fr Jack: Mahamudra

[Jack H]

Have been doing 45-60 minutes of do nothing meditation (mahamudra) in the morning, 30-40 minutes of partner noting at noon and 30-40 minutes of do nothing meditation with some self inquiry in the evening.

I had a new experience this morning. Everything became very still and spacy. Spacy in the sense of being in outer space but I kept clarity and awareness during the whole time. Two symbols came up at different times during the meditation and my attention meandered over to them. It stayed there for a time and then the symbols disappeared. I tried to come up with better words after the meditation was over but the above was all I came up with.

Cool and strange. Comments on this would be appreciated.

[Jack H]

Lately I have cut down each of my meditation sessions from 45-60 minutes to 30 minutes. Don’t know why. I’m doing 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at noon and 30 minutes at night. Morning and night are non-directed sits, resting where shamatha (calmness and stillness) meets vipassana (seeing). At various times I throw in the following variations: Being aware of my whole body and surroundings at the same time as opposed to noting specifics. Placing my attention on and resting in the stillness behind phenomena. 5 minutes of self inquiry. Noon is ping pong noting when, in the last week or so, I have been noticing (not labeling) the end of each sound that arises including my and my partner’s notes.

Last Sunday I had some free time in mid-morning. My wife was at church. I became aware of my urge to do something, anything. Even doing non-dual, Do Nothing meditation was going to be doing something. I couldn’t just be. Something to work on.

Here is a quote from one of my favorite Beat poets, Gary Snyder: “Meditation is not just a rest or retreat from the turmoil of the stream or the impurity of the world. It is a way of being the stream, so that one can be at home in both the white water and the eddies. Meditation may take one out of the world, but it also puts one totally into it.”