what's on in Alice Springs?
an introduction to meditation workshop @ YogaWay Studio, 20 Kidman Street
12-13 April 1pm-7pm. $100,- .p.p reservations essential
meditation techniques from the purest Zen and Theravada traditions adapted for modern life
For reservations text, inbox on Facebook (Lessons in Less), or email foraclearmind@gmail.com
meditation classes @ YogaWay Studio 20 Kidman Street
mondays and thursdays 6:00pm-7:15pm starting from 14 April 2014
$15 per session
10 lessons card $120
For reservations text, inbox on facebook (Lessons in Less), or email foraclearmind@gmail.com
counselling
by appointment only. please email foraclearmind@gmail.com
payment on sliding scale basis dependent on income
Monday, March 31, 2014
Dadirri: Deep Listening
In her book Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines (The Transgender Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia) Judy Atkinson introduces us to the concept of Dadirri, a kind of listening that does not only involve thee ears:
"The principles of reciprocity ("in dadirri - we call on it and it calls on us"; Ungunmerr 1993a: 36) are informed by the responsibilities that come with knowing and living dadirri. This principle shaped the dialectic between the researcher and the researched. "I will listen to you, as you listen to, share with me. Our shared experiences are different, but in the inner deep listening to, and quiet, still awareness of each other, we learn and grow together. In this we create community and our shared knowledge(s) and wisdom are expanded from our communication with each other."
A big part of dadirri is listening.
Through the years we have listened to the stories In our Aboriginal way, we learn to listen from our earliest days. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened. This was the normal way for us to learn - not by asking questions. We learned by watching and listening, waiting and then acting. Our people have passed on this way of listening for over 40,000 years (Ungunmerr 1993a:35)."
In mindfulness training we also use the concept of Deep Listening. It is done in group and a stick is passed around. Whomever holds the stick talks while the rest concentrates on that person and that person alone. All bodies lean into the direction of the speaker, all senses are focussed on the speaker. Not only her words are heard, but also her silences, her body language, that what she does not say.
This is not only extremely healing to she that is being heard, but also to the listeners. Not only the life story is heard, but also life itself. Deep calm is the result. The therapeutic value of deep listening cannot be stressed enough. The Aboriginal peoples of Australia knew this 40,000 years ago.
Aboriginal educator and artist, Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Bauman talks about challenges facing Aboriginal communities, and the Aboriginal concept of 'dadirri', a form of deep inner listening and contemplation. She spoke to Eureka Street TV at an Indigenous Theology Symposium held at Australian Catholic University Brisbane campus, and the interview is sponsored by the University's Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2YMnmrmBg8#t=96
Judy Atkinson, Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines (The Transgender Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia) Spinifex Press, 2002, p17-18
Judy Atkinson
"The principles of reciprocity ("in dadirri - we call on it and it calls on us"; Ungunmerr 1993a: 36) are informed by the responsibilities that come with knowing and living dadirri. This principle shaped the dialectic between the researcher and the researched. "I will listen to you, as you listen to, share with me. Our shared experiences are different, but in the inner deep listening to, and quiet, still awareness of each other, we learn and grow together. In this we create community and our shared knowledge(s) and wisdom are expanded from our communication with each other."
A big part of dadirri is listening.
Through the years we have listened to the stories In our Aboriginal way, we learn to listen from our earliest days. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened. This was the normal way for us to learn - not by asking questions. We learned by watching and listening, waiting and then acting. Our people have passed on this way of listening for over 40,000 years (Ungunmerr 1993a:35)."
In mindfulness training we also use the concept of Deep Listening. It is done in group and a stick is passed around. Whomever holds the stick talks while the rest concentrates on that person and that person alone. All bodies lean into the direction of the speaker, all senses are focussed on the speaker. Not only her words are heard, but also her silences, her body language, that what she does not say.
This is not only extremely healing to she that is being heard, but also to the listeners. Not only the life story is heard, but also life itself. Deep calm is the result. The therapeutic value of deep listening cannot be stressed enough. The Aboriginal peoples of Australia knew this 40,000 years ago.
Aboriginal educator and artist, Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Bauman talks about challenges facing Aboriginal communities, and the Aboriginal concept of 'dadirri', a form of deep inner listening and contemplation. She spoke to Eureka Street TV at an Indigenous Theology Symposium held at Australian Catholic University Brisbane campus, and the interview is sponsored by the University's Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2YMnmrmBg8#t=96
Judy Atkinson, Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines (The Transgender Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia) Spinifex Press, 2002, p17-18
Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Bauman
Another way of getting to the blank space behind our thoughts: the Now
When Eckhart Tolle speaks (and he speaks a lot in public) he always talks about only one thing: the Now; the present moment. He is the Master of the Now and he is very good at explaining in very precise language what the Now is.
You might wonder: what is so special about that, we all know what the word 'now' means, we all know what the Now is....
This is not true, we know in fact very little about the Now.
Try to answer this question: What is the Now?
When we google the word NOW we get a number of definitions:
You might wonder: what is so special about that, we all know what the word 'now' means, we all know what the Now is....
This is not true, we know in fact very little about the Now.
Try to answer this question: What is the Now?
When we google the word NOW we get a number of definitions:
Google says:
now
naʊ/
adverb
adverb: now
- 1.at the present time or moment."where are you living now?"
synonyms: at the moment, at present, just now, right now, at the present time, at the present moment, at this time, at this moment in time, currently, here and now; More informal at the minute"I'm afraid I'm extremely busy now, but I could see you in the morning"- at the time directly following the present moment; immediately."if we leave now we can be home by ten"
synonyms: at once, straight away, right away, right now, this minute, this instant, immediately, instantly, directly, without further/more ado, promptly, without delay, as soon as possible; More informal pronto, straight off, a.s.a.p., toot sweet;archaic straightway, instanter"it would be best if you leave now" - under the present circumstances; as a result of something that has recently happened."it is now clear that we should not pursue this policy"
- on this further occasion, typically as the latest in a series of annoying situations or events."what do you want now?"
- used to emphasize a particular length of time."they've been married four years now"
- (in a narrative or account of past events) at the time spoken of or referred to."she was nineteen now, and she was alone"
- 2.used, especially in conversation, to draw attention to a particular statement or point in a narrative."now, my first impulse was to run away"
- 3.used in a request, instruction, or question, typically to give a slight emphasis to one's words."we can hardly send her back, now can we?"
