Finding Silence

[china]

If you have inquired into what is meditation, and have understood the whole process of thinking, you will find that when meditating , the mind is completely still. In that total stillness of the mind, there is no watcher, no observer, and therefore no experiencer at all; there is no entity who is gathering experience, which is the activity of a self-centerd mind.
So, to meditate is to purge the mind of its self-centered activity. And if you have come this far in meditation, you will find there is silence, a total emptiness. The mind is uncontaminated by society; it is no longer subject to any influence, to the pressure of any desire. It is completely alone, and being alone, untouched, it is innocent. Therefore there is a possibility for that which is timeless, eternal, to come into being.
This whole process is meditation.

 

[Praxius]

I know a lot of people talk about meditation being a good thing and all of that, but one thing I never understood about meditation, is what's the point?

I mean, life is short..... why waste time with moments of nothingness? You clear your mind, all your surroundings are gone, and from how it always sounds, it's like a void in your life where nothing happens, nothing is done.

Sure it might be relaxing, but so is sleeping.

I guess I just come from the side of things where I would rather seek moments of vision, rather then moments of nothingness.

Or is it nothingness?

 

[diamond lady]

A nice story



Once upon a time, there lived in Basra an old man whose only occupation was caring for and loving his only son who was a handsome young man. The old man invested all his money on his son's education. The young man went away for a few years and acquired an education at a well known university under the great scholars of that age. The day had arrived for the son to return from his studies and the old man waited at the door for his son. When the son came and met his father, the old man looked into his eyes and felt great disappointment. "What have you learnt my son?" he asked, "I have learnt everything there was to be learnt, father", he said. "But have you learnt what cannot be taught?" asked the father. "Go, my son and learn what cannot be taught", said the old man. The young man went back to his master and asked him to teach him what cannot be taught. "Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are one thousand", said the master. The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd. There for the first time he encountered a silence. He had no one to talk to. The sheep did not understand his language. In his desperation, he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if to say he was stupid. Slowly but surely he began to forget all his worldly knowledge, his ego, his pride and he became quiet like the sheep and great wisdom and humility came to him. At the end of two years when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand, he returned to his master and fell on his feet. "Now you have learnt what cannot be taught," said the master.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Once upon a time, a man wanted silence. He drank 30 ounces of whiskey and hung him self. Don't need to meditate or worship Allah Durka to achieve that.

 

[talloola]

My daughter does deep meditation, and has described to me what she experiences
while in such a state.
I cannot do it, I cannot even begin, I have a busy mind, that can't/doesn't want to.
I don't feel I am missing out on anything I can experience while fully conscience, or fully aware.
I know it is different during meditation, than anything I can experience, but I
do feel I can be aware of the 'power of quiet', and the good it does, without
meditating.
I too, wonder what good it does, and I truly believe it is good for those who
want it to, and for those who don't, they have their own place to go if they
wish to experience something similar.
It seems to be a very religious experience, and I have no connection to spirits
or religion, hence, no interest.
I would like to know how others think about this subject.

 

[karrie]

Praxius, you questioned as to why, and I felt the same way for a long time. The whole notion made no sense to me. But, I've been sent for guided imagery therapy, which is a form of meditation, to help deal with certain medical issues, and I can't even begin to tell you how well it works, and how valuable it is. It has a lot of benefits to one's health, from lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, to calmer nerves.

 

[china]

Praxius,

Or is it nothingness?

You are the only person who can answer this very question Praxius .

 

[china]

diamond lady,

Once upon a time, there lived in Basra an old man whose only occupation was caring for and loving his only son who was a handsome young man. The old man invested all his money on his son's education. The young man went away for a few years and acquired an education at a well known university under the great scholars of that age. The day had arrived for the son to return from his studies and the old man waited at the door for his son. When the son came and met his father, the old man looked into his eyes and felt great disappointment. "What have you learnt my son?" he asked, "I have learnt everything there was to be learnt, father", he said. "But have you learnt what cannot be taught?" asked the father. "Go, my son and learn what cannot be taught", said the old man. The young man went back to his master and asked him to teach him what cannot be taught. "Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are one thousand", said the master. The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd. There for the first time he encountered a silence. He had no one to talk to. The sheep did not understand his language. In his desperation, he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if to say he was stupid. Slowly but surely he began to forget all his worldly knowledge, his ego, his pride and he became quiet like the sheep and great wisdom and humility came to him. At the end of two years when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand, he returned to his master and fell on his feet. "Now you have learned what cannot be taught," said the master.

