| I think that to know how to meditate,or the correct "method" or goal,it is helpful to know a bit of philosophy.In fact,I think it is essential,and the only way to know how to meditate.
The first thing is that to have a goal in mind is antithetical to meditation,because it inevitably results in a method and thinking about the method.If you think of the goal of meditation as "obtaining" the real you,and that there is YOU and the GOAL,then you realise that all methods become futile,because you ALREADY haver the goal-albeit without realising it,the goal being,BEING YOURSELF.Any goals or thoughts of a goal,and a method to obtain that goal just takes you further away from yourselfIf you think about it,you have already achieved your goal,and if you can just REALISE that,then you are truly meditating.
The second thing is(the above being an "external" and unecesary thing,of a method or goal-is the internal thing of what you know INSIDE.That is always there,wether you realise it or not.The goal of meditation,wether you realise it or not,is always inside you,what you TRULY desire.It is always there,and it is always inside you.You are an eternal and inextinguishable thing,and no matter how far you stray from the path,your true self is still always there,right "next to you",less than a footstep away,and no matter how confused you may seem,and how "tangled" your thinking may become,just ask yourself,"do I know what I want?",with the emphasis on "what you want" second,and more importantly,the thing....the "I" that wants,you,your true self that is doing the wanting.That is you...the "goal",which is a prerequisite to everything,before goals,methods. . . . .even god,perhaps.Maybe by following this realisation,we could go right up to god's feet and find out.
When you realise that the "goal" of meditation is a natural prerequisite. . . essential thing. . . . BEING,you realise that there is NO GOAL,and therefore NO METHOD either,which is why I say that there should be emphasis on philosophy and the knowledge of what we really are. . . something BEFORE MIND AND THINKING-EXTERNAL THINGS-AND THAT WE ARE ALWAYS "THERE",WITH THE TRUTH INSIDE US EVER PRESENT,OMNIPRESENT AND OMNISCIENT.REALISATION of our nature is the goal and method of meditation,which in fact,makes even meditation itself superfluous-meditation is a paradox,it is doing something that isn't,if you know what I mean.I am ALWAYS there,making making methods superfluous,and what I want is ALWAYS within the always present me,making goals(of meditation)or the thoughts(extenal and seperate from myself)superfluous also.
In fact,I seen one of the ways of centering(In Paul Reps' book,"Zen Flesh,Zen Bones"),"....before mind,before thought...".Also,when meditating with music,I find that I don't have to listen to the music,or even hear it,or even experience it.All I have to do is EXPERIENCE. . . .experience MYSELF,and all that I am experiencing.I have also seen this as a way of centering in Paul Reps' book.I would like to hear other peoples way of understanding the above in their own words,to help clarify my own(and others)understanding.
Edited by Rich 2007-04-22 7:58 AM
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Realisation Versus Methods
