Meditation: nothing special, whatever is going on

Cosmic. Earthy.

Whichever, or neither, the day after I asked (and answered) "Is meditation different from simply living life?" I came across a great little book by Steve Hagen that addressed the same question.

I found "Meditation: Now or Never" in a Malibu metaphysical bookstore. My wife and I were spending a few last hours shopping in the Malibu Country Mart after a pleasant weekend of granddaughter-visiting and beautiful people-watching. (See here.)

I've enjoyed Hagen's other books, "Buddhism Plain and Simple" and "Buddhism is Not What You Think." When religiosity is stripped away from Buddhism, I find it pretty darn appealing.

We experience the world through our minds, not directly. Sometimes our experiences are pleasant; sometimes our experiences are miserable. It makes sense to figure out what mental states produce our better and worse moments. 

Yesterday our plane home was supposed to leave at 4:50 pm from Burbank. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Way plenty, it turned out. 

Because twenty minutes after we'd checked our bags, an email notice from Alaska Airlines popped up on my iPhone. The flight had been delayed an hour. Which turned into an hour and a half.

At first I thought, "Damn. I want to get back home to Oregon. Waiting around an airport sucks." But then I settled into: "Delays happen. It's no big deal. Anyway, there's nothing to do about it. Might as well relax and go with the late flight flow."

When I was thumbing through Hagen's book in the bookstore, this was one of the passages that led me to buy it:

"Quiet, please, I'm meditating" is a contradiction in terms. In meditation, we allow, without judgment or control, whatever appears, whether it boils up in our thoughts or wafts in through the window. If, as you sit in meditation, a car alarm goes off, a lawn mower starts up, or a crowd of loud boisterous people decide to have a conference outside your window, simply let it all be part of the experience.

Don't try to block it out. Don't get all worked up about it. Don't even think about it. It's not necessary to leave off with meditation as if you're supposed to do something about it. What is there to do?

This morning, back at home, before I meditated I read the first few chapters of "Meditation: Now or Never" and found that when Hagen talked about things mistaken for meditation, he had my past approach to meditating nailed. 

For example:

In most trance meditations, you turn inward and tune out awareness of your surroundings, your body, and your mind. Your attention becomes filed down to a very narrow, still point, which can feel temporarily blissful.

But every trance is itself temporary. When you come out of it, you're back to all of the problems and confusion that were there when you went into it. There's no transformation.

Gotama, the historical Buddha, mastered various trances in his early spiritual training and came to this same conclusion. He realized that if he entered into a trance while confused, he'd come out of the trance still confused. He realized that if he was going to wake up, trance meditation was not going to help.

So what would help? Well, I need to finish the book to learn Hagen's take on this. Here's some hints from his first chapter.

As long as we insist that meditation must have some use or purpose or meaning, or fulfill us in certain ways, we fail to understand it. As my teacher (and many other teachers before him) used to say, meditation is useless.

...Here is why meditation is useless: meditation is, finally, just to be here. Not over there, in some other place called peace or freedom or enlightenment. Not longing for something else. Not trying to be, or to acquire, something new or different. Not seeking benefit.

...Meditation doesn't mean anything but itself -- full engagement in whatever is going on.

Comments

[rob lightbearer]

I think meditation itself is very usefull, but in isolation it will not as you say solve your problems. Hopefully meditation will help us to take a mindfull approach to life and resolve problems one step at a time starting from inside of us and what we reveal about ourselves which may be causing the problems out side of us.

great post,
bless you

[SHABADGURU786]

HI BRIAN
THIS IS MY FIRST CONTACT WITH U . HAVE EVER
GONE THROUGH SIKHISM . IF YES THEN I SHALL WAIT FOR UR RESPONSE AND IF NOT THEN ALL UR QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE WILL BE ANSWERED. TESE RSSB ARE USING GURBANI OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI TO PERMOTE LIVING GURU . THEY CONTRAINDICATE THEMSELVES. THIS IS GREAT BUSINESS. GURU GRANTH SAHIB GIVES U FREEDOM OF ANY PHYSICAL BODY .
WAITING FOR YUOR RESPONSE

[Brian Hines]

Shabadguru, I've read the entire Adi Granth Sahib (in an English translation). That's my main exposure to Sikhism. Thanks for the invitation, but I think I'll stick with remaining religion-less.

[SHABADGURU786]

Thanks for your response.
As you are an intelligent person , a translation can`t compete an original scripture/book.you have read adi granth sahib ji as a book .it is not a book it is a life style . i`ll suggest to you to read guru granth sahib ji in original PUNJABI(gurmukhi) language.its musical way of experssing all aspects of life is quite impressing.
RELIGION In sanskrit is called as "DHARMA" its nirukti (creative word) is "dhree" dheerite iti dharanm.means which rules/ styles/that may be for cloths/laws/eating habbits, living habbits,social livingstyle a person adopts to live a happy , healthy,holy prosperous life .
NO PERSON IN THIS WORLD IS RELIGIONLESS .living style may be this or that .he has to chose one side.