Great story diamond lady ;simple and wise .

 

[L Gilbert]

Your head seems to be full of thoughts, CHina. Definitely not empty. So as a person with so much thought running around between your ears, how can you be telling everyone about what it is like to be empty-headed?

 

[Cliffy]

Everybody meditates in their own way. The formal practice of meditation, as in the Buddhist or Hindu traditions, is useful for health reasons, but for some it becomes an obsession and that is an unhealthy escapism from reality. I really don't think enlightenment can come from escaping daily life but from embracing it fully with all its dichotomy: blood, guts, joy, pain, ecstasy, suffering and love/hate.

When a person comes to accept life as it is without judgment or attachment, then they are really alive. They can experience the full gamut of feelings without being stuck in the moment or clinging to the feeling. Suffering is holding on to negative feelings. Elation is letting go so the next feeling can be experienced without the cloud of the previous getting in the way.

 

[talloola]

Praxius, you questioned as to why, and I felt the same way for a long time. The whole notion made no sense to me. But, I've been sent for guided imagery therapy, which is a form of meditation, to help deal with certain medical issues, and I can't even begin to tell you how well it works, and how valuable it is. It has a lot of benefits to one's health, from lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, to calmer nerves.

If this works for you Karrie, then do it, obviously there is something good in it
for you, and yes, if it has a medical healing aspect, then that is positive.

 

[china]

Praxius

I know a lot of people talk about meditation being a good thing and all of that, but one thing I never understood about meditation, is what's the point?[/quote

A meditation is a listening process of self-knowing in which there is no outer or inner compulsion, no fear, no judgment, no conflict, and as an awareness in the movement of action of everything that we do, so that each one may be a light unto himself .

I am alone. I sit completely still. I am quiet. I watch my thoughts and all the feelings that go with them. As I watch, my mind slows down.

I find serenity. I search for what is behind my thoughts and feelings, and what is behind that, and even behind that. There is peace.

I listen. I hear music. The notes are of a high pitch. Listening to this music gives me the feeling of watching the stars on a clear night. I call it ‘universal music’. There is a flow of energy. I relax into it.

My mind calls me and I go back into thought. I get lost in thought. I wake up to this and ask myself, “Is this what I want to do now?”

Again I watch my mind and its wanderings, and the whole process of awareness and listening is repeated. I see light. Some of this light is daylight coming through my eyelids, but I know from experience that some of it is there in total darkness. I call it ‘universal light’.

Again there is thought. I visualise the sun radiating golden and white light. I am bathed in this light. I visualise the valley and each member of the community in this light.

There is thought again as I think of the problems we have together.
Insight into some of our difficulties comes to me. I start being creative, but the cultivation of my creativity must wait. It is difficult to wait, as I have to wait until others are ready. I wait.


I look and see beauty, two beautiful, transcendent eyes. I look into those eyes. The flow of energy increases. I am lost in adoration. I sense a presence. It is very real. It is alive and close to me, very close. We are one.


I am back again in thought, but the feeling of love remains. I am glowing with good vibrations. Creativity calls. I must return to the world of activity. May the blessing I feel stay with me, and may I be able to share it with others.

.

 

[Nuggler]

Finding Silence


Would that you would find some.

 

[china]

Finding Silence


Would that you would find some.

You too Nuggler .
Happy New Year ,Love China

 

[china]

praxius

i know a lot of people talk about meditation being a good thing and all of that, but one thing i never understood about meditation, is what's the point?[/quote

a meditation is a listening process of self-knowing in which there is no outer or inner compulsion, no fear, no judgment, no conflict, and as an awareness in the movement of action of everything that we do, so that each one may be a light unto himself .

i am alone. I sit completely still. I am quiet. I watch my thoughts and all the feelings that go with them. As i watch, my mind slows down.

