Love

There is noting more beautiful, nothing more breath taking than the scene that is before me.
Look at how the sky and the earth glow when the sun shines over my darling's shoulder.
I can think of nothing when my mind is blinded by such magnificence.
The universe stands still and time is irrelevant when she approaches.
My heart stops and my breath is taken away as she gets closer.
The essence of the love that exists drowns out all fears.
I fall to my knees and weep as she comes near.
Tears of joy and ecstasy fill my very soul.
Sparks ignite the moment we touch.
We melt together like soft clay.
There is no longer us.
There is only one.
We are married,
Unified and
In love.
Love.
L-o
v-
e
 

The Naked Woman

The woman stood naked in the window.
For the first time in her life she felt free
as she looked out over the meadow.

"I'm free. No more dread. No more doubt."
The thoughts were soothing and consoling.
She no longer had to put up with cajoling. 


Staring out the window, she knew
things were going to be better now.
Confidence flooded her body anew.

Her reflection in the window pane
proved without a doubt that she no longer
had to deal with the man that gave her such pain.

For where there once was a penis
there was now an exquisite
clitoris. 
 

A Wider and Deeper Here and Now

Mindfulness is an excellent way to be in the moment but it doesn't allow you to be completely open to your self and the surroundings. Mindfulness brings you into a narrow focus of an activity such as tasting a morsel of food, strolling along , riding a bicycle,  or listening to someone talk. Mindfulness brings you into the moment by allowing your mind to rest on an event, not thinking of the past or the future. The practice of mindfulness is very rewarding but it does require  a good degree of diligence and focus not to mention practice and persistence to master.  

There is an easier and more immediate way to be in the moment with a wider and deeper range of awareness than that of mindfulness. And you can do it anywhere and anytime. Simply notice your body and its energy and then open your awareness to your immediate surroundings.  You will automatically be in the moment internally and externally. While you are in this wide and open field of awareness you can even think and talk about the past and the future while maintaining the presence of Now. 

Feel the energy that is in your body from the top of your head to the bottoms of your feet. Notice sensations in your hands and toes. Be aware of your breathing and then bring your awareness out into the open. Look and see what is around you. Listen to sounds. Feel the temperature on your skin. Smell odors that may be drifting in and out of your presence. You are now experiencing a wider and deeper Here and Now. 

Music makers needed for VA

I teach yoga at the Gainesville, Florida VA hospital and am in need of some music makers when we sing at the beginning of the class. There are 24 disabled veterans in the class; some have PTSD, some are in wheel chairs, and so on.  We sing and chant songs like "Mother I feel you under my feet," and
"We are connected."  I had a volunteer guitarist that was with us for nine months but he has gone on to do other things. I play the Native American Flute but to make it a more joyous event I thought that if each vet had a music maker like a jingle stick, tambourine, drum, shaker, or maraca it would get everyone involved.  We don't need anything fancy - just some simple music makers that anybody could play.

If you have a music maker laying around the house you aren't using we would appreciate your donation.  You can send it to me:  Neil Crenshaw, P.0. Box 799, 6369 E Place, McIntosh, FL32664.

Anything is appreciated.  Thank you.

neil

Is duality real?

To the human eye everything exists as individual objects, however you cannot depend on your eyes or your brain's interpretation of the world to be accurate. As you know, there are many illusions that can make us believe something which it is not. Even though the brain's accuracy is questionable, that is usually all we have to work with in order to function in a three-dimensional world. We have evolved and adapted to live in a 3-D environment. We live in a world of dualities - up and down, male and female, them and us, love and hate, and on and on. 

Thinking in terms of duality keeps the body and mind irreducibly distinct. This means that neither mind nor matter can be reduced to each other in any way. Mental and physical properties are categorically distinct and cannot be reduced into one another. This allows matter to be labeled, classified, judged, and categorized into units and subunits. It frees up the mind allowing one to think objectively; as though everything is separate and distinct from the self.

But the truth is, duality is an illusion because everything is made of the same stuff - infinitely small particles and space; mostly space. Reality, or the natural world, as we know it, is merely made up of different concentrations and configurations of quantum energy.  How we view reality will always be an illusion because of the inability of the human senses to detect the energy in its true form. 

Most scientists agree that the universe and everything within it is energy. We are energy, trees are energy, air is energy, light is energy.  Everything is energy and there is no duality. It just looks that way. Objects are illusions. The saying that "you can't see the forest for the trees" applies to what we are talking about. The truth lies before us but we don't recognize it because objects keep getting in the way. The objects are the truth just as the trees are the forest. When you are able to realize, without thinking, that all beings and things exist as one and not as separate objects, you will experience pure awareness.

The Sycamore Tree

The leaves fell on the meadow
from the giant Sycamore Tree.
And no one was round
to hear the sound
of the woodpecker tapping
on the old, big tree.

It probly stood there
for round a hunerd years.
But now it's grey
with swollen bark,
and can't sway in the wind
no more.

No one will miss it
when it's gone.
It just stands there
all alone -
and
forlorn.

It will turn into garbage
for the grubby worms.
The leaves and bark
and limbs and roots
of the Sycamore Tree.

And again some day,
in its place,
there will spring up
a new, young 
Sycamore Tree.

The Dying Man

The dying man
looked into the abyss,
and what he saw
gave him no bliss.

What he saw
he could not forget.
It was not happiness
but more like a threat.

Deep in the pit
was a very dark hole.
One that was familiar
yet startled his soul.

He knew what it was
and was afraid what he knew.
There in the blackness
 it shone through and through.

His heart leaped with joy
but yet there was fear,
that soon there would be
an end that was near.

"Come closer" he heard,
so he bent down to see
there in the hollow
lay all his debris.

Strewn here and there
were bits and pieces,
what once were
all the lost faces.

Friends and foes,
some happy some sad
reminded him -
what he once had.

He finally decided
to stand and look up.
Face away from
all the darkness and stuff.

There in the sky
looking down on him
was a light so bright
it blinded his sight.

He stood for some time
in a bewildered state,
not knowing what happened,
not knowing his fate.


Then, no earthly senses
and no worldly thoughts 
flooded his soul
from head to toe. 

He no longer had fear.
He no longer had dread.
There was a serene comfort
in knowing he was dead.

What is Chanting?

Here is a little something for those of you, or your friends, who may shun chanting for religious reasons.

Chanting is simply vocalizing words or phrases repetitively and is usually accompanied by some kind of music. Chants can be in any language: Sanskrit, English, American Indian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Hawaiian, African, and so on. Chants do not, necessarily, have any meaning other than the experience we have by doing them.

