JustinS

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Posts posted by JustinS

  1. Posted

    On 7/26/2016 at 0:00 AM, Naviy said:

    My main struggle is that I cannot be satisfied with the technique I use. For example, I enjoy Do Nothing, and I want to do it. But I also read somewhere, that Mindfulness meditation is necessary too. And I start doing Mindfulness meditation, which is hard for me, and I struggle a lot with it. And I think that, the harder is it, the more I need it. And I force myself to do this Mindfulness meditation. Sometimes I fail to do it properly. Then I come back to Do Nothing meditation and feel guilt for not chosing what is more difficult, and, therefore, more needed for me.

    I'd say follow an easy technique or few set of rules for someone just getting into meditation. Keep it simple like being aware of the sensation one's nose or breathing and every time your mind wanders bring it back. It is more important to build a habit of meditation. 

    For me it helped that I get this really awesome fuzzy feeling of relaxation around my scalp when I sat which every time brought actual tears of relaxations down my cheeks (came around 10 min mark). It was like a treat for me, and I never finished a sat unless I get one of these. Now, since practicing over years, I can produce these wonderful sensations anytime and anywhere I want by simply closing my eyes and inhaling mindfully. 

     

    Meditate daily for 3 months straight! and make sure you taste the pudding. Meaning, feeling the actual benefits of deep relaxations, fulfillment, and stillness. This kept me even more motivated because it was no longer faith, but actual experienced benefits. 

  2. Posted

    @Pallero Haha all positions are going to have some aches here and there but by sticking to one position overtime your body will learn to override the pain and it will subside and no longer exist within that time frame, or at least they will come when sitting longer than usual. You just have to stick to one and do it over and over again til your body automatically adjusts to it. Trust me, the pain will go away after continuous practice. 

    Sitting on a chair is a good one for the least pain. Or try putting cushions under each knee when sitting cross legged, this will greatly reduce the pressure created of one leg on top of another. 

    My first vipassana course I had to use a foldable back rest for the full 10 days and my second course required no backrest and only one sandbag to sit on. Pain and pleasure are sensations that are impermanent, they come and go. Sit through them and remain equanimous, unless of course you feel something is going to shred... haha :) There is much insights in pain.

     

  3. Posted · Edited by JustinS
    added words

    @WelcometoReality Sure it does seem like I'm controlling the body at the experimental level.

    When I break it down, I notice that there is a subtle thought before any action "I" take, but thoughts cannot be predicted, as they are produced depending my previous experiences and current surrounding environment. However, there seems to be no thoughts (or at least that I'm aware) of being aware of the thoughts. 

    13 hours ago, WelcometoReality said:

    What is it that chooses?

    At the level of Reality, no one but a story called "I". 

  4. Posted

    22 minutes ago, vizual said:

    So who is it that shifts the awareness of the breath to the person behind you?

    @vizual Hmm awareness itself?.. I suppose I have no control over my awareness either. 

    24 minutes ago, vizual said:

    And what is the difference between an "action" and a "shift of awareness"?

    I believe a shift of awareness brings about before an action.

    But then again human instincts? 

  9. Posted

    @Wind

    1 hour ago, Wind said:

    What are your main struggles with meditation as a beginner?

    Patience and consistency

    1 hour ago, Wind said:

    If you're advanced, what do you think beginners should know and what information would have helped you when you were just starting?

    To have a strong faith that this is something worth doing without expecting any immediate results. Doing my own research on the benefits of meditation (neurological studies, psychological studies, etc.) so that I can really see that it's not just some woowoo but practical and scientific. To not jump around onto too many different techniques in the beginning but to stick to one for at least a month to give a fare try. 

    That every single minute that I have sat was not a minute gone wasted. Whether the session was smooth or a disaster is out of the question. 

     

  10. Posted

    @Bombardini Understand cravings and aversions at the deeper level of the mind and how this constant flux creates agitation. We cling to cravings, and we avert from pain yet they are both just sensations that are impermanent but it feels as though they are eternal in that moment. 

    Meditation is a way to see the unconscious habit pattern of one's mind. Purify the mind by getting rid of all addictions. 

  15. Posted

    @Leo Gura Hi, I just returned from my 2nd Vipassana Meditation retreat out in Joshua Tree. Without all the spiritual terms attached (sincaras, shila, punya, samadhi) I understand that it is seeing reality as it is with awareness and equanimity. Definitely enjoy the technique as it has shown experienced results.

    Curious to know what you think of the technique? Any flaws? Traps? 

  16. Posted · Edited by JustinS
    word

    @electroBeam If I approach you on the street with a gift in my hand and you decide not to accept it, whose gift is it then? 

    The gift is still mine as I have lost nothing. In another case when you have accepted my gift, great! I can produce more gifts from within myself. More for one and more for all. Give, give, give. 

    Be the source of it all and you find that no one can take any amount of happiness away from you. Just pure unconditional without expectations. You want to share your inner happiness with this person and if they don't except your gift, let them Be Happy, and move on unaltered, cool, and strong.

