Mindfulness or Mindlessness video -- good points about meditation

Thanks to a Tweet from David Chapman, I spent thirty minutes this morning watching a video of Robert Sharf talking about "Mindfulness or Mindlessness." 

Demonstrating my own approach to the subject, I paid some bills while concentrating as much as I could on what Sharf had to say.

Which was pretty darn interesting, albeit involving quite a few abstruse Buddhist terms.

You should watch the video yourself if you want to know exactly what he said. Below I'll share some recollections of his talk, along with my own take on the themes that resonated with me.

 

Don't assume spirituality or meditation equates to mentally healthy. Consider someone detached from the world and other people.

Doesn't feel strong emotions. Isn't upset by negative events or elated by positive ones. Looks upon physical reality as an illusion. Feels that truth is to be found elsewhere than everyday existence. Spends a lot of time alone, not moving, speaking, or thinking much.

Is this an enlightened being or a depressed person?

What if he/she also was disengaged from sexual activity? Does calling this state of consciousness "spiritual" make it mentally healthy? Sharf asks these sorts of questions, coming down on the side of being skeptical about world-denying meditative practices.

Pure awareness is at odds with traditional Buddhism. Mindfulness is a fairly recent notion, according to Sharf. Many Buddhists now believe there is some sort of sensory pure awareness which precedes conceptual and linguistic divisions. 

So I guess it's like this: instead of looking at Serena, the dog who has been part of my life for 14 years, and seeing a much beloved canine who I love and have many memories of, a supposedly more enlightened me would just see a moving mass of fur, bones, and such. 

Maybe I wouldn't even call this a "dog." Or know it is Serena.

As above, this strikes me as decidedly mentally unhealthy. Also, un-Buddhist'y. Doctrines of emptiness and dependent origination deny that anything, including consciousness or awareness, stands alone as an island unto itself.

Yet some mindfulness practices posit that seeing things "as they are," absent personal meaning or interpretations, is both possible and desirable. Not to Sharf, who looks upon that sort of mindfulness as mindless.

Mindfulness is being mindful of your own mind. Sharf speaks about how Zen warns against mental blankness -- doing nothing, feeling nothing, thinking nothing, while believing this is some special On the Road to Enlightenment state. 

Such seems to be related to Perennialism, the idea that an objectively true vision of ultimate reality always has been part of the human experience, albeit described in different ways by various cultures. That is, the vision is the same, while descriptions vary because it is beyond words.

Well, nothing is marked by sameness. So this could explain why Perennialism and various forms of "quietism" (including pure awareness) go together. 

Like Sharf, I've come to feel that when I'm mindful, what I'm aware of is my own mind, not objective reality. It isn't empty, but full. An empty mind is comatose. Which isn't a state of consciousness to be sought for. 

Here's how Sharf describes his talk: 

Buddhist scholars have shown that the form of “mindfulness meditation” (sometimes called satipatthāna or vipassanā meditation) that has become popular in the West is, at least in part, a relatively modern phenomenon; it can be traced to Burmese Buddhist reform movements that date to the first half of the twentieth century.

The features that made Burmese mindfulness practice—notably the form taught by Mahasi Sayadaw (1904-1982)—so attractive to a Western audience are precisely those features that rendered it controversial in the Buddhist world.

For example, Mahasi’s technique did not require familiarity with Buddhist doctrine (notably abhidhamma), did not require adherence to strict ethical norms (notably monasticism), and promised astonishingly quick results.

This was made possible through interpreting sati as a state of “bare awareness”—the unmediated, non-judgmental perception of things “as they are,” uninflected by prior psychological, social, or cultural conditioning.

This notion of mindfulness is at variance with premodern Buddhist epistemologies in several respects. Traditional Buddhist practices are oriented more toward acquiring “correct view” and proper ethical discernment, rather than “no view” and a non-judgmental attitude.

Indeed, the very notion of an unmediated mode of apperception is, in many traditional Buddhist systems, an oxymoron, at least with respect to anyone short of a Buddha. (Indeed, it is a point of contention even in the case of a Buddha.)