Chanting is a way of letting go of the ego and becoming one with the energy that flows within you, around you, and through you. It is not so much about singing as it is about feeling. While chanting you do not have to be concerned with whether you sound okay or whether you are singing the words correctly or even what it means. It is a way of letting go and feeling the peace, love, and harmony that the vibrations within yourself and others connect as a single flow of energy.

Chanting has been a way for people to connect spiritually for thousands of years. One of the oldest texts known to man, the Vedas, contains many different kinds of chants. These ancient texts were written in Sanskrit and date back to around 1500 BCE (3,500 years ago). They contain poems, hymns, rituals, and writings that have to do with how to ward off enemies, live a long and healthy life, and secure harmony among neighboring tribes.

Back then people had to exist the best way they knew how. Staying together in harmony and protecting one another was one of the best ways for doing so. Staying alive had much to do with having faith in God, praying, practicing rituals, singing hymns and anything else that could possibly make life a little easier. Chanting was one of the easiest and fun ways for doing that.

Chanting can be very fun and fulfilling if you can just let yourself relax and go with the flow.  Let go of all your inhibitions - feel the sound, the energy, the music and you will begin to understand what our ancestors knew; it is okay to be yourself.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Meditate

Meditation

1.  is a way to relieve your mind of rambling thoughts.  A study reported in the Brain Research Bulletin, vol. 85, May 2011 says that people who meditate regularly demonstrate enhanced alpha power in the brain. Alpha waves are associated with a calmer and more relaxed mind.

2.  can change the brain's circuitry and increase gray matter.  In 2012, Duke University Medical Center found that meditation practitioners had greater gray matter volume than non-meditators.  They also discovered that gray matter volume positively correlates with the duration of meditation practice.

3.  reduces anxiety. On June 3, 2013 the Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC reported that anxiety can be significantly reduced through meditation.

4.  decreases the aging process. A recent study conducted at Harvard Medical School shows that Loving-Kindness Meditation increases the length of telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes and the longer they are the healthier cells are.

5.  improves memory. "We discovered that mindfulness meditation enhances numerous mental abilities, including rapid memory recall," said Catherine Kerr of the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School. "The ability for the brain to screen out distractions could explain its superior ability to rapidly remember and incorporate new facts."

6.  helps with depression. A study done July, 2013 at the University of Washington School of Medicine found that Loving-Kindness meditation reduced symptoms of depression as well as PTSD.

7.  improves heart function. The International Journal of Cardiology, July 24, 2013 reported that meditation positively influences the cardiovascular system. Meditation can have beneficial effects on patients with cardiovascular diseases including inflammation, heart rate variability, and myocardial infarction. 

8.  reduces stress. The Dept. of Neurology, UCLA Medical School did a long-term study on the effects meditation has on stress and stress related symptoms. They found that meditation reduces stress hormones and decreases neurotoxicity.

9.  increases attention, awareness, and motivation. The Dept. of Psychology, Brigham Young Univ. did a study and showed that meditation improves attention, awareness, and motivational salience.

10.  is just plain good for you. In the Neuroscience Research journal, vol. 71, Sept. 2011 - 343 long-term meditators were compared to non-meditators and they found that the meditators scored significantly better (p<0.005) on pain, mental health, general health, emotions, social functioning, and vitality.

The "I," the "My" and the "Me."

Sometimes it's strange to be
thinking, thinking, and thinking in threes -
the "I," the "My" and the "Me." 

I sit and focus on the breath
but things come up 
like birth and death.

What can I do, where can I go
to put an end 
to this ceaseless flow?

It's not the mind that is the stinker.
It's the idea that I am the one
who is the thinker.

Get rid of the "I" and the "My"
and there will be no "Me."
And then the thoughts will say good bye.

But yet my mind says to me,
"Without the "I" you cannot be.
And without "Me" I will die."

The question is -
Who is "I"
and what is the "Me?"

So, here someone sits
with the who and the what,
the "I," the "My" and the "Me."




















 

Where have all the good times gone?

Where have all the good times gone?
There use to be gaiety, dance, and song.
But now, it seems, everything is wrong.
And many of my friends and family are gone.

The sun comes up and the sun goes down
and everything I think makes me frown.
I use to have fun and acted like a clown.
But now I feel run-down.

What is wrong with all that is?
Can things be other than what 'tis?
My ice cream soda doesn't fizz.
And time is passing like a whiz.

All I can think of is the past
when I really had a blast.
The present is going much to fast,
and leaves me in aghast.

If I could only be here now.
I would if I knew how.
If I could I would no longer scow.
That truly do I avow.

I want to sink deep in the present.
It would be oh so pleasant.
But I am so discontent
with all this torment.

The time has come for me to release
this bent-up rage and turn to peace.
There comes a time when we must cease,
and let the good inside increase.

Now it's clear.
I have no fear. 
All that was is in the rear.

Time is coming near.

Time is coming near for the GoBeyondMind-Body Workshop.

There was an Old Woman

There was an old woman
who had a mole
on the bottom of her toe.

When she walked to the store
you could hear her complain,
"Oh dear, oh dear, I am in such pain."

She wondered what to do.
So she went to the doctor to seek a solution.
"Nothing can be done" was his conclusion.

She would sit for hours
with her toe in the river
but all it did was get bigger and bigger.

The toe and the mole
become very famous.
But soon they wondered
if it was contagious.

They took the old woman
and locked her away.
And there she stayed day after day.

Days turned into months
and months into years,
and finally the people had no more fears.

Everyone forgot about the old lady
until  one day they looked in the  prison
and saw the old woman was missin.

They looked high and low
but couldn't find the old woman
with the big toe and mole.

Where could she be they wondered.
Then someone saw the hole
that was dug by the mole.



 

It lies straight ahead

When you forget what you are
and your mind is full of thoughts,
catch your breath with one of them.

You know what is real
and what is not.
Be quiet and listen.

When you are full of yourself
and you are "Me" and "I",
stop with the acting.

The time has come
to lay down the load
and feel - really feel.

Don't be afraid
to let loose of it all -
the knots and the ties.

See it again,
how it glows!
It lies straight ahead.

There is Always Room for You

There is always room for you
no matter how many are here.

You bring light into any hollow space
where there once was nothing but fear.

There is always room for you
because the likes of you is rare.

Come late, come early, come anytime
for when you are here, love is in the air.

There is always room for you
 at dawn, during the day, and nightfall.

Your kindness and gentleness
bring ease and comfort to us all. 

There is always room for you

Heal Thyself

The mind and the breath are very powerful healing tools when used correctly. There is an old saying, "Where the mind goes the energy will follow." 

