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  • Category: Meditation
  • Founded: Jul 28, 2001
  • Language: English
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#18520 From: "Aideen Mckenna" <aideenmck@...>
Date: Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:39 am
Subject: RE: [Meditation Society of America] The Answer to Many Questions
aideenmck
Send Email Send Email
 

Thought-provoking!  Thanks.

Aideen

 

From: meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com [mailto:meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of medit8ionsociety
Sent: December-30-12 7:43 AM
To: meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Meditation Society of America] The Answer to Many Questions

 

 


#18521 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Tue Jan 1, 2013 8:52 pm
Subject: An Upside-Down Look at Heaven and Near-Death Experience
medit8ionsoc...
 
By Lloyd Glauberman, Ph.D.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-glauberman-phd/an-upside-down-look-at-heaven\
-and-near-death-experience_b_2289298.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

We've all read about near-death experience (NDE),
the traumatically induced sensory phenomenon that
many believe represents the gateway to heaven. The
imagery (white light, tunnel, dead relatives, etc.),
coupled with the intense feelings of bliss and oneness,
typically make the most ardent nonbelievers reevaluate
their beliefs after the experience. It is powerful
stuff and, arguably, the most interesting of all mystical
experiences.

With the publication of the book "Proof of Heaven" by
Dr. Eben Alexander, the issue of whether NDEs represent
evidence for the existence of heaven is, once again, part
of the cultural conversation. So let's join the discussion.

Because of his credibility as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Alexander's
NDE generated a great deal of attention. His case is
unusually strong, not simply because of his scientific
credentials, but because of what apparently happened to
his brain. Due to bacterial meningitis his entire neocortex,
the part of the brain that makes us human, presumably
became disabled. Without the neocortex functional, a
scientific explanation for his NDE becomes impossible.

Most of his colleagues could not offer explanations for
what he saw. A few, however, refute his claims, including
Dr. Martin Samuels, who said, "there is no way of knowing,
in fact, that his neocortex was shut down. It sounds
scientific, but it is an interpretation after the fact."
And therein lies the rub.

The operative word in near-death experience is "near."
Nobody actually dies and talks to us from heaven. Those
ho experience NDEs end up back here talking to Oprah. And
they all say very similar things.

NDEs tend to have certain universal characteristics,
according to Dr. Gregory Shushan, a religion scholar
with anthropological training and author of Conceptions
of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations: Universalism,
Constructivism and Near-Death Experience. In other words,
regardless of culture or time, the NDE themes consistently
appeared in the ancient civilizations that he researched.

Furthermore, Dr. Shushan noticed that the various
cultural beliefs about heaven are quite similar to
the core characteristics of NDEs. What's interesting
is that this cross-cultural thematic consistency about
heaven does not hold true for creation myths. In other
words, every culture has a different narrative describing
how things began, but the same narrative about how things end.

Ironically, this leads to the possibility that NDEs, as
opposed to providing evidence for the existence of heaven,
might very well be responsible for creating our belief in it.

It's not difficult to imagine how this paradoxical understanding
of the relationship between NDE and heaven could have evolved.
The NDEs that occurred during ancient history -- especially
if it involved a respected elder or priest -- would have been
so instantaneously transformative, so powerfully seductive,
that it would have been impossible for a culture not to
incorporate the experience into a model of heaven. Then, over
the centuries, all subsequent NDEs would serve to reinforce
the belief.

It doesn't get more upside-down than this.

Assuming for the moment that this explanation of how heaven came
into being is accurate, one question remains: does it matter?

On a very practical level, changing people's religious beliefs
is virtually impossible. Faced with incontrovertible scientific evidence about
evolution, some folks still cling to the belief
that the earth is 6,000 years old because the Bible says so.
Not all people of faith take every aspect of the Scriptures
literally but, in general, religious beliefs become hardwired
into the brain. With the exception of those who experience
NDEs, rarely are people changing their mind.

If the NDE is a transitional experience to make death easier
and not the gateway to heaven, do nonbelievers have to discard
the concept of heaven altogether? Or, can we turn everything upside-down again
and simply label our experience of self --
our tiny speck of consciousness -- heaven? In other words,
maybe heaven is ephemeral not eternal. And at the end, our
energy goes back into the energy pool.

At some point in time each of us will know the truth. However,
if you don't believe in heaven and you're right, you'll never
know it. If you're wrong, people will be waiting at the other
end of the tunnel saying, "We told you so."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically
authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that
this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web
constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material
(as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes
of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.

#18522 From: Douglas Darling <douglasedarling@...>
Date: Wed Jan 2, 2013 6:13 pm
Subject: Re: [Meditation Society of America] An Upside-Down Look at Heaven and Near-Death Experience
douglasedarling
Send Email Send Email
 
Very nicely said and cleverly structured but not enlightening.

The Father (repository and source of all energy). The Holy Spirit (the font of consciousness). The Son(the facilitator and translator and catalyst Who melds it all and provides animation to this reality). Amen.

