Homosexulity and Change: My Promiscuity

[bnmoore]

I was a little surprised that this wasn't in the list:

http://www.surya.org/media_twincities.html

Chapter 1 in the book "The Mind Is Mightier Than The Sword" by Lama Surya Das deals with Natural Meditation. It's a little more in depth than the on-line article. You don't have to do anything. It's about intention and attention. It's present moment awareness.

And if you don't want to consider yourself a budding Buddha-to-be, then don't. I love the East meets West approach.

[Legendary]

Thanks My objective is to learn different meditative techniques from various beliefs system while still maintaining my Christianity. I just want to keep my mind and heart open to new things. Which is it should always be like.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by bnmoore

I was a little surprised that this wasn't in the list:

http://www.surya.org/media_twincities.html

Chapter 1 in the book "The Mind Is Mightier Than The Sword" by Lama Surya Das deals with Natural Meditation. It's a little more in depth than the on-line article. You don't have to do anything. It's about intention and attention. It's present moment awareness.

And if you don't want to consider yourself a budding Buddha-to-be, then don't. I love the East meets West approach.

I have Lama Surya Das' books, but frankly, didn't think of him off the top of my head.

Sorry. Can't think of everyone all the time.

As well- I disagree about 'doing'. Perhaps it is semantics, but intention and attention is very much something that is done. It doesn't happen by itself. Which is why I maintain that meditation, like playing the piano, takes PRACTICE.

Sure. It's natural. But it takes practice.

[bnmoore]

Originally Posted by Daniel

I have Lama Surya Das' books, but frankly, didn't think of him off the top of my head.

Sorry. Can't think of everyone all the time.

As well- I disagree about 'doing'. Perhaps it is semantics, but intention and attention is very much something that is done. It doesn't happen by itself. Which is why I maintain that meditation, like playing the piano, takes PRACTICE.

Sure. It's natural. But it takes practice.

It must be semantics. That's what I thought I said. Do or be intention, attention, and present moment awareness. Isn't being there while getting there practice? I know I was so pre-occupied with sitting posture, breathing, and chanting, that I wasn't meditating at all. I was too concerned with doing it wrong. Would you call that Beginners Mind?

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by bnmoore

It must be semantics. That's what I thought I said. Do or be intention, attention, and present moment awareness. Isn't being there while getting there practice? I know I was so pre-occupied with sitting posture, breathing, and chanting, that I wasn't meditating at all. I was too concerned with doing it wrong. Would you call that Beginners Mind?

What I hear you talking about is a State of Mind. Beginner's Mind- yes.

I haven't forgotten a book on Zen that came my way some time ago (cannot remember the title or who wrote it I am sorry to say) where the author noted- with conviction - that the posture was the meditation. And what he taught was a very vertical spine. This can be a very hard concept to grasp. However, once one understands that being 'alert' draws the body into a state of attention (one might say acute listening) where the spine is elongated, it makes perfect sense.

I think attention to posture and breathing isn't wasted time. Eventually, with practice, one starts where one is going, that is, listening to the universe and one's Self.

Pretending that one is actively hearing a very quiet and far away sound gets the body into the best orientation. The breath becomes suspended. And this is a sign that the brain is slowing down- that is- going from Beta to Alpha waves (the objective measurement that a meditative state is happening).

That's been my experience anyway.