 While hiking in Colorado a few years ago my knee hurt so bad I couldn't go any further. I finally limped back to the automobile and drove to the cabin. I was familiar with the healing power of the mind and the breath so I lied down on the bed and concentrated on my knee. As I breathed in, I focused on my hurting knee and visualized my breath bringing in healing light. I would hold my breath for about 10 seconds and allow the energy to circulate around, in, and through the various tendons, ligaments, and bones of the knee. I would then breathe out and visualize toxins, poisons, and pain leaving the knee. I did this breathing practice for 30 minutes.

After the breathing practice I knew my knee was healed. It just felt okay. I called to my wife and said, "Let's go hiking up the mountain outside the cabin."  She said, "What about your knee?"  I replied, "It's okay now.  Let's give it a go."  We hiked all the way to the top, which took us about an hour, and I had no pain. The knee was like new.

I have used this breathing practice many times since then for a sprained ankle, torn rotator cuff muscles, pulled back and hamstring muscles, and even headaches.  I believe it could even work on internal organ problems like Parkinson's disease, kidney ailments, ruptured spinal discs, and much more. That's my hypothesis.   

GO (cont'd)

Glucose and oxygen (GO) are the two most important molecules for life on Earth. Take one away and life ceases.

When you go about your daily activities GO goes to work where it is needed the most. As stated earlier, if you are working a particular set of muscles GO goes there. If you are thinking real hard it goes to the brain. When you get through eating a meal it goes to the stomach. By breathing correctly and using your mind correctly you can help direct and concentrate GO.  Here is how it works:

Breathing
  
When you are lifting, doing yoga, biking, etc. the idea is to breath in right before contracting the target muscle and breathe out as you contract it. For example, you want to breathe in before you do a squat and breath out as you come up from the squat. The target muscle in this case would be the thigh muscle (quadriceps). 

The reason for this is simple. When you breathe in, oxygen is taken into the lungs, diffuses into the blood, and ends up in the cells. When you breathe out during the contraction phase of the movement, your belly comes in and your diaphragm goes up helping to force oxygen into the cells of the working muscles. 

A simple exercise to demonstrate breathing with movement is the Namaste' Press. Bring your hands together in front of your heart loosly touching your finger tips and heels of your hands together as you breathe in. Next, press your hands together very tightly as you breathe out. Repeat the movement several times with your eyes closed and see if you can feel the target muscles.  The target muscles are the chest and shoulders.

The Mind  

The mind is very powerful but it is seldom used subjectively. The mind is used by most people to solve problems and think outwardly using the senses. When the mind is used subjectively you allow your thoughts to project inwardly into your body focusing on various aspects of the body such as movement, sensations, images, feelings, and even pain.

While doing the Namaste' Press, focus all of your attention onto the target muscles (chest and shoulders) as you breathe in with the hands relaxed. Visualize bringing your breath into the muscles. And, at the same time, visualize energy flowing into the muscles with your breath.  As you breathe out squeezing your hands together visualize energy being squeezed out between your hands. As you do this exercise you should experience your whole body become increasingly energized. That's because energy is moving outwardly from the target muscles to the rest of your body.  

Next time we will take a look at how the mind and breath can be used for healing.



 

OG

When you take a breath in, oxygen is transported from your lungs into your blood and carried to the cells of your body. The cells take in the oxygen and use it to remove excess hydrogen atoms that were produced during cellular respiration, growth, cell division, and hundreds of other vital functions. When the oxygen (02) combines with the hydrogen (H+), water (H20) is formed.  If this didn't happen H+ would accumulate and kill the cells. That is why oxygen is so vital to living, breathing cells. It takes the toxins out of the cells.

As all of this oxygen, hydrogen, and water exchange is taking place another very important thing is happening. Glucose is being transported into the cells and broken down into smaller and smaller molecules. The process of breaking down glucose releases energy in the form of electrons. The electrons run the machinery (movement, cell division, growth, etc.) of the cells.

Oxygen and glucose (OG) are not distributed equally to all cells. Some get more and some get less depending on the need at the time. For instance, if you are doing squats OG will be directed more toward your leg muscles and not so much to the muscles in your upper body parts. If you are sitting at a desk and studying hard, OG will be directed to your brain. What does all of this have to do with anything?

If you know how to breathe correctly when working out, doing yoga, walking, or just moving you can help the process of OG being directed toward the muscles or organs that need it the most. There are two principles involved in the process: breathing out during exertion and directing the flow of energy (OG) with your mind. That's right; the mind. 

Continued on the next post.

Double-slit experiment

I just finished reading an interesting paper about quantum physics and consciousness. The lead researcher, Dean Radin,  works at the Institute of Noetic Sciences in Petaluma, California.  The research team did six experiments focusing on how meditation can affect light as it passes through two small slits.  But first, let's look at some history.

Isaac Newton in 1687 proposed that light is made of very small particles called photons. In the early 1800s Thomas Young did an experiment with light and small slits and showed that light consisted of waves. In the early 1900s similar experiments to Young's was done and demonstrated that light can behave as either particles or waves depending on how the experiments are done. And then a little later, in the 1920s, physicists discovered that electrons act like waves when no one is watching and act like particles when someone is watching.  Click here!

Nobel laureate and one of the leading physicists of the 20th century, Eugene Wigner concluded that "The content of consciousness seems to be the ultimate universal reality."  And the Father of Quantum Mechanics Max Planck said, "Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature because we ourselves are part of the mystery that we are trying to solve."  So it looks like reality is a product of consciousness.

Now, getting back to the experiments done by Radin and his team.  They used a polarized laser beam as their light source and pointed it at two slits etched through metal foil. The slits were 10 microns wide (smaller than a human hair) and 200 microns apart. A 3,000 pixel camera was used to record the results.

They found that experienced meditators can influence the beam of light as it travels through the slits significantly greater than what nonmeditators could. "Meditators produced effects 2.5 times larger than those produced by nonmeditators. They could mentally block one of the slits in a contemplative way, or mentally 'push' the laser beam to cause it to go through one of the two slits rather than both." 

They did another experiment that is even more baffling. They set up the experiement in a sealed room and let it run without anyone present. Three months later they had meditators focus on the slits as they did before. They then looked at the video and discovered the beam of light going through one slit not both.  Think about that for awhile.

We Live in Two Worlds

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile; I've been away in Montana visiting the grizzly bears.  However, while flying over this country and living in the mountains I had a lot of time to muse on what it means to be here now with all the magnificent beauty that surrounds us.

It dawned on me that there are two worlds in which we live: the non-spiritual world and the spiritual world. The non-spiritual world reflects egoistic behavior while the spiritual world reflects selfless behavior. I hasten to add, however, that they are not separate in the true sense of the word but rather tend to merge apart and together like clouds floating in and out of one another. Sometimes one is bigger and sometimes the other one is bigger.

