Meditation is the basis of all inner work. It is the direct naked encounter with our own awareness that shifts our understanding of who we are and gives us the power to stand firmly in our own center. No one else can do this for us. Only meditation can unlock these doors.
Swami Durgananda - THE HEART OF MEDITATION (2001)
My meditation is a fusion of Buddha's Vipassana, affirmative prayer and conscious breathing as the breath is my "mantra" for concentration. I do believe that Meditation done in the true sense is more listening, while Prayer is more asking ...(for me in an affirmative way) . I am a fan of the Ho'Oponopono Prayer of forgiveness - do you know it? Oh, I do an affirmative mantra if I feel the need - such as breathing in gratitude and exhaling Love or God's Love is right here right now sometimes placing my right hand over my heart while repeating it. So, as you can see, I am a very flexible meditator/prayer.
James Barton: I am a fan of Ho'Oponopono also and I like your approach in general. As well as affirmative statements have you heard of netineti which means not this not this? This is used to dis-identify from the physical body, emotions and personal st
ory etc. The mid approach which does not affirm or deny is called self-enquiry as taught by Ramana Maharshi. Your methods are positive paths which I admire although there is another side of the coin. That is realizing that in essence we are already complete and pure. In that sense all 'paths' are actually unnecessary. If we are already That then the idea of a path is actually a barrier. I advise the twin approach which seems paradoxical. That is on one hand we do the spiritual work just like you are doing and on the other hand we do 'path destruction' realizing directly that no path or process is necessary to be what we ever are.
One error that spiritual people make is to follow endless paths and improvements. In a way their ego has tricked them to endless activity and so realization is delayed.
The other error is those advaita types who claim that they are already enlightened, that nothing exists and that no spiritual work is necessary etc. In such a case their ego has tricked them into a kind of spiritual laziness. Their ego goes on undisturbed and again realization is delayed.
So the twin approach protects us from those 2 main errors and is in line with the realization that our true nature is beyond existence and non-existence.
Ron Alexander: Good feedback, recently I studied with Jack Kornfield who did teach the netineti, which was very helpful! I am going to copy and paste your comment on my board. One thing, that I differ with you is I don't believe that any part of me is "junk" and that includes the "ego". I am whole and perfect in reality. The "ego" is a word made up by Freud, as part of a psychological system. He defined it as the CONSCIOUS BRIDGE between the id(lower self) and the super-ego(higher self). The "ego" has been demonized, and when used is dualistic in nature. We do need to be aware of that "self" that could be too strong "narcissistic", egoist, egotistical, however, even worse, this "ego self" is generally too weak - people who become victims. Balance is the key, and we need to watch it like an inner child. Whatever, we cannot be here on this earth without this part. Gary Zukav calls the "ego" our "earth guide". Moreover, we cannot be present without it. I am sure that it is useless once we leave our bodies and this earth. Writing you may try to sub. "fearbased thinking" for this "ego self". I have been a resident of several ashrams with "Masters" who are supposed to be "egoless". First of all they needed a lot of servants waiting on them, and even then, I observed narcissism, usually when they thought only servants were around.
James Buik POWERFUL...thanks! Something is felt instantly.
Ron Alexander By the way, I use a chair - don't have to become a human pretzel unless you want to and are very flexible! It is important to keep your spine straight as possible however.
James Barton: I am a fan of Ho'Oponopono also and I like your approach in general. As well as affirmative statements have you heard of netineti which means not this not this? This is used to dis-identify from the physical body, emotions and personal st
ory etc. The mid approach which does not affirm or deny is called self-enquiry as taught by Ramana Maharshi. Your methods are positive paths which I admire although there is another side of the coin. That is realizing that in essence we are already complete and pure. In that sense all 'paths' are actually unnecessary. If we are already That then the idea of a path is actually a barrier. I advise the twin approach which seems paradoxical. That is on one hand we do the spiritual work just like you are doing and on the other hand we do 'path destruction' realizing directly that no path or process is necessary to be what we ever are.
One error that spiritual people make is to follow endless paths and improvements. In a way their ego has tricked them to endless activity and so realization is delayed.
The other error is those advaita types who claim that they are already enlightened, that nothing exists and that no spiritual work is necessary etc. In such a case their ego has tricked them into a kind of spiritual laziness. Their ego goes on undisturbed and again realization is delayed.
So the twin approach protects us from those 2 main errors and is in line with the realization that our true nature is beyond existence and non-existence.
Ron Alexander: Good feedback, recently I studied with Jack Kornfield who did teach the netineti, which was very helpful! I am going to copy and paste your comment on my board. One thing, that I differ with you is I don't believe that any part of me is "junk" and that includes the "ego". I am whole and perfect in reality. The "ego" is a word made up by Freud, as part of a psychological system. He defined it as the CONSCIOUS BRIDGE between the id(lower self) and the super-ego(higher self). The "ego" has been demonized, and when used is dualistic in nature. We do need to be aware of that "self" that could be too strong "narcissistic", egoist, egotistical, however, even worse, this "ego self" is generally too weak - people who become victims. Balance is the key, and we need to watch it like an inner child. Whatever, we cannot be here on this earth without this part. Gary Zukav calls the "ego" our "earth guide". Moreover, we cannot be present without it. I am sure that it is useless once we leave our bodies and this earth. Writing you may try to sub. "fearbased thinking" for this "ego self". I have been a resident of several ashrams with "Masters" who are supposed to be "egoless". First of all they needed a lot of servants waiting on them, and even then, I observed narcissism, usually when they thought only servants were around.
James Buik POWERFUL...thanks! Something is felt instantly.
Ron Alexander By the way, I use a chair - don't have to become a human pretzel unless you want to and are very flexible! It is important to keep your spine straight as possible however.
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