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Post by zendancer on Jul 10, 2020 11:26:14 GMT -5
When I first began a meditation practice 35 years ago, I wasn't sure that the meditation would have the result that was promised--a less talkative mind (what I later learned is called "monkey mind" in the Zen tradition). Consequently, I decided to pursue the breath awareness practice while walking around the circular concourse of a local university basketball coliseum. I figured that even if the meditation practice wasn't helpful, at least I'd get an hour of exercise. I considered my hour of walking combined with attentiveness to the breath as possibly killing two birds with one stone. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. Two decades later I read about a British website that collected information about people who had had deep spiritual experiences. One of the questions the website managers asked people was, "What were you doing immediately prior to having a deep spiritual experience?" People sent in their answers, and the website ranked the activities that were most associated with such experiences. The most common thing that people reported was "suffering abject despair," and that response brings to mind people like Eckhart Tolle, Satyam Nadeen, and many others. The second and third most common responses were "meditation" and "being alone in nature." After learning about these responses, I began telling people interested in non-duality that a humorous and perhaps productive way to kill three birds with one stone is to walk in a wilderness area or nature setting, alone, while pursuing ATA-T. Simply looking at the natural world in silence while walking gives the body exercise and keeps attention shifted away from thoughts to "what is." Over many years that was one of my most enjoyable activities, and it often resulted in significant insights.  |
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Post by esponja on Jul 14, 2020 16:18:41 GMT -5
When I first began a meditation practice 35 years ago, I wasn't sure that the meditation would have the result that was promised--a less talkative mind (what I later learned is called "monkey mind" in the Zen tradition). Consequently, I decided to pursue the breath awareness practice while walking around the circular concourse of a local university basketball coliseum. I figured that even if the meditation practice wasn't helpful, at least I'd get an hour of exercise. I considered my hour of walking combined with attentiveness to the breath as possibly killing two birds with one stone. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. Two decades later I read about a British website that collected information about people who had had deep spiritual experiences. One of the questions the website managers asked people was, "What were you doing immediately prior to having a deep spiritual experience?" People sent in their answers, and the website ranked the activities that were most associated with such experiences. The most common thing that people reported was "suffering abject despair," and that response brings to mind people like Eckhart Tolle, Satyam Nadeen, and many others. The second and third most common responses were "meditation" and "being alone in nature." After learning about these responses, I began telling people interested in non-duality that a humorous and perhaps productive way to kill three birds with one stone is to walk in a wilderness area or nature setting, alone, while pursuing ATA-T. Simply looking at the natural world in silence while walking gives the body exercise and keeps attention shifted away from thoughts to "what is." Over many years that was one of my most enjoyable activities, and it often resulted in significant insights. Thank you. You and Reefs and others were instrumental in my spiritual growth. I became a mindfulness and relaxation coach for children. The ripple effect. I often practise mindfulness when out and about. 😊❤️ |
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Post by zendancer on Jul 14, 2020 16:59:58 GMT -5
When I first began a meditation practice 35 years ago, I wasn't sure that the meditation would have the result that was promised--a less talkative mind (what I later learned is called "monkey mind" in the Zen tradition). Consequently, I decided to pursue the breath awareness practice while walking around the circular concourse of a local university basketball coliseum. I figured that even if the meditation practice wasn't helpful, at least I'd get an hour of exercise. I considered my hour of walking combined with attentiveness to the breath as possibly killing two birds with one stone. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. Two decades later I read about a British website that collected information about people who had had deep spiritual experiences. One of the questions the website managers asked people was, "What were you doing immediately prior to having a deep spiritual experience?" People sent in their answers, and the website ranked the activities that were most associated with such experiences. The most common thing that people reported was "suffering abject despair," and that response brings to mind people like Eckhart Tolle, Satyam Nadeen, and many others. The second and third most common responses were "meditation" and "being alone in nature." After learning about these responses, I began telling people interested in non-duality that a humorous and perhaps productive way to kill three birds with one stone is to walk in a wilderness area or nature setting, alone, while pursuing ATA-T. Simply looking at the natural world in silence while walking gives the body exercise and keeps attention shifted away from thoughts to "what is." Over many years that was one of my most enjoyable activities, and it often resulted in significant insights. Thank you. You and Reefs and others were instrumental in my spiritual growth. I became a mindfulness and relaxation coach for children. The ripple effect. I often practise mindfulness when out and about. 😊❤️ Welcome back to the website E. Long time no see. |
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Post by amit on Jul 15, 2020 5:16:53 GMT -5
