Advice from experienced meditators

In most of my daily life these days, there is not that much overt thought (at least that's detectable to me at this point). Sometimes I even drop it, something I haven't done for a while.

Often when I am reading or surfing, I can feel the 'sound' of silence all around me. It's not a sound but it's a presence, it's there. That part comes and goes.

Regardless, with this (relative) quieter mind, I also realize that I am not doing much. I also still get upset thinking about a recent occurrence, but it hasn't folded me.

But in terms of actions, choices, something to work on - Not much comes to me. When I read from things, I am inspired by people who have lived their lives in something that they believe in, and as a Buddhist I have long been brought up on, and concur with, the principles of compassion, love, practice and well-being. I am also interested in spiritual topics and like these people.

Today I brought thought forward to think through various things, but it felt hollow. I recognize and can detect creation, and potentiality, but cannot detect passion or interest.

I think I am missing something here.

Thank you.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by janielee

In most of my daily life these days, there is not that much overt thought (at least that's detectable to me at this point). Sometimes I even drop it, something I haven't done for a while.

Often when I am reading or surfing, I can feel the 'sound' of silence all around me. It's not a sound but it's a presence, it's there. That part comes and goes.

Regardless, with this (relative) quieter mind, I also realize that I am not doing much. I also still get upset thinking about a recent occurrence, but it hasn't folded me.

But in terms of actions, choices, something to work on - Not much comes to me. When I read from things, I am inspired by people who have lived their lives in something that they believe in, and as a Buddhist I have long been brought up on, and concur with, the principles of compassion, love, practice and well-being. I am also interested in spiritual topics and like these people.

Today I brought thought forward to think through various things, but it felt hollow. I recognize and can detect creation, and potentiality, but cannot detect passion or interest.

I think I am missing something here.

Thank you.

i think passion/interest are something one would want to divest themselves of anyway in traditional meditation? The idea being to invest yourself in just being rather than in the trappings of going somewhere else? But I don't really know the answer to this first-hand. Maybe someone else will have a better perspective on it...

Thanks FL, yes not in meditation but also in moments after. Maybe I've not worded it correctly - I'll take another look in the morrow, thanks again.

Originally Posted by janielee

In most of my daily life these days, there is not that much overt thought (at least that's detectable to me at this point). Sometimes I even drop it, something I haven't done for a while.

Often when I am reading or surfing, I can feel the 'sound' of silence all around me. It's not a sound but it's a presence, it's there. That part comes and goes.

Regardless, with this (relative) quieter mind, I also realize that I am not doing much. I also still get upset thinking about a recent occurrence, but it hasn't folded me.

But in terms of actions, choices, something to work on - Not much comes to me. When I read from things, I am inspired by people who have lived their lives in something that they believe in, and as a Buddhist I have long been brought up on, and concur with, the principles of compassion, love, practice and well-being. I am also interested in spiritual topics and like these people.

Today I brought thought forward to think through various things, but it felt hollow. I recognize and can detect creation, and potentiality, but cannot detect passion or interest.

I think I am missing something here.

Thank you.

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for but here goes.

We sit in formal practice for the purpose of cultivating that state of being so it eventually becomes more and more a part of our everyday existence, supplementing formal practice with informal practice, walking meditation being one type of informal practice.

Now I'm going to switch tracks and speak to practices of knowledge (Jnana) and action (Karma).

The practice of knowledge instructs us we are not the body or the mind. We are the Witness of both. The practice of action that most suits me and dovetails nicely with knowledge is Work as Witness. That is I am not the doer of action but the Witness.

If I think of it like meditation the knowledge work is the formal practice. Reading texts, watching lectures and the action work is the informal practice, bringing the formal practice into everything I do throughout the day. In effect spiritualizing every aspect of life. For instance I am not the mind thinking the thoughts or the body posting the thoughts. I'm the Witness of those actions (mind thinking and body posting).

If the mind gets agitated or excited it's okay because it's not Me. If the body gets uncomfortable in the chair it's not Me. I'm merely witnessing the agitation, excitement, discomfort. So it's all okay and doesn't touch Me. That's not to say I can do or say anything without thought of spiritual repercussion. That would be nihilism. Action, gross or subtle, still needs to be moral and ethical.

