Why meditation is so important

[Someoneson1]

The Holy Spirit is the mediator between the interpretations of the ego and the knowledge of the Soul. Its ability to deal with symbols enables it to work AGAINST the ego's beliefs in its own language. Its equal ability to look BEYOND symbols into eternity also enables it to understand the laws of God, for which it speaks. It can thus perform the function of RE-INTERPRETING what the ego makes, not by destruction, but by understanding. Understanding is light, and light leads to knowledge. The Holy Spirit is IN light, because it is IN YOU who ARE light. But you yourselves do not know this. It is therefore the task of the Holy Spirit to re-interpret you on behalf of God.

I have been rereading a course in miracles recently and came across this quote.

Enjoy

[Teakai]

But what does it mean?

[Someoneson1]

Ah... Well not to spam but the entire book is free on line just google ACIM+ur text. I can't express the wholeness of this reading without writing a book my self

[Tony]

Hello Someoneson1,

From your point of view, what do you mean by meditation?
I am interested in the different aspects of this subject.

Tony

[sshenry]

I'm also curious as to how you are defining the Holy Spirit, as the traditional approach, or as Sophia/Gnosis?

[Someoneson1]

Well Tony by meditation I simply mean taking a few minutes a day to get quiet as it was explained to me prayer is the asking and meditation is the listening. However it is difficult in the beginning to find quiet as thoughts are always coming in to take our attention. But with practice we can begin to see just how are minds are divided and using the universal teacher, kundilini rising, teacher of truth holy spirit etc... We can seek answers to every problem. Really it's just about finding our true or higher self. We need the teacher as we think we are something we are not. And yes I do mean the gnostic understanding of holy spirit not the orthodox rule.

I hope that help to clarify :-)

[Davidallany]

thoughts are always coming in to take our attention

Hi Someoneson1, how are you? my question if I may is:
How do you deal with those attention hijacking thoughts in details?
Thank you

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Tony Hi, can you tell me why does one have to get initiated before practicing tantra?

[Anno]

[...]And yes I do mean the gnostic understanding of holy spirit not the orthodox rule.[...]


Can someone explain the difference please? I'm only familiar with the Catholic 'Holy Ghost' as part of the Trinity.

[sshenry]

[...]And yes I do mean the gnostic understanding of holy spirit not the orthodox rule.[...]


Can someone explain the difference please? I'm only familiar with the Catholic 'Holy Ghost' as part of the Trinity.

Since you already have the definition of the traditional Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit as taught by the Church, I'll define the Gnosis/Sophia concept of the Holy Spirit.

There is the concept of the Holy Spirit as part of the Godhead; a literal part of god, and then there is the concept of the Holy Spirit where the holy spirit is interpreted as knowledge (or gnosis).

The early Christian Fathers used the word gnosis to mean spiritual knowledge or, specifically, knowledge of the divine.

The traditional definition is an exterior member of the godhead, the second/gnosis tradition is man's coming to an understanding (knowledge) of the divine(soul).

[Someoneson1]

Hi davidalleny I am well thank you. Your question

"How do you deal with those attention hijacking thoughts in details?"

First I would like to clarify that the attention grabbing thoughts I am referring to are the ego based thought system that has to do with anything that is a shadow, body, rock, planet, and/or anything in the super/multiple universe. The light that cannot be perceived but known is our true nature but because we traded that in in error to come to a place of division and individuality (the prodigal son story without the jealous brother part) correction is nessisary but, because of free will, it's up to us to decide to make an effort (tithing ten percent of your time instead of your money) We can prolong if we choose but, eventually....This is also a hint of what forgiveness looks like seeing or knowing the beginning and the end are one and the same. This is also perfect judgment and it brings peace. We are all going home!!!

One of my favorite places to imagine when meditating was the center of the universe. Stars way off in the distance. I would imagine a pinprick of light coming down to spread out on an altar and I would put all the things I wanted to know or things I feared or hated on the altar and ask the light what is this or that for? Why do I do this or does that bother me ? Then I would imagine a japanese fan hushing the left and right side of my brain until all the invading thoughts were quelled and wait.

Now it should be clarified that some of the questions we ask are beyond our scope of understanding in the beginning so answers to big questions may take some time to be visible. I know one really big q I asked in the early days of my awakening took six years but when it came during meditation I knew immediately "pure thought" was the answer to my question "who am I?"

I hope this was helpfull :-)

[Davidallany]

Yes thank you Someoneson1.
you use visualization to create and maintain your reality.

[Tony]

thoughts are always coming in to take our attention

Hi Someoneson1, how are you? my question if I may is:
How do you deal with those attention hijacking thoughts in details?
Thank you

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Tony Hi, can you tell me why does one have to get initiated before practicing tantra?

