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Maharshi - Q: My mind is not steady in meditation

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Thank you, Vicki -

difficult "job" - but lets try it again and again.

Gabriele

 

 

RamanaMaharshi, "viorica weissman" <viorica@z...> wrote:

> Q: My mind is not steady in meditation.

>

> Maharshi :

> Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> reducing the thoughts to a single one .

>

>

> from Conscious Immortality

>

>

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>

>

>

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"Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> reducing the thoughts to a single one"

 

Why bother, you are all you can be right now.

For the last twenty years I strived for enlightenment and suffered

and was even depressed. Now that I realized that I am all I can be, I

am the happiest in my whole life. My wife said that I came out of a

lifelong depression.

Aloha,

Alton .

 

 

RamanaMaharshi, g.ebert@g... wrote:

> Thank you, Vicki -

> difficult "job" - but lets try it again and again.

> Gabriele

>

>

> RamanaMaharshi, "viorica weissman" <viorica@z...> wrote:

> > Q: My mind is not steady in meditation.

> >

> > Maharshi :

> > Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > reducing the thoughts to a single one .

> >

> >

> > from Conscious Immortality

> >

> >

>

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> >

> >

> >

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Hi Alton,

 

Excellent, excellent. Surely nobody can

complain about what you've realized. But

is it possible that by following Sri Ramana's

instructions something more could be realized

about what it is that you already are?

 

Best regards,

 

Rob

 

-

"Alton Slater" <leenalton

<RamanaMaharshi>

Friday, November 02, 2001 12:34 PM

[RamanaMaharshi] Re: Maharshi - Q: My mind is not steady in meditation

 

 

> "Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > reducing the thoughts to a single one"

>

> Why bother, you are all you can be right now.

> For the last twenty years I strived for enlightenment and suffered

> and was even depressed. Now that I realized that I am all I can be, I

> am the happiest in my whole life. My wife said that I came out of a

> lifelong depression.

> Aloha,

> Alton .

>

>

> RamanaMaharshi, g.ebert@g... wrote:

> > Thank you, Vicki -

> > difficult "job" - but lets try it again and again.

> > Gabriele

> >

> >

> > RamanaMaharshi, "viorica weissman" <viorica@z...> wrote:

> > > Q: My mind is not steady in meditation.

> > >

> > > Maharshi :

> > > Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > > reducing the thoughts to a single one .

> > >

> > >

> > > from Conscious Immortality

> > >

> > >

> >

> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > >

> > >

> > >

>

>

>

>

> Post message: RamanaMaharshi

> Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi-

> Un: RamanaMaharshi-

> List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner

>

> Shortcut URL to this page:

> /community/RamanaMaharshi

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>

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Hi Rob:

 

Thanks for you nice words.

I am still practicing but now I am not going for that "non-perception

of objects" In fact I dont want anything from my meditation anymore.

I just do it without expectations. Too many disappointments on this

trip for me. It seems to be much more enjoyable. I just quit after an

hour and dont push my self. I use the " I" thought duriing waking

hours and can go to sleep with it and even take a nap almost when

ever I wish too during the day. I just accept what I have been given.

Some come in prewired like concert pianists or composers and I was

not prewired and that is fine with me now.

 

 

I dont want to impose my reality on anyone, but just want to share

another viewpoint.

 

I now believe in what UG has presented. That the mind has gotten too

strong over time and only a small handful will get that realization,

but all can have that firm conviction that we are the SELF.

Nisargadatta mentions it in his works.

 

On a related subject. I presented the "I AM" to a new friend and she

told me an interesting story.

When she was young she used to have many nightmares. Her uncle that

the family thought was strange,told her to think the thought "I AM"

and they would go away. She did and the nightmares went away.

After she told me that I told her about this trip.

 

Aloha,

Alton

 

RamanaMaharshi, "Rob Sacks" <editor@r...> wrote:

> Hi Alton,

>

> Excellent, excellent. Surely nobody can

> complain about what you've realized. But

> is it possible that by following Sri Ramana's

> instructions something more could be realized

> about what it is that you already are?

>

> Best regards,

>

> Rob

>

> -

> "Alton Slater" <leenalton@h...>

> <RamanaMaharshi>

> Friday, November 02, 2001 12:34 PM

> [RamanaMaharshi] Re: Maharshi - Q: My mind is not steady

in meditation

>

>

> > "Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > > reducing the thoughts to a single one"

> >

> > Why bother, you are all you can be right now.

> > For the last twenty years I strived for enlightenment and

suffered

> > and was even depressed. Now that I realized that I am all I can

be, I

> > am the happiest in my whole life. My wife said that I came out of

a

> > lifelong depression.

> > Aloha,

> > Alton .

> >

> >

> > RamanaMaharshi, g.ebert@g... wrote:

> > > Thank you, Vicki -

> > > difficult "job" - but lets try it again and again.

> > > Gabriele

> > >

> > >

> > > RamanaMaharshi, "viorica weissman" <viorica@z...>

wrote:

> > > > Q: My mind is not steady in meditation.

> > > >

> > > > Maharshi :

> > > > Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > > > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > > > reducing the thoughts to a single one .

