Jonathan

I'm really confused After watching Leo's video "Guided Meditation - The Next Level Of Meditation" I decided to see what this Adyashanti fello was about. After watching 10 or so of his videos, I've come to realize that I've spent the last year manipulating my experience with control type meditations. I've listened to a lot of Shinzen Young and I think there might be parallels between the do nothing technique and none manipulation type meditations. That being said, Shinzen advocates a discipline of the mind where Adyashanti advocates a letting go of control. I was fine doing both meditations until Adya talked about control type meditations being used as a way to resist what is. Now I'm questioning whether I should even do concentration type meditations. Entering into these trance like states have been the best thing that has ever happened to me, yet, I guess it has nothing to do with letting what is, be what is. I've heard Leo say that emotional mastery and enlightenment don't have to be exclusive. I'm wondering if at some point emotional mastery is used by the ego to perpetuate manipulation of reality. Even when i'm letting go of control, my mind is so accustomed to dropping into states of absorption. I still feel like i'm resisting what is by accidentally dropping into trances like states. Now I know that all states come to an end and letting reality be as it is, doesn't require any state for lasting happiness. This all makes me very uneasy and I'm just not so sure about even continuing my daily meditation habit now. I'm open to the possibility that I'm seeing this too black and white and that there is something I'm missing. I've started attempting to just let go of control and realizing no practice is needed to be what is. I love meditation as it's made a lot of hard times a lot easier to deal with, but am I wasting a lot of time developing high degrees of concentration and equanimity? Any advice or guidance would be extremely appreciated! What do you guys think about all of this?

@How to be wiseUsing spiral dynamics to postpone realization til some point in the future, a future that will never come. Either see it now or never. Whatever idea you have, be it materialistic or even that enlightenment will take years of meditation is just an idea. If you want to, you can wake up now. You are god(or awareness, presence, reality, everything.. w/e) pretending you're not. This is true every moment. Even when it feels least true. Regardless, if you want to stay asleep.. that's fine. All falsehoods are seen through in the end. From my limited opinionated self, I'd say it's a shame to not realize this whilst ones alive though. Driving in a Ferrari at top speed, listening to your favorite music, while under the effects of ecstasy , while getting your dick sucked by your trophy girlfriend AND being in the deepest state of meditation possible has NOTHING on waking up from the dream of thought. Now I will say, if you've awoken and realized that reality reduced to thought stifles the orgasmic ecstatic and awe inspiring reality present always.. Then that car ride would be quite the trip ;P

@Leo Gura.

@cetus56 Not too far open yet. I enter into states of consciousness where it can be harder to relate and communicate to others though. When i'm on meditation walks it's odd to see a friend and try to have conversation with them. I'll be so concentrated on thoughts and feeling and unraveling the hollowness of them that jumping into a conversation will have me fumbling for words. If not fumbling I just say some "interesting" and contextually out of place stuff. Fortunately I think I just found the answer to my question. Shinzen Young talks about using "focus on positive" (if you're not familiar with that, basically you just consciously bring about positive emotions and thoughts.) to combat meditation induce DPDR. I don't have dpdr. That being said, I do experience the world as being dreamy, and my thoughts and emotions not being "my" thoughts and emotions (after meditating for awhile). So I figure, while not closing the door of perceptions but rather focusing the already opened doors on positive image, self talk and emotions.. I'll be more readily able to have meaningful conversations with people. Instead of being spaced out and appearing aloof and detached (I really enjoy these states but unfortunately the inner tranquility isn't as visible from the outside.) Anyways, I wouldn't have had the idea to look into this if it weren't for your comments. Thank you

@Arnie I'm curious Arnie.. What are you doing to recover from meditation induced DPDR?

@cetus56 I'm curious.. do you perchance know how one could close the doors of perception? I know stopping meditation, binge eating at Mcdonalds and watching a lot of television could do the trick.. but is there an actual technique to quickly bring the senses back to their average capacity?

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Here's some videos of one of the greats talking about dealing with extreme physical pain. This is a game changer. (I'll also include a video about anxiety and fear.)