On Tue, Jan 1, 2013 at 3:52 PM, medit8ionsociety <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

By Lloyd Glauberman, Ph.D.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-glauberman-phd/an-upside-down-look-at-heaven-and-near-death-experience_b_2289298.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

We've all read about near-death experience (NDE),
the traumatically induced sensory phenomenon that
many believe represents the gateway to heaven. The
imagery (white light, tunnel, dead relatives, etc.),
coupled with the intense feelings of bliss and oneness,
typically make the most ardent nonbelievers reevaluate
their beliefs after the experience. It is powerful
stuff and, arguably, the most interesting of all mystical
experiences.

With the publication of the book "Proof of Heaven" by
Dr. Eben Alexander, the issue of whether NDEs represent
evidence for the existence of heaven is, once again, part
of the cultural conversation. So let's join the discussion.

Because of his credibility as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Alexander's
NDE generated a great deal of attention. His case is
unusually strong, not simply because of his scientific
credentials, but because of what apparently happened to
his brain. Due to bacterial meningitis his entire neocortex,
the part of the brain that makes us human, presumably
became disabled. Without the neocortex functional, a
scientific explanation for his NDE becomes impossible.

Most of his colleagues could not offer explanations for
what he saw. A few, however, refute his claims, including
Dr. Martin Samuels, who said, "there is no way of knowing,
in fact, that his neocortex was shut down. It sounds
scientific, but it is an interpretation after the fact."
And therein lies the rub.

The operative word in near-death experience is "near."
Nobody actually dies and talks to us from heaven. Those
ho experience NDEs end up back here talking to Oprah. And
they all say very similar things.

NDEs tend to have certain universal characteristics,
according to Dr. Gregory Shushan, a religion scholar
with anthropological training and author of Conceptions
of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations: Universalism,
Constructivism and Near-Death Experience. In other words,
regardless of culture or time, the NDE themes consistently
appeared in the ancient civilizations that he researched.

Furthermore, Dr. Shushan noticed that the various
cultural beliefs about heaven are quite similar to
the core characteristics of NDEs. What's interesting
is that this cross-cultural thematic consistency about
heaven does not hold true for creation myths. In other
words, every culture has a different narrative describing
how things began, but the same narrative about how things end.

Ironically, this leads to the possibility that NDEs, as
opposed to providing evidence for the existence of heaven,
might very well be responsible for creating our belief in it.

It's not difficult to imagine how this paradoxical understanding
of the relationship between NDE and heaven could have evolved.
The NDEs that occurred during ancient history -- especially
if it involved a respected elder or priest -- would have been
so instantaneously transformative, so powerfully seductive,
that it would have been impossible for a culture not to
incorporate the experience into a model of heaven. Then, over
the centuries, all subsequent NDEs would serve to reinforce
the belief.

It doesn't get more upside-down than this.

Assuming for the moment that this explanation of how heaven came
into being is accurate, one question remains: does it matter?

On a very practical level, changing people's religious beliefs
is virtually impossible. Faced with incontrovertible scientific evidence about evolution, some folks still cling to the belief
that the earth is 6,000 years old because the Bible says so.
Not all people of faith take every aspect of the Scriptures
literally but, in general, religious beliefs become hardwired
into the brain. With the exception of those who experience
NDEs, rarely are people changing their mind.

If the NDE is a transitional experience to make death easier
and not the gateway to heaven, do nonbelievers have to discard
the concept of heaven altogether? Or, can we turn everything upside-down again and simply label our experience of self --
our tiny speck of consciousness -- heaven? In other words,
maybe heaven is ephemeral not eternal. And at the end, our
energy goes back into the energy pool.

At some point in time each of us will know the truth. However,
if you don't believe in heaven and you're right, you'll never
know it. If you're wrong, people will be waiting at the other
end of the tunnel saying, "We told you so."
----------------------------------------------------------
Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically
authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that
this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web
constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material
(as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes
of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.




--
Douglas E. Darling
Warrenton, VA 20186
540.270.9239
douglasedarling@...

This Communication is privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient or the employee of agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, any dissemination or copying of this E‑mail is strictly prohibited. In case of failed or interrupted transmission, or if you have received this in error, please call (540) 270-9239. Also, please notify the sender that you have received this email communication in error. Thank you.

#18523 From: Tantrika Psychology <tantrapsychology03@...>
Date: Thu Jan 3, 2013 4:32 am
Subject: [Tantra Psychology] Evidence Supports Health Benefits of 'Mindfulness-Based Practices'
tantrapsycho...
Send Email Send Email
 

My dear brothers and sisters, in the challenges we face as to the origins of this universe and our journey within it, it is a certainty that we can boldly go forward in furthering human evolution for the wellbeing of all.  Proper intuitional development with sincere conscientious efforts can not only morph us individually in a progressive manner, it can even work its way into our primal code for all of posterity. 


 
Evidence Supports Health Benefits of 'Mindfulness-Based Practices'

Posted By Blogger to Tantra Psychology

Specific types of "mindfulness practices" including Zen meditation have demonstrated benefits for patients with certain physical and mental health problems, according to a report in the July Journal of Psychiatric Practice.  


