Monkey Mind ? Anyone else?

[doc benway]

29 minutes ago, forestofemptiness said:

I think that is the case from for Bon Dzogchen teaching, but not necessarily all Dzogchen nor all Mahamudra or non-Tibetan traditions. Not to nit-pick, but if people are receiving differing instructions, it may be important to know so they do not try conflicting directions. 

 

 

 

I think I will put a disclaimer at the bottom of every post...

 

~ this is my perspective only, it is not meant to be generalized as an absolute or authoritative statement

[forestofclarity]

 

I was afraid it would sound jerky. 

 

I was just saying that because it was a point of confusion for me previously.  Do I block thoughts? Do I let go? Depends. My problem, and it might just be me, was trying to integrate across practice traditions. In other words, I was stuck on the unity and ignoring the diversity. Sort of an overall issue for me. 

 

4 minutes ago, steve said:

 

I think I will put a disclaimer at the bottom of every post...

 

~ this is my perspective only, it is not meant to be generalized as an absolute or authoritative statement

 

[doc benway]

10 minutes ago, forestofemptiness said:

 

I was afraid it would sound jerky. 

 

I was just saying that because it was a point of confusion for me previously.  Do I block thoughts? Do I let go? Depends. My problem, and it might just be me, was trying to integrate across practice traditions. In other words, I was stuck on the unity and ignoring the diversity. Sort of an overall issue for me. 

 

 

 

Didn't sound jerky, it's just my reactivity and I meant it a bit tongue in cheek.

I've had a couple times lately when my opinion has been taken as if I think I speak for everyone...

But that was someone else's stuff, not mine and not yours.

 

You're right, if we follow a tradition or set of instructions, it's important to stick with it.

On the other hand, equally important to be aware that no one method is right for everyone and all (or at least most) have their place.

Mixing paradigms or methods can be confusing and I don't recommend it until one achieves a certain degree of skill and stability following one game plan for a period of time. Once we really know the direction to go in, have some experience with that, and develop a little stability; then we can be a little more flexible, I think. 

 

[dwai]

 

 

️

 

1 hour ago, forestofemptiness said:

It depends on the point of view. In some traditions, it does appear that thought is an enemy because it obscures or covers up the truth. In Samkhya for example, stilling the mind may be considered to be quite important. In other traditions, the issue is not the thought, but the confusion and attachment that attends thought. One seldom becomes fixated on the digestion, but we often become fixated on our thoughts. 

It is not really held to be the enemy but is often mistaken to be that during early periods of seeking/meditation. In traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, there are initial periods when we're taught to separate our "Self" from the mind and the body. During that stage, one usually starts developing dispassion towards the mind, and the teachings at that stage can be misconstrued to be "disdainful" towards the mind. Later on, it will become a very helpful servant.  

 

There are different stages of meditation -- in one stage the cessation of the mind's activities is sought. It is famously called out in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as "Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah" (Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind). This is somehow mistranslated as "kill the mind" or "death of the mind". What it calls for is for the mental chatter to subside, so the underlying light of awareness becomes apparent. 

43 minutes ago, steve said:

You're right, if we follow a tradition or set of instructions, it's important to stick with it.

On the other hand, equally important to be aware that no one method is right for everyone and all (or at least most) have their place.

Mixing paradigms or methods can be confusing and I don't recommend it until one achieves a certain degree of skill and stability following one game plan for a period of time. Once we really know the direction to go in, have some experience with that, and develop a little stability; then we can be a little more flexible, I think. 

 

I think the problem is that many people don't invest the time and effort to learn one tradition properly and keep jumping around, like intrepid eaters at an all-you-can-eat buffet  

 

That's why, imho, a good teacher is needed (traditional or otherwise). Someone who has walked the path before and is willing to share is a treasure unto him/herself and should be cherished.