- used when pausing or considering one's next words."let me see now, oh yes, I remember"
- 4.used at the end of an ironic question echoing a previous statement."‘Mum says you might let me have some of your stamps.’ ‘Does she now?’"
conjunction
conjunction: now
- 1.as a consequence of the fact."they spent a lot of time together now that he had retired"
adjective
informal
adjective: now
- 1.fashionable or up to date."see more of what's now during our autumn catwalk show"
Non of these definitions quite covers what Tolle is talking about.
When we listen to Tolle long enough we will understand: We are the Now. Dig that! I think it is true. What do you think?
Enjoy the following talk by Tolle!
Eckhart Tolle
Friday, March 28, 2014
Sam Harris
I love Sam Harris.The neuro-scientist. His books and lectures, in which he explains that religions are old fashioned, are great. He is also a regular no nonsense meditator:
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/mindfulness-meditation
Check him out.
http://www.samharris.org/blog
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/mindfulness-meditation
Check him out.
http://www.samharris.org/blog
Sam Harris
Thursday, March 27, 2014
More Gabor Maté: When the Body says No
I am addicted to the books of Gabor Maté at the moment. And his books are really thick. Lots of reading pleasure! When the Body says No.
Gabor Maté
Can a person literally die of loneliness? Is there such a thing as a ""cancer personality""? Drawing on scientific research and the author's decades of experience as a practicing physician, this book provides answers to these and other important questions about the effect of the mind-body link on illness and health and the role that stress and one's individual emotional makeup play in an array of common diseases.
- Explores the role of the mind-body link in conditions and diseases such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, IBS, and multiple sclerosis
- Draws on medical research and the author's clinical experience as a family physician
- Includes The Seven A's of Healing-principles of healing and the prevention of illness from hidden stress
Shares dozens of enlightening case studies and stories, including those of people such as Lou Gehrig (ALS), Betty Ford (breast cancer), Ronald Reagan (Alzheimer's), Gilda Radner (ovarian cancer), and Lance Armstrong (testicular cancer)
When the Body Says No promotes learning and healing, providing transformative insights into how disease can be the body's way of saying no to what the mind cannot or will not acknowledge.
Gabor Maté
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
the present moment and I are one and the same
I have talked about observing the breath and about observing our thoughts in order to create spaces between our thoughts.
Another way to quickly reach this state of calm is by becoming aware of the present moment.
Again there are two universes: the universe around you and the inner universe.
We become aware of the outer universe by simply deciding so. We stop thinking about what we are going to do in five minutes, in an hour and in a year. We also drop thinking about the past. Instead we look around, hear, smell, feel....this moment. This moment cannot be bad. Suffering only exists in the past and in the future. This very moment is always okay. Strange but true. If very occasionally something awful happens, an accident, sudden pain... we do not think about the past or the future, we are in the moment, and we make sure we get out of the bad situation as soon as possible. Once we become aware again the bad moment has passed. If we are otherwise distressed we are always in the past or in the future with our thoughts.
It is so very soothing to take a deep breath and return to the present; to the simple pleasures of being alive in this moment.
There is an inner universe too. To pay attention to the inner body, to feel the aliveness there (Eckhard Tolle) makes that we connect with the present moment. Our thoughts slow down or even stop for a while.
Try it: close your eyes and hold your hands somewhere near you in the air. Can you feel your hands? Although you are not looking at your hands, can you sense them? Can you feel the aliveness in them? If you can you have created a space between thoughts. Extend the awareness to the whole inner body and a great sense of calm is likely to descent. It is not difficult at all.
This sensing of the aliveness inside the body is one of the best ways to stop the mad train of thoughts that captures all of us almost all the time.
We are now an observer instead of a participant. We are not our thoughts. Let's now observe the observer. Where is the observer? Who is the observer? The observer is that what is aware, what is conscious. When I strip myself from who I am in the world and become aware of the present moment I become that moment. This very moment can not exist without me being conscious of it. In fact: we are the same: the present moment and I.
This in itself is a mysterious miracle! To realize it is deeply relaxing and soothing.
Try it. It is better then any drugs you or I have ever taken (and I have taken a lot of them, I'm from Amsterdam after all).
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Greed is the result of a racing mind
Our never ending impulse to want things is extra-ordinary strong and it often takes a life time to eliminate it.
In early Buddhist drawings Greed is often depicted as a Hungry Ghost with a big belly, a thin long neck and a very small mouth. The mouth and neck are not sufficient to fill the big belly. The ghost is always hungry.
The chattering mind is quick to remind us of what do not have (yet). Slowing down the greedy mind through meditation has huge impacts on your daily budget. I live of approx. $25 a week as we speak without much difficulty.
In early Buddhist drawings Greed is often depicted as a Hungry Ghost with a big belly, a thin long neck and a very small mouth. The mouth and neck are not sufficient to fill the big belly. The ghost is always hungry.
The chattering mind is quick to remind us of what do not have (yet). Slowing down the greedy mind through meditation has huge impacts on your daily budget. I live of approx. $25 a week as we speak without much difficulty.
Hungry Ghost
the difference between mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness is meditation taken out of the meditation room into the wild.
Mindfulness is being aware of every moment. It is also often called: Being In the Moment.
When we reason and think about it very very deeply it can be called: Being the Moment.
The goal of Mindfulness is again: slowing down our racing mind, calming the inner chatter.
We become aware of the two environments that we live in: the outer environment of what our eyes see, what our ears hear, what our nose smells, what our mouth tastes and what our skin feels; and the inner environment of mental and physical sensations deep in our bodies.
Only a couple of minutes of mindfulness can calm our whole being down considerably. It is not easy to stay in the moment for a couple of minutes, let alone to live the moment. It can take years of practice. Some are better at it then others.
One way of practicing mindfulness is moving in slow motion.
I practiced slow motion movement for over twenty years on a daily basis, sometimes moving slowly as long as four hours. The goal was to move approx. 1 millimeter per second. I used to invite my students to practice slow motion outdoors, so that they could experience the world at normal speed whirling around them while they became stiller. We were arrested on a couple of occasions for strange behavior in public. There is no law against moving in slow motion and the police had to let us go.
I find a game called Mikado a good mindfulness practice too. I once made a giant set. The sticks were about 2 meters long.
