The feeling of just being
bookworm
U.S.A. Veteran
I was sitting on the grass at a park yesterday and I was really being aware of my existence, what felt like the first time, just feeling of 'I am' and pretty soon I felt more alive than I think I have ever felt before, I felt awake, I would call what I was doing celebrating or being grateful for being alive, rather than practicing mindfulness.
the feeling is like watching millions of different colored balloons all being released into the air simultaneously that takes up your entire vision, or like seeing tens of thousands of birds flying above you that makes you want to burst out in laughter or be in complete awe of it, It is a colorful feeling, a feeling of falling in love, of being truly grateful of being able to experience suffering and joy, it is something that mindfulness just doesn't have, I won't gain any insight into impermanence, suffering, not self, and I don't know if it is one of the Brahma Viharas that I was experiencing and i don't know if continuing to practice this way will lead me to a rebirth in a God realm, if there is such a thing, or to self realization, either way it sure as hell feels good.
This song made me think of the aliveness that I felt.
Comments
Sounds good.
With sufficient awakening we feel alive and awake most of the time. Kind of goes with the territory.
The 'I AM', or sense of being devoid of mind clutter, is sometimes seen as subservient or a prelude to the Buddhist experience of 'NO SELF'. However debates about my dharma is more empty than your vedanta, is similar to my God transcends existence more than your non existence . . . or similar.
Along the way to emptiness or form, we congregate around being as well as realising no being is central to the experience.
In essence, 'Emptiness is form and form is emptiness'.
. . . or to put it another way . . . Have a nice day . . .
.
@lobster you're very insightful, thank you for commenting, I always take your replies to heart.
That's great, and very nice music @bookworrm - but you also have to start seeing form as form and emptiness as emptiness, as you'll never move on to see interpenetrant interdependence as the true reality behind the reality experience.
Truth though is a relative concept!
Huh? Emptiness is not other than form and form is not other than emptiness. Form IS emptiness.
Emptiness is not imposed on form. It is form.
then you need to understand things in the light of the true spectrum of reality @robot - look at what gives form it's form! Can't see it? well you won't if you continue to see form as emptiness
JI JI MUGE - or INDRA"S NET;
I've given you the lines
and a hook and I'll bet
in 1 year with study and time
you'll be here with ginger beer and lime
Just mess in' with yer really!
Where is the sink without the plug hole
the pencil without the sharpener
the day without the night
life without death as its plight
...\ lol / ...
The Essential Points of Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and the Middle Way ~ Khenpo Tsultrim Rinpoche
I have gotten into various "elevated" states while meditating. But just like any other mind state, those come and go, leaving me with me. I think it is like a candy we get for practicing and may indicate that we are finally pushing our limits.
But these awesome experiences are nothing special. If we treat them as such, we become attached and attachment, regardless of the object, brings suffering. So I try to be grateful for, essentially, getting high off meditation, but also try not to turn my practice into looking for those highs.
In my Zen school there is specifically teaching about being careful with pleasant altered mind states. They can easily overwhelm and lead us off the path.
Very true @shadowleaver.
There is a word that I find very grounding at the moment - steadfastness!
I offer it to you like I would offer the word understanding...
But these are just words and what you are seeking is beyond a conceptual framework...
S'okay. I see you are having one of those days.
No I just see this day as that day which is this day yet again!
I really don't know about form is emptiness and emptiness is form, all I did was appreciate the fact that i'm alive by truly acknowledging my existence, and I felt amazement of the fact that I exist, in those some odd minutes of just being, I didn't care for enlightenment, I felt complete, everything was fine the way it was there was nothing I needed to do, nothing special, just a simple feeling of contentment, the only realization that I had was that i'm perfect the way I am.
Form is emptiness
and emptiness is form is a perspective!
But seeing form as it is a form, and seeing emptiness as emptiness which is at the same time form and emptiness is a completely different perspective.
Do not give your misunderstanding of your view the same perspective as mine.
Form is just form and emptiness is just emptiness, but emptiness, which we take for granted gives form its form yet is that which gives form its outline!
No it's not one of those days - it's today, and in fact it is now!
Bless you @robot...
I have a neighbour, a friend, who probably from nervousness, laughs all the time. And talks and laughs so that is hard to get through. Her giddiness blocks out everything for me. When she settles down so we can talk face to face, it's good. I feel like we are connecting.
Sometimes you are like that to me. I can't understand you because you are giddy or jovial or something. Sorry. It's my problem.
Indeed and as you say very subtle traps and attachments. The important thing is to say hi and bye to arisings, whether good, bad or just so.
As far as I am aware, people don't have regular euphoric experiences especially in meditation because they are too up tight. Euphoria, hell, Buddha Nature, Heaven etc. are always present. The mind just labels and decides to experience in a partial, indifferent or non attentive way.
Attention. Attention. Attention.
http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/seven-steps-to-taking-control-of-your-attention
There's an old Zen story: a student said to Master Ichu, 'Please write for me something of great wisdom.'
Master Ichu picked up his brush and wrote one word: 'Attention.'
The student said, 'Is that all?'
The master wrote, 'Attention. Attention.'
The student became irritable. 'That doesn't seem profound or subtle to me.'
In response, Master Ichu wrote simply, 'Attention. Attention. Attention.'
In frustration, the student demanded, 'What does this word attention mean?'
Master Ichu replied, 'Attention means attention.'
Source: Charlotte Joko Beck. 1993. Nothing special: Living Zen. New York: HarperCollins. 168.
@robot - it's not your problem; it's the problem of the mode of communication. I am sure if I sat with you for an hour, and seriously sat with you, and then had a cup of tea or or we had a lunch together, we would soon see things similarly, or perhaps bring our views to a similar focus and conclusion.
I do jest on this site for a reason. Hence my current avatar - which will change again soon!
>
I would really like that.
If you are visiting central London some time - just PM me. If I'm free teas on me!
Sounds good! Too bad I'm on the pacific coast. Next stop is Bangkok for me!
Oh well - let me recommend jasmine pearls - it's an expensive jasmine tea but - definitely worth it!
let just say that we are awareness itself, than if we are then is emptiness greater than awareness?
emptiness/awareness - I'll opt for the little bit that resides in the middle of these terms
I think awareness is empty and also full to the brim.
so do I that is why I opt to sit in the middle of it - not to much of either and you are fulfilled!
lol
Simply basking in the present moment, arresting overthinking and at the same time having all notions fall into place... effortlessly by themselves.
What else could you wish for, @bookworm, and why should you care if you're reborn in a god realm?
You have the here and now.
You're absolutely right, I didn't think of that, I can't ask for much more than that, thank you.