[Suzanne Foxton]

"living style may be this or that .he has to chose one side."

Does not. Nyahh!

[Many Splits - Tara]

Shabadguru,
I see your point in the first message you posted.
I find more peace and calm in reading the different prayers ( Anand Sahib / Japji Sahib ) from the Guru Granth Sahib than from practicing RS meditation.
Tara.

[tAo]

SHABADGURU786,

I do not agree. a translation is, for all intent and purposes, just as good as an "original scripture/book". i have read the adi granth sahib as well, and it is most definitely "a book". a lifestyle is something else.

Also, I know relatively little punjabi language, and i have no desire or reason to learn it now. I also don't care what the adi granth says, and I am not interested in your religion. its your religion, and thats alright for you, but other people don't need it.

I am not interested in your any of yours or the adi granth's "rules/ styles/that may be for cloths/laws/eating habbits, living habbits,social livingstyle".

I also don't need to adopt any of that sort of stuff in order "to live a happy, healthy, [and] prosperous life".

"NO PERSON IN THIS WORLD IS RELIGIONLESS." -- that is total nonsense. there are many people around the world who have no religion. and "living style" is not religion... nor does anyone "has to chose one side".

And btw, your use of "786"... it is nothing but a moslem and hindu numerological superstition. Come out of your illusions and wake up to reality.

And please go elsewhere to preach your dogma, styles, rules and religion.

[Many Splits - Tara]

Shabadguru,
tAo has made some interesting points above.

I'd like to add that Sikhism ( like all religions ) is marked by conformity and convention. In my opinion, the phrase ' Guru Manyo Granth ' implies that one must practice the teachings in the book, and not literally ' worship ' the book itself.

Tara.

[SHABADGURU786]

Respected tAo
plz give up ur angriness which is harmful to healthy MIND. there are not any intentions to hert or preach you.As i am still a sikh means who always eagr to learn some thing and still in learning phase.How this dust of great intelligents like you dare to teach/preach.

shabadguru786 is only a net name not any hindu/muslim superstition or any illusion .GURU has wakened me up to the reality of this matrialistic world` all illusions /delusions etc....

you havn`t understand what i have written ""RELIGION In sanskrit is called as "DHARMA" its nirukti (creative word) is "dhree" dheerite iti dharanm.means which rules/ styles/that may be for cloths/laws/eating habbits, living habbits,social livingstyle a person adopts to live a happy , healthy,holy prosperous life .
it is not my fault that ur understading is so ....................

if you are not agree with any rule of world this doesn`t means that rule won`t exits or correct. Who is requesting you to adpot any stuff like "to live a happy, healthy, [and] prosperous life".this blog doesn`t compel any person to adopt and discard anything special.
it is your style of thinking for me it is of great astonishment.

[tAo]

Statements posted by SHABADGURU786:

"Respected tAo plz give up ur angriness which is harmful to healthy MIND."

-- my comment to you contained no such "angriness". if you mistakenly think there was, then you need to be more specific. otherwise it looks like you are making stuff up that is not there.

"there are not any intentions to hert or preach you."

-- I didn't say anything about feeling hurt, but you were definitely preaching the sikh religion. you may not think you were preaching, but you were. this site is for open-minded discussion, not for preaching your religion.

"As i am still a sikh means who always eagr to learn some thing and still in learning phase."

-- I don't have any problem with your eagerness to learn.

"How this dust of great intelligents like you dare to teach/preach."

-- Huh? that doesn't make any sense to me. what are you trying to say?? if you are saying that I "teach/preach", then you are incorrect. go back and read my comment. I am not teaching or preaching anything.

"shabadguru786 is only a net name not any hindu/muslim superstition or any illusion"

-- that may be your so-called "net name", but the number "786" is in fact a muslim and a hindu numerological superstition. that is a fact. go look it up if you doubt this.

"GURU has wakened me up to the reality of this matrialistic world` all illusions /delusions etc."

-- well i do not subscribe to that notion. i do not hold the belief that the so-called material world is "all illusions/delusions". that idea and philosophy is rather irrational and misguided imo.

"you havn`t understand what i have written ""RELIGION In sanskrit is called as "DHARMA" [...] means which rules/ styles/that may be for cloths/laws/eating habbits, living habbits,social livingstyle a person adopts to live a happy , healthy,holy prosperous life"

-- I understand quite well what dharma is. i am very well versed in eastern philosophies and vedanta. it is YOU who does not understand that, although i know a great deal about it (eastern philosophy, including sikhism), I am not interested in your preaching about your religion.

"it is not my fault that ur understading is so"

-- it IS your fault because you don't know anything about what i understand. you actually have no idea who you are talking to, or about what i know and understand.