    Hope this helps :) 

  17. Posted

    @Katiee Aha yes! Welcome! I'm pretty sure everyone on this forum has experienced this to a degree, it is a part of personal growth, development, and actualization work. It's actually my most favorite part as I find it ever so exciting, fun, and quite psychedelic to the average. It is kind of like being Neo from Matrix, literally. Just remember that you are never alone and that you have a community here that will support you along your journey. :) 

  18. Posted · Edited by JustinS
    Words added

    @Greatnestwithin Yes! You are who you are looking for. The seeker is the sought. Whether you seek or not just know that it's action itself is all a part of a play realizing itself. Really freaky and awesome :) This brought a ridiculously big smile on my face as well. :D I Thank You. This is also something I am going through slowly and patiently, reminding myself over and over again.

    Much Love brother. Be well. 

     

  19. Posted

    @Greatnestwithin

    5 hours ago, Greatnestwithin said:

    I still wonder, at what point does that silence as a form of answer become a realization, an insight?

    Once you fully Be it. And once experienced, it will become a Truth for yourself and not believing what others have said in the past. Then your faith of knowing will become stronger and stronger. But then again, seeking an ANSWER is the problem in itself. It's the mind/egoic needs to satisfy itself for freedom of pain. It's another paradox. At the end, you have to fully give up on finding the answers, and Be it instead. Being present to what is, and that it is all already perfect as it is, and that you are a part of something so grand whichever route you take. :) 

    5 hours ago, Greatnestwithin said:

    At what point the identification with the body/mind goes? .Is it a matter of keep doing self inquiry, to keep meditating... 

    Yes meditating is to simply notice. You can do this every where and all the time besides sitting. Just simply notice your thoughts when they arise (be the witness), notice the body (witness). Noticing should not take any effort. Meditation should not take any effort as it not a Doing. Doing again, is something of the mind, to get somewhere other than here. Process of undoing, not doing, just being, effortlessly. Overtime you will realize the witnesser more easily and effortlessly and this will provide a gap between your body/mind. That gap is a good place to Be. :) 

    "Do not be a meditator. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing." - Ajhan Chah

  20. Posted

    17 hours ago, Greatnestwithin said:

    And silence always follows as a form of answer as I ask myself from a place of genuine curiosity, like really really truly!!  who I am... 

    And the answer is always the same, just silence...nothing appears in my mind. And when that happens I remain with that silence for as long as I can until a thought arises.

    @Greatnestwithin Good, when you do not find yourself while inquiry remember that you are not failing. Remember, who You are is pure infinite nothingness, and this is quite impossible for the mind to grasp as it can only grasp somethingness, it cannot grasp nothingness, it wasn't made to. Leo explains this very beautifully in his Enlightenment Guided Inquiry @ 55:00. I definitely recommend you to watch it if you haven't https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq4NDMNDzSs

    18 hours ago, Greatnestwithin said:

    Even though dead is an illusion, is a very real one that is why I was wondering how a self- realized person would deal with dead.

    A self realized person would see life and death as an illusion because he would realize that "he" was never alive to begin with, ever. The body and mind was active, sure, however, there was really no one that operated it, and ever will. A self realized person when coming to "his" demise would not flinch an ounce of fear when death arrives of the mind and body, for he has already realized the very nature of one's self and reality. That you are the Infinite, Divine, that the body/mind experiences from. There is no more identification with the body/mind, only to the divine nothingness, so then what is death of the body/mind mean to the self realized person? Yeah, it means nothing! Aha! :D 

  21. Posted

    @Greatnestwithin

    On 6/25/2016 at 5:13 AM, Greatnestwithin said:

    How would they deal with all sort of emotions, feelings, sensations, thoughts, that would arise in their minds?

    They would definitely feel all of this to great degree, or probably even greater than the average folk, but it doesn't remain long after it has been felt. I'd imagine it like as a mother duck witnesses the death of her little duckling, she may feel sorrow, but then it passes and she soon forgets and moves on flowing with life. A great deal of presence. 

     

    On 6/25/2016 at 5:13 AM, Greatnestwithin said:

    Would they be able to be in the present moment from the moment they know their lovers ones are not longer with them? would they be able to carry on, keep doing all the things they were doing, with their business, their friendships etc. How would they deal with all the memories from the past etc

    Yes, the past is just a memory from the present. A pas thought, past experience, and past memories are all just projections from the present moment. Whatever that is physically in front of these enlightened people are the only things that are true in their present reality. Enlightened people would have transcended the mind, and the ego, as attachments of any kind would have fleeted. 

  22. Posted

    @Ivansmarks Start meditating to grab hold of a stronger sense of awareness. I would definitely recommend you to try the Do-Nothing Meditation technique. This has worked for me as I had obnoxious amounts of sexual thoughts. I learned that these things are completely natural and shouldn't be suppressed with any ounce of shame. 

    This technique allows you to spend some time sitting and basically just spacing out and letting whatever thoughts come, arise and fall, without the intention to interfere with anything. By letting the horny monkey out of it's cage, so to speak, allowed me the space needed for these things to be exhausted out. Trust me, I've thought about some crazy creative shit, but then still,...they pass. Keep doing this everyday until the horny monkey gets it's attention it most desires from you and it should balance out quite well. 

  24. Posted

    23 hours ago, Orange said:

    nice image of the onion btw,  I hope I don't cry too much when this peels off :))

    @Orange Oh why my friend, that is the best part.

    Cry and peel, cry and peel. 

    The feeling of complete surrender, to every moment.

    I encourage you to open up your heart and to start feeling more with less thinking, judging, and manipulating.

    Be aware of every emotion that arises and passes.