Guest guest Posted May 1, 2002 Report Share Posted May 1, 2002 Dear Alton, One more thing: Ramana often talked about practice of breath control as an aid to concentration for those getting started with inquiry. In my own case, when I started this serious inquiry practice, I had little concentration, and my mind was usually full of "noise" when I sat to meditate. During this time, I would start the meditation with "breath watching" (after I had noticed that I do exist). Then after a while the mind would settle down, and I could start the inquiry. This was a real help to me in the beginning. I know that your pracice is not at the beginning, but I have founde that sometimes it is good to start again, from the very beginning. (I have done this several times, in fact.) They key point is to keep the practice going for the days, weeks, months, years that it takes. Time is of no consequence. Tbhe practice will deepen. It has been the habit of mind to look "outside." One has to chance that habit. We are Not two, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 1, 2002 Report Share Posted May 1, 2002 Dear Richard: You talk about your practice deepening. To me if my practice was to deepen, that would mean that I am either staying with the thoughts as they arise, getting a feeling of bliss and peace, or just not thinking at all. You may have answered this before but I am dense so please do it again. Thanks in advance, sleep well, Love Alton RamanaMaharshi, "richard_clarke95125" <r_clarke@i...> wrote: > Dear Alton, > > One more thing: Ramana often talked about practice of breath control > as an aid to concentration for those getting started with inquiry. > > In my own case, when I started this serious inquiry practice, I had > little concentration, and my mind was usually full of "noise" when I > sat to meditate. During this time, I would start the meditation > with "breath watching" (after I had noticed that I do exist). Then > after a while the mind would settle down, and I could start the > inquiry. > > This was a real help to me in the beginning. I know that your > pracice is not at the beginning, but I have founde that sometimes it > is good to start again, from the very beginning. (I have done this > several times, in fact.) > > They key point is to keep the practice going for the days, weeks, > months, years that it takes. Time is of no consequence. Tbhe > practice will deepen. > > It has been the habit of mind to look "outside." One has to chance > that habit. > > We are Not two, > Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2002 Report Share Posted May 2, 2002 Dear Alton, These answers are from my experience, and all on the relative, rather than Absolute, level. Looking for signs of deepening practice? This depends on where the seeker is (and where the seeker makes his/her "stand")..Different inquirers experience this progression differently, depending on their tendencies (vasanas). For the seeker with the noisy mind, this might be noticing that between each thought there is a break, an instant of no-thought (where they can notice that they still exist even if there are no thoughts, so they cannot be a thought). Or that the thoughts are "slowing down." Or just increased ability to concentrate would be encouraging. For the more experienced seeker, it might be moments of "quiet mind." Or increased conviction that the Truth is what is real. Or starting to notice what is objective and that the objective is known (But who knows the objective?). Deeper yet, the quiet mind becomes more frequent, and the periods of quiet are longer. The seeker may start to notice that even the quiet mind is known. The seeker may start to see that all then known is external to them. The seeker may have moments of direct experience of the Being-Consciousness-Bliss that is beyond the mind and ego-I. Inquiry may start to "flow' into the rest of the seeker's life. Certainly, by this stage, the seeker's mind is starting to be come introverted. The seeker is starting to break the habit of always looking "outside" (to the objective) for happiness. Higher than this I cannot say on the basis of my own experience. I could say, on the basis of teachings that have been received. But I feel my most useful comments are from my own practice. During any of this practice, the seeker may have moments of VERY DEEP spiritual experiences, but these will come and then they will go. These deep experiences do two important things: They provide the seeker with real knowledge of Reality. They also provide for a greatly increased desire for liberation. -AND- You may notice an increasing sense of inner peace and freedom. This is a sign you are on the right track. Does this respond to your question? WE are Not two, Richard RamanaMaharshi, "lostnfoundation" <leenalton@h...> wrote: > > Dear Richard: > You talk about your practice deepening. > To me if my practice was to deepen, that would mean that I am either > staying with the thoughts as they arise, getting a feeling of bliss > and peace, or just not thinking at all. > You may have answered this before but I am dense so please do it > again. > Thanks in advance, > sleep well, > Love Alton > > > RamanaMaharshi, "richard_clarke95125" <r_clarke@i...