Importance of stillness / meditation

[Miss Hepburn]

JASG how many NDEs have you read?

Mellon-Thomas Benedict 's NDE - in the NDE circles - just his name is famous - let alone what he exp'd.
I picked this one just for you in case you don't know about it ---no
lovey-dovey Jesus hugging an atheist over there..ahahahha.

https://www.near-death.com/experienc...-benedict.html

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

JASG how many NDEs have you read?

Mellon-Thomas Benedict 's NDE - in the NDE circles - just his name is famous - let alone what he exp'd.
I picked this one just for you in case you don't know about it ---no
lovey-dovey Jesus hugging an atheist over there..ahahahha.

https://www.near-death.com/experienc...-benedict.html

That's an interesting one, to say the least, and I'm surprised I've never come across it!

What really resonates with me is the section about The Void and especially the Big Bang and Yugas. I've always been fascinated with infinity, both at the macro and micro level. My intuition tells me it's something like what physicists call Eternal Inflation. A non-stop infinity of simultaneous Big Bangs "bubbling" up from the zero-point field and quantum foam which is the roiling dynamism "arising" out of the absolute silence of a Unified Field and with no beginning or end. Infinite in all respects. In spiritual terms call it Maya and Brahman.

I have a very abstract way of thinking so I'm comfortable with this line of thought. A foundation of absolute silence, absolute stillness, formless and infinite potentiality and the quantum foam/zero-point field is Its first manifestation from which Big Bangs manifest. Any given Big Bang and all it will ever be is but an infinitesimally tiny fraction of that infinite potentiality. Thinking about it this way gives one pause as to the incomprehensibly vast and unknowable nature of the Ineffable.

All these extraordinary transcendent experiences - NDEs, flashes of awakening and other mystical experiences - are minuscule "tastes" of that underlying reality via consciousness and then mind tries to make sense of it, which of course it really can't. At least that's my intuition.

EDIT: It just occurred to me this reply ties right back into the topic of this thread as indicated by what I highlighted. That deep inner silence and stillness is a window into the Ineffable.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I've always been intensely curious about the NDE experience and even moreso after my experience as intuition informs me there's a connection. That is both are a "taste" of the same underlying reality, just from different brain/mind states.

Perhaps another way of phrasing "finding home" is realizing one's true nature? This is where intellect and language are wholly inadequate.

Now that's a different point altogether --- "realizing one's true nature". Since I was not particularly very advanced spiritually at the time, the experience was mind-boggling as it was alien to anything I had read or heard previously. However, as you pointed out, it was indeed a step towards realizing my true nature.... even if I didn't understand what was transpiring at the time. I was completely nonplussed.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Molearner

I suspect that for many stillness is difficult to embrace. Perhaps akin to a fear of nothingness or death or lack of control. Oddly enough these very fears conceal great lessons. Faith has to come from somewhere to make this leap.

You are absolutely correct that there is most assuredly a great FEAR of that "nothingness or death or lack of control" as one approaches the Unknown initially. One draws close and pulls back ... closer and pulls back ... before one finally "makes this leap". (At least, that is how it happened with me. Some guidance and encouragement from my spiritual mentor also helped. )

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Now that's a different point altogether --- "realizing one's true nature". Since I was not particularly very advanced spiritually at the time, the experience was mind-boggling as it was alien to anything I had read or heard previously. However, as you pointed out, it was indeed a step towards realizing my true nature.... even if I didn't understand what was transpiring at the time. I was completely nonplussed.

Language is the tricky part of all this, isn't it? I recall Dr. Greyson saying something like NDE experiencers will tell researchers it can't be put into words and then the researchers will say "Great, tell me all about it". LOL!

I wasn't all that advanced spiritually when I had my experience. I was practicing meditation for roughly a decade but for the secular benefits and my deep dive into consciousness was mostly from the perspective of the sciences and philosophy of mind, however I had some exposure to non-duality via SANDS, Peter Russell, John Hagelin and even Deepak Chopra and just the beginning of exploring Advaita. I did have the basic concept and also had experienced lucid dreams, so the meaning of the experience was pretty clear. I was the proverbial kid in the candy shop for those weeks, walking around with what must have been a big and constant silly grin.

Even now after digging pretty deep into Advaita and having over a year to digest it all and consider my experience I've barely scratched the surface. I'm a babe in all this but a very content one.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Language is the tricky part of all this, isn't it? I recall Dr. Greyson saying something like NDE experiencers will tell researchers it can't be put into words and then the researchers will say "Great, tell me all about it". LOL!

I wasn't all that advanced spiritually when I had my experience. I was practicing meditation for roughly a decade but for the secular benefits and my deep dive into consciousness was mostly from the perspective of the sciences and philosophy of mind, however I had some exposure to non-duality via SANDS, Peter Russell, John Hagelin and even Deepak Chopra and just the beginning of exploring Advaita. I did have the basic concept and also had experienced lucid dreams, so the meaning of the experience was pretty clear. I was the proverbial kid in the candy shop for those weeks, walking around with what must have been a big and constant silly grin.

Even now after digging pretty deep into Advaita and having over a year to digest it all and consider my experience I've barely scratched the surface. I'm a babe in all this but a very content one.

As you duly noted, " NDE experiencers will tell researchers it can't be put into words" and this is true to some extent.

There is a Zen saying which seems applicable to this discussion: "If it can be written (or spoken), then it is NOT Zen (or Truth)."

In keeping with this, it's ironic that I was meditating on Shiva Dakshinamurti this morning .... one who taught in utter and complete silence.

[deLord]

Guys I don't wanna sound like a senior teacher but the last 3 pages you were just talking about NDEs. If you want to talk about that, I am pretty sure there are other subforums and threads for this.

I put a lot of time into the writing of my posts, yet my Q's remain unanswered (see post #44 (to which I cannot link, page 5)). I only concisely repeat them here:
Who of you can demonstrate any siddhi to me?
Teachers were mentioned. Any more info?


[btw forum error "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." --- I have 19 posts yet cannot post any links?]

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by deLord

Guys I don't wanna sound like a senior teacher but the last 3 pages you were just talking about NDEs. If you want to talk about that, I am pretty sure there are other subforums and threads for this.

I put a lot of time into the writing of my posts, yet my Q's remain unanswered (see post #44 (to which I cannot link, page 5)). I only concisely repeat them here:
Who of you can demonstrate any siddhi to me?
Teachers were mentioned. Any more info?

Why is the development of siddhis so important to you?

Or do you imagine that developing siddhis will give you control over your life and what happens to you?

For me, a quiet mind, a loving heart and a state of peace are far more important than any powers of levitation or manifestation.

And let's be honest, developing siddhis requires a level of discipline and commitment which is certainly beyond me and probably beyond your capabilities as well.

Peace

[Miss Hepburn]

Hi,
I think it was pretty clear no one here could ans the questions so we did what normal people do,
we started a tangent about something else.
Welcome to the world of forums!!


But yeah, lets all clear outta here and leave this place to
someone that can answer deLord.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by deLord

Guys I don't wanna sound like a senior teacher but the last 3 pages you were just talking about NDEs. If you want to talk about that, I am pretty sure there are other subforums and threads for this.

I put a lot of time into the writing of my posts, yet my Q's remain unanswered (see post #44 (to which I cannot link, page 5)). I only concisely repeat them here:
Who of you can demonstrate any siddhi to me?
Teachers were mentioned. Any more info?


[btw forum error "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more." --- I have 19 posts yet cannot post any links?]

Have you defined Siddhi?

Being able to drive a car blindfolded might be considered Siddhi. What do you think?