"if you are not agree with any rule of world this doesn`t means that rule won`t exits or correct."

-- I don't think you understand english very well, because that is not what i said. I did not say that i do "not agree with any rule of world". so the fault in understanding is clearly yours, not mine.

"Who is requesting you to adpot any stuff like "to live a happy, healthy, [and] prosperous life".

-- YOU requested. you said the following (quote):

"i`ll suggest to you to read guru granth sahib ji in original PUNJABI(gurmukhi) language.its musical way of experssing all aspects of life is quite impressing.
RELIGION In sanskrit is called as "DHARMA" its nirukti (creative word) is "dhree" dheerite iti dharanm.means which rules/ styles/that may be for cloths/laws/eating habbits, living habbits,social livingstyle a person adopts to live a happy , healthy,holy prosperous life ."

"this blog doesn`t compel any person to adopt and discard anything special."

-- I never said that it does. so i think you are definitely confused about a few things.

"it is your style of thinking for me it is of great astonishment."

-- you don't know much of anything about my way of thinking. and thats pretty obvious considering the confusion shown in your comments. i am not against you or your sikh religion, it just doesn't belong here on this blog. thats all. this blog's comment section is not a forum for you to preach the sikh religion. it is for purposes of open discussion. so feel welcome to join the discussion, but leave your religion out of it.

but you can ask Brian what he thinks about this, since this is his blog.

[SHABADGURU786]

i have made contact with Brain through this blog not with you RESPECTED tAo .

ਭਗਤਾ ਤੈ ਸੈਸਾਰੀਆ ਜੋੜੁ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥ bhagathaa thai saisaareeaa jorr kadhae n aaeiaa || Between the Lord's devotees and the people of the world, there can never be any true alliance.
I DON`T WANT COMMENT ANY MORE ON YOU . AS GURBANI SAYS :---
(੧੨੫੫-੬, ਮਲਾਰ, ਮ ੧) ਖੋਜੀ ਉਪਜੈ ਬਾਦੀ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਹਉ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਗੁਰ ਕਰਤਾਰਾ ॥ khojee oupajai baadhee binasai ho bal bal gur karathaaraa || The seeker comes forth, and the debater dies down; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Guru, the Creator Lord.

ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣਾ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਲੂਝੈ ॥ giaan vihoonaa kathh kathh loojhai || Without spiritual wisdom, they babble and argue.

SO AGIAN MY ANY WORDS GIVES ANY PAIN TO YOU THEN SORRY FROM ME . I AM NOT HERE FOR ANY FIGHTING OF WORDS/MIND . JUST CREATIVE THOUGHTS BUT YOU..................

[tAo]

Comments posted by SHABADGURU78:

"i have made contact with Brain through this blog not with you RESPECTED tAo ."

-- then why are you directing your comments to me??

"Between the Lord's devotees and the people of the world, there can never be any true alliance."

-- what makes you think that i am a "people of this world", and not a "devotee"?? and how would you know what i am??

"I DON`T WANT COMMENT ANY MORE ON YOU ."

-- what you want doesn't make any difference because my comments are not within your control. and if you wish to avoid conversing with me, then why are you still doing so??

"AS GURBANI SAYS : [...] Without spiritual wisdom, they babble and argue."

-- adding more and more religious dogma just doesn't get you anywhere.

"I AM NOT HERE FOR ANY FIGHTING OF WORDS/MIND ."

-- well then, why do you??

[Many Splits - Tara]

Shabadguru,
It may be a good idea to type in English and refrain from typing in Punjabi as most people here cannot read Punjabi / Gurmukhi. Also, what you have interpreted from the quoted verse is solely ' your ' interpretation, the verse if quoted in a different context, could mean something else altogether.
Tara.

[SHABADGURU786]

tAo
you have started this not me .i have asked and answered BRAIN not you .

[tAo]

SHABADGURU786,

This is the comment section of Brian's blog, you dumb-ass. anyone can post comments to anyone else. but all commments are in the public domain.

You posted a comment... and then i posted some comments about your comment, and i offered my opinions. if you don't want to read my comments and opinions, then don't.

It doesn't matter whether you addressed your comment to Brian or not. if you want to have a private converstion with Brian, then you should do that via private email, not here on a public blog comment forum such as this.

If you post a commment (which you did), then anyone else may respond to it, and they can do that as much as they like.

If you don't want other people commenting back about your comments, then don't post comments on a public blog such as this.

If you want your comments to be private, and you don't want other people commenting about your comments, then you should send it to Brian via private email.

Whatever comments you post here on this blog, they are public and are available for anyone else to make comments about.

[SHABADGURU786]

THANX BROTHER tAo

[SHABADGURU786]

THANX SUPER INTELLIGENT,SUPER BRAIN, SUPER- DUPER COMMENT PASSER MY BIG BROTHER tAo.