"An extensive review of therapies that include meditation as a key component -- referred to as mindfulness-based practices -- shows convincing evidence that such interventions are effective in the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and pain, when used in combination with more conventional therapies," according to Dr William R.  Marchand of the George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.  

Mindfulness Techniques Show Health Benefits Dr Marchand reviewed published studies evaluating the health benefits of mindfulness-based practices.  Mindfulness has been described as "the practice of learning to focus attention on moment-by-moment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance."   Put another way, "Practicing mindfulness is simply experiencing the present moment, without trying to change anything."  

The review focused on three techniques:  

• Zen meditation, a Buddhist spiritual practice that involves the practice of developing mindfulness by meditation, typically focusing on awareness of breathing patterns.  

• Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a secular method of using Buddhist mindfulness, combining meditation with elements of yoga and education about stress and coping strategies.   

• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which combines MBSR with principles of cognitive therapy (for example, recognizing and disengaging from negative thoughts) to prevent relapse of depression.  

Dr Marchand found evidence that MBSR and MBCT have "broad-spectrum" effects against depression and anxiety and can also decrease general psychological distress.  Based on the evidence, MBCT can be "strongly recommended" as an addition to conventional treatments (adjunctive treatment) for unipolar depression.  Both MBSR and MBCT were effective adjunctive treatments for anxiety.  

Research data also supported the effectiveness of MBSR to help reduce stress and promote general psychological health in patients with various medical and/or psychiatric illnesses.  On its own, MBSR was helpful in managing stress and promoting general psychological health in healthy people.  There was also evidence that Zen meditation and MBSR were useful adjunctive treatments for pain management.  

How do these practices work to affect mental and physical health?  Dr Marchand discusses recent research showing the impact of mindfulness practices on brain function and structure, which may in part account for their psychological benefits.  "These mindfulness practices show considerable promise and the available evidence indicates their use is currently warranted in a variety of clinical situations," he concludes.  

The article includes some proposed evidence-based guidelines for incorporating mindfulness-based practices into health care.  So far there's little evidence on which patients are most likely to benefit, but Dr Marchand suggests that patient preferences and enthusiasm are a good guide.  He comments, "The most important considerations may be desire to try a mindfulness-based practice and willingness to engage in the regular practice of seated meditation."    

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120711104811.htm

Do the mysteries of and about meditation, tantra, yoga, mindfulness, intuition, and consciousness seem, at times, to be more confusing than you can grasp?  


Instructor in tantra psychology, presenting rational articulation of intuitional science with cogent practical exercises bringing greater personal awareness and cultivation of subtler realms, imbuing new and meaningful talents into participants' lives.  Explore further bringing such capabilities into your realm, both personal and at work.  


 
 

They are "educated" who have learned much, remembered much,
and make use of their knowledge in everyday life. 
And of these lessons integrated into their life,
moral conscience is the most imperative to learn
and convey to others.
Their virtues give true meaning to education.

--
Posted By Blogger to Tantra Psychology


#18524 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Thu Jan 3, 2013 3:34 pm
Subject: What if Reality Was Really Just Sim Universe?
medit8ionsoc...
 
Physicists propose experiment to test hypothesis that
reality is just a computer simulation.
Originally published:
Dec 14 2012 - 5:00pm
By:
Joel N. Shurkin, ISNS Contributor
http://www.insidescience.org/content/what-if-reality-was-really-just-sim-univers\
e/871

(ISNS) -- What if everything -- all of us, the world,
the universe -- was not real? What if everything we are,
know and do was really just someone's computer simulation?

The notion that our reality was some kid on a couch in the
far future playing with a computer game like a gigantic Sim
City, or Civilization, and we are his characters, isn't new.
But a group of physicists now thinks they know of a way to
test the concept. Three of them propose to test reality by
simulating the simulators.

Martin Savage, professor of physics at the University of
Washington, Zohreh Davoudi, one of his graduate students,
and Silas Beane of the University of New Hampshire, would
like to see whether they can find traces of simulation in
cosmic rays. The work was uploaded in arXiv, an online
archive for drafts of academic research papers.

The notion that reality is something other than we think it
is goes far back in philosophy, including Plato and his
Parable of the Cave, which claimed reality was merely shadows
of real objects on a cave wall. Sixteenth-century philosopher-mathematician René
Descartes thought he proved reality with
his famous "I think, therefore, I am," which proposed that
he was real and his thoughts had a reality.

Then, in 2003, a British philosopher, Nick Bostrom of the
University of Oxford, published a paper that had the philosophy
and computer science departments buzzing.

Bostrom suggested three possibilities: "The chances that a
species at our current level of development can avoid going
extinct before becoming technologically mature is negligibly
small," "almost no technologically mature civilizations are interested in
running computer simulations of minds like ours,"
or we are "almost certainly" a simulation.

All three could be equally possible, he wrote, but if the
first two are false, the third must be true. "There will
be an astronomically huge number of simulated minds like ours," Bostrom wrote.

His suggestion was that our descendants, far in the future,
would have the computer capacity to run simulations that
complex, and that there might be millions of simulations,
and millions of virtual universes with billions of simulated
brains in them.

