Meditation as it is

[Gem]

Hi, I'm back to talk about meditation again, and I'm only going to say the same things I have said before, but in a different way.

It's very simple in principle - just observe - be aware of what is, just as it is, in the way you experience it.

Let's start at the beginning, as a matter of faith, and believe that the quality of spiritual enlightenment exists within you and trust that nature, in her own way, will take care of everything if you allow her to.

This is healing, the resolution of trauma and the purification of mind at the deepest levels. It's a clearing of blockages that opens the channel so pure love flows through you. It is a journey from the crude, physical level of experiential reality to the ultra-refined reality of energy and vibration. It's an insight into the underlying nature of all things. It is the path of truth that guides you to become more deeply conscious of yourself, just as you are, and reveals the enlightened quality that exists within us all.

[ThatMan]

It basically boils down to - be aware of being aware - resting in awareness.

[Gem]

It's a slow burn, but my meditation threads take a while to warm up.

Since this is a healing or purification process, so there's more to it than you'd first think. The process only unfolds under the right conditions, and under the right conditions, it unfolds on its own. Some people's current circumstances aren't conducive to the process. Depending on personal circumstances sometimes the start is just making life changes that better align with spiritual development.

If the social situation is somewhat irate and people around are manipulative, draining, aggressive, hateful etc, that's not a good, trusting situation within which to become exposed and vulnerable. It's better to get rid of such people and make such changes to live in a safe and supportive environment. I don't know what can better align your external existence to deeper self-discovery, but you do.

The healing process is analogous to being sun-burnt. The skin gets sensitive and delicate and needs to be handled with care. I also liken it to a small sapling - it needs to be staked with a fence around it because it's not strong enough to withstand the pests and storms. The meditative process like-wise needs protections and conducive conditions. That depends what your life is like. Whatever that is will let you know what's best to do to make things right.

The above are external things. There are internal conditions as well. Internal conditions require a moral life. Truthfulness is most important, and being tempted, intoxicated and ravenous won't work. Of course all the normal things like stealing, deception, hurting and using people, malicious gossip and ill-will also have to to be moderated - but everyone knows that.

Because I'm not talking to specific individuals, I can only generalise, but everyone who wants to heal and resolve all sorrows has to follow the truthful path toward the enlightened quality within themselves. The only difference between people is where to begin. If the external conditions are not ideal and you can see how to make them better, take that step. Each individual is alone to discern what needs to be done that is for the best, but at very least, procrastination can end now and taking a decisive step to make things 'right' can happen tomorrow.

All in all, having the right conditions is important. The world around you and the people in it need to constitute a safe supportive environment, and the way you are inside has to be good. If these can be more aligned to spiritual purification, might as well make the change for the better.

[Unseeking Seeker]

I’d say meditation is essentially resting in awareness without thought, melding head with heart, attention poised and animated in stillness, receptive and unresistant. I subscribe to the view that meditation should be a flowing orientation rather than an activity but of course, I accept this is not a conventional approach. (It’s not that I have not had long spells of deep meditation immersion but that was me being meditated upon rather than me meditating, if it makes sense.)

This is how I look at it. There are many views and practices; why the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra speaks of 112 meditations techniques! For those interested, here’s a link to the thread on this ~ https://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/s...d.php?t=141825

[JustBe]

I have a question.

If I’m in a sitting mat practice and I have had a good few weeks in my everyday life, where by people life and circumstance has been great, your practice would most likely present those qualities of how you feel wouldn’t it? There wouldn’t be too much activation to stir up inner processors.

But in the event I had a poor quality couple of weeks in my life, with activations and reactions stirred up, my practice would most likely get a little more uncomfortable through those things?

So is the practice important to not only be aware of the uncomfortable you, but also the vibrant joyous, blissful you?

And if so, then all these streams of you opening and being present with would be processors within the unfolding of becoming you without any of it?

I’m beginning to think I’m a bag of nothingness lol.. it truly in these realisations becoming open and clear, I’m just being me. I feel connected, I feel alive, I feel grounded.

I’m a great believer in the middle path.. it’s how my process has balanced me to learn and grow through.

But what qualities actually can we name, that constitute this place of residence within self.

I’m sorry if I’m jumping the gun.

[sky]

Originally Posted by ThatMan

It basically boils down to - be aware of being aware - resting in awareness.

Short and sweet,

[sky]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

I subscribe to the view that meditation should be a flowing orientation rather than an activity but of course, I (It’s not that I have not had long spells of deep meditation immersion but that was me being meditated upon rather than me meditating, if it makes sense.)

Makes perfect sense, there's happenings and doings.....

[Unseeking Seeker]

Originally Posted by JustBe

what qualities actually can we name, that constitute this place of residence within self.

Equanimity - navigating life, in the present without a rear view mirror

[Gem]

Originally Posted by JustBe

my everyday life circumstance has been great those qualities of how you feel wouldn’t it? joyous, blissful you? becoming open and clear,

Yep if external circumstances are pretty rough, meditation practice might be be a bit meh. The idea in that case is more like a continuous practice of trying to remain internally calm when things are rough, and having no disappointment if formal practice is unpleasant or a non-event. Underneath the roughness and what we notice going on with ourselves, having the understand that life has ups and downs and whatever happens will pass is a good way to keep an even keel. It's not easy because mind is habitualised to react, probably over-react, and when everything is going wrong it reverts to that tendency. If it's possible to let things happen without being disturbed by them, maximise that ability with every opportunity. This way, some of the most valuable practice is completely mundane, and when everything is going wrong, it's a wonderful opportunity.

The mental reactivity manifests physically with tension and density in the body, so deliberate practice sessions can be more uncomfortable if life's rough, then you react with aversion to that feeling, produce more tension, manifest discomfort, react, and go into an amplifying spiral and give up the ghost. In that case, instead, since tension and density has already been made, you remain indifferent - 'feels like this' - and cease to react/activity in the mind no matter how agonising it might become. Naturally if a bone is twisting or something, be sensible and don't push yourself to an injury.

If one meditates consistently they can see pleasure turn to pain and back to pleasure, pain, pleasure, coming, going and understand more deeply how that's the nature of changing things. At some point you realise that you've been there all along just the same and remained completely unaffected while feelings changing from one to the other has been going on.

When the love opens up into the whole body, it's a lot of bliss, but after a while you realise, this is changing. It's great, a good sign, but it can affect state of mind such that when it wanes you end up yearning, or just in general, start always craving more.

If it feels good, OK, and if not so good, fine. I know it doesn't sound spectacular, but if something spectacular happens, the core practice remains the same. Whatever happens is opportunity to strengthen your ability for neutral awareness - no matter what it is that happens.

[JustBe]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Equanimity - navigating life, in the present without a rear view mirror

Yes that fits. Much of my process has been to reach a state of balance, whereby I’m not hitting the low or hitting the highs. I’ve done this of course through deeper unaware processors, but generally now I’m not caught up in the rear view mirror. The rear view mirror is usually a wisdom gained visit.

I suppose I call it balanced being. I’m aware the process has brought me to a place within that is no longer attached and I no longer imagine or tell myself stories that can and have activated an emotional reaction or story that keeps activating a trigger.

I guess that is equanimity ..