It is then not surprising that the forms of Burmese satipatthāna that established themselves in the West have been targets of intense criticism by rival Theravāda teachers in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.

This doesn’t mean that modern forms of “bare awareness” practice are without historical precursors. Both Tibetan Dzogchen and certain schools of Chinese Chan were, at least at first glance, similarly oriented toward inducing a mental state that was “pure,” “unconditioned,” “non-judgmental,” and so on.

Not surprisingly, these traditions were also subject to sharp criticism; they too were accused of heterodoxy—of promoting practices that contravened cardinal Buddhist principles and insights.

My paper will begin with the parallels between the teachings and practices of these three traditions, and suggest that some of these parallels can be explained by historical and sociological factors. I will then move on to the philosophical, psychological, ethical, and soteriological objections proffered by rival Buddhist schools.

Comments

[777]

mindfulness meditation

this is what inhundreds of non-duality yahoo groups ane forums, blogs is sought

But God is only interested in Love

Humans are good at it and its opposite

The whole mind thing for God is a peanut

Why would God need any knowledge,
knowing it all !

Love like our first heavy crush
is the reason of why we are around

btw : Love ( Shabd ) is also very subjective :)

777

[some_guy]

Read Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), everything will become clear after that. Also watch the Ishwar Puri videos on YouTube for good meditation tips.

[AJ]

