the deal in a nutshell
The purpose of this web site is to share a few hints that point to what is nearest and dearest to you, to that which cannot be found or lost, and to that which is always here even without your invitation.
Silent meditation is that practice of being comfortable in the present moment independent of whatever life is presenting. When we relax and stop recoiling from life, we begin to sense that life is not broken and that it is the way that it is for a reason. When we see that, we begin to sense our real purpose for being here: to learn to worship the One God. The method is simple: empty yourself utterly.
Here are five hints and some meditation instruction offered for those on an inward directed path of self remembering.
HINT 1 - We only ever talk about ourselves
This hint is easy to understand but difficult to apply. We sometimes hear it in other forms like:
This hint asserts that there is no objective world "out there" but only the projections of our private and usually secret beliefs onto a very blank screen. The two words that cry out to be skipped while reading the hint are ONLY and EVER. It is these words that turn a humorous party quip like "ha ha gosh -- you seem to be talking about yourself" into a profound spiritual truth. How we view the world, its peoples, and their many interactions is precisely how we view ourselves. The world, in this context, is a very shiny mirror graciously made available for deep self-examination.
As a simple example, consider someone madly weaving from lane to lane, shaking a fist at each car he cuts off, while shooting dirty looks out his rear view mirror. If we could ask him about the other drivers out there, he would probably say they are rude and careless and should be denied drivers licenses! Other examples include the exhortations that psychiatrists are crazy, priests are sinners, and cops are "blue thieves.”
This hint is first because, without a profound understanding of it, we are locked into a life of blame, helplessness, and irresponsibility. Its understanding and application breathes life into the other four hints.
HINT 2 - awareness is curative
The first two hints are deeply related. The first hint gives us a tool to seek out the barriers to our absolute freedom. The second frees us. The first hint is like a shiny mirror which can show us our self-centeredness, false separation, and absolutely incorrect view of who we are. Who we are is indescribably pure and vast, and phrases like Absolute Consciousness, The Supreme, and so on, fall pitifully short.
A good use of the first hint is to place the name of someone you dislike at the top of a page, then list all their irritating characteristics. After the list is complete, scratch out their name and pen in your own. The items on the list are precisely those that we abhor about ourselves. Dislike of others is just a disguised form of self-hate. Upon our recognition that the list is about us, not them, the second hint kicks in and gently removes these flaws. We need do nothing - awareness is curative. The only barrier to this is if we believe that we get value by clinging to the defects.
The second hint is the basis of all therapeutic, meditative, and self-help practices. We think we are progressing, getting better, working hard towards recovery from this or that, but in fact it is just the sweetness of awareness that gently erases everything brought to its lovely light.
More advanced uses of the second hint are the various meditative practices, especially those involving self-inquiry or deep surrender. These help uncover the subtle blemishes on our true nature, including the false belief that we have blemishes! In deep meditation the curing power of awareness is instantaneous.
HINT 3 - every front has a back
The third hint is deeply related to the first two. Sincere practice of the first hint coupled with detachment, the gift of the second hint, drives us to the inevitable conclusion that the world is dualistic. Good and bad go together. It is impossible to have one without the other.
Several years ago, Austin, Texas experienced an ice storm that coated the streets with about a quarter inch of black ice. This made driving quite dangerous if not downright humorous. Cars became three thousand pound sleds. In an attempt to alleviate this condition, the city street department threw down sand which made the streets at least passable. After the ice melted however, the crashes continued. The sand dumped on the streets to increase tire traction on ice, reduced it when the streets became dry. Sand on dry pavement is quite dangerous. Everything is like this.
An unexamined life is fraught with the silly belief that somehow, some way we can grab just the ‘good’ half of the dualism, that there is some way to snag happiness without any ‘negative’ consequences. The main game that the mind plays is: seek and do not find. We spin our wheels pretending that we will be happy if we find just the right relationship, the right job, or even the right spiritual practice or teacher. This never works!
A deep understanding and acceptance of the validity of the third hint positions us to stop wiggling (searching for what cannot be found) and to realize the truth of the fourth hint.
HINT 4 - there is no truth to be found in things, moreover, there is no one to find it
The fourth hint is the fruit of the first three. The first hint leads us to honesty, the second to detachment; the third convinces us that we can only find the Truth outside the framework of our insane world of perceptions.
It is clear that everything (every thing) is temporary. So any eternal truth could not have been created (or it would get uncreated later) nor could the Truth be compared to any thing.
The more shocking realization is that there is no one to hear the truth even if it were found. This is complete liberation; the realization that you are not a person in a body! This direct experience (gift) is free for the taking . . . self-inquiry, surrender, and true forgiveness are the most direct routes.
The realization of the fourth hint (complete and utter freedom) explodes in us when we become completely honest.
The inevitable consequence of deeply understanding the first three hints is an unlearning of everything we have ever thought, felt, or experienced. Silent meditation lights the fuse for that mysterious fire that burns away all the false beliefs and leaves us with that which has always been so:
God alone is.
HINT 5 - don't use alcohol or drugs in order to have a chance to use the other four hints
This is obvious . . . a drunken mind wanders aimlessly.
meditation instruction
The Purpose of Meditation
We know the outer world of objects and actions, but our inner world of thoughts and feelings we know very little.
The first purpose of meditation is to become familiar with our inner life. As we begin to witness our negative thinking, our obsessing on the future and past, and our sense of separation - they cease to control us. Since awareness is curative, by practicing meditation we gently pull free of the tyranny of our thoughts and feelings about the past and the future, and we become aware of the mystery of being in the present moment.
The ultimate purpose of meditation is to become aware of the source of life and consciousness itself. It is not to make our lives more prosperous or better. It is to lose interest in our false-selves and to worship the One God.
What Is Meditation?
Definition: Meditation is the act of consciously turning our awareness from that which comes and goes (our false-selves) to that which is eternal and loving (the One God).
We have misidentified who we are through our focus on thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. As we lose interest in these through meditation, we find our real identity: our immortal soul. Consequently, meditation is often called “coming home.”
Meditation is barrier removal, removing the false so that the real can shine. It is unlearning everything we think, feel, and have experienced to allow the always present One God to shine in our awareness. It is not an attempt to discover something new, but is a remembering of what actually IS. It is release – releasing our ideas about who we are, who others are, and what the world is.
How to Meditate
There are literally hundreds of meditation techniques. Experiment until you find one that is right for you. But one of the best ways is to simply sit in silence and "take what you get". Don't try do do anything, don't try to achieve anything but simply submit to the silence that is always available in the present moment. Don't analyze anything, or try to control anything (your thoughts, the noises around you or anything). Just surrender. As thoughts, feelings or sensations arise, we just note them, release them, and gently surrender yourself to the silence. The four R’s are:
Take what you get from the session. Often the ‘best’ meditation sessions are those that seem most troubling.
Barriers to Meditation
Meditation is just barrier removal - don’t look for something new. The goal of meditation practice is to contact that which is nearest and dearest and can never be lost.