The ego can become inactive, more or less, and we can be in the spiritual world temporarily but still in the non-spiritual world holding on by a thread, sort of in a state of limbo, between spiritual and non-spiritual worlds. The non-spiritual world is actually the manifestation of desires that originate in the mind. When the heart takes over, desires weaken and selflessness blossoms.

The non-spiritual world is not a separate world but rather a state in which one's soul yearns to return to its roots in the spiritual world, where it is in direct contact with the Creator, the selfless vitality of life. When you leave the non-spiritual world and go into the spiritual world, for however long it may be, you experience the transformation from egoism to selflessness and love. The experience is so profound that there is a desire to experience it more often and become closer to the Creator. A new and different kind of desire emerges, not from the mind but from the heart.

The desire for spirituality allows us to see clearly, and is the key to our transformation from egoism to selflessness. This is the only desire that will bring us closer to the Creator because it is both powerful and selfless. As we get closer to the Creator we will perceive reality differently. 

This process of transformation is what our soul yearns for with or without our knowing it. It is an innate process of evolution that may take several years, several decades, or maybe even several life times. Who knows? But it is there whether we like it or not and the process will occur whether we are aware of it or not. We don't even have to try. However, with awareness and active participation, we can help precipitate its unfolding and make it more compelling and satisfying. 

Through the practice of meditation and awareness we can get closer and closer to the spiritual world and merge with it sooner. This is the ability we have as humans, and we can take it or leave it. The desire for spirituality is the key ingredient for the transformation.

The self and the Self

In order to know the true Self you must know the self first. There is no way you can ever get to know the true Self, the ego-less, non-judgmental self, until you know your self.

So, you may ask, "Who is the self?"  The self is who you think you are. You think you are someone who was born and grew up somewhere, went to school, had various interests, developed values, feelings, wants, desires, and dislikes. The self has many labels, names, and titles such as son, father, mother, daughter, doctor, teacher, housewife, brother, sister.  The list is continuous and almost endless.

The best way, and maybe the only way, to know the self is through self observation.  Constantly observing thoughts, emotions, reactions, and actions will develop a thorough understanding of the self. Once the self is understood you don't have far to go in knowing the true Self. You will understand that the true Self is not a who but a what. The true Self is actually what you are. 

Once you know the true Self there is no longer any fear because the true Self is everlasting, always present, and never lost.

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Five people have signed up for the Nov. 16-17/2013 Go Beyond Mind-Body Workshop so far.  We need 10 people to make it a go.  You can register at www.gobeyondmind-body.com/

If it makes, we will have more workshops focusing on the importance of meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and awareness. 

Please pass this information on to people who might be interested.

The Human Mind

 Every day you can see on television and read in the newspaper about all kinds of mayhem. The human mind seems to be inherently flawed beyond repair in many people. Wars upon wars, serial killings, mass murders, etc. seem to be the norm over the many millennia. But at the same time there have been remarkable acts of kindness, self sacrifices, heroic deeds, and selfless acts. 

The human mind appears to be either salutary or malevolent with various degrees in between.  Societies have tried to abate "bad" behaviors through the death penalty, imprisonment, punishment, pharmacology, psychotherapy, etc., etc, etc, but they haven't put but a tiny dent on these destructive acts of behavior. 

Scientific research, in just the last two years, show how meditation, mindfulness, and yoga can change the brain and the mind for the better. Psychological problems such as anger, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, hyperactivity, low self-esteem, and bipolar disorder can be significantly helped through the practices of meditation, mindfulness, and yoga.  

As you know, the simple practice of observing one's thoughts can make unbelievable positive changes in the mind and therefore emotions and actions. It is about time we put this practice into full gear. I am suggesting that those of you who know what meditation, mindfulness, and yoga can do, begin spreading the word by any and all means possible.  Please get involved. The world needs you. 

Be a teacher. Just point the person directly to his own mind and let him see his own true nature.

Transcendence from Person to Human (cont'd)

Vertical, horizontal, and spherical transcendence are the total package. There is nothing more. For this finale what is left but pure joy and freedom from the conscious mind. Existing in the state of pure awareness is experiencing everything as one.

Usually when people speak of being aware they are referring to a lower realm of experience. Awareness is the simple act of paying attention to what's going on. It is basically knowing what your mind and body are doing while cognizant of what is going on around you from moment to moment. Sometimes it is called being in the Now. There is nothing wrong with being in the Now, it fact it is an ideal way of living your life. But it is not all there is.

Pure awareness is wider and deeper than any of the experiences possible. It is a knowing without thinking. Pure awareness is a sense of everything without mental content. It is when object and subject merge into universal awareness; excluding nothing.  There is no separation between anything.

One of my favorite humans, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, said, "To be a living being is not the ultimate state; there is something beyond, much more wonderful, which is neither being nor non-being, neither living nor not-living. It is a state of pure awareness, beyond the limitations of space and time."

You might ask, "Can a person exist in pure awareness and still live in the world?"  It is difficult for a mortal being to conceive of a state of pure awareness and still function in everyday life. But it is possible to live in pure awareness and function quite well. In fact, in pure awareness you function better because everything is completely opened and clarity of reality is at its maximum.

Transcendence from Person to Human (cont'd)

Vertical and horizontal transcendence are two very important components for moving from person consciousness to human consciousness, but growth is not complete without the third which is spherical transcendence. Qualitative reflection on yourself moves personal experiences vertically and qualitative reflection in a collective manner moves relationship experiences horizontally.  Vertical and horizontal transcendence allows clarity of the true Self to grow collectively. By adding spherical transcendence to the ingredients maximizes growth to its fullest potential.

Spherical Transcendence 

Looking to the vertical, horizontal, and spherical dimensions of an experience grows one's consciousness multidirectionly. Growth may be slow but it is constant and steady. Patience is indeed a virtue in this case. In working with spiritual growth it must be remembered that what may seem transitive and only temporary actually grows over time.

Interpretations of what it means to be human is tantamount in understanding the whole human experience. That is why spherical transcendence must be included in the understanding. It is very important to be able to describe the fullness of human existence and go beyond the personal to the divine. The human is not static within the divine but is constantly changing with further understanding.     

As pointed out in the last few posts, vertical transcendence is achieved through intrapersonal understanding and horizontal transcendence through interpersonal understanding.  Spherical transcendence, on the other hand, is achieved through extrapersonal understanding. Extrapersonal understanding is growth outward in all directions - beyond the self and the ego. It is freedom from being rooted in consciousness.  Spherical transcendence is often referred to as pure awareness.  

Extrapersonal understanding is not an understanding as in comprehending, discernment, or reasoning.  It is a knowing without thinking. It could be said to be "mind blowing" because it is wider and deeper than any experience. 