In monasteries mindfulness is often practiced through silence. The longest I've lived in silence was 5 months and boy, did it slow my inner chatterbox down. When living in silence one has to slow ones movements down. Objects have to be placed carefully, doors closed and opened very carefully, etc.. Not speaking for a long time also slows the inner dialogue. A pleasant calm descents on the person who does not speak.
In Japan mindfulness is often practiced through strict rules. The tea ceremony is a good example. Every movement has it own rules: how a cloth is folded, a cup is placed, the tea is poured, etc. In a Zen Monastery monks and nuns pretty much live their lives following strict rules. They become free within these rules of mindfulness. And call this: True Freedom.
Mindfulness is being aware of every moment. It is also often called: Being In the Moment.
When we reason and think about it very very deeply it can be called: Being the Moment.
The goal of Mindfulness is again: slowing down our racing mind, calming the inner chatter.
We become aware of the two environments that we live in: the outer environment of what our eyes see, what our ears hear, what our nose smells, what our mouth tastes and what our skin feels; and the inner environment of mental and physical sensations deep in our bodies.
Only a couple of minutes of mindfulness can calm our whole being down considerably. It is not easy to stay in the moment for a couple of minutes, let alone to live the moment. It can take years of practice. Some are better at it then others.
One way of practicing mindfulness is moving in slow motion.
I practiced slow motion movement for over twenty years on a daily basis, sometimes moving slowly as long as four hours. The goal was to move approx. 1 millimeter per second. I used to invite my students to practice slow motion outdoors, so that they could experience the world at normal speed whirling around them while they became stiller. We were arrested on a couple of occasions for strange behavior in public. There is no law against moving in slow motion and the police had to let us go.
I find a game called Mikado a good mindfulness practice too. I once made a giant set. The sticks were about 2 meters long.
In monasteries mindfulness is often practiced through silence. The longest I've lived in silence was 5 months and boy, did it slow my inner chatterbox down. When living in silence one has to slow ones movements down. Objects have to be placed carefully, doors closed and opened very carefully, etc.. Not speaking for a long time also slows the inner dialogue. A pleasant calm descents on the person who does not speak.
In Japan mindfulness is often practiced through strict rules. The tea ceremony is a good example. Every movement has it own rules: how a cloth is folded, a cup is placed, the tea is poured, etc. In a Zen Monastery monks and nuns pretty much live their lives following strict rules. They become free within these rules of mindfulness. And call this: True Freedom.
AD(H)D
Mindfulness and meditation helps with AD(H)D. I've seen it in action. It's awesome. I am currently writing a 10 week course for children between 10-12
Mindfulness Meditation Training
The hypothesis that mindfulness may be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD was confirmed by an open observational study of an 8-week mindfulness meditation program developed by Jon Kabat Zinn.[24] Both adolescents and adults with ADHD benefited from the 2.5-h sessions paired with regular daily exercises on the severity of ADHD, depressiveness and impulse control. Interestingly, a neuropsychological improvement in control of attention was also described. However, controlled trials remain to be conducted.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/774086_11
Mindfulness Meditation Training
The hypothesis that mindfulness may be beneficial in the treatment of ADHD was confirmed by an open observational study of an 8-week mindfulness meditation program developed by Jon Kabat Zinn.[24] Both adolescents and adults with ADHD benefited from the 2.5-h sessions paired with regular daily exercises on the severity of ADHD, depressiveness and impulse control. Interestingly, a neuropsychological improvement in control of attention was also described. However, controlled trials remain to be conducted.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/774086_11
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Meditation and Mindfulness for children (in schools)
The good old body sweep works well for them, so does loving-kindness practice.
Loving-kindness contemplation is of course an excellent antidote to bullying.
I think meditation and mindfulness should be introduced in primary schools, an hour a week at least.
Friday, March 21, 2014
meditation, mindfulness training & counselling: EEP; Employee Empowering Program
Meditation has become an increasingly popular practice amongst the C-suite elite. And, with CEOs such as Rupert Murdoch (News Corp); Bill Ford (Ford Motor Company); Rick Goings (Tupperware); and Marc Benioff (Salesforce.com) all touting its benefits, executive coaches are picking up on the trend introducing mindful techniques to programmes to calm the mind’s “chatter”, assist focus and manage stress. But new empirical evidence suggests it’s more than just a “feel good” exercise, and as little as 15 minutes of meditation can actually help people make better, more profitable decisions, by increasing resistance to the “sunk cost bias”.
The sunk cost bias - also known as the sunk cost fallacy or the sunk cost effect - is recognised as one of the most destructive cognitive biases affecting organisations today. Put simply, it’s the tendency to continue an endeavor once an investment has been made in an attempt to recoup or justify “sunk” irrecoverable costs. The phenomenon is not new; psychological scientists have been studying the “escalation of commitment” since the mid-1970s, noting its ability to distort rational thought and skew effective decision-making. Often it’s a subconscious action, which can result in millions of dollars being invested into a project, not because it’s a sound investment but because millions of dollars have already been spent.
Read more at
0488 082312
lessons in less on Facebook
Meditation is not Relaxation and the Meditation Music Myth
Let me try to clear up a couple of misunderstandings about meditation.
One:
There is a difference between meditation and relaxation.
There is a long standing myth that meditation should be relaxing.
Believe me please, meditation and relaxation do not go together well. One falls asleep if meditation turns into relaxation. That's why we generally do not meditate while lying down.
Time after time students have asked me if they could please lie down during meditation.
Time after time their snoring soon resonated through the studio.
Don't take me wrong: sleeping is great. But I do not teach sleeping. I teach meditation and mindfulness.
Meditation is training the mind. The mind needs to work.
Sleeping immediately after meditation is great and highly recommended.
Two:
Meditation and music do not go together.
You're either listening to music or you're meditating. You can't do both at the same time.
It's like saying you're going for a swim in the desert.
So whomever invented 'meditation music' did not really know much about meditation.
Voila, yet another item you do not have to bother buying: meditation music CD's.
Three:
Another myth: Meditation teachers know all about healthy diets and other health related matters.
Meditation teachers know a lot about meditation. That's all.
Dieting is not necessary in order to meditate, neither is it necessary to be a vegetarian, or a vegan...
