Meditation = escape?

Below is a reply from Chad (Vipassana forum)who appears concerned that I may want to "meditate my life away".

I highly recommend the movie The Dhamma Brothers, and you would know more of what I am writing about
- the transformation of these convicted murderers (some were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and are not murderers, yet convicted to the rest of their lives in prisons anyway) was just amazing.The Vipassana teachers locked themselves up with them for the ten days of silent meditation. Their "feeling of freedom" was astounding, as related by these men, and it showed on their peaceful countenances.

"...it is twilight time in my life and I just want to spend the rest of it in a meditative state as much as possible." (Chad quoting me). Postscript: it would have been clearer, I think, that I want to live in "mindfulness" (in the moment) as much as possible.
I wrote for over twenty minutes to reply to Chad's kind concern above, and yet it seemed to disappear in cyberspace. Now I start again, I have known several selfless (egoless) people in my life, and I was writing about Reality not illusions.

They find and I find the more we meditate, the more effective, creative, peaceful and even more energetic - the opposite of "escape"!

To most becoming completely transcendant, means they are feeling so unattached, so free, so ego-less, so light, that they are ready to leave their bodies. A good example of that was the transcriber of A Course in Miracles, Bill Thetford, who I was studying with in Tiburon, CA, Bill had a smile and a giggle most of the time, and he was so unattached to the ACIM, that If we as a group did not like what was written there, he told us to tear out that page. He told a friend, that summer in 1986(7), that he had never felt so free on July 3rd and than dropped his body on July 4th. - joyously I am sure!

At the same time, I was working with life-threatened young adults at Jerry Jampolsky's Center for Attitudinal Healing.
The Young Adults I worked with were diagnosed with a "fatal" disease or had a catastrophic accident, and they were angels on earth - why? Because they learned to live in the Moment. They loved all the field trips I took them on - to Yosemite camping, river rafting, stagecoach riding, sailing on the Bay, etc. They knew how to live and were ready when they departed for the Spirit
World.

However, I have studied with Eastern Masters who were close to that transcendant state, yet they had supporters who waited on them hand and foot. So they could be on earth in that ego-less (some of them) state.

So I am talking about being more alive, more a servant, and I am definitely not ready to leave my body, but thanks for your sensitivity.

By the way, I sadly saw that the Author Frank McCourt has cancer now at the age of 78. He wrote his first novel: Angela's Ashes at age 66. So, no, to me "twilight" is a positive age, and I expect that elders will be more respected in the near future in our culture. to Real Life,
your
elder brother, Ron

Yes Ron,
The happiness and bliss which flow richly into our beings as we tap into our cosmic well springs and drink to our hearts content is worth it every time. As of today eye am inviting the rest of our families and friends to try it just for the fun of it. As for me Eye must confess that eye am now happily and hopelessly addicted to "CONSCIOUS DEEP BREATHING" for the rest of my life.
Eye will also suggest that as we learn to pay more and more attention to our breath, and how conscious deep breathing serves us, we also will passionately continue to celebrate it in all of the ways that it satisfies and renews us.
Lots of love and joy "ONE CONSCIOUS DEEP BREATH AT A TIME"
DEsmond


Comment by Silja Saareoks Here are the clips about "The Dhamma Brothers", the movie that Ron recommended us to see. Thank you for bringing up the subject! Look up group Meditation on architectsofanewdawn.com"> ">

This power that managing the thoughts and feelings into the level that we can change or stop them on whatever moment we choose it to be can never be underestimated. That is the benefit that meditation gives. It is not only the power to stop the negative thoughts, but also the flow of unnecessary thoughts. The power to enter the silence inside and the power to see just the beauty of the nature for example in it's whole beauty or just the possibility to use the present moment.
It also works with the conflict situations, when someone just wants to arise some trouble or make us feel angry. The noticing that very first moment and ask oneself a question: "Is it a way I'd really like to feel?" And it just works.
One of my favorite meditation is staying in zone of no thoughts, the concentration is focused on feeling the unity and love with everything. But as it is so natural, it is not like concentration on "something". When practiced enough, this feeling can be reproduced in whatever moment in life. That is the key to stop the flow of thoughts in a half of word if we like. It feels like the eternity in the present moment. That is why just the few seconds of it can already have the transforming effect. We have also the power to compress or extend the time by using the feeling.
May all your highest dreams to become reality and your days pass in loving harmony.

Comment by desmond green Yes Silja,
All that we really have is our BREATH. It is as we grasp this fact that we also realize that all of our expressions are reflections and projections of ourselves as our breath. It does take practice and patience and accepting that we are all there is to discover and enjoy, and that we have the rest of our life as our breath supporting us to do it.

Lots of love and joyfulness along our path one conscious deep breath at a time.
Our lives are really all in our breath and our breathing practices. That was how my program in Jamaica's correctional system transformed a similar population. That is why eye am convinced of its effectiveness.When our entire human population begin to breathe consciously and deeply as our personal practices all prisons will be transformed into prisms revealing our common divine character and light.
Our practices are our teaching methods. Lots of love and joy.
Desmond

Comment by Silja Saareoks Desmond,
I'm really glad hearing about your success with teaching your methods. Making the individual success with practicing meditation needs time, although it also gives the immediate transforming effect. In my opinion some difficulties with being successful with it appear if someone is too much focused on getting some particular result. Then it is still too much being inside and around the mind and it becomes hard to get any deeper. It is also good to be more patient and less demanding or strict. For example I find more important to keep the feeling and the consciousness than to keep one strict position of the body. Focusing on breathing is also a great way for letting go the thinking. Before I needed focusing on something, but now I just open up and let it flow. The breathing works for itself, although I'm being aware of it.
I did practice yesterday and today for many hours and it really did open up such a deep level and also transformed the feelings so much. It is important to learn to use all those possibilities and the time that we have. Why wait for that "perfect time and situation in the future", while we can take some time now. Warm embrace for you all, Silja