Continued on next post.                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Transcendence from Person to Human (cont'd)

Up to this point we have talked about vertical transcendence; the ever increasing growth of consciousness through self-inquiry. It is called "vertical" because it is an adventure of personal upward  growth with greater understanding of the self.  Vertical transcendence requires both subjective and objective inquiry to gain that growth.  First, experiencing one's own self subjectively develops full actualization and comprehension of self reality in the fullest sense. Secondly, the study of the self as an object is necessary for reflecting on that reality. However, vertical transcendence cannot make a person a human by itself. There are other parameters required.

Full transcendence has to be in three planes: vertical, horizontal, and spherical. Full awareness is necessary in order to expand in all three directions. All three are essential for the human to exist. The aspect of an intrapersonal transcendence is characterized by a vertical movement and that of an interpersonal transcendence is horizontal. Not only does personal self growth occur through the vertical and horizontal but also through expansion toward the divine. This is what allows one's consciousness to expand multidimensionly.

Horizontal Transcendence   

Human consciousness is not static but constantly changes with greater understanding of the self and its relationship with others. Once the self is understood and realized it can be revealed to others in a personalized way by focusing on qualitative growth in a collective manner. This in effect makes the ego experience itself as the object.

Seeing the self and the ego as objects allows consciousness to grow outward as well as upward. The bigger Self is revealed and the sky opens into the "We" consciousness. At this point it is clearly understood that consciousness is collective not singular or personal. All sentient beings are connected like drops of water in the ocean. There is no delineation of beings. There is no longer duality. There cannot be one form among many because it is all formless. Everything extends into everything else and it all exists as aspects of itself.

Continued on next post.

Transcendence from Person to Human (cont'd)

Vertical transcendence requires one to observe thoughts as they occur (intrapersonal reflection). To immediately reflect upon thoughts requires conscious effort but has enormous benefits. The benefits include not only being able to sleep better, have less anxiety, and less worry but also to rise above a reflexive lifestyle.

To practice intrapersonal reflection you must be specific without judgment. When you have a negative thought, for example, take time to consciously note your feelings as they occur. This is not an easy thing to do. It takes guts and fortitude, like a warrior of personal mind and body. Write down your feelings in thoughts, actions, and emotions as closely as possible to how you are experiencing them right now in the moment. Yes, this requires having a pen or pencil with notebook at hand, but only for a short time.

Life moves so fast we often get lost in the past and the future and forget to live in the moment. The practice of immediately reflecting on what you just thought and experienced helps you to understand yourself better. The miracle of reflecting is that it creates a current of self-awareness that brings information into your life that you would have otherwise never noticed.

The practice of reflecting is the art of looking at yourself honestly with the basic of attitude of self-acceptance. When a negative thought appears and a feeling arises simply write a sentence or even a few words. If you are the writing type you might write a paragraph or even a story. The sky is the limit. See if you can describe your thoughts and feelings with objectivity. In other words write as though you are observing them as another person. Become the witness. 

Continued to next post.

Transcedence from Person to Human

How do you go from being a reactive person to a conscious, reflective human?  That is the subject of this post.

We live in an objective world and our senses allow us to navigate around, in, and through the objects we encounter every day. This is our normal way of life as a person.  However, without subjective consciousness there is a lot we are missing.

We can tie subjectivity into the objective world because we have a choice. And that choice has to do with transcendence and moving beyond objective consciousness. Transcendence brings understanding to a person about oneself in relation to the objective order of reality. Transcendence is the act of consciously turning toward reflecting on one's thoughts, emotions, feelings, and values. It revises and recasts reality.

Vertical Transcendence

In normal life we experience events happening all the time and react according to our thoughts, values, feelings, and emotions.  An event happens and we observe it. By observing I mean we sense it in some way through our seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting. We observe an event happen and almost immediately a thought occurs. And then usually some kind of emotion is produced. For example if you see people being slaughtered, or smell rotting flesh, or hear missiles screaming overhead, the thinking process turns almost instantly into an emotion.  You can use your imagination here.

The process of event, observation, thought, and emotion is normal and there is no way to get out of it except go hide in a cave somewhere. Once an emotion is elicited the next thing usually entails some sort of action. Normally what happens is a reaction. A reaction is a reflexive act that causes one to react to a situation automatically, as in reflex action. Because there is no reflective thought in a reaction the result can be devastating to the reactor or the recipient or both. This is why people hit people, shoot people, go to war, ad infinitum.

There is a solution to this madness. It is called vertical transcendence or intrapersonal reflection.  Rather than taking the course of reacting (reflex action) to a situation unconsciously you can immediately observe your thought before the emotion manifests itself thereby short-circuiting the cascading process that leads to the devastating outcome. Whether to react or reflect is an act of conscious awareness. The ability to do this is constituted through one's own choice and results in self growth toward a higher Self.

Continued on next post.

What does it mean to be human?

To be human is more than meets the eye. We often associate "human" with Homo sapiens, the generic name of a bipedal mammal with a large brain and the capability of speech and somewhat rational thinking. However, there is a difference between being human and being a person. In Sunnie D. Kidd's 1990 thesis The Experiential Method there are three principles that preserve the person as a human rather than the raw basics of nature:

1)  What we are over what we have.
2)  Communion over alienation.
3)  Human freedom rooted in conscious.

A person is nothing more than an organism reacting without awareness. The three principles above are what make a person a human. The three principles are what maintain a proper balance between the human person and the basic nature of awareness.

How do you go from being a reactive person to a conscious human?  That's the discussion for my next post. 

The Quantum Effect

Lie on your back on a hard surface with a yoga mat.  Bring your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around your lower legs. Bring your knees as close together as possible and cross your ankles. Hug your legs so you feel like you are pretty stable in a balled-up pose. 

Slowly roll to one side a few inches and then over to the other side.  Continue to roll back and forth gently and slowly.  Focus on what is causing your body to move from side to side. Be fully aware of your entire body: back muscles, hips, belly, shoulders, head, knees, feet, as well as your breathing.  Go deep into your body and see if you can detect what causes your body to move back and forth.  Not everyone is the same.
 

A Retreat to Propell You Forward

In November there will be a retreat in Florida for those interested in learning how to go beyond their mind-body attachment and live a more rewarding life.  You can ascend to a higher level, and still live in the world enjoying everything life has to offer, and no longer be a victim of society's conditioning.

The first task at the retreat will be to focus on how to fully relax. In order to bring your mind into a peaceful mode it must be calm, relaxed, and tranquil. Relaxing the mind is one of the hardest things for most people to do. Two of the best methods for relaxing the mind as well as the body have proven to be progressive relaxation and chakra breathing.  These two methods will be explored in depth at the retreat.