Often meditation leads to elimination of not only food items, but also of alcohol and other drugs, cigarettes...
This however is a result, not a cause of skillful meditation.
Good meditation teachers are often a bit fat. Because they sit a lot.
A great website on Zen-meditation is the Do Not zzz site by the Kodaiji Zen Temple in Kyoto. It shows how you can meditate on the toilet, but you cannot zzz. The site was made in the early 1990ies and is still stunningly beautiful.
One:
There is a difference between meditation and relaxation.
There is a long standing myth that meditation should be relaxing.
Believe me please, meditation and relaxation do not go together well. One falls asleep if meditation turns into relaxation. That's why we generally do not meditate while lying down.
Time after time students have asked me if they could please lie down during meditation.
Time after time their snoring soon resonated through the studio.
Don't take me wrong: sleeping is great. But I do not teach sleeping. I teach meditation and mindfulness.
Meditation is training the mind. The mind needs to work.
Sleeping immediately after meditation is great and highly recommended.
Two:
Meditation and music do not go together.
You're either listening to music or you're meditating. You can't do both at the same time.
It's like saying you're going for a swim in the desert.
So whomever invented 'meditation music' did not really know much about meditation.
Voila, yet another item you do not have to bother buying: meditation music CD's.
Three:
Another myth: Meditation teachers know all about healthy diets and other health related matters.
Meditation teachers know a lot about meditation. That's all.
Dieting is not necessary in order to meditate, neither is it necessary to be a vegetarian, or a vegan...
Often meditation leads to elimination of not only food items, but also of alcohol and other drugs, cigarettes...
This however is a result, not a cause of skillful meditation.
Good meditation teachers are often a bit fat. Because they sit a lot.
A great website on Zen-meditation is the Do Not zzz site by the Kodaiji Zen Temple in Kyoto. It shows how you can meditate on the toilet, but you cannot zzz. The site was made in the early 1990ies and is still stunningly beautiful.
Taking Insight from the Meditation Room into the Wild
So far we've covered: Loving-kindness contemplation and the body sweep to tackle (self)hatred. When we feel comfortable with this practice, especially with sending loving-kindness to our enemies, we are ready to take loving-kindness from the meditation room into the world. Small kind acts towards others can be practiced anywhere; it's easy and rewarding to smile to a stranger. Next time a stranger smiles to you for no reason at all, notice how good it feels.
I was helped out the other day when my credit card was refused in a restaurant where I drank a coffee. I realized then and there that I had not recharged it. Embarrassed and nervous I was fishing for my last coins. Next to me stood a young German tourist. She saw me struggle and did not hesitate for a second. She paid for my coffee. "It's only money," she said. "And money is not important."
I told her she made my day and that I would buy someone else a coffee soon.
"Yeah,that's how we should live," she said.
I was light with happiness that whole day by her friendly gesture. And by the fact that she did not want anything back.
Changing our behavior and attitude when we are around those who challenge us, irritate us,or make us angry is a next step in the practice of loving-kindness.
During my time in the monastery I was really really irritated by a foolish monk (see the first story of this blog: A Nun in the Wild). My teacher told me to make him and my irritation about him my teacher. Thus I sat through his weekly sermons week after week. Slowly I began to understand that what I found irritating in him was actually also in me. This is why I was irritated! I was secretly a similar patronizing preacher as he was. This was a shocking and sobering realization of which I learned a lot.
It is good to keep doing the loving kindness contemplation in the meditation room. Guided meditation is great here.
I was helped out the other day when my credit card was refused in a restaurant where I drank a coffee. I realized then and there that I had not recharged it. Embarrassed and nervous I was fishing for my last coins. Next to me stood a young German tourist. She saw me struggle and did not hesitate for a second. She paid for my coffee. "It's only money," she said. "And money is not important."
I told her she made my day and that I would buy someone else a coffee soon.
"Yeah,that's how we should live," she said.
I was light with happiness that whole day by her friendly gesture. And by the fact that she did not want anything back.
Changing our behavior and attitude when we are around those who challenge us, irritate us,or make us angry is a next step in the practice of loving-kindness.
During my time in the monastery I was really really irritated by a foolish monk (see the first story of this blog: A Nun in the Wild). My teacher told me to make him and my irritation about him my teacher. Thus I sat through his weekly sermons week after week. Slowly I began to understand that what I found irritating in him was actually also in me. This is why I was irritated! I was secretly a similar patronizing preacher as he was. This was a shocking and sobering realization of which I learned a lot.
It is good to keep doing the loving kindness contemplation in the meditation room. Guided meditation is great here.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Stop Smoking through Meditation
When I was in the monastery I wrote a course Stop Smoking through Meditation. It had worked on me. I was a heavy smoker of rollies for most of my life. When I began meditating with my smoking in mind I noticed that one cannot smoke AND be aware at the same time. One needs a certain level of being unconscious in order to roll the fag, light it, drag on it and extinguish it. Raising consciousness (simply by being aware of every second of the process) would immediately cause me to vomit as soon as I smoked a cigarette. I live in much greater constant awareness now and to my astonishment this is exactly what happens every time I test my theory and smoke a cigarette: I vomit.
This means that my body has made the very medication it needed. By awareness.
I began testing this theory in the monastery and saw definite signs of improvement in my students.
I was not able to continue the program long enough to get definite answers. But the conversations I had with students after the meditation about their addiction were hopeful.
I asked my students to bring their smokes to meditation and I let them smoke outside the monastery (to the horror of my teacher) while I talked to them. I did not allow them to get unconscious about what they were doing, I kept them aware by letting them describe what they were feeling/tasting/experiencing while smoking. They would all report that the cigarette did nothing for them and that the taste/feeling was in fact awful.
They also all fell for the same trap: they would stop their stream of awareness as soon as they had taken the last drag and would be unconscious of what they were doing while throwing the filter on the pavement and extinguishing it with their foot. I would bring them back to awareness by describing exactly what they were doing and they were horrified by their own behavior. They felt guilty and shame and immediately picked up the bud and apologized for their rudeness. They thought of the small animals that would get hurt by the toxins in the bud, etc. Yet, they had littered their environment in this way for many years.
Back in the meditation hall they felt ashamed of the smell of their breath. I then let them contemplate the package of their cigarettes, the feel of it, the look of it, and they would all say that the package was as addictive to them as the cigarette itself.
