Meditation and vibrational quality
Jeroen
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlands Veteran
I was wondering if any of the meditators amongst us have ever tried changing their vibrational quality? I’ve always tended towards relaxation in meditation, releasing whatever was wound up tight, but I’ve come across some things in my meditation that suggest I may not be going about it the right way.
To keep things short, ive encountered some energies of a different order, a more focussed and cleaner energy that was more dense than how I perceive my essence, which is totally transparent and colourless to me. It was quite beautiful and I ended up wondering if it was possible or desirable to shift my own pitch to match.
I know the Sona Sutta talks about
"In the same way, Sona, over-aroused persistence leads to restlessness, overly slack persistence leads to laziness. Thus you should determine the right pitch for your persistence, attune the pitch of the [five] faculties [to that], and there pick up your theme.”
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.055.than.html
Does anyone have any experience “attuning the pitch of the five faculties”?
Comments
You should probably ask the person or people who gave or use the same meditation method you use. Is that possible?
edit: and probably with time it will become clearer as your true nature is present. Aware and clear and energetic and so forth. It must be; right? Not realizing the true nature is the other side to the coin of clinging to phenomenon is what I am thinking.
Yes, do not attach attention to states. Experience, Observe, let go.
Frankly, I have found that trying to achieve any form of observation of different phenomena, just halts me in my tracks, or diverts me from the exercise....
Just allow things to unfold in their own way....
Not really. I use a basic “concentration on the abdominal breath” method from a book, sometimes varied with Thich Nhat Hanh’s Annapannasati practice.
Everyone practicing Buddhist meditation should have some experience with that.
One rendering of the five faculties is:
Pitchfork: Mindfulness
String: Conviction <--> Discernment
String: Energy <--> Tranquility
In the sutta you quoted the Buddha instructs Sona to tune persistence. Too much produces the hindrance of restlessness; too little, the hindrance of dullness. So, he should balance energy and tranquility. How? No explicit instructions are given, only that out of tune, unbalanced persistence produces one of those two hindrances and tuned, balanced persistence doesn’t.
I’d suggest if shifting your "own pitch to match" balances the faculties, then do that.
You may be interested in an essay by Thanissaro entitled De-perception. Not sure if it would empower or hinder you at the moment, but it seems relevant, once you swap out the word “breath”.
I read the linked essay. Talk about gilding the lily...! Far be it from me to level any kind of criticism at someone who in anyone's view must be an advanced, erudite and knowledgeable Master, but...
To be completely honest with you, I watch the breath with absolutely no opinion or view of it, at all. Me? I'm just breathing in and out. I note its depth and rhythm, and note as it changes, without implementing any further volitional action, otherwise...
K.I.S.S, in my opinion...
@federica, sounds harmonious.
There are some days I can keep it simple. On those I may practice satipatthana, anapanasati or the commentarial method of counting, connecting, contacting and fixing. But on other days there's an avalanche that just crushes those. Still gonna sit, so might as well sort through the wreckage. For me any tools aiding with that are worth developing.
p.s.
Sounds about right.
gilding the lily ... I had to look that up.
Random thoughts...
I was kind of like a high vibration junkie for a while, but ended up not finding wisdom in it.
In other words, if someone is angry and criticizes you, it doesn't matter how high your vibration is. You're still going to believe a self is criticising a self. You're still going to be delusional and act accordingly.
But if you harness the power of high vibes to realize Emptiness, then it's not just a temporary escape from suffering.
As far as I can tell, many spiritual people cultivate a high vibration and use it only to feed their delusions because their motivation comes from selfishness to gain more things or more status, chasing after the eight worldly dharmas and creating a more insane ego.
The Secret, for example, is not Dharma, but a way to strengthen delusions.
Well said @JaySon
Ego refinement, enhancement, moving up down or sideways is just cage widening or changing its shape ...
Desire and attachment will not change overnight, but desire becomes less ordinary as we redirect our worldly yearning toward the aspiration to become enlightened for the benefit of others. At the same time, we don’t abandon the ordinary objects of our desires – relationships, wealth, fame – but our attachment to them lessens as we contemplate their impermanence. Not rejecting them, rejoicing in our fortune when they arise, yet recognizing that they won’t last, we begin to build qualities of spiritual maturity. As our attachment slowly decreases, harmful actions that would normally result from attachment are reduced. We create less negative karma, more fortunate karma, and the mind’s positive qualities gradually increase.
~ Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
The main objective in our lives should be to dissolve our ego.
The subject of ego is discussed widely.
Yet we have a great need to bring harmony to our minds.
Harmony comes from stability of the mind.
To achieve the essence of stability in the mind, we must follow the path to enlightenment. The path to enlightenment has been demonstrated and explained by many masters throughout history. These are factual accounts - not works of fiction. These accounts written by many spiritual masters, serve to encourage and inspire us on our own path. They show us the truth and reality of our existence. They enable us to take the first steps on our spiritual path with kindness and diligence, helping us overcome our ego.
Rather than focusing on stories of the great masters and their glorious achievements, we should focus instead on our mistakes and failures on the path. Stories and romantic notions of great spiritual practitioners will appeal to the ego but focusing on our failures will bring far greater advancement. Your mind and it’s capacity for positivity is limitless. We should embrace it with humility.
Even then with my beautiful words and with your beautiful steps on your spiritual path always prioritize to focus on the failure not on the glory or Fiction
Because the glory and fiction has a limit and is friend of ego
your mind and your positive capacity has no limit therefore embrace it yet be humble with it
Love and respect from your Kalu Rinpoche
Great quotes @Jeffrey
People have mentioned the need for simplicity (the Keep it simple approach) and the need for various tools that @Snakeskin requires. We vary.
I have always been inspired by stability and great historical and contemporary practitioners.
An example: this morning I became aware of my body slumping (too relaxed/slothful/tired/impostured ...) rather than immediately adjusting, I allowed the instability to be for a few moments ...
Bad posture meditation? Sure but only as a return point ...