Bostrom's paper came out four years after the popular film,
"The Matrix," in which humans discover they were simulations
run by malevolent machines. The popularity of the film possibly contributed to
the attention to Bostrom's paper received at
the time, but nothing came of it.

"He put it together in clear terms and came out with probabilities
of what is likely and what is not," Savage said. "He crystallized
it, at least in my mind."

In the movie and in Savage's proposal, the discovery that
reality was virtual came when unexpected errors showed up
in life, demonstrating imperfections in the simulation.

Savage and his colleagues assume that any future simulators
would use some of the same techniques current scientists use
to run simulations, with the same constraints. The future
simulators, Savage indicated, would map their universe on a mathematical lattice
or grid, consisting of points and lines.
This would not be an everyday grid but a "hypercube" consisting
of four dimensions, three for space, and one to represent points
in time.

A present-day example is lattice quantum chromodynamics,
which explores the effects of the strong nuclear force, one
of the four fundamental forces in the universe, on tiny
elementary particles such as quarks and gluons. In this approach,
the particles jump from point to point on a grid, without
passing through the space between them. The simulations cause
time to pass in a similar way, like the frames of film passing through a movie
camera, so that the time that passed between
frames is not part of the simulation. This style of simulation requires less
computer power than treating space and time as a continuum.

Because Savage and his colleague assume that future simulators
will use a similar approach, he suggests looking at the behavior
of very high-energy cosmic ray particles to see whether there
is a grid in the energy as a start.

"You look at the very highest energy cosmic rays and look for distributions that
have symmetry problems, which are not
isotropic," or the same in every direction, he said.

"Everything looks like it is on a continuum," Savage said.
"There is no evidence to show that is not the case at the moment."

"We are looking for something to indicate you don't have a
space-time continuum."

That disturbance in the force might be a hint that something in reality is
amiss. If the cosmic ray energy levels travel along
the grid, like following streets in Manhattan or Salt Lake City,
it probably is unlikely to be a simulation; if they unexpectedly travel
diagonally, reality may be a computer program.

Jim Kakalios, a physics professor at the University of Minnesota
who was not involved in the paper, said a test such as the one
Savage suggests may not prove anything. If they don't find the signatures, it
doesn't mean we are not a simulation; our
descendants could have used a different grid. If they do
find something it also could mean "that's the way space-time
is and we never noticed before," he said.

Two other questions arise. One is whether it is conceivable
that computers powerful enough to simulate our hugely complex universe ever will
exist. If so, it likely will be very far in
the future.

The second question is linked: Will it ever be possible to
simulate human consciousness? After all, we run around thinking
and feeling.

"Ultimately, the paper glides over the most interesting point:
assume we have infinite computing power and we can create this hypercube,"
Kakalios said. "They assume [the simulators] would
know how to simulate human consciousness."

We are aware of ourselves, he said, aware of our bodies, aware
of what is outside of our bodies, he said. Human consciousness
is almost indescribably complex.

For generations, science fiction books -- and some science books -- have
hypothesized inserting our consciousness into computers so
that we essentially live forever. In Caprica, a prequel to the television
program Battlestar Galactica, a girl's consciousness
is preserved in a computer and it becomes the basis for the evil cyborgs.

"We don't understand consciousness," Kakalios said. "Neuroscience
is where physics was before quantum mechanics."

"It's a more interesting problem than whether you can simulate protons and
quarks."

Either way, however, Kakalios said the experiments on cosmic rays
are the kind scientists should be doing regardless of the
simulation issue.

________________________________________
Joel Shurkin is a freelance writer based in Baltimore.
He is the author of nine books on science and the history
of science, and has taught science journalism at Stanford
University, UC Santa Cruz and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically
authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that
this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web
constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material
(as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes
of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.

#18525 From: "walto" <calhorn@...>
Date: Mon Jan 7, 2013 2:53 am
Subject: New Year's Fortune
walterhorn
Send Email Send Email
 
On New Year's Eve, we got Chinese take-out, and I opened my fortune cookie with
some trepidation.  When I read the message it seemed wonderfully important (not
the lucky numbers).

It said, "Everything must have a beginning."

That a crucial thought for me this year because my oldest child is applying for
college and will soon be leaving home...and I've been having a lot of trouble
dealing with that.

So my resolution for 2013 is to meditate on that fortune.



Oh--also to stop eating Jordan almonds.  Terrible for the teeth.

Happy New Year everyone.

W

#18527 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2013 12:31 pm
Subject: Zen Archery
medit8ionsoc...
 
A young and rather boastful champion challenged
a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as
an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable
technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's
eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with
his second shot. "There," he said to the old man,
"see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master
did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the
young archer to follow him up the mountain.

Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion
followed him high into the mountain until they
reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and
shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of
the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old
master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his
bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn,"
he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe
ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless
and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force
himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at
a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the
master said, sensing his challenger's predicament,
"but you have little skill with the mind that lets
loose the shot."

#18528 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Wed Jan 9, 2013 1:14 pm
Subject: Re: Zen Archery
medit8ionsoc...
 