I then deemed them ready to start traditional meditation. I taught them the good old body sweep, loving-kindness contemplation, breath meditation, thought gap meditation, and insight meditation.
It was amazing how quickly they gained insight into their own addiction and how a higher level of awareness was reducing their intake. I now want to take this experiment a step further and start monitoring groups.
Please email me if you're interesting in stopping smoking. If you're in Alice Springs we can meet face to face, if you're elsewhere we can meet through Skype.
My email adress: foraclearmind@gmail.com
This means that my body has made the very medication it needed. By awareness.
I began testing this theory in the monastery and saw definite signs of improvement in my students.
I was not able to continue the program long enough to get definite answers. But the conversations I had with students after the meditation about their addiction were hopeful.
I asked my students to bring their smokes to meditation and I let them smoke outside the monastery (to the horror of my teacher) while I talked to them. I did not allow them to get unconscious about what they were doing, I kept them aware by letting them describe what they were feeling/tasting/experiencing while smoking. They would all report that the cigarette did nothing for them and that the taste/feeling was in fact awful.
They also all fell for the same trap: they would stop their stream of awareness as soon as they had taken the last drag and would be unconscious of what they were doing while throwing the filter on the pavement and extinguishing it with their foot. I would bring them back to awareness by describing exactly what they were doing and they were horrified by their own behavior. They felt guilty and shame and immediately picked up the bud and apologized for their rudeness. They thought of the small animals that would get hurt by the toxins in the bud, etc. Yet, they had littered their environment in this way for many years.
Back in the meditation hall they felt ashamed of the smell of their breath. I then let them contemplate the package of their cigarettes, the feel of it, the look of it, and they would all say that the package was as addictive to them as the cigarette itself.
I then deemed them ready to start traditional meditation. I taught them the good old body sweep, loving-kindness contemplation, breath meditation, thought gap meditation, and insight meditation.
It was amazing how quickly they gained insight into their own addiction and how a higher level of awareness was reducing their intake. I now want to take this experiment a step further and start monitoring groups.
Please email me if you're interesting in stopping smoking. If you're in Alice Springs we can meet face to face, if you're elsewhere we can meet through Skype.
My email adress: foraclearmind@gmail.com
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, by Gabor Maté, an important book on addiction
Doctor Gabor Maté points out in his book on addiction In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts how most addictions find their origins in childhood. We self-medicate the pains inflicted upon us when we were powerless.
Maté also points out how we have a split second of time to freely chose before automatic brain functions kick in to keep us on our path of addiction. Thus the next cigarette (hit, shot, drink, binge, spree) is not a choice at all, it is an automated mostly unconscious non-decision.
A split second of freedom. That's not much. But nevertheless, it is there.
If we can become aware and able to sense this split second we have a foot in the door of our addiction.
Eckhart Tolle (also mentioned in this regard by Maté) says in almost all of his lectures that we can only experience freedom when we are aware in and of the moment. I think this is true.
I was delighted too that Maté mentions Byron Kathy and her truth-seeking "The Work".
He mentions Byron Kathy when he writes about the scapegoating of addicted people in our communities and about how costly and wrong this is. He describes how Kathy always enquires into the question: Who's Business Are You In?
Are you thinking of someone else that she/he has to clean up their act/get help/get un-addicted then you are in the wrong business: someone else's. Ask yourself instead what addictions you are indulging in (talking, Coca Cola, eating, shopping, complaining, judging...) and you are in the right business.
Maté also mentions the Buddha: "Therefore, be ye lamps unto yourselves, be a refuge to yourselves. Hold fast to Truth as a lamp; hold fast to the truth as a refuge. Look not for a refuge in anyone beside yourselves. And those, who shall be a lamp unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the Truth as their lamp, and holding fast to the Truth as their refuge, they shall reach the topmost height."
And Jesus: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Ah, it was such an enlightening read.
Maté also points out how we have a split second of time to freely chose before automatic brain functions kick in to keep us on our path of addiction. Thus the next cigarette (hit, shot, drink, binge, spree) is not a choice at all, it is an automated mostly unconscious non-decision.
A split second of freedom. That's not much. But nevertheless, it is there.
If we can become aware and able to sense this split second we have a foot in the door of our addiction.
Eckhart Tolle (also mentioned in this regard by Maté) says in almost all of his lectures that we can only experience freedom when we are aware in and of the moment. I think this is true.
I was delighted too that Maté mentions Byron Kathy and her truth-seeking "The Work".
He mentions Byron Kathy when he writes about the scapegoating of addicted people in our communities and about how costly and wrong this is. He describes how Kathy always enquires into the question: Who's Business Are You In?
Are you thinking of someone else that she/he has to clean up their act/get help/get un-addicted then you are in the wrong business: someone else's. Ask yourself instead what addictions you are indulging in (talking, Coca Cola, eating, shopping, complaining, judging...) and you are in the right business.
Maté also mentions the Buddha: "Therefore, be ye lamps unto yourselves, be a refuge to yourselves. Hold fast to Truth as a lamp; hold fast to the truth as a refuge. Look not for a refuge in anyone beside yourselves. And those, who shall be a lamp unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the Truth as their lamp, and holding fast to the Truth as their refuge, they shall reach the topmost height."
Ah, it was such an enlightening read.
The Good Old Body Sweep
What were we talking about? Ah yes, (hidden) self-hatred versus loving-kindness.
Another way to wipe away our (hidden) self-hatred is the
body sweep. With an imaginary soft broom we sweep the inside of our bodies in a
very detailed manner. Guided meditation is especially suited.
We start at the top of our head and move down slowly, using
the imaginary broom. We can dip the broom in gold dust or in liquid licorice,
all I’m trying to say is that the sky is the limit.
Methodically working our way down our body and limbs, we emerge from this exercise refreshed and replenished. It is also a very good for people with sleeping problems; this counts for meditation in general; sleeping itself is perhaps the best meditation (the Daila Lama once said and I agree with him).
Methodically working our way down our body and limbs, we emerge from this exercise refreshed and replenished. It is also a very good for people with sleeping problems; this counts for meditation in general; sleeping itself is perhaps the best meditation (the Daila Lama once said and I agree with him).