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > from Conscious Immortality

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Post message: RamanaMaharshi

> > Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi-

> > Un: RamanaMaharshi-

> > List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner

> >

> > Shortcut URL to this page:

> > /community/RamanaMaharshi

> >

> > Your use of is subject to

 

> >

> >

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Hi Alton,

 

I wonder if there's any difference between what you're

saying and what Bhagavan recommended.

 

> I use the " I" thought duriing waking hours and can go

> to sleep with it and even take a nap almost when

> ever I wish too during the day.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "use" but if you mean

consciously aware of the I-thought, attending to it,

isn't that inquiry?

 

This gets into something that is a big puzzle to me.

Bhagavan said many times that yoga (dhyana) is different

from inquiry. When you talk about "going for that 'non-

perception of objects,'" that's a pretty good definition of

yoga. Isn't it? The deliberate, effortful pursuit of

kaivalya?

 

Bhagavan said yoga is like driving a bull with a stick,

but inquiry is like coaxing it with a handful of yummy

grass. So inquiry is different somehow from yoga. But

different how? They both lead to the same state.

 

Bhagavan said:

 

"Keep your mind still. That is enough. You will get

spiritual help sitting in this hall if you keep yourself

still. The aim of all practices is to give up all practices."

 

(Power of the Presence One, p. 230)

 

I quote that for the last sentence: "The aim of all

practices is to give up all practices." If you are at

that point now, it could be perfectly consistent with

Bhagavan's teachings, don't you think?

 

If I understand Bhagavan correctly, he said people

shouldn't deliberately try to achieve non-perception

of objects. Instead, just hold on to the feeling of "I"

and sink into it, until something other than that "I"

takes over and then the rest happens involuntarily.

Isn't this the same practice as:

 

> I now believe in what UG has presented. That the

> mind has gotten too strong over time and only a

> small handful will get that realization, but all can have

> that firm conviction that we are the SELF.

 

Not sure I understand this:

 

> Some come in prewired like concert pianists or

> composers and I was not prewired and that is fine

> with me now.

 

Oh, I do understand. You got tired of trying to

force yourself to be some particular thing. Yup.

Been there, done that. Ouch! One of the ego's favorite

hobbies. :)

 

All the best,

 

Rob

 

 

-

"Alton Slater" <leenalton

<RamanaMaharshi>

Sunday, November 04, 2001 12:17 PM

[RamanaMaharshi] Re: Maharshi - Q: My mind is not steady in meditation

 

 

>

> Hi Rob:

>

> Thanks for you nice words.

> I am still practicing but now I am not going for that "non-perception

> of objects" In fact I dont want anything from my meditation anymore.

> I just do it without expectations. Too many disappointments on this

> trip for me. It seems to be much more enjoyable. I just quit after an

> hour and dont push my self. I use the " I" thought duriing waking

> hours and can go to sleep with it and even take a nap almost when

> ever I wish too during the day. I just accept what I have been given.

> Some come in prewired like concert pianists or composers and I was

> not prewired and that is fine with me now.

>

>

> I dont want to impose my reality on anyone, but just want to share

> another viewpoint.

>

> I now believe in what UG has presented. That the mind has gotten too

> strong over time and only a small handful will get that realization,

> but all can have that firm conviction that we are the SELF.

> Nisargadatta mentions it in his works.

>

> On a related subject. I presented the "I AM" to a new friend and she

> told me an interesting story.

> When she was young she used to have many nightmares. Her uncle that

> the family thought was strange,told her to think the thought "I AM"

> and they would go away. She did and the nightmares went away.

> After she told me that I told her about this trip.

>

> Aloha,

> Alton

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Hi Rob,

 

Great discussion.

 

> Bhagavan said yoga is like driving a bull with a stick,

but inquiry is like coaxing it with a handful of yummy

grass. So inquiry is different somehow from yoga. But

different how? They both lead to the same state. <

 

I don't know if this sheds any light, but my teacher, Nome, talks

about some approaches (like _any_ concentrative approach) as being

led by ego, while inquiry directly focuses beyond ego to Self.

 

Not two,

Richard

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Dear Alton,

Can you please explain 'you are all you can be right now'.

Regards,

Vatsa

 

Alton Slater wrote:

 

> "Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > reducing the thoughts to a single one"

>

> Why bother, you are all you can be right now.

> For the last twenty years I strived for enlightenment and suffered

> and was even depressed. Now that I realized that I am all I can be, I

> am the happiest in my whole life. My wife said that I came out of a

> lifelong depression.

> Aloha,

> Alton .

>

> RamanaMaharshi, g.ebert@g... wrote:

> > Thank you, Vicki -

> > difficult "job" - but lets try it again and again.

> > Gabriele

> >

> >

> > RamanaMaharshi, "viorica weissman" <viorica@z...> wrote:

> > > Q: My mind is not steady in meditation.

> > >

> > > Maharshi :

> > > Whenever it wanders , turn it inward again and again .

> > > The mind is too weak. Strengthen it by practice , by

> > > reducing the thoughts to a single one .

> > >

> > >

> > > from Conscious Immortality

> > >

> > >

> >

> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> > >

> > >

> > >

>

>

>

> Post message: RamanaMaharshi

> Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi-

> Un: RamanaMaharshi-

> List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner

>

> Shortcut URL to this page:

> /community/RamanaMaharshi

>

> Your use of is subject to

 

 

 

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