Sometimes when I'm meditating my forehead and eyebrows rise. Also my ears sort of wiggle. I'm not sure why this happens but I do know that if I don't relax my eyes and my entire head I eventually experience a headache. I'm aware I could be completely wrong about this next point, but I want to mention it anyway. When my forehead and eyebrows rise slightly the meditation seems to be getting pretty intense. It's almost as if I'm blown away by the profoundness of whats happening. My eyebrows raise like they are reacting to the waves of energy and perspective shifts. Nonetheless, I still try to just relax my face and enter into deep states without tensing up. It's helped me have less headaches when I do longer sits. Also, I'll still (if not me, than whatever I am metaphysically) enter into deep states without a tenseness in my head. I'm no meditation expert but something I could suggest is to consciously relax your face. Maybe do some face stretches (look it up online) and possibly massage. Other than that, as you relax and let go more and more.. the tension in your face could resolve itself. Good luck

@Natura Sonoris I meditate with eyes open and closed. 75% of the time I'll keep them closed. Just keep bringing it back to a straight position, one day it'll stay there with ease. I swallow the saliva but this doesn't seem to be much an issue for me. Thanks for the questions

A quick post about my meditations lately. Utilizing Leo's video "Radical Openmindedness - How To Break Free Of Dogma & Beliefs" I've been inquiring into the nature of my assumptions. Lately it seems that this of utmost importance. One assumptions I question, is the idea that there is an experiencer experiencing reality. I assume that "I'm" meditating or that "I'm" here. Who is this "I"? He seems to appear for a few moments than vanishes, only to reappear moments later. The continuity of this "I" is what usually gives it so much power and seeming truth. As "I" meditate and inquire more and more it becomes easier to see that this "I" isn't completely me. Where does "I" arise from? Where does it go to? My awareness isn't sufficient to see this yet. Still too many thoughts claiming authority over experience. This muddies the inquiry. Anyways this seems a good place to be; a lot of aspects of life are losing their intensity and where that tension once was contentment and joy now reside. On to more inquiry!

@step1 Thanks! Yes that is a possibility. First off I can only recommend a course of action, that being said.. my advice isn't to be taken too seriously. Listen to Leos or Shinzen Youngs content, they've got a lot of it. Alright.. On to the advice. Keep doing the 1 hour sits. Something will come up from the surface eventually. If you want quicker results (these sits don't have to be Strong Determ sitting) do another 30m-1h meditation a day. If you know Shinzen Youngs 5 meditation techniques + self inquiry.. you'll have a lot to work with. Take your pick at what tool to use. Also, if you really want to make some quick progress be sure to do some sort of mindfulness or do nothing technique when you're in the midst of a crisis. (not always practical, I'm aware) But if you're able to bring awareness to painful experiences it'll make those experiences easier (as well as advancing your practice.) A simple trick (not so simple at first, but the anticipation is worse than the actual experience) for experiencing negative sensations while remaining mindful is to start with cold water when you take a shower. Get under the shower head, turn the water on, spend 20-30-40-50 seconds remaining conscious and aware of all the sensations arising whilst under the cold water.If you do try this, be sure not to spend too long with your head in the cold water. It'll give you a headache and is supposedly unhealthy for the brain. If your water is FREEZING than 2-3 seconds of it on each body part is sufficient. If it's just pretty cold, you would do 4-7 seconds on each body part. (spending less time with water on the head, also you can mostly focus on the upper body) Anyways, than you can switch to warm or hot water and take a normal shower. I hope you don't need any tips for that ;P Alrighty I could go into more detail but this might be enough. Good luck Step1!

@Zane Thanks man! Although I don't want to hide from the fact that I've not been meditating as much lately. I did 5-7 hours of meditation a day for the week that I started this. Now i'm doing anywhere from 2-4 hours a day. If I could, i'd change the title of this journal. Nonetheless your comment is appreciated, and after I work out a few things.. I'll get back to lengthier sits.

That might be a good sign. It might be time (if you have the time to do so) to increase your time spent meditating. Anyways it's really a beautiful thing to be able to sit there.. do nothing and actually enjoy it. Plus It's free!! (Except the time put in, but the rewards are out of this world.) To be frank, I've no idea if it matters. That being said, I think it's good to meditate in the morning everyday. (Whatever time you happen to wake up) It'll help you get some traction with your practice. You'll notice it takes less time for you to get into a state of being that promotes relaxation, reflection and emotional growth. If you're able to (spare time during the day, if you've got any) just being mindful of what the senses are sensing can be helpful. Anyways, I'm really not qualified to give any advice..Leo is the dude for that.