Confused

[whippoorwill]

There's all this mythology, industry, and good-feely stuff built up around meditation, but I really like Yogani's metaphor of it being the same as brushing your teeth.  If you spend 40 years brushing your teeth every day, people don't go around saying that "this person is, like, the most god-like tooth-brusher ever."  But they do that with meditation.

Instead of cleaning, exercising, and toning the mouth, meditation cleans, exercises, and tones our nervous system -- the physical body system that is fundamental to our navigation of reality.  So we get some whacked-out experiences from meditation that we don't get from brushing and flossing.  Then the experiences stop and everything flows in stillness…  Maybe we get to a point when we think meditation has nothing more to offer…  

But don't we clean our teeth every day just the same -- even when we think our breath doesn't stink?

This probably isn't helpful.  Love to you, and hope it all works out!  

[karl]

no, obviously not, but its a guide as to what is easier and more direct.

[kami]

quote:Originally posted by CarsonZi

quote:Originally posted by karl

The right path can never have conflict, it is the easier to find, but harder to accept, or believe.

"The right path..."  Can there be a wrong path?

"The right path can never have conflict..." Is there ANY path that has no conflict?  Conflict is critical in my experience as it highlights our hangups and brings our misperceptions to light through suffering.

Love,
Carson

Very true. Conflict is an internal thing.. But some paths may lead to highlighting the conflict much more, when there is a clash between deeply held beliefs and the teachings of the path..

Saw this short video today and think it sums up a key issue - the illusion of "having arrived" too soon.. Of being misguided into thinking we are free or are already enlightened. This can be an issue particularly when there is no guru or mentor to point out the fallacies of such illusions, IMHO..

Rupert Spira: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Qh8zt4XNo&sns=em

[karl]

My guru is this forum. Always keeps me grounded.

[CarsonZi]

My guru is Life... it always punches me in the throat when I'm an idiot.

[karl]

It sometimes punches me when I'm not being an idiot, just not listening hard enough or getting too comfortable.

[CarsonZi]

quote:Originally posted by karl

It sometimes punches me when I'm not being an idiot, just not listening hard enough or getting too comfortable.

Hahaha... Personally, when I'm not listening hard enough or am getting too comfortable, that's when I consider myself an idiot.

[kami]

Yes of course. All the best to you both.

[SeySorciere]

I think it punches me just for the pleasure of it...

Sey

[Radharani]

quote:Originally posted by whippoorwill

There's all this mythology, industry, and good-feely stuff built up around meditation, but I really like Yogani's metaphor of it being the same as brushing your teeth.  If you spend 40 years brushing your teeth every day, people don't go around saying that "this person is, like, the most god-like tooth-brusher ever."  But they do that with meditation.

Instead of cleaning, exercising, and toning the mouth, meditation cleans, exercises, and tones our nervous system -- the physical body system that is fundamental to our navigation of reality.  So we get some whacked-out experiences from meditation that we don't get from brushing and flossing.  Then the experiences stop and everything flows in stillness…  Maybe we get to a point when we think meditation has nothing more to offer…  

But don't we clean our teeth every day just the same -- even when we think our breath doesn't stink?

This probably isn't helpful.  Love to you, and hope it all works out!  

yeah, similarly my teacher says our daily yoga practice is just like taking a shower.

I feel SO much better - back in the groove - now that I'm making more time for my practice.  Although external circumstances have not changed, the feeling/perception has changed and it makes all the difference in the world.

Reflecting on this experience, I realize that in the midst of the illness, exhaustion, financial disaster, working overtime, and continual "family drama" with being step-mom to a know-it-all teenager (is there any other kind?  LOL!) who is now living with us, etc., I had been thinking of my yoga practice as a "luxury" on which I some days couldn't afford to spend the time and energy.  But in retrospect, I now realize I can't afford NOT to!  There is a subtle trap of feeling guilty for making time for oneself - I'm sure other busy moms can relate to this - but the reality is, if I don't make time for my yoga practice I won't have anything left to give to others and/or to deal with the demands of living in the material world...
 

[Radharani]

quote:Originally posted by SeySorciere

I think it punches me just for the pleasure of it...

Sey

sometimes I think that, too  

[whippoorwill]

quote:Originally posted by whippoorwill

There's all this mythology, industry, and good-feely stuff built up around meditation, but I really like Yogani's metaphor of it being the same as brushing your teeth.  If you spend 40 years brushing your teeth every day, people don't go around saying that "this person is, like, the most god-like tooth-brusher ever."  But they do that with meditation.

Instead of cleaning, exercising, and toning the mouth, meditation cleans, exercises, and tones our nervous system -- the physical body system that is fundamental to our navigation of reality.  So we get some whacked-out experiences from meditation that we don't get from brushing and flossing.  Then the experiences stop and everything flows in stillness…  Maybe we get to a point when we think meditation has nothing more to offer…  

But don't we clean our teeth every day just the same -- even when we think our breath doesn't stink?

This probably isn't helpful.  Love to you, and hope it all works out!  

