Silencing the mind.

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Starman

I think the internal dialogue is okay. We talk to ourselves to work things out...

Silence is only a break, and it does help us when we return to the external noise....

Though short periods of silence are little different than a break, longer periods have tangible affect. Most notably are clarity and peacefulness.

I know it seems counter intuitive as those voices seem to be helping us figure stuff out. However, with the greater clarity of the silent mind, little figuring out need be done, many answers/solutions are 'just visible'. No need to figure anything out if the solution is readily available.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by wstein

Though short periods of silence are little different than a break, longer periods have tangible affect.
Most notably are clarity and peacefulness.

I know it seems counter intuitive as those voices seem to be helping us figure stuff out.
However, with the greater clarity of the silent mind,
little figuring out need be done, many answers/solutions are 'just visible'.
No need to figure anything out if the solution is readily available.

You said it!
And, oh my..
I won't even tell people what happens with me after 3 hours.
They would drop their jaws, maybe be envious (a big no-no) or
not believe me!
Way beyond peacefulness or clarity.

A short session is like nibbling, which is very nice...when there's a entire banquet table covered
with food as far as the eye can see kinda going up into the blue sky and beautiful clouds, waiting for us.
A metaphor.


This is still on topic ---Silencing the mind...
I'm just gonna make an aside here, to my buddies in this section :)...it has been years since I have tried to figure something out.
If I can't find something, if I need something, if I am wondering how the heck am I gonna fix this or install this...
I walk away and inwardly wink at God (you can say Higher Intuitive Self. if ya like) - cuz
'He' knows I completely depend on 'Him' - the Divine One, (I say with reverence), ever present, everywhere to give
me the solution or tell me where my car keys are.

Years of daily issues -He hasn't failed me yet!! Whether one of His angels pops the idea in my head or whomever He uses...
I can be lost - and I am told to turn left when the written directions say right.
Ah, and people wonder why I adore Him so, the Creator. ❤️

[Starman]

Originally Posted by wstein

Though short periods of silence are little different than a break, longer periods have tangible affect. Most notably are clarity and peacefulness.

I know it seems counter intuitive as those voices seem to be helping us figure stuff out. However, with the greater clarity of the silent mind, little figuring out need be done, many answers/solutions are 'just visible'. No need to figure anything out if the solution is readily available.

I agree 100%. Although for most people silence is but a break. The voice in our head is us, even if it sounds differently than our own voice. Yes, I experience how nothing needs to be figured out when one bathes in their own deeper quiet presence. My gist is that the human mind is a tool, a gift, that we can develop and use. The problem is not with the human mind rather the problem is how people may use their mind. How our mind acts is based on our own inner conditioning. Yes, I agree, and experience, that true clarity is the absence of all thought and images. But in my opinion everything, including our very own mind, is useful. It does not have to be a bifurcation.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Perhaps we may consider that what we call as silencing the mind, is the resting of that aspect which is restricted or confined to the mind body entity.

Upon recognition that we are not the mind body but consciousness unbound, merely resident in form, we may choose, as of our will to employ the instrument of thought only as and when needed, while, for the most part, nestled in a continuum of thought rested awareness.

There is then nothing to be silenced. Silence & stillness is ever present, as our natural state of being.

[Starman]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Perhaps we may consider that what we call as silencing the mind, is the resting of that aspect which is restricted or confined to the mind body entity.

Upon recognition that we are not the mind body but consciousness unbound, merely resident in form, we may choose, as of our will to employ the instrument of thought only as and when needed, while, for the most part, nestled in a continuum of thought rested awareness.

There is then nothing to be silenced. Silence & stillness is ever present, as our natural state of being.

That is a very wonderful and insightful statement. It is sort of what I have been saying, except acknowledging that and aspect of our consciousness may be confined to our human mind-body configuration as you have stated. That which is being silenced is very small compared to the silence itself.

As has already been stated the silence is always there and is undisturbed and untouched by the cacophony of mind. The "trick" is first recognizing and then resting in That silence, resting in Awareness.

For me meditation reduced the cacophony of mind revealing the silence and knowledge revealed Its significance.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Perhaps we may consider that what we call as silencing the mind, is the resting of that aspect which is restricted or confined to the mind body entity.

Upon recognition that we are not the mind body but consciousness unbound, merely resident in form, we may choose, as of our will to employ the instrument of thought only as and when needed, while, for the most part, nestled in a continuum of thought rested awareness.

There is then nothing to be silenced. Silence & stillness is ever present, as our natural state of being.

Oh, that was good.
You, too, JASG and Starman.

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Upon recognition that we are not the mind body but consciousness unbound, merely resident in form, we may choose, as of our will to employ the instrument of thought only as and when needed, while, for the most part, nestled in a continuum of thought rested awareness. ...

Feels like you just deferring the misidentification to another level.

What leads you to believe that we are any more consciousness than mind? Aren't they both just 'tools' we are using?

[Unseeking Seeker]

Originally Posted by wstein

Feels like you just deferring the misidentification to another level.

What leads you to believe that we are any more consciousness than mind? Aren't they both just 'tools' we are using?

Stepping outside meaning of consciousness and mind, let us simply say that that aspect confined to or stagnating in transience is an identity or ego spectrum, which usually spirals around in narrowness. Here the doer or identity is in focus.

The universe connected aspect has no entity (you/me/he) present. It is simply thought rested awareness, self existent & blissful.

On a very simple level we may say that the attribute of lower mind is grasping, whereas the higher mind is connecting ... merging by melting.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

...the silence is always there ..

The "trick" is first recognizing and then
resting in That silence, resting in Awareness.

...knowledge revealed Its significance.

I keep coming back to this.
Rest is a big word ...helps the beginner not to see
meditation as so hard, I think.
I think of it or describe it as similar to sunbathing...so sweetly listening to the sounds of the seagulls, feeling the warmth of the sun.

Intention or attitude when we start meditation helps so much...like, to physically smile and look fwd
to sitting in such peace waiting for you.
And you can talk to the mind gently like to a child..."No... this is resting time...you can think about that later."