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Post by paralda on Oct 29, 2010 5:05:30 GMT -5
Sorry, new here, found the forum from Google.
All I need to know is how do I find my spiritual teacher?
I seem to be pulled back into my path.
I quit following my path because I got stuck in failure after failure with meditation. And have now started again, without luck. I am starting to get very frustrated and skeptic. Which is not good for my souls urge. Please, if anyone has an idea what I can do, PM me.
Thank you,
Blessed be
Paralda
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Post by Peter on Oct 29, 2010 7:32:55 GMT -5
Hi Paralda, welcome to the board. Why would you want to be PM'd when the responses you receive publicly could also help other seekers? First off is: What sort of tradition appeals to you? That question would help you narrow it down a lot. Or if it's more about the person than what's actually being taught then .... yes, I can see that might appeal, but you're leaving yourself open to being affected by a cult of personality and ending up not really having anything at the end of the day. Of course, ZD might suggest that that's entirely the aim! Have you read our parent website - Spiritual Teachers.org Anyone reviewed there that resonates with you? What is it you think that's pulling you back onto your path? What was it do you think that caused your failure with meditation. Was it just "not doing it", or did you meet something specific? I found that arranging a regular session with other like minded souls was a good way to keep a routine. It sounds like you have expectations about your meditation that are not being met. You might want to look at that and discuss it here if you're able. A tip my teacher gave me is to make sure you've prepared for your meditation before sitting down. You need an hour beforehand where you've not read a paper, watched a TV, used a computer etc. You need your "ToDo" list either done or written down so you're not mentally composing it during meditation. Cup of tea and a quiet sit somewhere comfortable 10 mins before you start and then when you hit the cushions take 5 minutes to "arrive" and "get into your body", do a body-scan etc before you start to actually meditate. Allow that soul urge to come up and mentally state your purpose to meditate for N minutes. Anyhoo, that's what came to mind. Welcome Peter |
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Post by zendancer on Oct 29, 2010 14:14:43 GMT -5
Sorry, new here, found the forum from Google. All I need to know is how do I find my spiritual teacher? I seem to be pulled back into my path.I quit following my path because I got stuck in failure after failure with meditation. And have now started again, without luck. I am starting to get very frustrated and skeptic. Which is not good for my souls urge. Please, if anyone has an idea what I can do, PM me. Thank you, Blessed beParaldaParalda: You are surrounded by excellent spiritual teachers, but you are ignoring them all. The rocks and trees are preaching sermons of truth all day long, but you aren't listening. Your body is trying to get your attention every day, but you refuse to notice what its doing. Stop and be still. Stop expecting anything. Stop thinking, reflecting, imagining, naming, distinguishing, identifying, cognizing, judging, .........stop everything. Just be silent and look around WITHOUT KNOWING. You have never stopped following your path because whatever you are doing IS your path. Until now you have been lost in endless cycles of thought. That has been your path. Now it is time to put it all down. Go outside and look at the sky. Listen to the wind. Don't try to understand anything with the mind. Simply contemplate what you want to know and become totally empty. Stay empty, open, and receptive. Become a fool who doesn't know anything whatsoever. If you can't stop everything, and your mind is totally out of control, then do your meditation practice. If you can't do your meditation practice, then repeat a mantra ("om mani padme sum" or any mantra that appeals to you). If you can't repeat a mantra, then go hike ten miles in the woods every day while looking and listening. Remember, you have never left the path or returned to the path. You ARE the path. You have never gotten stuck or gotten free. You ARE freedom itself. You have never failed and you have never succeeded. Who you are is beyond all such silly ideas. You already know what's going on, but your mind is running in circles and obscuring the truth. Become silent and the truth will appear. Take care. |
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Post by Portto on Oct 30, 2010 8:02:01 GMT -5
Really nice, ZD!
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Post by paralda on Oct 31, 2010 4:01:38 GMT -5
Yeah, I know about that. That's why I came here in the first place. So that wouldn't happen.
That's just it. Nothing happened. Not even that feeling of stillness or silence. Not for one moment.
Well, yeah. Its hard to explain, but my mind is always filled with garbage, and can't seem to shake the perils of every day life. I like to find the "why" to everything which surrounds me. (even though I know that's not possible). Yet, I still have to try.
That's a good idea. I will give it a try. Thank you.
