Re: Jen's Paradise of nothingness


"Keynes" <Keynes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:u8pja39kflt8bb4ag33jathr7s4rbmd4dg@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:40:47 -0700, Bonobo <me@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Jul 23, 5:19 pm, "buddhapest" <pestaroo...@xxxxxxxxx>

which is why many
serious spiritual seekers end up in a cave
for many years

Aha! Maybe that little bit of meditation gives me the temporary 'cave'
I need to retreat from the madness to compose myself!

(Actually I am starting to make sense to myself!)

:-) < Hopefully non inane smile

Of course even the Tibetan Yogi's do their tantric stuff before
stressful thingies...

I don't think meditation is something you leave in the boat?
Or is it?

At first meditation centers the mind on an object (the breath),
and this anchoring of present attention reduces other perceptions
that ordinarily trouble one, such as ordinary thoughts and the
feelings they produce.

imagine that you have to sit forever. no chance
of ever doing anything else. feel that clutching
in the stomach area? that's a lack consciousness.

After one can be easily centered, then thoughts and feelings
reappear as objects without their former compulsive nature.
One has learned detachment from them and so can observe
them objectively without being subjectively submerged in
them as before.

and compulsively detached?

While formerly one could see the follies in others easily,
now one can see the same in himself and not be led so
easily into unskillful reactions.

putting one on a par with those
who aren't focused?

Centering-detachment can become habitual apart from
formal sitting. This is mindfulness or present awareness.
The present is not at all problematic as ordinary monkey
mindedness is. Things don't come and go in the present,
but only in ordinary timely thinking that makes comparisons
and plans. Evaluation of experience is absent, so one finds
no fault with anything. This is not just peace, but beauty.
In it, there's nowhere to go and nothing to do.

nothing to do except formal sitting, habitual
detachment, mindfulness and peace and beauty
perceptions?

Formal sitting or not sitting is not an issue at that point.

concern about non-issues is though?

But in the middle way one walks on the edge of a sword.
(Like the straight and narrow way of Jesus.) On the right
is submersion in subjectivity-samsara. On the left,
total indifference. The center is to be maintained, so
in extremis, it's prudent to sit and recenter if it can't
be done otherwise.

does this centering incorporate both
the aspects of submersion and indifference?
a hearty blend to accentuate one's nothingness
practice which includes detachment, mindfulness
and those peace and beauty perceptions?

It's the centering and present mindfulness that's important,
not how to get there.

oh sure but once you're there and you've
convinced yourself that that something is
nothing how do you escape nothingness?

imagine that there is nothingness, always
has been, always will be. feel that clutching
in the stomach area? more lack consciousness
raising its ugly head saying it wants out.

.

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