Here are the meditation tips from Ishwar Puri for reference -

1) Be Regular – do at least 5 minutes every day. Regular practice is more important. Do at least 10 minutes in the morning and at least 10 minutes before sleeping.
2) Meditate at least for half an hour before going to sleep.
3) Best time to meditate is 3 am – no disturbances. But can modify the time.
4) Do Simran/Repetition before going to bed – mind picks it up and repeats it throughout the night. You will be meditating in sleep.
5) Treat work/worldly chores as Master’s work. Then doing work is also meditation.
6) Thinking of Master while working is same as meditation.
7) Don’t make meditation a ritual. Do it with love, eagerness and devotion.
8) Enunciate every Simran word clearly and hear/listen to it clearly (Mind speaks/repeats the words and soul hears/listens to it – Try this experiment).
9) Secret is listening to the Simran and not repeating. When you repeat, listen attentively. Attention should be on what words you are repeating, how are you repeating, what is the sound like. Be a listener to your own repetition.
10) M.IMP. – Do meditation with love and devotion.
11) Visualize a live Master – an experience with the living Master. Replace the images of the world that come in the mind with the image of the Master.
12) Dhyan is contemplation of the face of the Master.
13) Break and See (method of analysis) is natural to the mind. Mind separates/divides – breaks into pieces. Soul unites - Synthesis or putting together is natural to the soul. Two functions are going on together.
14) Consciousness – we speak with the mind. Mind is the only part of the consciousness that speaks. Soul is the only part of the consciousness that listens. Speaking by the mind. Listening by the Soul. That is the very key to good meditation. Listening that takes you beyond the mind and not speaking. Yet speaking is what will guide you to listening. Mind speaks always and never stops. When we use words in mantra/simran/words to control the mind, we are able to make the mind tie up with the mantra so that the soul can listen and this results in concentration.
15) Relax the eyes. Don’t put any strain on the eyes. Put attention on the eye center.
16) Substitute thoughts with Simran
17) Repeat with the mind and not with the tongue.
18) Listen to the words carefully. More attentively.
19) Repeat slowly.
20) Rub your head after the meditation.
21) Reverse the role – you are not the mind, you are the soul. Tell the mind what to think. Instead of letting the mind to think. Use it as a machine. Take control. Learn how to give instructions to the mind. Simran keeps the mind busy. Takes control over the mind. Mind continuously thinks and creates fear/doubt.
22) Don’t fight the mind. Ignore the mind. Ignore the thoughts. Tell the mind to think what it wants to.
23) Picture your Guru inside. Complain to him if needed. Love him and be devoted to him.
24) If you find another voice in the head while repeating, make that voice join in the repetition. You will hear two voices repeating. Make every voice join in the repetition. Mind jumps to pictures. Don’t be distracted. Make that face join in the repetition. Chorus of faces and voices are now in the repetition.
25) Be a listener to the Simran. Attention should be on listening. Secret is listening and not repeating.
26) Dhyan is done when you recall an actual event with your master and start by remembering the event and then seeing the master in front of you. Dhyan is not done by imagining the master or imagining the picture of the Master or looking at the photograph. Dhyan cannot be done unless you have seen the Master. Dhyan cannot be done on the photograph. Dhyan is a living experience and not just the visualization of something in your mind. Not a visualizing of a face. IT is to recall the actual event – seen the master walking. I saw the master sitting. That is the starting point of Dhyan. Vizualization does not lead anywhere. The actual radiant form of the master appears after you have made some progress. Till then, it does not mean the master is not there you are not seeing him. He is there from the time of initiaiton. You can see him later. Sometimes you can see him in Dreams. You may see him in a experience even externally. You may have experience outside – you may be in danger – master appears. You see him physically outside then he disappears. All kinds of experiences start but the master is always there with you after initiation. When you start Dhyan you have to see the physical face of the Master that you saw. That Dhyan is effective.
27) Don’t be conscious of the outside (the chair, room, body, etc). Be present at the third eye. Sit inside and not outside.
28) Repeat very slowly in order to listen to what your are repeating. Repetition is not as important as listening to what you are repeating. The soul listens. The mind speaks. We want the soul to be involved. The mind is doing the repetition for you. The soul is listening to what you are doing. You will be pulled in better if you listen to what you are repeating than thinking of something else while you are repeating. You Attention should be on listening to what you are repeating. So, if you repeat slowly understanding each word every syllable of it clearly what you are saying it will help you.
29) Don’t try to fight the mind. Ignore the mind. You (Mind) do your part and I am here. You want to think something then think I am here (third eye). I am not leaving. Argue with the mind. Tell it. You can go away – think whatever you want to – but I am not leaving. Ignore the mind rather than fight with it. Instead of you getting tired – the mind gets tired. Secret is to ignore the mind. It is important to know that you are not the mind. Meditation should be relaxing and not tiring. When you realize that you are the soul and not the mind.
30) Pulling sound lies behind all the sounds of the body (practice sounds). All sounds we hear in practice lie one behind the other. The sound that you put attention to becomes louder.
31) It is important that you feel that you are actually sitting in the head behind the eye center. That this body is a house that has many floors (6 floors) and you are sitting on the 6th floor (eye center) behind the eye. Third eye is a Point behind the eyes and between the ears.
32) The words of the Simran should be thoughts in the mind. Replacing other thoughts.
33) Instead of detachment – have more Attachment for something else – attachment to the PLM with love and devotion – automatically detaches us from the world. Leave the kids to their own destinies.
34) V.imp. to do simran before going to sleep. So that the subconscious picks up the repetition.
35) Ask the Master. If you let the Master do everything, he will do things for you.
