MEDITATION METHOD

The Mind-body Inferface.

There are two main obstacles to obtaining Nirvana. The first is the ego that is obsessed with the up keep and maintenance of the body. It is of course very important to maintain a healthy body, but the mind should feel detached from all physical pain or concern for its physical well-being, from moment to moment. A great number of the relationship problems that we face between people are due to the ego attempting to ensure that body is comfortable, that it is well fed and looked after. This is all well and good, but it should not be done at the expense of others. The conscious mind is entirely connected with the body but this does not mean that it should identify with it on every level. The mind must seek to be in control of the body at all times, and be detached from its sufferings, which are in any case only a product of a perceived lack, generated by the conscious mind in the first place. No great pains are needed in this endeavor, and this goes without saying, because the main aim of meditational practice is to relieve suffering and its ills.

The next obstacle is the ego itself. The ego is used to getting what it needs for the up keep of the body, and in times of scarcity it will go to extraordinary lengths to achieve it. This type of tenacity is admirable, but it shows the single-minded nature of the ego. It is singularly focused upon itself and its own well-being. The ego likes to mull things over and it will invariably bring up some occasion when it feels that you did not conform to the strict command; to always be on top and in the lead. This feeling of failure will cause a physical i.e. emotional response, that will make the self aware again. Having already mastered a level of control over our own bodies, halting the meddlesome ego and its contiguous emotional response is no longer so daunting a task.

The frequency with which the ego brings up memories in which you feel inadequate is to be considered a blessing, as it provides ample opportunity for you to get proficient at halting its machinations and showing the ego that it is ultimately you who are in control of your physical and mental states.

During the meditation, close your eyes and focus on the mind. The mind encompasses all things; the sensations of the body, the immediate environment as well as our sense of self. The body is certainly apart of the mind's remit but it is not the intended focus of meditation, it is rather a canvas or foundation on which the conscious self rests. Focus on that self. It is a strange and beautiful place. It has no real position, no real boundaries or focus, and yet it has what we call its own 'perspective'. When consciousness is not focused upon, it becomes heavy and makes a dint or depression in the mind. This is the negative or gravitic aspect of consciousness. When we focus upon our own consciousness we see that it is positive or radiant. This positive energy exerts the same amount of force in every direction of space-time, and so it is weightless. The negative gravity aspect of the mind is cancelled out by the positive electromagnetic aspect and vice versa. But concentration on one or the other will cause it to be noticed.

When the meditator gains a proficiency in stopping all thought and focusing on their consciousness, they will notice that their mind drifts. Conscious focus will lapse and thoughts will spring into the mind. Often times the meditator will be almost unaware that they are thinking about anything, and certainly unaware that they have deviated from the main point of the meditation, which is to still all thought. However, this is a necessary part of the process and should not be seen as some kind of failure to meet with the principles of the meditation. For example, if the thoughts are concerned with aspects of the past in which the meditator feels as if they have wronged someone or embarrassed themselves, these thoughts will instigate an emotional response. This negative emotional response will be noted by the conscious self and you will then be able to stop that process in its tracks and return to the act of focusing on the mind.

Once this game has gone on for long enough, and you find yourself getting better and better at it, the focus of the game will shift. At this point the mind is almost on the cusp of hypnogogic visions and you may begin to see images played out in front of you. These visions might be surprising or even terrifying, but again the purpose is to remain in control of your mental, physical and emotional states. When this is done you are showing your mind that you are not afraid of these visions, and that you are aware that they are just another aspect of your mind, like that of the ego, the physical and emotional bodies. When this happens the images will dissolve.