On August 1, 2008, I set the goal of meditating for twenty minutes each day, and whenever it occurs to me, I write about reflections that arise from this practice, from my reading and listening, and from applying what I’ve learned to my daily life. I am now going to begin sharing these.
MARCH HAIKUS
Fog Bound
In a fog alone,
Reached out for Tara Buddha
But the fog was I.
Buried Treasure
Remaining hidden,
The best Buddhas are unknown;
Spring is always here.
The View in All Directions
Sat on a pillow,
Atop earth unsupported,
Sampling the seasons.
Silly Reasons for Meditation
Why I meditate?
I cannot tell you because,
None of it is true.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Adventitious: Finishing Up
In my last entry, I elaborated on more of the unfamiliar experiences resulting from my Buddhist practice; particularly those relating to a Buddha called Tara.
There was one more; so incredible I am not even sure what to call it, let alone how to describe it. Plus, I’m reluctant to go into it, because I don’t want to create a false impression. I don’t want people to think this is all about altered states and peak experiences, because actually it isn’t. It is easy to make this mistake, but mostly life consists of the day-to-day slogging that all of us do, facing and/or struggling with the host of obstacles or conditions we encounter. Getting caught up in bliss can be just as big an impediment to clear seeing and thinking as drowning in suffering.
Besides, I think that others have already described these sorts of states thoroughly. If you are really interested in this topic, I suggest you obtain the audio book by Jack Kornfield, entitled, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry. Here he draws from the experiences of many different people, and not just Buddhists, but also Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus. In fact, he argues that such experiences and states are common. I would highly recommend this book for those who would like to explore this subject further.
As far as my own insight is concerned, the most important thing is not that, but what I have been up to since that great opening to everything as it is occurred. For, quite soon after, I suddenly decided that I really needed to re-establish a regular daily meditation practice.
I opted for something relatively easy. The last time, as I discussed when I talked about my attempt to follow part of the method recommended by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the results had not been too good. I guessed that perhaps this had to do with the fact that I had pushed too hard, especially, that I had kept increasing the amount of time spent in meditation. The other thing was that I lacked the frame of reference.
It is obvious from the results that I have described that there is something more I needed. We all get this in different ways, but at the time I am writing this, this seems to be my way.
Next I will turn to my journaling on my daily practice, including resources consulted, insights, twists and turns, setbacks, and so on. Some of it may not make much sense, but I will put it up anyway for those who may benefit from it, or at least enjoy it or be entertained by it. It won’t all be serious either; so, keep your sense of humour handy. I know I will.
There was one more; so incredible I am not even sure what to call it, let alone how to describe it. Plus, I’m reluctant to go into it, because I don’t want to create a false impression. I don’t want people to think this is all about altered states and peak experiences, because actually it isn’t. It is easy to make this mistake, but mostly life consists of the day-to-day slogging that all of us do, facing and/or struggling with the host of obstacles or conditions we encounter. Getting caught up in bliss can be just as big an impediment to clear seeing and thinking as drowning in suffering.
Besides, I think that others have already described these sorts of states thoroughly. If you are really interested in this topic, I suggest you obtain the audio book by Jack Kornfield, entitled, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry. Here he draws from the experiences of many different people, and not just Buddhists, but also Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus. In fact, he argues that such experiences and states are common. I would highly recommend this book for those who would like to explore this subject further.
As far as my own insight is concerned, the most important thing is not that, but what I have been up to since that great opening to everything as it is occurred. For, quite soon after, I suddenly decided that I really needed to re-establish a regular daily meditation practice.
I opted for something relatively easy. The last time, as I discussed when I talked about my attempt to follow part of the method recommended by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the results had not been too good. I guessed that perhaps this had to do with the fact that I had pushed too hard, especially, that I had kept increasing the amount of time spent in meditation. The other thing was that I lacked the frame of reference.
It is obvious from the results that I have described that there is something more I needed. We all get this in different ways, but at the time I am writing this, this seems to be my way.
