been struck, over the past few days, by the intelligence you possess which is beyond the mind. It's instinctive, and I often serve only to blunt it if I think too much, because my mind is full of doubt.

I don't know if this is quite the same thing, but it's like in sport - I can hit a 60-yard pass accurately without having to stop and make the relevant calculations. If I over-think it (and I've done it in the past), I can barely hit the thing straight.

Who was it that said, 'the mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master'? I think they were onto something

Stillness is when you detach from all thought, and are at one still point. I do Kelee meditation it is a way to learn to come to one point of stillness. When you do this your fearful images can begin to dissolve.

thanks guys I love this, the last couple of days (due to your advice on letting go) I find stillness just comes over me when I don't expect it, I don't have to try and its nicer that way.

One does not find stillness, or invoke stillness. you are Stillness of Being. this is your most essential nature.

From your essential nature, the movements that define your personality and environment blossom forth.

At any given time you are centering your awareness in the movement of being, or the stillness of being.

By trying to "invoke" or "find" stillness, you are centering in movement and doing, instead of just Being.

Rather than trying to invoke or find stillness, let go of movement and "doing".

And you will "find" that you ARE stillness, when you are just BEING without being centered, or absorbed in mind/body movement.

Movement is something that happens through you, it is not you, though it can appear to be when you are absorbed or "engaged" in the movement aspect of yourself.

A simple method for centering in your Stillness, is to simply observe your mind and mind movement...you can do this any time, no meditation "session" required.

When you are comfortable with being centered in witnessing your own mind and it movement, turn your attention inward to that witnessing part of yourself ;-)