I’ll make a meditation CD sometime soon, I promise to put
the good old full body sweep on it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
meditation, mindfulness training & counselling
meditation, mindfulness training & counselling
0488 082312
lessons in less on Facebook
loving-kindness verses hatred
As I explained a couple of blogs ago, the meditator works on shedding greed, hatred and delusion. Hatred is amongst those the most toxic. We all know that the hater is more hurt by hate then the hated. You hate left wing politics? Does left winged politics care? So who's left hurt? You or left winged politics? The same counts for everything else; from persons to rocks, they are not in the least harmed by your hatred. You, on the other hand, are heavily affected by your own hatred. It influences your blood pressure and your heart beats, your mood and your actions.
An old Buddhist way of fighting hatred is the practise of loving-kindness in meditation and in daily life.
Loving-kindness is a kind of cool love. It is less passionate then love, more leaning towards kindness, but still a little bit more committed then just kindness.
Meditation on loving-kindness is better called: contemplation as it is not focused on creating gaps between thoughts. On the contrary, we use our ability to think and to imagine to the full in this exercise.
we begin, in loving-kindness contemplation, with imagining ourselves full of light. We then send this light to ourselves. That's right, we are the first subject of our loving-kindness. Self-love is taken to an extreme level in meditation. The meditator knows that without self-love loving-kindness towards others is not possible. Thus we eliminate self-hatred and replace it with loving-kindness towards our selves, at least for the duration of the meditation. Once that is done we move our attention to whomever else is in the room with us and send them our loving-kindness. Then we move our attention to everyone in the building, in the neighbourhood, in the town we're in, in short we widen the circle step by step. So far so good, it is really not very difficult to do.
It starts getting interesting when we enter the outer circles of our exercise; when we begin sending loving-kindness to our enemies. We try, at least for the duration of the meditation, to replace our feelings of hatred with loving-kindness. This has an enormous impact on our own well-being, especially when done on a regular basis.
After our enemies we can zoom out further, to all people in the world, to all people dead and alive, to all animals, to the whole universe.... etc., etc. We can also begin the contemplation on the outer skirts of our imagination and move inwards towards our self.
Try it, it is most spectacular.
Mu; the absence of something
An old Buddhist way of fighting hatred is the practise of loving-kindness in meditation and in daily life.
Loving-kindness is a kind of cool love. It is less passionate then love, more leaning towards kindness, but still a little bit more committed then just kindness.
Meditation on loving-kindness is better called: contemplation as it is not focused on creating gaps between thoughts. On the contrary, we use our ability to think and to imagine to the full in this exercise.
we begin, in loving-kindness contemplation, with imagining ourselves full of light. We then send this light to ourselves. That's right, we are the first subject of our loving-kindness. Self-love is taken to an extreme level in meditation. The meditator knows that without self-love loving-kindness towards others is not possible. Thus we eliminate self-hatred and replace it with loving-kindness towards our selves, at least for the duration of the meditation. Once that is done we move our attention to whomever else is in the room with us and send them our loving-kindness. Then we move our attention to everyone in the building, in the neighbourhood, in the town we're in, in short we widen the circle step by step. So far so good, it is really not very difficult to do.
It starts getting interesting when we enter the outer circles of our exercise; when we begin sending loving-kindness to our enemies. We try, at least for the duration of the meditation, to replace our feelings of hatred with loving-kindness. This has an enormous impact on our own well-being, especially when done on a regular basis.
After our enemies we can zoom out further, to all people in the world, to all people dead and alive, to all animals, to the whole universe.... etc., etc. We can also begin the contemplation on the outer skirts of our imagination and move inwards towards our self.
Try it, it is most spectacular.
Mu; the absence of something
Monday, March 17, 2014
the cat and me and a cup of tea
I studied mindfulness through calligraphy and bamboo painting in Japan. I make my own inks. This is one of my drawings: THe Cat and Me and a Cup of Tea.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Sam Harris
I like Sam Harris, a neuro scientist who meditates daily. His new book is out: Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion. He's giving a series of talks about it in the US.
This is what Sam says about his talks:
I will discuss a range of psychological insights that have traditionally been considered “spiritual.” Although they tell us nothing about the origins of the cosmos, these experiences confirm some well-established truths about the human mind: Our conventional sense of self is an illusion; positive emotions, such as compassion and serenity, are teachable skills; and the way we think can profoundly influence our lives and the lives of others.
There is no discrete “I” or ego living like a Minotaur in the labyrinth of the brain. And the feeling that there is—the sense of being perched somewhere behind your eyes, looking out at a world that is separate from yourself—can be altered or entirely extinguished. Although such experiences of “self-transcendence” are generally thought about in religious terms, there is nothing, in principle, irrational about them. From both a scientific and a philosophical point of view, they represent a clearer understanding of the way things are.
A rational approach to spirituality seems to be what is missing from secularism—and from the lives of most people I meet. My goal in these talks, and in the online course, will be to offer a compelling and useful investigation of the human mind and to show how deepening our understanding of it can transform our experience of the world and our relationships with other human beings.
https://www.samharris.org/store/event_series/waking-up-with-sam-harris
This is what Sam says about his talks:
I will discuss a range of psychological insights that have traditionally been considered “spiritual.” Although they tell us nothing about the origins of the cosmos, these experiences confirm some well-established truths about the human mind: Our conventional sense of self is an illusion; positive emotions, such as compassion and serenity, are teachable skills; and the way we think can profoundly influence our lives and the lives of others.
There is no discrete “I” or ego living like a Minotaur in the labyrinth of the brain. And the feeling that there is—the sense of being perched somewhere behind your eyes, looking out at a world that is separate from yourself—can be altered or entirely extinguished. Although such experiences of “self-transcendence” are generally thought about in religious terms, there is nothing, in principle, irrational about them. From both a scientific and a philosophical point of view, they represent a clearer understanding of the way things are.
A rational approach to spirituality seems to be what is missing from secularism—and from the lives of most people I meet. My goal in these talks, and in the online course, will be to offer a compelling and useful investigation of the human mind and to show how deepening our understanding of it can transform our experience of the world and our relationships with other human beings.
https://www.samharris.org/store/event_series/waking-up-with-sam-harris
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Breathe!
Breathing with awareness is another strong tool to create gaps between thought.
The Buddha called breath meditation "the lion" of all meditation techniques.
Instead of our own thoughts we observe our own breath.
First the coarse form: the rising and falling of the chest and tummy.