Once relaxed you can then settle down for a good session of exploring your own true Self, and allow your life to manifest from that perspective.  You will learn how to go beyond the mind and the body and become the Witness. From that vantage point you can then investigate the various states of consciousness giving you the ability to rise to a higher level. You will be able to live from a higher perspective, and function to your highest potential by living in the world and enjoying all the wonderful things life as to offer.

Take this opportunity and register now at www.gobeyondmind-body.com


Or tell a friend about it.

Peggy Sue & Buddy

                                                         on the lookout for squirrels.

Be kind to yourself

A person told me the other day that he would never forgive his wife for betraying him. He said he would always hate her for what she did to him. Even though they got a divorce and probably will never see one another again he still has that festering anger inside him.

The anger he has will do nothing to her but will play havoc on him the longer he harbors that hatred.  Anger eats away at every cell of the body. Anger causes stress and that in turn causes hypertension, anxiety, depression, insomnia, premature aging, and cancer. The telomeres that hold the ends of chromosomes together get frayed and the cells get older faster.

A recent study (May 2013) done at Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, Boston, MA showed that when people under stress practice progressive relaxation their bodies react almost immediately by producing life-saving chemicals that counteract the damage of stress-related hormones.

Progressive relaxation is not hard to do; anyone can do it and practically anywhere. It simply entails tensing different parts of the body for short periods of time and then relaxing those body parts until you have gone over the whole body. After tensing and relaxing all parts of the body you then use your mind to direct your breath into those parts filling them with pure, clean, healing energy. Where the breath goes the energy will follow. The whole process takes 30 minutes or so but it is a life saver.

The Nature of Reality

The nature of reality 
is what you are -
not who you are
or when you are.

You are the dust
particles
of the cosmos.

You are the thoughts
and ideas
that exist
everywhere.

You can never
never
be.

You
are.

Take a walk with walking meditation.

Walking either by yourself or with others you can be in tune with all that is inside of you as well as outside of you. You can feel the pressure of your body pressing down on th toes while taking one step at a time slowly raising the other foot's heel.

This act of walking meditation happens ever so slowly. It is not meant to be fast, hurried, or laborious. Walking meditation is a deliberate, controlled action that involves all of the body, all of the senses with full awareness.

Walking with full awareness means allowing yourself freedom to be connected to the world, the universe, your body, and your breath. With this walking technique the thinking mind momentarily rests. 

Walk slowly with intention. Don't rush walking meditation. It is more meditation than is is walking. Become the bottom of the feet. The heel gives rise to the arch. The arch roles onto the ball and the ball passes to the toes. Your senses burst with enthusiasm and sensitivity. You can discover a whole new person living inside your body; one that is alive, alert, and curious.

As you walk allow awareness to flow throughout the body; up the legs, belly, back, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, and head. Notice how awareness flows like energy throughout, filling every pore and cell of your body. Allow awareness to flow out into the environment; being one with the air, sunlight, earth, grass, smalls, sounds, vibrations.

Stay loose and free. Let your breath flow naturally without trying to control it, yet, be aware of it. You may become the Witness of the walking body, the moving breath, and everything in the surroundings. Walking meditation is a way to become totally free from all the things that may bother you. Do it often.

Chief White Eagle said

In 1883, Chief White Eagle was asked to speak at the Alabama State Fair. White Eagle explained the religious belief of the red man to some extent. He told them that Indians have but one church, whereas white people, even down in Oklahoma, have many churches, one on every corner and each declaring his own way the only true way, whereas the other faces eternal hell fire. White Eagle said that the Indians do not believe in hell, that people have their own hell on earth; that when an Indian does wrong it makes his heart hurt and he is sorely troubled, sometimes for a very long time, and in this way he experiences hell. That God is good and that all people, the Indians believe, eventually reach Heaven - the happy hunting ground of the red man.

Workshop/Retreat

The Go Beyond Mind-Body Workshop is scheduled for Nov. 16-17, 2013 with a faculty I think you will like.  Go to www.gobeyondmind-body.com to check it out.  If you don't live in the area you can still come to Florida, participate in the workshop and enjoy visiting the area for a vacation.  The weather here in November is usually great. 

Freedom

I neglect the Divine for the bark of a dog, for the bite of mosquito, for a thought. Distractions are the big opponents to pure awareness. I must continue the practice of staying in the moment and being aware of the Absolute.  It is in that time of total awareness I am totally and completely free.

Aspects of Spirituality

Spirituality is a term thrown around a lot by all kinds of people. In this post we will take a quick look at what it means to be spiritual.

First of all, it is not a religion and it is not dogmatic. A spiritualist does not try to force another person to believe what he/she believes. If a person tried to force someone to follow the path of spirituality he/she would not be spiritual. Spirituality is simply being connected to all that is, one with everything as in "Oneness."  

To someone who is into spirituality everyone and everything is the Divine. The Absolute is in everyone at all times with no exceptions. The universal energy that flows through everything  connects us all together. The universal energy is infinite from smallness to largeness. The universal energy is the "spirit" in spirituality.

Workshop

The other day I announced that we were having a workshop - Going Beyond Mind-Body (GBMB) starting in November.  Due to a death in the family I am sorry to announce that the workshop has been delayed until further notice. I will let you know when and where the workshop will be held as soon as things clear up.

Thanks for your understanding.
Love and peace be with you.

On the next post I would like to discuss the aspects of spirituality.

neil crenshaw

Anger

Although anger starts in the mind, your heart takes the brunt of the emotion. An event like an argument, someone breaking a precious article, or loud music when you are trying to read may trigger the anger emotion. Being the aware person that you are you might recognize the negative thought and let it pass but it can settle in the subconscious and work its way into the heart. 

The negative emotion (E-motion) is energy in motion and usually goes from the subconscious to the heart where it can fester and grow. Although you may think the anger is gone it can lie dormant in the heart and reappear at any time. 

If something triggers anger in you, and it keeps coming up, try this breathing technique for releasing that negative energy:

1.  Lie down.
2.  Breathe in deeply focusing on your heart.
3.  Guide the positive energy into your heart.
4.  Hold your breath.
5.  Visualize positive energy circulating in and around your heart.
6.  Breathe the negative energy out every cell and pore of your body. 
7.  Do this breathing practice 5-6 times.
8.  Lie still and reflect on what just happened.

Practice this breathing technique whenever you feel angry. 

Awareness Meditation

Awareness meditation is a way of bringing introspection into the deeper inner self. The benefits derived from this type of meditation are many. One of the major benefits is being able to reduce and even stop negative thoughts. This is an enormous benefit. Think about it. If you could eliminate negative thoughts your life would change drastically.