As has been shared before, it's traditional to "get"
teaching stories on 7 different levels. Here's a hint
about this one.......,
The tree that the Zen master hit is the mind! Meditating
on that perhaps will give you some steadiness in all and
every situation.
Peace and blessings,
Bob

medit8ionsociety  wrote:
>
> A young and rather boastful champion challenged
> a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as
> an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable
> technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's
> eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with
> his second shot. "There," he said to the old man,
> "see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master
> did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the
> young archer to follow him up the mountain.
>
> Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion
> followed him high into the mountain until they
> reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and
> shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of
> the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old
> master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his
> bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn,"
> he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe
> ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless
> and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force
> himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at
> a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the
> master said, sensing his challenger's predicament,
> "but you have little skill with the mind that lets
> loose the shot."
>

#18529 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Sun Jan 13, 2013 5:27 am
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Swami Satchidananda
medit8ionsoc...
 
Spiritual Experience

"What is spiritual experience? I can try to describe it,
but it's something to be experienced. Imagine if I told you:
`Go to such and such shop, give so much money, ask for this
particular fruit. The shape will be like this, it will smell
something like this, remove the skin, remove the seed,
in between you have the fleshy part. Put it in the mouth,
then you will know how tasty it is.' That is all I can say.
If you tell me, `Oh, I can't just believe you unless you show
me how the taste is. I can't take the trouble of going to the
shop and buying it and cutting and everything. Unless you show
me the taste, I won't try that.' But, unless you try the fruit,
you won't understand the taste.

"God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti."

  Inspiration Line

Hear an inspiration message from Sri Swami Satchidananda
by calling 434-WOW-GURU. New and improved software brings
an even better sound quality and more reliable system.
New message the first of each month. Call and be inspired
any time and from anywhere you are.

#18530 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:06 pm
Subject: Witness Your Breath
medit8ionsoc...
 
Breathing always takes place in the exact and only moment that
Reality is present. When your mind is focusing on a past event,
or thinking about something that might happen in the future,
or just chattering about "whatever", the cliche "get real!" is
applicable and appropriate. Many traditions suggest that as
witnessing your breath is a reboot into experiencing your life
as it actually takes place, it is one of the most effective
meditation techniques you can easily, effectively and beneficially
do. There isn't even any $3000 charge to pay like there is when
some organizations charge you for a Mantra, and yet there will
never be a time when you are alive when the sound breathing makes
isn't right there in the moment for you to merge with.

It has been said that Enlightenment/God will come in a flash and
one should be empty, ready and open to fill with the divine gift
that eternally, infinitely and blissfully is our sorrow ending birthright. You
have to be present to receive this present, and
your breath can be the key that opens your door to let the holy
energy in. But this, and you, can only "Be" if you actually use
your breath to keep the door open.

Peace and blessing,
Bob

#18531 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:32 pm
Subject: Heaven and Hell
medit8ionsoc...
 
Heaven and hell

by Paulo Coelho on February 11, 2008


A violent samurai warrior with a reputation for p
rovoking fights for no reason arrived at the gates
of a Zen monastery and asked to speak to the master.

Without hesitating, Ryokan went to meet him.

`They say that intelligence is more powerful than brute force,'
said the samurai. `Can you explain to me what heaven and hell are?'

Ryokan said nothing.

`You see?' bellowed the samurai. `I could explain quite easily:
to show someone what hell is, you just have to punch them.
To show them what heaven is, you just have threaten them with terrible violence
and then let them go.'

`I don't talk to stupid people like you,' said the Zen master.

The blood rushed to the samurai's head. His brain became thick
with hatred.

`That is hell,' said Ryokan, smiling. `Allowing yourself to be
upset by silly remarks.'

Taken aback by the monk's courage, the samurai warrior softened.

`And that is heaven,' said Ryokan, inviting him in. `Not reacting
to foolish provocations.'

#18532 From: Charles Francis - The Mindfulness Meditation Institute <Charles@...>
Date: Fri Jan 18, 2013 6:02 pm
Subject: Meditation for beginners
charlesfranc...
Send Email Send Email
 
Dear Friends,

I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to inform you that I just
published a new article, Meditation for Beginners, which some of you may
find helpful. It may be of particular interest to those who are just
starting their practice, or who may still be unclear about how to
meditate.

This article discusses some of the basic techniques of mindfulness
meditation, so beginners can get off to a good start, and begin making
immediate progress. You can read the full article it at:
http://wp.me/p22v0Y-vN

I hope it helps you on your spiritual journey.

Warm regards,
Charles A. Francis
http://www.MindfulnessMeditationInstitute.org/

P.S. Please remember to share it with others. Thanks!

#18533 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:41 pm
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Nisargadatta Maharaj
medit8ionsoc...
 