36) Bell sound is the key. It has a strong pull and pulls you to the Astral plane.
37) Dhyan or having conversation with the Master/contemplating the face of the master while doing simran from another channel of the mind helps build love and devotion to the master. Complain to the Master. Ask him anything. 38) Love and Devotion is the key to the meditation. Talk to the Master. Have a good conversation like with a friend. Don’t think of anything else. Just think of your beloved Master. Any other images come then tell them to wait because you’re are busy with your Master. Remember an actual experience with the Master.
39) If the sound with a pull comes when doing Simran give up Simran and listen to the Sound. If the pulling sound leaves or weakens or loses its pull, start Simran again.
40) Meditation does not pull you but the grace of the Master that pulls you. 41) Do your meditations as best as you can and seek the grace of the Master to pull you from inside.
42) Sit upright. Don’t meditate while lying down. The Upper part is meant to be upright with energy centers flowing from bottom to top.
43) Give credit or discredit to the Master. Always remember the Master. Blame him or thank him! But remember him.
44) Listening is the key – how you (the soul) intently listen to the Simran is the important thing.
45) Prashad is merely to help remember the Master. It has no other benefit. It is not a substitute for medicine. The only thing added to the Parshad is the memory of the Master (the Molecular structure of the Parshad is not changed).
46) To get to the radiant form – remember the master (not the pic, not make up the image). Remember how you actually met him. Recall the memory with the Master.
47) Surat Shabad Yoga – 1. Simran/Repetition (mind that is thinking in words is made to repeat the non-thinking Simran words – mechanical purpose. Listen to the words – drawing your attention to the third eye center. Empowered with positive energy by the Master to keep the negativity away. Purpose to reach the sound inside). 2. Listen to the sound instead. 3. Dhyan – contemplating the Master (remembering the actual meeting with the Master). These will lead to the radiant form of the Master.
48) Put your attention there. Imagine you are there. There is the 3rd eye center. No need to search for it. When you are awake you are at the 3rd eye center. Don’t identify with the body. Body is something I am sitting in. Sitting in the head of the body. Close your eyes. You are sitting behind the eyes right in the center of the head.
49) When you are awake, close your eyes and try to touch your eyes with your hands – there will be no problem. But, if you are sleepy and try to touch your eyes and you will touch your nose. This will validate that the attention drops below the eye center. It is best to do meditation in the wakeful state (when you are fully awake). If you are sleepy, do not meditate. Take a cold shower and be fully awake and then mediate. Placing of attention inside can only be done when you are fully awake. Tendency to go to sleep is very high when you are lying down as compared to when you are sitting up. Sit in an upright position when trying to meditate.
50) Mind can be habituated to keep on repeating words even when you are half awake and that can continue even when asleep.
51) V.IMP. Do not attempt meditation until you have located yourself behind the eyes at the third eye center. We want to pull the attention back to our own self where it is operating at the third eye center. First practice locating yourself behind the eyes. Let pictures come observe them. Practice to stay in the center of the head. Eyes are in front of you. Ears are on the side of you. Then only start meditating.
52) Mind thinks therefore distracts. The mind is the only obstacle. No other obstacle. Therefore deal with the mind by repeating the Simran (Not just serve as substitute for thoughts but also carry an empowered quality – they do not allow negativity to come even the negativity of your own mind. They become empowered when you get initiated. Use them for outside negativity). Repeat them with the mind and not with the tongue. Mind does not want to pick them up. Mind resists and will fight you. Practice repeating those words in the mind.
53) When you repeat. Repetition is not enough. Listen attentively to those words. Listening attentively draws you to yourself. Soul your real self is the listener and not the speaker. To speak it has been given an agency called the mind. When your repeat with the mind listen attentively. The more you listen attentively the more you are withdrawing the attention. At some point you will be able to hear the sounds inside. Several sounds – some very coarse – sound of thunder – sound of truck going outside – sound of bricks falling – waterfall. All these sounds are generated from the physical self or sensory/astral self and they do not come from the self. Most of these sounds are not in the center but they come from the sides. Many sounds come from the left side and many sounds come from the right side. Some come from the center. Some are undefined. They look like surround sound. They come from all over. When you hear these sounds if you only hear some sounds from one side whether left or right start listening to it for practice. Practicing also helps you to withdraw your attention to your own self. Once you are able to withdraw attention to some extent the real sound will start coming from the self. We are so distracted by the outside sounds outside experiences that it takes a while to reach the real sound in the center. The real sound appears to come from your real self at the third eye center or a little above it. The side sounds are very temporary. If you hear sounds from both sides, prefer the right side. That is the intuitive side of the brain the left is the reasoning side of it and just helps a little bit. A friend was told that the right side contains a real sound and the left side contained the negative sound. I don’t know how this message has gone around that the ears have to hear when the real sound comes you don’t even know where the ears are. You are trying to withdraw the attention from the body how can you confine yourself to one side of the physical body and think that you will escape from it or get out of it. Therefore both right and left are not the real sounds. The real sound comes from the center and is coming from your own self and the sound is not coming from the physical self at all is coming from internal self a Third eye center of the inner body which is also there it is coming from the formless body of the mind which is also there it is coming from the soul, from your true home. Don’t go to right or left sound go to the center. Practice for a while.