Break the habit of separating body and mind

Almost always, it is best for our body and mind to be in sync. Meaning, whatever our body is doing, the mind should be focused on that activity. 

This is a key conclusion I've reached after becoming churchless following several decades of believing the opposite: that mind was a separate entity from body, and it was desirable to view the contents of consciousness as distinct from bodily goings-on. 

Back in those dualistic days, when I embraced an Eastern "leave this world and find a better one" meditation approach, my guru taught that a mantra should be repeated as much as possible during waking hours. So if, for example, I was washing the dishes, the mantra should be silently spoken over and over within my mind. 

Body washing dishes. Mind repeating mantra. Again, dualistic, divided, disassociated. 

This practice was supposed to assist in withdrawal of one's attention from the physical world during closed-eyed, seated meditation. Eventually supernatural soul-consciousness would be realized as distinct from ordinary everyday awareness of the physical world.

Now, this strikes me as both untrue and undesirable.

Scientific evidence strongly points to the mind being the brain-in-action. Thus both mind and brain are material, part of the physical body. This is a pleasingly unitary perspective. My thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and everything else that is part of my awareness is made of the same stuff the rest of the world is: atoms, quantum fields. 

So when I meditate these days, I focus on my breathing and other bodily sensations. Because my intention isn't to do anything other than sit quietly in my meditation chair for twenty minutes or so, I just need to be aware of what my body is quietly doing and feeling. 

Sure, I get to thinking about what I've done in the past, and what I need to do in the future. But I try to keep in mind that those past and future actions are connected with a body in a different time and space. 

For instance, while I'm meditating I might start thinking about an email I need to send later in the day. I'm not sitting in front of my laptop, though. There's no way I can write the email while sitting with my eyes closed in my meditation room. My body and mind are disconnected, out of sync, not in harmony. 

Likewise, when I'm riding my much-beloved StreetStrider, an outdoor elliptical bike, I'll find myself similarly divided when my legs and arms are striding along while thoughts of something else meander in my mind. 

These aren't productive thoughts, because -- as noted before -- there's no way I can put them into action while I'm on my bike in the middle of Salem's thousand acre Minto Brown Island Park. So I remind myself, "Keep your mind aware of what your body is doing, Brian," and go back to fully enjoying my bike ride.

I used to be skeptical of the notion that mind and body should usually be doing the same thing.

That was in my dualistic philosophical phase. Again, I believed that mind and soul were separable from the body. This always happened after death, and it could also happen while alive if someone meditated in a certain fashion. Now, though, I realize that I'm most fulfilled and happiest when I embrace a unified view of life.

Body isn't separate from mind. Thoughts mostly should be in accord with where my body is, and what it is engaged in.

If my fingers are resting on a computer keyboard, as they are right now, it makes sense to be thinking about what I want to say in a blog post. But when I'm lying in bed with my eyes closed, ready to go to sleep, thoughts of a time and place different from the present moment really aren't productive.

Or in tune with reality. 

Comments

[JT]

Yes Sir, the fight against noise. White noise. Lots of it these days. Social media has inflated the problem 1000%

The thirst for a reply and comment to a blog or tweet leave one in constant attention.

[Jim Sutherland]

The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud." 2nd Peter 2:22. This is the specifically directed at you, Brother Brian. I read your above post, and wanted to respond, and ths Verse dropped right out of the air like a messege drom Charan Singh to you! Use it wisely, or........

Jim

[777]

Hi Jim
The most important for us is never to hurt another feelings
I'm not good at it but r trying
I really believe Brian fulfils service with this blog
in the sense of

Q : Why are there so many fake Gurus ?
A : Because there are so many fake seekers.

Also it permits discussions "out of the box" and I thought it helped you too Jim.