"To know what you are you must first investigate
and know what you are not. And to know what you
are not, you must watch yourself carefully, rejecting
all that does not necessarily go with basic fact
`I am'. The ideas: I am born at a given place, at a
given time, from my parents and now I am so-and-so,
living at, married to, father of, employed by, and
so on, are not inherent in the sense `I am'. Our usual
attitude is `I am this' or `that'. Separate consistently
and perseveringly the `I am' from `this' or `that' and
try to feel what it means to be, just to `be', without
being `this' or `that'. All our habits go against it
and the task of fighting them is long and hard sometimes,
but clear understanding helps a lot. The clearer you
understand that on the level of the mind you can be
described in negative terms only the quicker you will
come to the end of your search and realize your limitless being."

#18534 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:48 am
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Swami Satchidananda
medit8ionsoc...
 
The Solar System Within

"We have a solar system within us. The body itself is
a solar system; we have the sun within us. The inner
sun is the sun of consciousness. With the inner consciousness,
which we call the Self, Atman or the Atmic Sun, we understand everything. And
just as the sun gives light and doesn't have
any partiality but gives equally to everybody, the inner spirit,
or Atman, just shines as pure consciousness itself. In the
world of ignorance, which is darkness, the mind, which is
our moon, receives the light of the consciousness (the Atma,
or the sun) and reflects it on the worldly ignorance, the
darkness. Once the real sunshine comes, the world will appear
to be different—you see the entire world in a different way.
That is the spiritual vision.

"God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti."

  Join Satchidananda Ashram's Satsang every Saturday evening

and share the archive with friends.

  7:30pm Eastern, with Livestream

new.livestream.com/yogaville

#18535 From: "candace_day@..." <candace_day@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:06 am
Subject: hi need some advice (for fasting)
candace_day...
Send Email Send Email
 
I when some peoplengo on fast they avoid food and drink juices. I was just
wondering is that really consider fasting because your giving and sor feeding of
sugar if u get were I going with this and fastingnis supose to be a bout
clensing and breaking bodies will

#18536 From: "candace_day@..." <candace_day@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:25 am
Subject: need advice on fasting
candace_day...
Send Email Send Email
 
I never had fasted and my question is ist still consider that u fasting when
your drinking juice. M.the impression that I getting that it isnt because your
body is trying to detox and instead its filling up on sugar. But idk what is
your opinion on this

P.s im considering on going on a fast

#18537 From: tapan chowdhury <taapaanm@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:15 am
Subject: Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)
taapaanm
Send Email Send Email
 
Fasting has got many benefits.First of all you are giving a respite to digestive system which seldom gets rest.Mentally you achieve that feat you can survive without food and water
for a certain duration minimum 12 hours (standard time) .While fasting you dont feel like to talk unessential and your physical urge diminishes.
Most importantly your mind become sharp and you can concentrate better.
Tapan M Chowdhury

#18538 From: Shelia Chughtai <theveil4u@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:55 am
Subject: Re: [Meditation Society of America] need advice on fasting
theveil4u
Send Email Send Email
 
Peace Be Unto You,
 
When you are fasting particularly when doing a juice fast, you will always use natural fruits and vegetables.
The only sugar that you will be consuming will  be  natural unless you want to add honey, or natural
stevia, etc....You don't want to use any juice that is not 100% juice as this would be unhealthy.  Also,
is your body ready for a fast? If your current health is ok--both physical, mental, spiritual- as fasting
will help in these areas as well as others. Make sure that you're getting proper nutrients and stay
hydrated. Remember as you  detox that your body is cleansing itself in many ways.  Make sure that
your juices that you consume supply your proper nutrients.
 
Also, before going on a juice fast, it might be necessary to make some dietary changes that can
accomodate you while you are on your fast whether it be a juice fast, or that of raw foods. It takes
time to get your body off of meats, sugars, fatty foods,etc... This takes time.  You don't want to
make yourself sick. Take some small steps. Watch  and make sure that you get enough calories.
If I can further help please let me know.
 
Peace,
 
Shelia

From: "candace_day@..." <candace_day@...>
To: meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2013 10:25 PM
Subject: [Meditation Society of America] need advice on fasting
 
I never had fasted and my question is ist still consider that u fasting when your drinking juice. M.the impression that I getting that it isnt because your body is trying to detox and instead its filling up on sugar. But idk what is your opinion on this

P.s im considering on going on a fast


#18539 From: "truthgold" <dhanmvt1@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:48 am
Subject: Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)
dhanmvt1
Send Email Send Email
 
sir
     fasting means staying without solid food and with ordinary drinking water
(or) Bael (Aegle marmelos) also known as Bengal quince added water (or) Ocimum
tenuiflorum, also known as Holy Basil, tulsi water will be considered as fasting
in hindu religion. it may depend  some other thing in other religion.
But, it is not correct taking juice at the time of fasting.
Fasting is not a necessary thing to achieve spiritual capability.
if, advised by teacher then only one need to stay in fast.
But, as for my knowlege goes control over food item is needed in achieving
"spiritual attainment" stages.