I have to apologize for this one.  It didn't feel right when I posted it, but I couldn't identify what was missing or wrong with it.

It's missing devotion.    

If you find yourself totally devoted to the science of economics, then I say: "go for it!"   I'm sure you'll know what's required when you see it.  I suppose there's a bit of jealousy on my part that you've found your gig, your calling.  

My current gig, despite the business that I run, appears to be "Mom."  It chafes a little due to a block called "Ambition" and due to the sheer amount of energy required.  (Radharani, I totally hear ya!)  Plus, I'm still mostly "living in time." I believe that the Mom thing isn't going to be like this forever, and I wonder what's next.  So I have a calling that I'm not completely devoted to all the time, and I'm jealous that you've found one.    Yes, I know what to do about that.  Devote myself to "now!"  

There was also a recent experience in my mind when I wrote the post.  I sometimes go to a meditation class (they do breath meditation), and a young woman was there who had never meditated before.  She's a social worker and has ADHD, and she came into the class believing that it would be really difficult, but she was there anyway.  After meditation, the leader goes around the room and asks us about what we experienced during the meditation.  Then progress gets evaluated based on the experiences.  (I loathe that.  I can't think of any more effective way to ruin meditation than to mentally keep tabs on all the experiences.  I mumble something about "nothing" when it's my turn because I don't want go back and search my memory for something to talk about.  I know -- it's not the best way to deal with the situation....)   Anyway, while everyone else was talking about tingling, heartbeats, colors, lights, and what-not, this girl had to say that she was constantly battling thoughts.  After class, she said offhand to me: "I know it'll take a lot of practice before I'm any good at this."  My heart really went out to her.  I said, "mediation doesn't take practice.  It is a practice.  It's like brushing your teeth.  Only instead of cleaning your mouth, you're cleaning your nervous system."  And I got to thinking afterwards that I'm really not any better at brushing my teeth than I was twenty years ago, and I'm really not any better at meditating than I was 3 years ago.  That's not where the benefits are….  The "meditation" bar is set so high that people give up before they even start.  It breaks my heart, and I was really upset about that experience when I wrote the post.

Anyways…  hope you'll accept my apologies.  Much love to you.

--Liz

[karl]

I'm really just following the cracks. I have no idea what economics has to do with anything-anymore than I'm attracted to a certain flower. Its the least obvious and virtually alien. It shouldn't be a surprise because its how I tumbled into AYP.

Its like a map has been produced that I should follow. The trick is to see how thoughts twist the wheel away from the route. The destination and reason for the route are unknown, its just balancing on an invisible blade of faith. I trust God -not to get me to some safe place, but that the trust IS the safe place.

AYP is the tool to achieve the balance. A fluid thing like trying to hold water in the palm of the hand. It doesn't determine the course, but helps dissolve the blockages to worship for me.  It has to be done consistently because the blockages continue to arise.

When I wake up wondering what the hell I'm doing X for, or why shouldn't I be doing Y instead then I'm further away from God. Its out of the moment and debating the past and trying to determine a future.

Its like following a sunbeam by looking up at it. To keep under the beam requires not looking where my feet are going. Sometimes i walk into trees and fall in ditches but I have to keep looking up no matter how bruised I get because the light is so great. Once I look down then the beam goes flying by and then I have to work like hell to get back under it.

The balance is between the sunbeam and the practicality of looking to see what terrain I'm walking over. I have to trust that no matter what the terrain is that it is intentional. I couldn't avoid it anyway so there is no point in looking for it.

[jeff]

Hi Karl,

Thank you for the thread and especially the above post.

Best wishes,
Jeff

p.s. Nothing wrong with curiosity and experimentation. Explore away...

[kami]

quote:Originally posted by karl



I'm really just following the cracks. I have no idea what economics has to do with anything-anymore than I'm attracted to a certain flower. Its the least obvious and virtually alien. It shouldn't be a surprise because its how I tumbled into AYP.

Its like a map has been produced that I should follow. The trick is to see how thoughts twist the wheel away from the route. The destination and reason for the route are unknown, its just balancing on an invisible blade of faith. I trust God -not to get me to some safe place, but that the trust IS the safe place.

AYP is the tool to achieve the balance. A fluid thing like trying to hold water in the palm of the hand. It doesn't determine the course, but helps dissolve the blockages to worship for me.  It has to be done consistently because the blockages continue to arise.

When I wake up wondering what the hell I'm doing X for, or why shouldn't I be doing Y instead then I'm further away from God. Its out of the moment and debating the past and trying to determine a future.

Its like following a sunbeam by looking up at it. To keep under the beam requires not looking where my feet are going. Sometimes i walk into trees and fall in ditches but I have to keep looking up no matter how bruised I get because the light is so great. Once I look down then the beam goes flying by and then I have to work like hell to get back under it.

The balance is between the sunbeam and the practicality of looking to see what terrain I'm walking over. I have to trust that no matter what the terrain is that it is intentional. I couldn't avoid it anyway so there is no point in looking for it.

Beautiful. Splendidly beautiful. Thank you.