Then ever more subtle: the stream of air up and down our body.
After some practice the touch of the air to the nostrils is enough...
When our attention is on the breath the stream of thoughts stops as we cannot be fully aware of the breath and think at the same time.
We have now established that we can think only one thought at the time. Thank heavens our thinking is not layered (as we often think). It is linear. It may be chaotic, but it is linear all the same. Thus our layer of random thought, the chatterbox in our head, is only skin deep and, contrary to popular belief, it is easy to discipline.
Breathing can be seen as the first tool of disciplining the mind. It can be compared to the symbolic stick a trainer uses with a puppy (not to hit, but to lead) or the whip (again not to hit or beat, but to lead) with the young horse.
With gentleness and breathing we can eventually somewhat control our stream of thoughts. But just as with the horse or the puppy we never gain full control as that would be the equivalent of death.
We want our mind to be happy and curious like a puppy or a young horse. But when in danger; in rage or fear, we want to be able to pull it back and force it to stop its' foolish ranting.
When the mind is free it is a pleasure to observe her. She is alert and playful, full of good ideas and energy.
Lion Buddha by Susannah Israel, 16″ x 12, “Ceramic
The Buddha called breath meditation "the lion" of all meditation techniques.
Instead of our own thoughts we observe our own breath.
First the coarse form: the rising and falling of the chest and tummy.
Then ever more subtle: the stream of air up and down our body.
After some practice the touch of the air to the nostrils is enough...
When our attention is on the breath the stream of thoughts stops as we cannot be fully aware of the breath and think at the same time.
We have now established that we can think only one thought at the time. Thank heavens our thinking is not layered (as we often think). It is linear. It may be chaotic, but it is linear all the same. Thus our layer of random thought, the chatterbox in our head, is only skin deep and, contrary to popular belief, it is easy to discipline.
Breathing can be seen as the first tool of disciplining the mind. It can be compared to the symbolic stick a trainer uses with a puppy (not to hit, but to lead) or the whip (again not to hit or beat, but to lead) with the young horse.
With gentleness and breathing we can eventually somewhat control our stream of thoughts. But just as with the horse or the puppy we never gain full control as that would be the equivalent of death.
We want our mind to be happy and curious like a puppy or a young horse. But when in danger; in rage or fear, we want to be able to pull it back and force it to stop its' foolish ranting.
When the mind is free it is a pleasure to observe her. She is alert and playful, full of good ideas and energy.
Turning inwards
Once aware of ourselves, others and our surroundings we are ready to turn inwards and do the actual work of meditation; the observing of the own mind.
One is in choppy waters straight away! How on earth does one observe the own mind?
The first step is to see your own thoughts as clouds passing by against a background of the vast blue sky.
The thoughts that drift by have, like clouds, all sorts of shapes and forms. Some are threatening, others are funny, intriguing, sad, frightening, light, dark.....
Let them pass by and look at them with the distant amusement of a cloud watcher.
Observe the parade of monsters, clowns, demons, angels, lovers, strangers, people, animals.....
Be aware of how they arise and fall.
And most of all: be aware of how when you observe them: they vanish. And leave nothing but a vast blue sky.
Cloud Installations by Berndnaut Smilde
One is in choppy waters straight away! How on earth does one observe the own mind?
The first step is to see your own thoughts as clouds passing by against a background of the vast blue sky.
The thoughts that drift by have, like clouds, all sorts of shapes and forms. Some are threatening, others are funny, intriguing, sad, frightening, light, dark.....
Let them pass by and look at them with the distant amusement of a cloud watcher.
Observe the parade of monsters, clowns, demons, angels, lovers, strangers, people, animals.....
Be aware of how they arise and fall.
And most of all: be aware of how when you observe them: they vanish. And leave nothing but a vast blue sky.
Cloud Installations by Berndnaut Smilde
Awareness as a tool to enlightenment
The first step
to meditation is to sit down and to become aware.
Usually we
are so caught up in our stream of thought that we are not aware of our body and
of what is around us. Most of the time we think we ARE our stream of thoughts.
The philosopher
Decartes stated: cogito ergo sum. I think
therefor I am.
The
meditator rejects this statement. If the meditator would have to formulate a statement
it would be: Behind the stream of thinking, I am. I
would like it if someone could put that into Latin for me.
Google Translate says: Post flumine cogitandi, ego sum
Google Translate says: Post flumine cogitandi, ego sum
Every meditation
session starts with becoming aware. This becoming aware of the sensations in
the body and the stimuli from the outside can be seen as taking the ores to row
to the other shore; awareness is a tool, not a goal.
Awareness
creates the first gap between thoughts because one cannot be aware and caught
up in the stream of thought at the same time.
The laugh of
a child, the touch on the skin of a breeze, the passing of a car, the weight of
the body on the pillow, a slight pain in the knee, the smell of dust… there is
so much going on around us all the time that is blocked out by our stream of
thoughts, that inner chatter.
By becoming
aware we dim the inner chatter. It is the first step to a clear mind; the first pull on the oars.
The Vipassana hype
Vipassana or insight meditation is traditionally only part of meditation. Insight is important in order to keep your focus on what you're doing and why you're doing it. While meditating you're shedding greed, hatred and delusion. It is good to ponder on that. But the main goal of meditation is to create gaps between thoughts. This is done by observing the own mind.
Vipassana retreats have become popular. I did two of them, ten days each, years ago. All I remember is pain. All others remember is pain. Pain, however, is not very helpful in meditation. I can say this because I studied in Japan. Everything in Japan seems to be connected with pain: from Zen training to Shiatsu. Also the Body Weather Laboratory(Tanaka Min) training I did for years focused often on pain. Thus I have become a bit allergic to this approach. I suspect pain to be entirely unnecessary. A little bit of it can help disciplining the mind, but massive amounts of pain are silly. There is a danger to the cult of pain too; those that love power love this approach.
Vipassana retreats have become popular. I did two of them, ten days each, years ago. All I remember is pain. All others remember is pain. Pain, however, is not very helpful in meditation. I can say this because I studied in Japan. Everything in Japan seems to be connected with pain: from Zen training to Shiatsu. Also the Body Weather Laboratory(Tanaka Min) training I did for years focused often on pain. Thus I have become a bit allergic to this approach. I suspect pain to be entirely unnecessary. A little bit of it can help disciplining the mind, but massive amounts of pain are silly. There is a danger to the cult of pain too; those that love power love this approach.