When you observe an incident or event happen that you perceive as "bad," a negative thought almost immediately emerges. That negative thought then produces an emotion such as dread, fear, anxiety, worry, and the list goes on. You don't even have to see something happen. Simply thinking of something that happened in the past dredges up the same negative emotions. It is possible to even imagine negative situations and have negative thoughts and adverse reactions.

If negative emotions become chronic they can eventually make your body sick. Illnesses such as cancer, ulcers, heart disease, depression, chronic fatigue, and skin rashes are just some of the problems we face from too much negative thinking.

To begin, you must sit in a comfortable position. If there are aches and pains while sitting it is doubtful that you will ever calm the mind. Use whatever it takes to sit comfortably. Once your body is comfortable begin focusing on calming your mind. Chakra breathing, progressive relaxation, concentration are some of the ways you can calm your mind. Don't worry about the time. Once the mind is calm the body will become calm. A calm mind will allow the body to distress.

Remember, there is a difference between a relaxed body and a calm body. The body may be relaxed but not calm. For example, you may be sitting comfortably but the body may not be calm due to anxious thoughts. The heart may be beating excessively fast, your breathing may be erratic or labored, and muscles a little tense. So, first the body must be relaxed and the mind calmed. Once the mind is calm the body will follow.

With the body and the mind calmer, your meditation practice may commence. It is important to understand that a calm mind doesn't mean that there are no thoughts. It means you have distanced yourself from your thoughts and are no longer affected by them. Simply observe thoughts and allow them to pass in and out of your mind.

Instead of reacting to your thoughts you become aware of how restless they are. Thoughts only become a problem when you identify with them and react to them. When you identify with your thoughts you will become caught in a never-ending cycle of thoughts, emotions, and reactions. You want to stop the merry-go-round.

Notice thoughts when they arise. Be open to them, and eventually they will pass. Come back to awareness of what is. Notice thoughts, notice your breath, be aware of feelings. Slowly become aware of what is around you such as sounds, smells, a breeze over your skin. Be aware of the subtleties  within your body and thoughts in the mind. Sit in awareness with calmness and assurance that everything is okay just the way it is. There is nothing to worry about. There is no need to try and control everything.

Awareness brings freedom from random and meandering thoughts. It is within this freedom you begin to experience who you really are. You are no longer the inner turmoil.  Inner peace and contentment prevail.

When you carry this peace and contentment throughout your daily life, meditation becomes very therapeutic. Rather than living in the complexities that life can throw at you and you reacting to them negatively, you can bring your awareness to them in a peaceful manner.

There is no way you can't benefit from the practice of awareness meditation. It may not be apparent to you immediately, but slowly and surely the benefits will begin to emerge. The more you meditate the more the subtle impressions of its benefits will be absorbed into your subconscious.  And before you know it, they will surface. You must have patience.

Patience will allow your meditation practice to unfold. Awareness meditation is a tool by which lives may be changed for the better. Most of all, be kind to yourself.

Workshop

Dr. Jim Barrell and I have teamed up offering a 6 week workshop.  This is the first time and are hoping it is successful.  It is called Go Beyond Mind-Body.  I've put together a website that hopefully explains all the details.  The website is http://www.gobeyondmind-body.com. 

Although you may not live in this area (north Florida), you may know someone who does and could benefit from the workshop. Please pass on the information. 

My next post will be about awareness meditation.  In a couple of days or so.

Namaste'

What is meditation?

Meditation is the ability to relax both the mind and the body and then go beyond them.  It is to go beyond the mind and the body and become the Witness of whatever is happening without being adversely affected by those happenings. It is, in effect, going beyond the fourth state of consciousness. The Witness is sometimes referred to as the observer, the knower, the one noticing.

Meditation is actually quite simple and can be learned by just about anyone. All it takes is a little patience and practice to learn the technique. The longer you practice the easier it becomes. There are many positives to meditation: a calmer mind, reduced stress and anxiety, a sense of peace, improved health, reduced pain, and much more.

Although meditation has been used for many years in various cultures, modern science is just beginning to do research of the subject. What they are discovering is it works. This is actually nothing new to those who have been practicing meditation over the years.

Before the body can be relaxed the mind must be relaxed. To relax the mind many practitioners focus on their breathing because it is always present and easy to use. Others may focus their mind on a candle flame or some other object. Some may scan their body with their mind going slowly from the toes to the top of the head one body part at a time. Because there are various techniques for calming the mind, it might take several trials and errors before you discover what works best for you. This is why it is best to practice under the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher.

Once the mind is calm and relaxed the body will follow. When both the body and the mind are relaxed you can then begin to observe your thoughts as though you are an observer of them. You and your thoughts become separate. Thoughts are nothing more than waves of energy passing in and out of the mind, but we often become so attached to those waves we begin to think we and the thoughts are one and the same.

In the beginning, meditation may last only a few minutes before thoughts take over again. The more you sit in practice the longer meditation will last. And the longer you sit in meditation the better you will be able to take the peace and tranquility with you during non-sitting times while working, playing, and enjoying life.

Who knows?

Who knows the path
to enlightenment?
It could be Buddha,
maybe Rumi.

I search and search
for the one who knows.
I've tried them all
but can't decide.

I've looked at the great
Krishnamurti and Belsakar,
at Nisargadatta and Dalai Lama
but don't know who to follow.

Jesus Christ seems like
a good contender.
Or maybe Tolle
or Yogananda. 

After all these
futile attempts,
it dawns on me.

All I need is this
precious moment.



 

Remember who you are

As you walk on Mother Earth
remember who you are -
the entirety of every things birth.

When the universe was created
you were born -
and light was added .

All the stars,
all the planets
and even tiny quasars.

The surf,
the wind,
all the glorious turf.

You are begat
with a lot of this
and a lot of that. 

The love and glory
that's in your soul
will be for ever more .

Universal Energy

The energy that runs through your body is not imaginary or an illusion.  It is as real as sunlight, as true as sound, and as natural as the wind.  Do not underestimate the healing power or magnitude of that energy.

The third chapter of the Yoga Sutras speaks extensively on how energy is important for enhancing power and potency in the human body.  The Vedas calls energy the "responsive energy," the "life force," the "prana" which runs through the body and holds it together.  This force consists of both the physical (paramanus) and the non-physical (akasha) components of all things.

The Upanishads stress that in both the universe and the individual human being there is a power that never changes.  That power is something that is greater and grander than either the universe or the human being.  "It is a power that never changes."   

The Bhagavad Gita (7:4-5) mentions the life-force that extends throughout the universe and is beyond earth, water, fire, wind, space, mind, understanding, and individuality.  The life-force is the energy that pervades all living and non-living entities everywhere.

