Guest guest Posted May 4, 2001 Report Share Posted May 4, 2001 Anybody on this list has experience in Vipassana Meditation? What does the author mean below ... "mental vacuum ... state like dreamless sleep is to be avoided???" A whole book: wonderful, easy to understand, written by a master, on Mindfulness and Vipassana Meditation [Mindfulness in Plain English by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana.] is download able free here: http://www.realization.org/home.htm http://www.realization.org/page/namedoc0/mipe/mipe_0.htm "In the wordless observation of the breath, there are two states to be avoided: thinking and sinking. The thinking mind manifests most clearly as the monkey-mind phenomenon we have just been discussing. The sinking mind is almost the reverse. As a general term, sinking mind denotes any dimming of awareness. At its best, it is sort of a mental vacuum in which there is no thought, no observation of the breath, no awareness of anything. It is a gap, a formless mental gray area rather like a dreamless sleep. Sinking mind is a void. Avoid it. Vipassana meditation is an active function. Concentration is a strong, energetic attention to one single item. Awareness is a bright clean alertness. Samahdhi and Sati--these are the two faculties we wish to cultivate. And sinking mind contains neither. At its worst, it will put you to sleep. Even at its best it will simply waste your time." ________________________________ Love makes the heart laugh. I wish you Love. CyberDervish `````````````````````````````````````````````` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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