Thus I am
against the modern Vipassana movement. It is simply not gentle enough. There’s
too much sitting going on. People get crippled by it. It's too easily misused by those who crave power over others.
Why sitting?
The first
two stages: observing and disciplining, are best done while sitting. Lying down
one falls asleep too easily and standing up one gets tired and therefor
distracted. Walking meditation can be good too, but is too distracting in the
beginning.
So we start
with sitting with a straight back.
This can be
done on the floor, in the sand, on a pillow, on a chair, on a bed or on the
toilet… it does not matter how or where the sitting is done. Some people make a
big deal out of the posture for sitting. This is counterproductive to what we
are trying to achieve: a clear mind. So sit as comfortable as you can while
keeping a straight spine. Do not fall for the perfect-posture trap. If you need
to lean against something, lean, but keep that spine straight. If you cannot
keep your spine straight then find a posture as near to it as possible. You
know your body best, you decide how to sit.
Do not listen to anybody who tries to tell you how to sit, also not to
teachers. If teachers are strong on posture they are probably not good
teachers. All elaborate posture-talk is nonsense and distracts from what it is
all about: a clear mind. It is important in the beginning that you sit still.
Later you can meditate even while moving.
A clear mind
is a happy mind. A clear mind is a relaxed mind that is ready to perform
miracles when required. A clear mind is still. The advanced meditator has
created gaps between his thoughts. The more advanced the meditator, the bigger
the gaps. The bigger the gaps, the more powerful yet relaxed becomes the
personality of the meditator. A racing, uncontrolled mind is a handicap in
daily life and in work alike. A disciplined, clear mind is a powerful tool for
both.
Will you
join me in the boat to the other shore?
Meditation is shedding, not gaining
To answer
the question ‘what exactly is meditation’ we have to first answer the question ‘what
exactly is enlightenment?’
Enlightenment
is not something one gains, it is rather something one reaches by shedding.
In principle
we are already enlightened.
We have to
unburden the mind to know enlightenment.
The first
thing we need to do is to know our mind. The first step in meditation is to
observe the mind.
The second
step is to discipline the mind, so that it does what we want. This process is
not unlike training a puppy.
The third
step has to do with shedding. It is in this phase that we can begin to see
significant chances in the meditators life style. The further the meditator
progresses the happier she is with less. The meditator has that look, an inner
glow: no matter how old she is, she is beautiful.
The
meditator must shed greed, hatred and delusion in order to reach enlightenment.
First however she must understand that it is for her own benefit and the
benefit of others to lose these traits.
In order to
shed greed, hatred and delusion the meditator practices generosity, loving-kindness
and truth seeking. First she sits. Then she walks. Then she moves around
freely.
Hygiene for the mind
We understand how to keep our bodies clean and attractive. Soaps, tooth pastes, shampoos, perfumes, deodorants, moisturizers, disinfectants, cleansers, brushes, towels, and other body-tools... form an enormous industry.
We do not
have such a booming industry for the hygiene of the mind yet, but this market
is definitely growing.
Meditation
is an old and reliable tool to clear the mind.
The traditional
(Buddhist) goal of meditation is enlightenment.
There are
many stages of clarity and relaxation of the mind before enlightenment; all are
beneficial.
As little as
twenty minutes of meditation a day impacts our daily lives and work immediately.
We can use it therapeutically too, it is especially helpful in addiction treatment
and anger management.
All we need
is a pillow or a chair, some just sit on the ground. It works beautifully
together with narrative therapy.
A Nun in the Wild
I entered a
Theravada (Buddhist) Monastery in order to become a nun.
A good
friend told me: “You are crazy, you will find it is the same inside the monastery
as outside. As modern woman we can be nuns without monasteries.”
She was
right. Also in monasteries you will find greed, hatred and delusion. In Buddhist monasteries monks reign and nuns
follow. In some countries women cannot even become nuns. Most monks like it
this way. I heard an Australian Theravada monk explain to a Shri Lankan woman
how women, burdened by child bearing, cannot reach Nirvana during this life
time, but men can. The same monk called my teacher a ‘soup kitchen nun’. Needless
to say that my teacher is a thousand times wiser than this foolish monk.
Listening to this monks nonsensical preaching became my lesson in patience
while I was in the monastery. To all monks who preach sexist nonsense I say:
Shame on you.
They will
reply: it is the Buddha who said it.
To which I
reply: The words of the Buddha were written down only 500 years after he spoke
them. By monks. Monks had an agenda by then. Go and figure…
It is for
this reason that I chose to be a nun in the wild. Giving up everything is a
thing I can deal with. Becoming dependent on the whims of monks I cannot deal
with. The monastery was peaceful, silent and beautiful. The nuns who inhabited and
visited it were fascinating, strong woman. The monastic rules were so bizarre
that they were funny or intriguing. I loved it. I dreaded to leave it. But I
had to if I were to remain true to myself.
And for this
very same reason I will use the word “she” when I write about meditators,
although men can be good meditators too.
This is a practical
guide for meditators; beginning, intermediate or advanced, women and men alike.
It is a trip
toward what in Buddhism is called enlightenment. It is a stepping off a shore
into a boat and encountering all sorts of weather. If and when we survive this
weather we eventually reach “the other shore”. The shore of wisdom; the shore
of enlightenment. Like all journeys over water the going can be tough, at other
times it is smooth sailing, some arrive and others get lost forever.
Enlightenment
is a word that is much abused. Enlightenment, however, is in fact a very simple
concept. Enlightenment lays dormant in all of us.
When we
peel, in meditation (aware and mindful of what we are doing), greed, hatred and
delusion, layer after layer, from our psyche, while we cultivate generosity,
loving-kindness and truth seeking, what we are left with is enlightenment.
After
meditation a generous, kind, wise being arises from the ashes of greed, hatred
and delusion. Such a person can easily be recognized by an inner glow. It feels
good to be around such a person. Such a person is skillful and relaxed. I have
met such persons. I want to become like them. That’s why I meditate.
* meditator is not a word; it is invented by me
** the friend is Victoria Whitelaw, a kickass criminal lawyer
** the friend is Victoria Whitelaw, a kickass criminal lawyer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)