When I first began a meditation practice 35 years ago, I wasn't sure that the meditation would have the result that was promised--a less talkative mind (what I later learned is called "monkey mind" in the Zen tradition). Consequently, I decided to pursue the breath awareness practice while walking around the circular concourse of a local university basketball coliseum. I figured that even if the meditation practice wasn't helpful, at least I'd get an hour of exercise. I considered my hour of walking combined with attentiveness to the breath as possibly killing two birds with one stone. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. Two decades later I read about a British website that collected information about people who had had deep spiritual experiences. One of the questions the website managers asked people was, "What were you doing immediately prior to having a deep spiritual experience?" People sent in their answers, and the website ranked the activities that were most associated with such experiences. The most common thing that people reported was "suffering abject despair," and that response brings to mind people like Eckhart Tolle, Satyam Nadeen, and many others. The second and third most common responses were "meditation" and "being alone in nature." After learning about these responses, I began telling people interested in non-duality that a humorous and perhaps productive way to kill three birds with one stone is to walk in a wilderness area or nature setting, alone, while pursuing ATA-T. Simply looking at the natural world in silence while walking gives the body exercise and keeps attention shifted away from thoughts to "what is." Over many years that was one of my most enjoyable activities, and it often resulted in significant insights. Hi ZD, Speaking of abject despair, do you know the passage in I AM ThAT, where a seeker states that he is in abject despair that progress will ever be made, and Niz tells him that he is in a most advantageous position to realize that he is already the Supreme? As though despair was a prequisite (page number?) My copy was stolen from my wife while she was borrowing it.. |
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Post by zendancer on Jul 15, 2020 6:05:18 GMT -5
When I first began a meditation practice 35 years ago, I wasn't sure that the meditation would have the result that was promised--a less talkative mind (what I later learned is called "monkey mind" in the Zen tradition). Consequently, I decided to pursue the breath awareness practice while walking around the circular concourse of a local university basketball coliseum. I figured that even if the meditation practice wasn't helpful, at least I'd get an hour of exercise. I considered my hour of walking combined with attentiveness to the breath as possibly killing two birds with one stone. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened. Two decades later I read about a British website that collected information about people who had had deep spiritual experiences. One of the questions the website managers asked people was, "What were you doing immediately prior to having a deep spiritual experience?" People sent in their answers, and the website ranked the activities that were most associated with such experiences. The most common thing that people reported was "suffering abject despair," and that response brings to mind people like Eckhart Tolle, Satyam Nadeen, and many others. The second and third most common responses were "meditation" and "being alone in nature." After learning about these responses, I began telling people interested in non-duality that a humorous and perhaps productive way to kill three birds with one stone is to walk in a wilderness area or nature setting, alone, while pursuing ATA-T. Simply looking at the natural world in silence while walking gives the body exercise and keeps attention shifted away from thoughts to "what is." Over many years that was one of my most enjoyable activities, and it often resulted in significant insights. Hi ZD, Speaking of abject despair, do you know the passage in I AM ThAT, where a seeker states that he is in abject despair that progress will ever be made, and Niz tells him that he is in a most advantageous position to realize that he is already the Supreme? As though despair was a prequisite (page number?) My copy was stolen from my wife while she was borrowing it.. I vaguely remember reading that, but I didn't specifically associate it with Niz. I think Gangaji also once told a seeker the same sort of thing. I hadn't really thought about abject despair in the sense of extreme frustration with progress on the spiritual path, but I can see that that might fall into the same general category. I had thought of abject despair more in the sense of people like Satyam Nadeen, whose sense of self was under assault by finding himself in a nightmare prison environment, or Eckhart Tolle, whose despair seemed to be associated with an extremely negative self image and incessant negative mind talk about past life experiences. Apparently abject despair can arise in many different ways. Interesting. |
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Post by esponja on Jul 15, 2020 6:41:42 GMT -5
Thank you. You and Reefs and others were instrumental in my spiritual growth. I became a mindfulness and relaxation coach for children. The ripple effect. I often practise mindfulness when out and about. 😊❤️ Welcome back to the website E. Long time no see. Thank you. I’ve been lurking in the background but with all the social media, I haven’t been inclined to get too involved in long threads. They are too intellectual for little ole’ me 🤣😉😉. |
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Post by amit on Jul 15, 2020 7:50:18 GMT -5
Hi ZD, Speaking of abject despair, do you know the passage in I AM ThAT, where a seeker states that he is in abject despair that progress will ever be made, and Niz tells him that he is in a most advantageous position to realize that he is already the Supreme? As though despair was a prequisite (page number?) My copy was stolen from my wife while she was borrowing it.. I vaguely remember reading that, but I didn't specifically associate it with Niz. I think Gangaji also once told a seeker the same sort of thing. I hadn't really thought about abject despair in the sense of extreme frustration with progress on the spiritual path, but I can see that that might fall into the same general category. I had thought of abject despair more in the sense of people like Satyam Nadeen, whose sense of self was under assault by finding himself in a nightmare prison environment, or Eckhart Tolle, whose despair seemed to be associated with an extremely negative self image and incessant negative mind talk about past life experiences. Apparently abject despair can arise in many different ways. Interesting. Thanks. |
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