--- In meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com, "candace_day@..."  wrote:
>
> I when some peoplengo on fast they avoid food and drink juices. I was just
wondering is that really consider fasting because your giving and sor feeding of
sugar if u get were I going with this and fastingnis supose to be a bout
clensing and breaking bodies will
>

#18540 From: Ramesh Kumar Anand <ranand61@...>
Date: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:14 am
Subject: Re: [Meditation Society of America] Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)
rkanand_49
Send Email Send Email
 
Mr. Tapan     Fasting helps to build up will power.Negative side of fasting is likely-----dehydration and low resistance  to diseases
Ramesh
On Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 11:45 AM, tapan chowdhury <taapaanm@...> wrote:
 

Fasting has got many benefits.First of all you are giving a respite to digestive system which seldom gets rest.Mentally you achieve that feat you can survive without food and water
for a certain duration minimum 12 hours (standard time) .While fasting you dont feel like to talk unessential and your physical urge diminishes.
Most importantly your mind become sharp and you can concentrate better.
Tapan M Chowdhury



#18541 From: "Gopinath" <onam36@...>
Date: Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:15 pm
Subject: Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)
onam36
Send Email Send Email
 
Avoid solid food, stick to liquids preferably no fruit juices even. Herbal water
is fine. There is not much fancy footwork in fasting.
There is no need for a guru to advise you on fasting. Fasting is pratised in
various religions, in groups or singly. They are even practised by people who
have rejected religion. It's good for the body and good for the spirit and you
can do it without a guru and save a few bucks in the process.





--- In meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com, "candace_day@..."  wrote:
>
> I when some peoplengo on fast they avoid food and drink juices. I was just
wondering is that really consider fasting because your giving and sor feeding of
sugar if u get were I going with this and fastingnis supose to be a bout
clensing and breaking bodies will
>

#18542 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:01 am
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Richard Rose
medit8ionsoc...
 
List of Obstacles

Of External Nature:
      Visible, terrestial life and planetary relationships.
      Invisible, or dimensions beyond our senses.

Of Internal Nature:
      The appetites:
           Sex
           Security
           Food
           Pleasures other than sex
           Curiosity

      The Fears:
           Fear of dying
           Fear of scorn or social harm
           Fear of mental or spiritual harm
      The Blocks:
           The seven deadly sins:
                Pride
                Covetousness
                Lust
                Hatred
                Anger
                Envy
                Sloth
           The six catches:
                The think-talk syndrome
                The starry-eyed syndrome
                The False-Messiah Syndrome
                The personal salvation syndrome
                The Sunday-go-to-meeting syndrome
                The hunt-the-guru syndrome

           Physical limitations
           Economic exigencies

Forms of Rationalization:
           That we will be able to do the thing better
           at a later date. Procrastination.
           That we will ride the tide of humanity into heaven.
           That social services or "good works" have spiritual gain.
           That the gods have ears. Salvation through prayers.
           That the gods have noses and eyes. Incense and displays.
           That positive thinking will make gods of us or lead us
           to liberation.
           That the guru will save us.
           That faith will save us.
           That spiritual paths may be evaluated by their popularity.
           That we can "feel" our way alone. Intuition alone.
           That we can do it with our omnipotent reason.
           That God, (or Mr. X) will take care of everything.
           This is a variation of the "Knight on the white horse"    
rationalization.
           That our present belief shall be our final evaluation      of Truth.
           That everything is hopeless or useless.

           Richard Rose (no biological relation to Bob Rose)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically
authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that
this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web
constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material
(as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes
of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.

#18543 From: tapan chowdhury <taapaanm@...>
Date: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:36 am
Subject: Re: [Meditation Society of America] Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)
taapaanm
Send Email Send Email
 
Mr. Ramesh.
Thanks for sharing.Fasting one day will not cause so much of dehydration for 12 to 18 hours or even 24 hours. Well apparently though it sounds ok that it leads to low resistance to disease. But I feel shear mental toughness will overcome this issue and total body will be more aggressive to resist disease.
Tapan


From: Ramesh Kumar Anand <ranand61@...>
To: meditationsocietyofamerica@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2013 2:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Meditation Society of America] Re: hi need some advice (for fasting)

 
Mr. Tapan     Fasting helps to build up will power.Negative side of fasting is likely-----dehydration and low resistance  to diseases
Ramesh
On Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 11:45 AM, tapan chowdhury <taapaanm@...> wrote:
 
Fasting has got many benefits.First of all you are giving a respite to digestive system which seldom gets rest.Mentally you achieve that feat you can survive without food and water
for a certain duration minimum 12 hours (standard time) .While fasting you dont feel like to talk unessential and your physical urge diminishes.
Most importantly your mind become sharp and you can concentrate better.
Tapan M Chowdhury




#18544 From: "walto" <calhorn@...>
Date: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:22 pm
Subject: UTOPIA
walterhorn
Send Email Send Email
 
Island where all becomes clear.

Solid ground beneath your feet.

The only roads are those that offer access.

Bushes bend beneath the weight of proofs.

The Tree of Valid Supposition grows here
with branches disentangled since time immemorial.

The Tree of Understanding, dazzlingly straight and simple,
sprouts by the spring called Now I Get It.

The thicker the woods, the vaster the vista:
the Valley of Obviously.

If any doubts arise, the wind dispels them instantly.

