Mindfulness Meditation Insights

[Joseph Maynor]

I want to start a thread where we share insights we had while doing mindfulness meditation.  That could be sitting, walking, etc.  What did you see, how did you feel?  Do you have any anxiety? How do you feel in your body?  Do you feel well or ill?  How do you feel about the voices that flash before consciousness?  Do you ever challenge those voices and then challenge that challenge?  Are you wound up and raw feeling?

 

Try this when you get an ought from the voice that flashes before your consciousness -- respond, "maybe not too".

[Forza21]

Complete dissolving, body turning into liquid or "air', without any boundaries. All sensations simply arising like a river, without anyone who's doing it. Even the sense of "someone behind the eyes" may be dissolved when you focus on it. It's pure no-being bliss.

Edited April 15, 2022 by Forza21

[Aware Wolf]

What does insight mean?

1 : the ability to understand a person or a situation very clearly. 2 : the understanding of the truth of a situation. insight. noun. in·sight | \ ˈin-ˌsīt \

 

An experience is just an experience. A feeling just a feeling. 

 

Voices, shmoices... -- what is the message ? What is the insight gained? 

[Aware Wolf]

A young man went to a Zen master. After practicing for a time the student went off on his own with instructions to faithfully send a letter to the master every month, giving an account of his spiritual progress.

 

In the first month, the student wrote, “I now feel an expansion of consciousness and experience of oneness with the universe.”

The master glanced at the note and threw it away.

 

Next month this is what the letter said: “I finally discovered the holiness that is present in all things.”

The master seemed vaguely disappointed.

 

A month later, the disciple enthusiastically explained, “The mystery of the one and the many has been revealed to my wondering gaze.”

The master yawned.

 

Two months later another letter arrived: “No one is born, no one lives, no one dies, for the self is an illusion.”

 

The master threw up his hands in despair,  because each letter was asking for a response, “Is this it? Is this it? Is this it?”

 

After that, a month passed, then two, three, five, and then a whole year. The master thought it was time to remind the disciple of his duty to keep him informed of his spiritual progress. So he sent the student a letter.

 

The disciple wrote back, “Who cares what you think?”

 

When the master read those words, a great look of satisfaction spread over his face. “Finally, he got it!”

 

Source: Based on Jack Kornfield, After the Ecstasy, The Laundry:
How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path

[Joseph Maynor]

I made a little observation that I wanted to share.  I've been doing mindfulness meditation walks.  This is where I just walk around San Francisco where I live without headphones and just take it all in -- all the crazy people, all the cars and buildings, all the business people, animals, kids, and the elderly, etc.  

 

A few days ago I was not feeling content in my awareness.  I felt fear in there, or anxiety, or sadness, it was kind of along those lines.  I had bad monkey mind too.  At the time I knew I had a sickness in my mind that I wasn't really conscious of before I did the mindfulness walks.  

 

So, what I did is when I got home I resolved to do something about this, including maybe going on an antidepressant or something.  What I ended up doing is just staying off the Internet for a few days and my peace returned.  

Edited April 20, 2022 by Joseph Maynor

[Mandy]

 

31 minutes ago, Joseph Maynor said:

What I ended up doing is just staying off the Internet for a few days and my peace returned.  

 

❤️

 

Once while running up a steep hill I realized I was never going to get "there" to the top of the hill. I mean, I did, but also I didn't. 

[Joseph Maynor]

Feelings aren't necessarily subordinate to or reducible to ideas/concepts. Feelings are easily forgotten -- so they go easily without framing in language. Feelings are easily mistranslated and they leave easily.

[Aware Wolf]

 

Some people value high trance like states more than eating a pizza. 

 

I don't see it that way. 

 

No one gets on their high horse about their pizza insights or they went to India and met the pizza of their dreams. So there's that. 

 

[Joseph Maynor]

I did one hour of mindfulness meditation today and I have a lot of complex feelings for a variety of reasons. 

 

This is a question that goes way back in philosophy: are feelings in consciousness or in the body?  What are feelings?  Are they all the same or is the word "feeling" a gloss for many things?  Are all feelings sourced ultimately in the body including the brain?  Are some feelings sourced in consciousness where they may be tangentially or originally related to the body but not entirely?  

 

What's the difference between a pain, an emotion, and a feeling that doesn't have a bodily source?

[Faith]

On 4/29/2022 at 4:56 PM, Joseph Maynor said:

are feelings in consciousness or in the body?

 

"All" things are in consciousness, including the body/mind.

 

On 4/29/2022 at 4:56 PM, Joseph Maynor said:

Are all feelings sourced ultimately in the body including the brain?  Are some feelings sourced in consciousness where they may be tangentially or originally related to the body but not entirely?  

 

My vote is yes, "in" the body/mind, more specifically the subtle-body.

 

On 4/29/2022 at 4:56 PM, Joseph Maynor said:

What are feelings? 

 

Good question, so I looked it up, lol. I believe emotion comes first, as sensations and reactions in the body, that are from neurotransmitters released by the brain , then mind interprets the emotion and triggers "feelings". Feelings are the conscious experience of emotional sensations/reactions.

 

I think I've always globbed emotions/feelings together as one thing, but apparently they are different. 

 

On 4/29/2022 at 4:56 PM, Joseph Maynor said:

What's the difference between a pain, an emotion, and a feeling that doesn't have a bodily source?

 

What do you mean, doesn't have a bodily source?

 

[Phil]

Once while meditatively walking, the insight or realization arose, God is being the ground beneath my feet meeting every step in such perfection it had gone completely unnoticed my entire life. Ever since, I worry less for what may come, and feel more so the truth of faith. Of fully & truly believing in what I can not see or understand. 

[Lucid Mystic]

I've been going through some stuff for the last couple of days that makes me deeply happy for no reason.

 

For real. This doesn't come from intellect.