Meditation, some answers

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You have just added another aspect to this "beginner" practice of breath awareness ..."where noticing the arising of such thoughts and feelings comes into it". This is consistent with the Satipattana Sutra (Foundations of Mindfulness) of the Buddha where breath is used to relax ... and then focus on the body, feelings, and thoughts before proceeding to the jhanas (absorptions). Breath awareness ALONE does not seem to be the focus of the Buddha though it can be used for relaxation purposes, as I have mentioned previously. As a matter of fact, the practice of breath awareness ALONE can trigger, "frustration, irritation, boredom", as you duly noted. Frankly, that bored me as well although it can be a method for relaxation as I have said all along.

Interesting, I wasn't aware of this information. The thing I personally like about bringing awareness to the breath, which is consistent with what you've shared above, is that it also brings attention into the body, because of course it's the body that breathes, which then helps to connect me to what I'm feeling in terms of tension, discomfort, upset, etc. (there can also be more pleasant feelings, of course, but that's what I personally tend to feel at the moment!). For me personally, I've found this more body-centred approach to be more beneficial, which is maybe where I differ from you, zinnat, and other practitioners of mind-centred meditation practices such as mantra meditation.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Gem

Reactive tension between aversion and desire.

Which used skillfully are of benefit
To live in the ' Real ' world we need a little of both so the key is to find Equilibrium.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Interesting, I wasn't aware of this information. The thing I personally like about bringing awareness to the breath, which is consistent with what you've shared above, is that it also brings attention into the body, because of course it's the body that breathes, which then helps to connect me to what I'm feeling in terms of tension, discomfort, upset, etc. (there can also be more pleasant feelings, of course, but that's what I personally tend to feel at the moment!). For me personally, I've found this more body-centred approach to be more beneficial, which is maybe where I differ from you, zinnat, and other practitioners of mind-centred meditation practices such as mantra meditation.

Yes, it is really a sensation meditation in that you feel yourself breathing, which open up to body feelings in general, which also relate to mentalities, just like you say, so you know, it is body centred in that you observe the actuality of what it's like, but mind awareness is folded in to the mix annyway. To me it doesn't make any difference pleasant and unpleasant as I take feelings as just opportunities to practice mindful equanimity, which is THE practice in my view.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by Gem

Yes, it is really a sensation meditation in that you feel yourself breathing, which open up to body feelings in general, which also relate to mentalities, just like you say, so you know, it is body centred in that you observe the actuality of what it's like, but mind awareness is folded in to the mix annyway. To me it doesn't make any difference pleasant and unpleasant as I take feelings as just opportunities to practice mindful equanimity, which is THE practice in my view.

Right, that's how I approach it too - well put :)

Okay, now let us leave behind this and move on to the thread. This post is in continuation from the post no. 600.

So, we were talking about the details of after crossing the tenth door. Many members here may be aware of three kinds of bodies, which are Sthool(physical), Sukasma(subtle) and Karan(Astral). As it is clear that we operate in physical body in this human realm. After this comes subtle body, which works in all nine chakras up to the Shahastrar realm. The journey beyond ninth realm is possible only through Astral body. it is important to understand here that though astral body sometimes work in dreams but in that case subconscious mind remains in charge but after crossing the tenth door, it is conscious mind which takes the driver seat.

Because of this, the experience after the tenth door becomes very different. It is like if a child who does not have experience of driving any car, has been put in the driver seat of a Ferrari or Bugatti. So, one can imagine the state of the mind of that child. The same happens to the meditator. Here, the conscious mind can very clearly witness all thoughts which are generating in the subconscious. As it is happening for the first time so the conscious mind does not know how to handle those. More often than not, conscious mind tends to move along with the most prominent thought of the subconscious because it is the only way that it has been working since now.

And, this default nature of the conscious mind is precisely the reason why at this juncture, there should be no unwarranted noise in the subconscious to misguide the conscious. Subconscious has become absolutely pure by now otherwise conscious mind would have no option but wander uselessly here and there. That is why i said that purity of the intent is must after crossing the tenth door. And also, that is not such a kind of thing which one can force on the subconscious. It must have been that much evolved/purified by now. No further journey is possible without that. And, as forcing the issue does not work here so all volition methods, which have enabled the journey so far, all of a sudden become useless here.

This will continue.

with love,
sanjay

[Gem]

Originally Posted by sky123

Which used skillfully are of benefit
To live in the ' Real ' world we need a little of both so the key is to find Equilibrium.

I think that's a true in the sense that if your reactivity is not too extreme, but only slight, that is the same as being reasonably well balanced in equanimity. This does not imply that the reactivity itself is skillful in any way, but the degree to which it has subdued is.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Right, that's how I approach it too - well put :)

I think this is 'the way'.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Gem

This does not imply that the reactivity itself is skillful in any way, but the degree to which it has subdued is.

To each their own.

[Native spirit]

Please keep Quotes to no more than two or three lines


Namaste

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by Native spirit

Please keep Quotes to no more than two or three lines.

Sorry about that, I usually bear that rule in mind but I forgot when I quoted Still Waters - I'll try to remember next time.