> > wrote: > > Dear Alton, > > > > One more thing: Ramana often talked about practice of breath > control > > as an aid to concentration for those getting started with inquiry. > > > > In my own case, when I started this serious inquiry practice, I had > > little concentration, and my mind was usually full of "noise" when > I > > sat to meditate. During this time, I would start the meditation > > with "breath watching" (after I had noticed that I do exist). Then > > after a while the mind would settle down, and I could start the > > inquiry. > > > > This was a real help to me in the beginning. I know that your > > pracice is not at the beginning, but I have founde that sometimes > it > > is good to start again, from the very beginning. (I have done this > > several times, in fact.) > > > > They key point is to keep the practice going for the days, weeks, > > months, years that it takes. Time is of no consequence. Tbhe > > practice will deepen. > > > > It has been the habit of mind to look "outside." One has to chance > > that habit. > > > > We are Not two, > > Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 2, 2002 Report Share Posted May 2, 2002 Dear Richard responded: "Does this respond to your question?" Very well thanks. I am glad you chose to only answer from your own experience. That is why I like Nisargadatta and UG so much. They share from their own experience. Ramana is so high that he is just heavenly experience. Aloha, Alton RamanaMaharshi, "richard_clarke95125" <r_clarke@i...> wrote: > Dear Alton, > > These answers are from my experience, and all on the relative, rather > than Absolute, level. > > Looking for signs of deepening practice? This depends on where the > seeker is (and where the seeker makes his/her "stand")..Different > inquirers experience this progression differently, depending on their > tendencies (vasanas). > > For the seeker with the noisy mind, this might be noticing that > between each thought there is a break, an instant of no-thought > (where they can notice that they still exist even if there are no > thoughts, so they cannot be a thought). Or that the thoughts > are "slowing down." Or just increased ability to concentrate would > be encouraging. > > For the more experienced seeker, it might be moments of "quiet > mind." Or increased conviction that the Truth is what is real. Or > starting to notice what is objective and that the objective is known > (But who knows the objective?). > > Deeper yet, the quiet mind becomes more frequent, and the periods of > quiet are longer. The seeker may start to notice that even the quiet > mind is known. The seeker may start to see that all then known is > external to them. The seeker may have moments of direct experience > of the Being-Consciousness-Bliss that is beyond the mind and ego- I. > Inquiry may start to "flow' into the rest of the seeker's life. > Certainly, by this stage, the seeker's mind is starting to be come > introverted. The seeker is starting to break the habit of always > looking "outside" (to the objective) for happiness. > > Higher than this I cannot say on the basis of my own experience. I > could say, on the basis of teachings that have been received. But I > feel my most useful comments are from my own practice. > > During any of this practice, the seeker may have moments of VERY DEEP > spiritual experiences, but these will come and then they will go. > These deep experiences do two important things: They provide the > seeker with real knowledge of Reality. They also provide for a > greatly increased desire for liberation. > > -AND- > > You may notice an increasing sense of inner peace and freedom. This > is a sign you are on the right track. > > Does this respond to your question? > > WE are Not two, > Richard > > RamanaMaharshi, "lostnfoundation" <leenalton@h...> wrote: > > > > Dear Richard: > > You talk about your practice deepening. > > To me if my practice was to deepen, that would mean that I am > either > > staying with the thoughts as they arise, getting a feeling of bliss > > and peace, or just not thinking at all. > > You may have answered this before but I am dense so please do it > > again. > > Thanks in advance, > > sleep well, > > Love Alton > > > > > > RamanaMaharshi, "richard_clarke95125" <r_clarke@i...> > > wrote: > > > Dear Alton, > > > > > > One more thing: Ramana often talked about practice of breath > > control > > > as an aid to concentration for those getting started with inquiry. > > > > > > In my own case, when I started this serious inquiry practice, I > had > > > little concentration, and my mind was usually full of "noise" > when > > I > > > sat to meditate. During this time, I would start the meditation > > > with "breath watching" (after I had noticed that I do exist). > Then > > > after a while the mind would settle down, and I could start the > > > inquiry. > > > > > > This was a real help to me in the beginning. I know that your > > > pracice is not at the beginning, but I have founde that sometimes > > it > > > is good to start again, from the very beginning. (I have done > this > > > several times, in fact.) > > > > > > They key point is to keep the practice going for the days, weeks, > > > months, years that it takes. Time is of no consequence. Tbhe > > > practice will deepen. > > > > > > It has been the habit of mind to look "outside." One has to > chance > > > that habit. > > > > > > We are Not two, > > > Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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