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Post by paralda on Oct 31, 2010 4:12:39 GMT -5
Like I mentioned in my previous post. I want to meditate so i can make that stillness a reality. And naturally I have expectations, been trying to visualize for about 5years now, and still haven't got it.
Now. I have been reading my Numerology reports, my Zodiac etc. And all them are talking about my abilities. I.e. Im a Gemini, and I have 4 Master numbers in my numerology chart: Birth Chart, Souls Urge, Expression and Personality. All elevens.
What I can't understand is; if I have all these talents as Im told. Why can't I tune into them?
Thank you very much though. It would be helpful if I had that stillness. But as it seems, I do not.
I really doubt that. If this is my path, then I have been dealt a very, very bad hand in life.
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Post by zendancer on Oct 31, 2010 8:20:49 GMT -5
Paralda: Your path is neither good nor bad; it is what it is. Visualization practices are not particularly helpful if your mind is running in circles and talking all the time. You probably ought to try something much simpler, such as breath counting, repeating a mantra, going for long walks outdoors while looking at the world, or doing some repetitive physical activity, such as bowing. Right now you are living in your head, and you need to find a way to cut through thoughts and get back into your body. Your body is a pathway to the truth. It never asks "why?" It never identifies itself with numerology charts. It never wonders if it should keep pumping blood or transmitting nerve impulses. If long walks don't create some mental space, then try something more strenuous, perhaps climbing a mountain or running. Your mind will get tired and slow down before your body gets tired, and you'll begin to come out of the mind-fog you're in. If you're out of shape, then start slowly and build up your strength and stamina gradually. Just watch the body, feel the body, and be the body. Get into the body totally and leave all ideas behind about being special in any way. Try it. What have you got to lose?
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Post by Peter on Nov 3, 2010 8:06:39 GMT -5
Yes, a breath-watching practice might suit you better. One of my meditation teachers has set up a website where he introduces The Mindfulness of Breathing. It's a meditation in 4 stages so - if you get into it - you might want to try some timed chimes to help you mark the stages without having to open your eyes, check a watch, etc. Something I forgot to mention is that as well as taking a few minutes to arrive, it's worth staying seated for a minute or so when you've finished your meditation. Try and see if your mind feels any different when you started. That might give you some more confidence that what you're doing is actually having some impact. Also there's a ton of information out there about "The Hindrances" and how to work with them. For example if your practice is heading towards sloth and dreaming then you can move your breath so that you're breathing higher in your chest. If you're anxious and restless, then move your breathing down into your stomach, etc. What does "trying to visualize for about 5years now" actually mean? Have you been doing it 20 minutes every day for 5 years? Seems unlikely. Me, if I wasn't getting some results within a week, I'd be thinking about trying something else. And that is, I think, the advice that you're getting here. My take on "Why We're Here" is that we have soul lessons to learn. So the more of a challenge we find ourselves in, the more opportunities we have for lesson learning and growth. You seem to be enjoying some self pity, saying that you've "been dealt a very, very bad hand". This attitude will not help you grow. Consider that it's possible you arranged your "hand" before you incarnated here - what are you trying to teach yourself? Well it can't be that "Nothing" happened, because nothing is nothing. I guess your thoughts just continued to do their thing, chattering away, hmm? Well yes, that is what they do. The point to really get a handle on is: Are you aware of your thoughts, or are you lost in them? It's a bit like watching a film at the cinema. You get totally immersed in the film - there's nothing else in your mind - and then now and again you'll "come to" and be aware that you're in a cinema watching a film. It's this awareness that you're looking to (gently) bring yourself back to. And you might need to do that 20 or 100 times in the course of one meditation session, don't beat yourself up about it. If you don't have to do it much then your meditation is going well. If you do have to do it a lot then you're working on your meditation well. Also, when you come back to awareness, take a (very brief) mental note of what it is that's sucked you in. Are you mulling over the past, worrying about the future, fantasising or planning? If it's always the same thing, then you might have something you need to deal with, one way or another. The silence thing....well I suggest you forget about that for the time being because your expectations are holding you back. If it happens, it happens. Good luck, Peter |
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Post by frankshank on Nov 3, 2010 8:17:24 GMT -5
I do a spot of tai chi every so often. If I wanted to be mr chill I'd do it every day with meditation. I use a david carradine tai chi dvd. It's simple and effective. Half an hour of tai chi for the mind and you'll find meditation after much easier.
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