The person who gets in touch with this never changing energy and can feel its presence flowing through his/her very being will never cease to exist. 

 

Who said

"When you know yourself, then you will be known, and you will realize that you and the father are one?"
a. Jesus                             c.. Sri Nisargadatta
b. Muhammad                   d.  Ramacharaka

"Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
a. Jesus                             c. Sri Nisargadatta
b. Muhammad                   d. Ramacharaka 

"Is it not written in your law,  I said, Ye are all gods?"
a. Jesus                             c. Sri Nisargadatta
b. Muhammad                   d. Ramacharaka

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
a. Jesus                             c. Sri Nisargadatta
b. Muhammad                   d. Ramacharaka

Answers appear below:

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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  Just a little bit further.





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They are all quotes from Jesus.

The Old Man and the Quarter

There was an old man who worked in a bar cleaning the floors and the bathrooms.  The owner of the pub didn't pay him much but allowed him to drink as much beer as he wanted and sleep in the back room  He seemed congenial enough and everyone liked him but he never said much.  He would usually speak only when spoken to.

Patrons of the bar would play a game with the old man by showing him a bright shiny quarter and an old paper dollar and ask him which one he wanted.  He always wanted the bright shiny quarter.  He would smile and put the quarter in his pocket, they would laugh and snicker, and he would go about his cleaning. The quarter and dollar game went on for years.  One day the owner of the bar asked the old man why he always picked the quarter.  The old man explained to the owner that if he ever picked the dollar the game would be over.

Misery and Suffering

You must look beyond your self
if you ever want to get out of
misery and suffering. 

The self is the body and the mind.
It is all the beliefs that have accumulated
over the many, many years of life.

It is your values of what is good
and what is bad.
It is your feelings and emotions.

The self is nothing more than
an illusion created out of fear of
death and desperation of living.

It is time to stop the madness.
It is time to look beyond the self
and allow it to dissolve.

Where the self goes
so goes the ego.
They are inseparable.

To eliminate misery
and sufferring
you must rise above both.

Do not try to understand
by thinking.
Understand by not thinking.

The Self is universal.
It is the only reality.
It is beyond misery and suffering.

Concepts, beliefs, identity
are nothing but illusions -
mainstays of the ego-self.

You are eternal presence - now,
before birth and
after death.

When you discover
presence you will
discover Self.

Attachment to body,
to mind, to consciousness
is very strong.

Release their hold.
Allow presence
to fully appear.

The self and the ego
can be the source
of all misery and suffering.

They can also be
the source for all
love and compassion.

Meditate
in order to know
the Self.

Meditate
in order to know
reality.

The sense of "I"
is temporary.
"I Am" is constant.

There is no doer,
no achiever, or
individual.

Misery and suffering
lie within the ego,
within the self.

The ego-self
is the individual doer -
the individual achiever.

Rest in the Self.
Allow ego-self to be
passive and uninvolved.

Meditate on "I Am."
Meditate on the Self.
Meditate on spaciousness. 

When there is nothing
you still are.
You are the Absolute.

The ego believes
it is the self,
the doer, the thinker.

You know you are not
the self, the doer,
the thinker.

You are - - - - - - - - -

Results of the Experiential Method

There were eighty five (85) hits on the last post, "The Experiential Method," but only two (2) people made comments.  And those comments had nothing to do with the experiential method. 

I am at a lose.  Was it too difficult to understand?  Was it too much reading?  Maybe it wasn't entertaining enough.  Maybe the subject of investigation (the mind) isn't important enouth. 

Can anybody help me out?

The Experiential Method

The experiential method enables you to go inside yourself and investigate your own experience of what is.  Rather than looking outward at objects and other people you use awareness to look inward.  The experiential method is often used for exploring emotional situations like:  despair, anxiety, love, happiness, hate, etc., but it can also be used for discovering answers to more complex phenomena or questions such as "What is the mind?" or "What is it like to be peaceful?"  There are six steps in the method:          

                       

1.  Ask the Question: "What is it like to experience _______________?"   Use the blank space for writing in the phenomenon you would like to investigate.

2.  Self Observation:  Being relaxed is a key component to this part because you will use awareness to observe your own perceptions, feelings, and thoughts.  Self observation is being able to notice what is taking place inside yourself, in the present moment, without interpretation or judgment.

It is easier to investigate phenomena that you can experience in the present moment such as peacefulness, the mind, and love rather than things you have to re-live such as anxiety, depression, and jealousy, unless, of course, you are experiencing them right now.

To continue on with the next step let's actually do a subjective experiment to illustrate how it's done.  Let's investigate the age old question, "What is the mind?"  Please read the third step below, do it and then we will go on with step no. 4. 

3.  Data Collection:  Sit in a comfortable position with a notepad in your lap and a pencil or pen in your hand.  Close your eyes, relax, and ask the question, "What is it like to experience the mind?"  Take a breath in and exhale slowly and ask the question again - "What is it like to experience the mind?"  Write down whatever you become aware of: feelings, visions, images, words, thoughts, sounds, etc., that are emanating from within that relate to the question ("What is the mind?").

Write freely and don't worry about the accuracy of your handwriting or penmanship.  You may be just writing one syllable words, short phrases, or whatever - it doesn't matter.  You are simply collecting data in the present moment.  Take notes as long as you are receiving information from within.

So, get your pad and pencil, close your eyes, and ask the question, "What is it like to experience the mind?"

4. Analysis:  Look at your notes and see if you can use them to write statements.  Write in first person, present tense.  Use "I" or "My" statements as if you are experiencing the situation right now.

For example, if you were questioning what it's like to experience peacefulness you might write, "I feel my heart beating.  It is calm.  My breathing is shallow and even.  I feel no pain. 

5.  Common elements:  In order to complete this next step there must be other investigators (co-investigators).  More is better.  So, please join us in the monumental, ground-breaking event to find out more about the mind. 

Also, someone, other than the co-investigators, looks at the statements and identifies those aspects of the statements which are present in all of the co-investigators writings.  That will be my job - your humble host. This is important in order to arrive at a consensus regarding the structure of the experience being investigated (the mind in this case).

6.  Hypothesis:  After all the data is in, final analysis made, and common elements solidified, an hypothesis is made attempting to answer the question, "What is it like to experience the mind?"  The hypothesis in this case is not based on an idea but rather on actual lived facts found in human experiences.  If sufficient evidence supports the hypothesis it may be re-stated as a conclusion.

We need 25 co-investigators in order to make a valid hypothesis.  I encourage you to become a co-investigator and post your statements about your self-observation concerning mind.  Be a subjective research scientist.