In this way all three practices (Jnana, Karma & Raja) are complimentary, all driving towards the same goal. That is they all work towards shifting identification from mind-body to Consciousness. It gives the mind-body "permission" to be the mind-body, within moral and ethical constraints, while attempting to keep one more closely identified with one's spiritual nature. Kind of like having one's cake, eating it too and not putting on weight.

https://vedanta.org/yoga-spiritual-p...rk-karma-yoga/

Jnanis take a different but equally effective tack. They know that although the body or the mind performs action, in reality they do no work at all. In the midst of intense activity, they rest in the deep stillness of the Atman. Maintaining the attitude of a witness, jnanis continually remember that they are not the body, not the mind. They know the Atman is not subject to fatigue or anxiety or excitement; pure, perfect and free, the Atman has no struggle to engage in, no goal to attain.

EDIT: Psychology and neuroscience posit both consciousness and free will are illusions. From the perspective of material reductionism (mind-body, objective reality) that might very well be correct. I would posit from the spiritual perspective that is incorrect. That spirit is the seat of both and they can fully manifest through mind-body if one is sufficiently spiritually attuned, the ultimate manifestation being an enlightened being like Jesus, Buddha or Ramakrishna or any other considered a saint or avatar.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Each journey is unique, contoured by its own nuances, so perhaps we each must navigate the path ourself. However, the paradox usually is that surrender is essential to allow the divine to enable us optimally, whilst seeking signals discontent requiring a doing, as in a practice. No sooner we adopt an aspect of doership, we get in our own way, since we are no longer trusting God to do as He wills.

The shift as I see it is to simply seek connection rather than imagined attainment. Like lovers. Our lover sits next to us and we don’t plan any agenda. We are simply joyful because we are together. Connected. As such our prioritisation triggered by a burning yearning to be in God connectedness in an unbroken continuum should do the trick. It cannot be a pretended emotion, however.

As far as worry or anxiety related to mind body goes, it is natural. Something like knowing we are in delusion ... seeing it for what it is ... accepting that being in this here we are constrained although knowing that our soul or spirit is eternal. So we say ‘ok, this is the fleeting pain which I feel and experience as real and poignant for soul growth ... so be it.’ That way, we recognise ... the pain remains but does not translate into suffering. We see the larger picture.

Thanks JASG, very kind of you

I understand the sitting part for now.

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

Each journey is unique, contoured by its own nuances, so perhaps we each must navigate the path ourself. However, the paradox usually is that surrender is essential to allow the divine to enable us optimally, whilst seeking signals discontent requiring a doing, as in a practice. No sooner we adopt an aspect of doership, we get in our own way, since we are no longer trusting God to do as He wills.

The shift as I see it is to simply seek connection rather than imagined attainment. Like lovers. Our lover sits next to us and we don’t plan any agenda. We are simply joyful because we are together. Connected. As such our prioritisation triggered by a burning yearning to be in God connectedness in an unbroken continuum should do the trick. It cannot be a pretended emotion, however.

As far as worry or anxiety related to mind body goes, it is natural. Something like knowing we are in delusion ... seeing it for what it is ... accepting that being in this here we are constrained although knowing that our soul or spirit is eternal. So we say ‘ok, this is the fleeting pain which I feel and experience as real and poignant for soul growth ... so be it.’ That way, we recognise ... the pain remains but does not translate into suffering. We see the larger picture.

Thanks Unseeking Seeker; the instinct keeps coming to do. I need to do something.

Thank you, that's very helpful, thank you.

jl

Originally Posted by janielee

Thanks JASG, very kind of you

I understand the sitting part for now.

I'm guessing Buddhism has a few words to say about Karma and action.

Here's a paradoxical mind-twister on Karma. LOL!

https://youtu.be/n-SUJ0Vwelk?t=1182

thank you JASG

As an old dog who isn't interested in new tricks easily, I appreciate this video very much, JASG.