Next I will turn to my journaling on my daily practice, including resources consulted, insights, twists and turns, setbacks, and so on. Some of it may not make much sense, but I will put it up anyway for those who may benefit from it, or at least enjoy it or be entertained by it. It won’t all be serious either; so, keep your sense of humour handy. I know I will.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Advent: Ignition
In my last post, I wrote about how my Tara practice led to an experience of disappearance. This was merely the first in a series of peculiar events that occurred during one week of particularly intense Fibromyalgia pain.
The next day, I was again reduced to lying in bed moaning and groaning, but once again I was able to let go by focusing on Tara. This time, I was overcome by an intense feeling of bliss. All of my pain disappeared for a time. It was actually a bit scary because it seemed to come from nowhere. I concentrated on my breath, however, and then this cascading joy swept over me, practically lifting me off the bed. Alas, when it ended the pain returned.
During the next incident I was cooking supper. Suddenly a bright light seemed to emerge from deep inside of me, engulfing me. ‘It’s too bright! It’s too bright!’ I thought. I had to stop what I was doing and grab on to something. The light intensified, growing brighter and brighter, then exploding outward like some kind of supernova blast. I was enveloped in light and all-encompassing joy. (Interestingly, Tara is often associated with light; light and related imagery appear frequently in the 21 praises of Tara to which I alluded earlier.)
After that I was able to return to my task, had supper, and went to work. The feeling of joy persisted, however, and on my way home, I felt as if I could see the same light in everyone I saw on the street.
This all seemed amazing, incredible at the time, though I later learned that such experiences are quite common for many people who employ the sorts of practices in which I had been engaged. It turned out not to be anything special really, but it certainly felt unique back then.
Naturally, I wanted more information and kept looking for it. One place I found it was in a series of CDs called, Out of Your Mind, and other assorted talks by Alan Watts. He had an amazing way of explaining Buddhism, particularly Zen, which was so simple and yet so profound. It wasn’t until some years later that I discovered his little trick, which I am not going to reveal here; it’s much more fun for you to find out on your own. His material is all over the web; so, you should not have trouble finding it. A simple search is all it takes.
Next time, I will attempt to finish up the “My Quest” series, as I am itching to get on to writing about my current practice.
The next day, I was again reduced to lying in bed moaning and groaning, but once again I was able to let go by focusing on Tara. This time, I was overcome by an intense feeling of bliss. All of my pain disappeared for a time. It was actually a bit scary because it seemed to come from nowhere. I concentrated on my breath, however, and then this cascading joy swept over me, practically lifting me off the bed. Alas, when it ended the pain returned.
During the next incident I was cooking supper. Suddenly a bright light seemed to emerge from deep inside of me, engulfing me. ‘It’s too bright! It’s too bright!’ I thought. I had to stop what I was doing and grab on to something. The light intensified, growing brighter and brighter, then exploding outward like some kind of supernova blast. I was enveloped in light and all-encompassing joy. (Interestingly, Tara is often associated with light; light and related imagery appear frequently in the 21 praises of Tara to which I alluded earlier.)
After that I was able to return to my task, had supper, and went to work. The feeling of joy persisted, however, and on my way home, I felt as if I could see the same light in everyone I saw on the street.
This all seemed amazing, incredible at the time, though I later learned that such experiences are quite common for many people who employ the sorts of practices in which I had been engaged. It turned out not to be anything special really, but it certainly felt unique back then.
Naturally, I wanted more information and kept looking for it. One place I found it was in a series of CDs called, Out of Your Mind, and other assorted talks by Alan Watts. He had an amazing way of explaining Buddhism, particularly Zen, which was so simple and yet so profound. It wasn’t until some years later that I discovered his little trick, which I am not going to reveal here; it’s much more fun for you to find out on your own. His material is all over the web; so, you should not have trouble finding it. A simple search is all it takes.
Next time, I will attempt to finish up the “My Quest” series, as I am itching to get on to writing about my current practice.
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