Re: Mind's Eye Re: Quieting the mind

I see it that as much as mind is not meant to be quiet/still/dead, the body is not meant to be quiet/still/dead - until you are dead. When you practice quieting the mind, the body asks you quiet the pains also. Ideally you don't forget that when demanding others to be still.



Am 27.08.2013 um 04:38 schrieb James <ashkashal@gmail.com>:

> Congratulations Molly, and hello Amanda. This is a very flexible way of seeing a quiet mental landscape, 'quiet' is a good description but is very general. It may sound too simple when the circumstances include long term stress, tension and conflict. I have a rough idea that there is a range between adaptable clarity and what seems to be thoughts/emotions demanding narrow focus. I mean narrow focus with no discovery or exploration, those are useful. I suppose being able to navigate freely and draw on multiple modes of thinking is my ideal character of clarity, able to focus intensely for periods as needed but not excessively. But isn't this a chicken or egg? When struggling with stress disorders, tension headache, tinnitus, or whatever makes someone's head feel like a full chorus field of crickets they need strategic intel. The building familiarity and confidence approach has worked for me (in my scattered approach), I don't know what part of me said 'dammit, I will beat this' at times but it has helped to kick start the process if meant seriously. I've had to cobble together a lot, the books on psychology seem to only have contraindications for me.
>
> It seems in general that there are contributions to be made from a wide range of experience, refinements and broadening out but it can be hard to find where things fit and such a large variety of human experience.
>
> On 8/23/2013 7:57 AM, Molly wrote:
>> Loss and major life change can be daunting, I have had my share in recent years, and am facing the loss of my professional mentor and second mom now. With the recent birth of my first grandchild, I realize that it is easier to say hello than good bye, but no less significant. Both can be miraculous.
>>
>> I have heard a quiet mind explained many different ways. Of course, a functional mind is integral to life, but it does get carried away with incessant thought, inflated ego, complex emotion... The best method I have heard for quieting a run away mind is to notice the quiet space between different thoughts, and rest there. Once you have rested there, it is not hard to find again. The longer you stay in the quiet, the easier it is to sustain. Unnecessary thought begins to fall away naturally. It isn't anything that can be forced. It requires the ability to self observe - observe yourself thinking, observe the thoughts, find the quiet between, observe yourself with a quiet mind (paradox I know). There is a clear awareness that retains being, and lets go of becoming is I suppose one way to explain it, not requiring any kind of mental analysis or function. A transcendent world opens up that is ineffable. When I can reside in this view, I can be going about my daily life, don't need to be quietly meditating. What I have found over the years is, much of the mental jabber and analysis is not really necessary. I can listen better when mind is clear and quiet (paradox I know.)
>>
>> It seems to me that most of our mental effort is not necessary, life goes on and is paradoxically, more interesting. We excessively use our mental capacities because we are constantly identifying with our experience as a function of ego. Once that is quiet, the view is more clear, vital, even sacred if you can forgive the religious implications of the word.
>>
>> This morning, this is the best description I can give.
>>
>> On Friday, August 23, 2013 12:57:52 AM UTC-4, AmandaRheen wrote:
>>
>> I am ignorant in this thing despite many conversations with those
>> who meditate. What does it truly mean to quieten the mind in
>> meditation? Are people talking about language and running
>> commentary? Is it stopping the judgement function and retaining
>> perception? Does it include quietening imagining or image making?
>> What about sensation? Is it more about obtaining a certain Bain
>> wave? In relation to knowing that the mediator has reached the
>> place they are seeking what is the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
>>
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