Insights in meditation Vs stilling the mind

I've been meditating on and off for many years, but have never gone into the silent space or void that people talk about. Instead I just sit with my thoughts while trying not to become attached to them. Occasionally, and especially since stepping up my daily practice to 2 X 1 hour sessions , I receive what seems like profound statements. They have a very different quality to my own thoughts. Most often these statements are confirmed within a few days by hearing or reading something the same, or sometimes a spiritual teacher on the internet says the same thing. It's like I'm being reassured about the validity of the statement. This type of thing first happened about twenty five years ago. I remember some rare meditations sessions where it seemed like I was being given a twenty minute teaching. About three years ago it began again during daily walks with my dog. At the time I had been going through a spiritual crisis; maybe what could be called a dark night of the soul. Something was seriously missing from my life. I had rejected God as a teenager, but I found myself saying: "God, I don't know if you're real, but if you are, and if Jesus is real too, please help me." From that day and for months afterward I entered into a two-way conversation that led to deep insights. It was only much later that I discovered these 'insights' are not only in the Christian message, but other religions too. So, on the one hand I feel like I'm the receiver of grace. On the other hand there's the nagging voice of doubt, especially when it comes to meditation. Should I be developing a quiet mind and ignoring all thoughts, no matter what they are? When I ask myself if these insights, thoughts or teachings have progressed me along the spiritual path, I would definitely say yes! So maybe that's all I should be concerned about. I would be interested to get some feedback. (In reading the preview I was reminded that the meditation hour does pass very quickly, so maybe I'm going more deeply than I realise.)

[sunsoul]

Ultimately, only you can answer this emphatically.

I think there is a difference between thought and a message. If you have stilled your mind you will know it. The physical distractions leave you, the mental turbulence is stilled, and you move deeper into your practice.

I commend you on your firm daily practice!

[Mr Interesting]

I too have been meditating for many years and finally a few years ago got shown the power of now by Eckhart Tolle and gave it my full attention for quite a while to the extent I got to all those places we are told are worth getting to but since then I haven't been able to go back there but at the same time what going there gave me seems more important than being able to go back there.

Now meditation seems almost to want completely widening out into everyday life and while I quite stubbornly hold onto it only being what I want it to be there's still always the adventure of the practise being whatever it wants to be entirely akin the me being whatever it is I want to be.

By all means then, as I do for myself, let things go where they might decide it is best to go.

[jonesboy]

Continue your practice and let whatever happens during your session flow on through. Attach to nothing. Once you are done explore and investigate your gifts.

It is the silent mind that will advance along the path not voice in our mind.

I hope this helps.

[Boson]

Hi flying solo,

I would like to comment on this question that you asked: "Should I be developing a quiet mind and ignoring all thoughts?"

I believe finding inner silence and being in a state without thoughts is vital if you want to receive verbal messages or visions in your meditation. I cannot say that there is one method that works best for everyone but here is one technique that you may want to try (I developed it from my own experience). It sounds like your mind is full of wandering thoughts during your meditation. First off, allow a few minutes to let your current thoughts pass through. After that, try to focus your mind on just one single thing. This will assist you in removing all other thoughts because your mind is now occupied with this one thought. It can be anything, such as a vision of a candle. Your focus is now set on that virtual object in your mind. Ideally that will block out all other thoughts. You can see how well you are doing by timing how long time you are able to keep this focus without distractions from other thoughts. If you can do it for a few minutes that's a great start. After you master that exercise, then remove the object from your mind (here a candle), and focus on nothing. The 3rd step is to let go of the focus all together - just be in the nothingness. At that stage it should be all quite and all dark around you with your inner vision. This is the perfect state you want to reach in order to receive messages.

I hope this helps a little.

Boson

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply. I will certainly consider all suggestions.

Your Guide is communicating w/you....You are open during this time to receive.....If you're getting something out of it, see where it leads.

Don't fix what's not broken.

[jonesboy]

Now that is bad advice.

Whats been working is silence. Not getting lost in thoughts or guides or whatever else. All that comes later.

[Miss Hepburn]

Hi flying solo,
Are you pleased and happy after your 1 hr sittings?
You say these messages follow along Christian lines?
It all sounds good unless you get messages of some wrathful, punishing God! LOL! Yikes!

I don't listen to or pay attention to my thoughts and reach a silent place...the Secret Place (Psalm 91)
pretty fast after decades.
But, I also know where to focus my attention (had a guru).

I have no idea where these messages are coming from, so can not comment on those.
I know when an angel or guide gives me a message or my Uncle who visits me or
the Holy Spirit/ GOD!...they are all different, big time....
That's my feedback....oh and if you write again...could you make
a few more paragraphs to break up the text a bit?


Would you like to share an insight you have been given?

Solo,

Although thoughts and insights can be a blessing, they can also be bad if interpreted the wrong way. Often, we get attached to thoughts and insights to the point where we subconsciously start substituting our own for those that are real without being able to tell the difference. I wouldn't dismiss them, but simply ponder them as a curiosity and if they have true merit, they will find a place in your life without you having to spend any effort wondering where they came from!

-TaoSandwich