Not only at Brian s initiation Charan knew
about Brians future
but even several former lives were lived as preparation of . . .
Brian can not write a iota without the Mauj ( Will ) of his SatGuru

So Dear Brian you'r helping greatly to diminish a lot of waist of time for beloved Gurinder
who radiates the same fluent silver diamond lights from His Forehead,
a phenomenon He Himself doesn't see in the mirror
I doubt He would believe me
but millions SEE

PS
You wrote :
"""So when I meditate these days, I focus on my breathing and other bodily sensations. """

This hold you UNDER the eyes at best

You cannot imagine the complete new worlds That are already experienced
between the Third Eye and the Crown Chakra
and myriad times less can be explained what is above The Crown
The same for the super exquisite sweet and hurricane-like too Sound Current
The best is this declaration of Saint Augustines (paraphrasing)
"I entered in this light ( Thou being my Guide ) and you certainly remember Brian
Not an ordinary Light, but far above etc etc ( Confessiones : It is on the web )
Who knows That Light, knows Eternity, knows what Love is

This declaration is peanuts compared with the Sound Current which once will absorb you
Augustines spoke and experienced about the proctor Brahma / Yahweh - first region

You applied for the Olympics and temporary took a wine from time to time
but you cannot escape the Gold Medals

777

[Jim Quam]

All Rs /Christian devotees read Jurgen Ziewes, Multidimensional Man and Vistas of Infinity and use the tech he uses.1 to 2 hours of meditation in the early morning,which he did for 40 years, then go back to sleep. No Gurus, donations,trips to India needed and amazing experiences were the result. RS/Christianity/Eckankar is a step/scam? .The simplicity is amazing! I can verify a little of what he writes when he says his guide tells
him to focus on the ground in a lucid dream. Read it and be amazed. Jim

[Jen]

Jim,

I've watched a few of Jurgen Ziewes youtube videos and sorry to say I think he is a fake. His story changes with each video and I think because he is an artist he is looking for publicity and is jumping on the bandwagon of being some kind of spiritual guru and has just simply read a lot of books by others. He mentions Robert Munroe, "Journeys out of the body", Carlos Castaneda etc. I've read lots of these types of books and I think Ziewes is just making up his story as he goes along.

Its far too easy to be fooled. We have to do our own inner work and be very wary and discerning of all phenomena that the mind projects.

[Jim]

Jen Have you ever had an OBE/lucid dream? Until you do, you really can't have an opinion about it. So give the tech a try,have 20 or 30 experiences ,only then would I respect your rejection of such a experience. It's like me saying I know what it is like to have a baby, I can't .

[Jen]

Jim, you ask "Have you ever had an OBE/lucid dream?".

Yes, I have. Its the mind. Its powerful and can project all sorts of images and experiences and I no longer trust it. Its what keeps us trapped in this illusionary plane of existence. We keep on searching for something to believe in, the power of a Master, our own inner power, our higher self? Whats the point, we don't know zilch. Its all an illusion.

[777]

Only one thing is real

LOVE

Nothing to do with these film-making sensations, all far under the third eye

RSSB above eyes attraction to the Living 7th Heaven God , . . The embodiment of the so sweet Sound Current make a Trillion to the power of Trillion Galaxies ashamed with Its tremendous Beauty !
Great are those Lovers in giant amazement and can't talk about it.

777

[Jen]

Hi 777,

I enjoy your comments and I'm not just trying to be difficult or confrontational but I have a query for you...

You say "RSSB above eyes attraction to the Living 7th Heaven God".

I'm wary about these Rulers of the inner planes. These so called Gods. How the heck do we know that the RSSB 'God' is the ultimate. Maybe this ruler's region is just another trap? I used to think I loved Master Charan but I really did not know him at all. He seemed charming and gracious and a good example of a really nice human being, but is this a reason for us to give away our own personal power to this person? This is the problem with Sant Mat. Yes it is a path of devotion, but this effort to be humble and to lose our ego means we put ourselves down a lot and then worship another. The humility and seva by the satsangis at the Dera is impressive and thats what glues the place together, the satsangis love, so I agree with you there about the power of love.

I like watching and hearing very positive messages about sovereignty. For example George Kavassilas who talks about each being's own individual journey as a powerful soul and each one rules their own universe and we are just projecting a part of us down here on this earth. I like the titles of his books - Our Journey Home and also I Am Infinite. Sure he's making money and has his followers but like I say for me now, its all about sovereignty and discovering who and what I am - not wanting to visit some other "God's" universe.