Echoes stir unsummoned
and eagerly explain all the secrets of the worlds.

On the right a cave where Meaning lies.

On the left the Lake of Deep Conviction.
Truth breaks from the bottom and bobs to the surface.

Unshakable Confidence towers over the valley.
Its peak offers an excellent view of the Essence of Things.

For all its charms, the island is uninhabited,
and the faint footprints scattered on its beaches
turn without exception to the sea.

As if all you can do here is leave
and plunge, never to return, into the depths.

Into unfathomable life.



By Wislawa Szymborska
From "A large number", 1976
Translated by S. Baranczak & C. Cavanagh

#18545 From: "Frank" <fhuguenard@...>
Date: Fri Jan 25, 2013 2:34 am
Subject: Brand New film on Science & Spirituality
fhuguenard
Send Email Send Email
 
Hi,

I'm an independent documentary Film producer and have just released my third film, Beyond Reason, which is about science and spirituality, but in a way that's never really been done before.  So far the response has been tremendous.

You can see Beyond Reason, along with my first two films, at Beyond Me Films.

I receive emails daily from around the world from people who are grateful for these life changing films so please feel free to forward these on to anyone you think will like them.

Warmest Regards,

Frank Huguenard
Executive Producer

#18546 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:59 pm
Subject: Re: UTOPIA
medit8ionsoc...
 
Thanks for pointing to this great poet.
I could never "get" poetry before, and now,
as this work of wisdom lead me to check out
more of her work, I'm enjoying poetry very
much. Maybe it's just that I've grown up,
or something like that, but I think her
clarity enabled me to see through the clouds
of non-understanding I had had. Her work is
a very nice "in the moment" experience!
Much appreciated!
Peace and blessings,
Bob

"walto"  wrote:
>
> Island where all becomes clear.
>
> Solid ground beneath your feet.
>
> The only roads are those that offer access.
>
> Bushes bend beneath the weight of proofs.
>
> The Tree of Valid Supposition grows here
> with branches disentangled since time immemorial.
>
> The Tree of Understanding, dazzlingly straight and simple,
> sprouts by the spring called Now I Get It.
>
> The thicker the woods, the vaster the vista:
> the Valley of Obviously.
>
> If any doubts arise, the wind dispels them instantly.
>
> Echoes stir unsummoned
> and eagerly explain all the secrets of the worlds.
>
> On the right a cave where Meaning lies.
>
> On the left the Lake of Deep Conviction.
> Truth breaks from the bottom and bobs to the surface.
>
> Unshakable Confidence towers over the valley.
> Its peak offers an excellent view of the Essence of Things.
>
> For all its charms, the island is uninhabited,
> and the faint footprints scattered on its beaches
> turn without exception to the sea.
>
> As if all you can do here is leave
> and plunge, never to return, into the depths.
>
> Into unfathomable life.
>
>
>
> By Wislawa Szymborska
> From "A large number", 1976
> Translated by S. Baranczak & C. Cavanagh
>

#18547 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:27 am
Subject: Respect
medit8ionsoc...
 
No - I don't respect your religious beliefs.

I respect your right to have them.
I respect your right to express them.

I respect you as long as you respect me.

I do not respect your "right" to tell me I'm an evil person.
I do not respect your "right" to tell me I'm going to hell.
I do not respect your "right" to impose your beliefs on me.

I do not respect ignorance.
I do not respect brainwashing.
I do not respect cults.
I do not respect hatred, bigotry, misogyny, sexism or tyranny.

I do not respect your religion. And I don't have to.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically
authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that
this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web
constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material
(as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes
of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.

#18548 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:05 am
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Swami Satchidananda
medit8ionsoc...
 
Desire to Be Desire-less

"Someone once asked me: `Swamiji, isn't it a desire
to be desire-less?' It is, but what is your desire?
To become desire-less? If your desire is to become
desire-less, you need at least one desire! Because
only with a desire can we get rid of other desires.
But select one desire that will remove all other
desires and will go off by itself later on. If you
wash your clothes with soap, you're in essence applying
new-smelling dirt to remove the old, bad-smelling dirt.
Then, once you put the clothes in water and rinse them,
what happens? The old dirt goes and do you think the
new dirt remains? No. That also goes. So, we call to
one desire: `Come here, you seem to be a good desire.
Come and play with the rest of my desires, take them out
with you and you go too.' Then, you'll be desire-less.

"God bless you. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti."
---------------------------------------------------------

Get the first Integral Yoga app for iPhone and iPad,
available on iTunes.
Search for The Daily Guru.

#18549 From: medit8ionsociety
Date: Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:27 am
Subject: Words of Wisdom by Aristotle
medit8ionsoc...
 
I count him braver who conquers his desires than
him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory
is the victory over self.

#18550 From: Douglas Darling <douglasedarling@...>
Date: Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:58 pm
Subject: Re: Words of Wisdom by Aristotle
douglasedarling
Send Email Send Email
 
Not victory over but integration within.

--
Douglas E. Darling
Warrenton, VA 20186
540.270.9239
douglasedarling@...

This Communication is privileged and confidential information intended
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