I find serenity. I search for what is behind my thoughts and feelings, and what is behind that, and even behind that. There is peace.

i listen. I hear music. The notes are of a high pitch. Listening to this music gives me the feeling of watching the stars on a clear night. I call it ‘universal music’. There is a flow of energy. I relax into it.

my mind calls me and i go back into thought. I get lost in thought. I wake up to this and ask myself, “is this what i want to do now?”

again i watch my mind and its wanderings, and the whole process of awareness and listening is repeated. I see light. Some of this light is daylight coming through my eyelids, but i know from experience that some of it is there in total darkness. I call it ‘universal light’.

again there is thought. I visualise the sun radiating golden and white light. I am bathed in this light. I visualise the valley and each member of the community in this light.

There is thought again as i think of the problems we have together.
insight into some of our difficulties comes to me. I start being creative, but the cultivation of my creativity must wait. It is difficult to wait, as i have to wait until others are ready. I wait.


i look and see beauty, two beautiful, transcendent eyes. I look into those eyes. The flow of energy increases. I am lost in adoration. I sense a presence. It is very real. It is alive and close to me, very close. We are one.


i am back again in thought, but the feeling of love remains. I am glowing with good vibrations. Creativity calls. I must return to the world of activity. May the blessing i feel stay with me, and may i be able to share it with others.

.

 

[china]

​

True newness is really a growth in seeing. Seeing grows on its own initiative and we can’t force it by following a formula or pattern, however novel it seems. It is not a creation of the brain. Thought must be quiet for the new to enter. And when it comes our hearts and minds will find a way of expressing it.

 

[china]

Cliffy ,

When a person comes to accept life as it is without judgment or attachment, then they are really alive. They can experience the full gamut of feelings without being stuck in the moment or clinging to the feeling. Suffering is holding on to negative feelings. Elation is letting go so the next feeling can be experienced without the cloud of the previous getting in the way.

[/QUOTE]

Obviously that is your way of living ,meditating .Like you said we all have our own ways - let's leave it at that .

 

[Cliffy]

Cliffy ,

Obviously that is your way of living ,meditating .Like you said we all have our own ways - let's leave it at that .[/quote]

China,

I'm not debating you on this subject, just expressing my take on the matter of meditation. Isn't that how we learn to understand others?

 

[china]

Isn't that how we learn to understand others?

There is only one person that you have to understand Cliffy, Yourself .

Read daomond lady's post Cliffy ; wisest post in this thread :

Once upon a time, there lived in Basra an old man whose only occupation was caring for and loving his only son who was a handsome young man. The old man invested all his money on his son's education. The young man went away for a few years and acquired an education at a well known university under the great scholars of that age. The day had arrived for the son to return from his studies and the old man waited at the door for his son. When the son came and met his father, the old man looked into his eyes and felt great disappointment. "What have you learnt my son?" he asked, "I have learnt everything there was to be learnt, father", he said. "But have you learnt what cannot be taught?" asked the father. "Go, my son and learn what cannot be taught", said the old man. The young man went back to his master and asked him to teach him what cannot be taught. "Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are one thousand", said the master. The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd. There for the first time he encountered a silence. He had no one to talk to. The sheep did not understand his language. In his desperation, he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if to say he was stupid. Slowly but surely he began to forget all his worldly knowledge, his ego, his pride and he became quiet like the sheep and great wisdom and humility came to him. At the end of two years when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand, he returned to his master and fell on his feet. "Now you have learned what cannot be taught," said the master.

 

[Cliffy]

There is only one person that you have to understand Cliffy, Yourself .:

I am aware of that. But what are all these other clowns doing in our reality if we don't need them? They are there for a reason. We need their input to understand ourselves. It is through the interaction with others, studying our reactions to them and theirs to us. We meditate when we review our day, process the data and come to conclusions and understanding of what it all means to us. Meditation can be a process of assimilating information. That Assimilation is the route to wisdom.

We have to quiet the mind, freeing it from the random mundane thoughts that babble on in the background of our minds in order to process.