Good morning Davidallany,

This is from the Tibetan Buddhist point of view.
Tantra can easily be misunderstood. So the normal root is via Hinayana, Mahayana to Vajrayana/Tantric. However it is possible to leap over the lot and go straight to Dzogchen.
From the Dzogchen perspective Tantra is a backup plan. Why to get initiation? The initiation is empowerment to do the practice, and also one should have completed the Ngondro.
The Ngongdro are four practises, 111,000 of each. This basically Guru Yoga, it also breaks down pride.

A Tantric practitioner can work with the emotions, and uses a deity for practise. One identifies with the quality of the deity. It's in preparation for the after death period.
Deity or Yidam practice has the effect of connecting one to the inner teacher, then one sees the whole of phenomena as the symbolic teacher.

For a teacher to initiate a student, is a great responsibility for both. Other systems may see this differently. Personally I like to leap!

All the best
Tony

[Tony]

[LIST]
We cannot lose this thread.

Meditation? It reveals what we are.
It is not a state, it is not a contrivance.
Meditation is just a name for clarity, lucidity, pure consciousness.
The problem with seeing and hearing the same words is that it builds up concept upon concept, till the true meaning is lost.

The word 'meditation' gets hijacked and watered down, until it becomes something to be sneered at.
This is a great pity. It is easy to mistake the physical for the spiritual. The word spirit is simply the experience beyond words. It is pure experience.

No, it will not save the world.
But it definitely will make the world a better place.
It is not easy to deal with a world of hot-heads, arrogance, the self righteous and the mechanical.

Meditation can deal with daily life. Meditation works at the level of body, speech and mind.
There are four way of dealing with a problem: pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying.

Meditation is very logical. Brains scans have proved that when the brain is very active, areas in the brain are lighting up.
This shows it is active, but less alert. The scan on a meditating brain shows a lack of
activity, but it is very alert. For details, of ongoing studies are at the Institute of Psychiatry,King's College London.

This is the activity of enriching!

[shijo]

In the 1st chapter of the Lotus Sutra Shakymuni Buddha was meditating upon the reality that all phenomena derive from one law, he awoke from his meditation and summoned beings from all quarters of the universe to participate in the fact that all phenomena are essentially eternal. So that was some meditation! Focussing intently , one pointed observation,direct perception into the heart of reality,sharing it with all beings, this is the way, DO NOT be a Buddhist, be a Buddha. This is largely said to myself but may apply to others.... regards Shijo.

[Jayke]

[...]And yes I do mean the gnostic understanding of holy spirit not the orthodox rule.[...]


Can someone explain the difference please? I'm only familiar with the Catholic 'Holy Ghost' as part of the Trinity.


Since you already have the definition of the traditional Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit as taught by the Church, I'll define the Gnosis/Sophia concept of the Holy Spirit.

There is the concept of the Holy Spirit as part of the Godhead; a literal part of god, and then there is the concept of the Holy Spirit where the holy spirit is interpreted as knowledge (or gnosis).

The early Christian Fathers used the word gnosis to mean spiritual knowledge or, specifically, knowledge of the divine.

The traditional definition is an exterior member of the godhead, the second/gnosis tradition is man's coming to an understanding (knowledge) of the divine(soul).

Also in the esoteric traditions of Christianity the father, the son and the holy spirit refer to the same alchemical principles as the chinese alchemical ingredients...jing, chi and shen.
They also include an understanding of the sacred geometry and divine proportions of the human body, the father represents the head (which is where shen is produced), the son represents from the waist down including the sexual organs (where the jing arises) and the holy spirit represents the torso where the lungs and stomach assimilate chi from the environment via digestion and respiration.

the human head also has 3 distinct divine proportions of it's own. From the bottom of the chin to the upper lip, the bottom of the nose to the eyebrow ridge and the eyebrow ridge to the hairline. So the father also represents the third eye located in the upper portion of the head, the senses (eyes, ears and nose) are all located in the middle portion of the head and the mouth located in the lower portion.

As a result wisdom flows from the father (third eye) translates the messages of the holy ghost or wholly ghost meaning 'wholly illusion' (yet to see or hear something is also to know it, so it also represents knowledge), so when wisdom descends through knowledge, it can be expressed through the son (the spoken word).
In working with the father, the son and the holy spirit the gnostics of old were working on perfecting their ability to speak truths of wisdom from beyond the illusion so that they might plant the seeds of enlightenment to help inspire and illuminate their fellow men.

[Someoneson1]

In response to "which holy spirit are u referring to" further reading brought this explanation.

You who are part of God are not at home EXCEPT in His peace. If peace is eternal, you are at home only in eternity. The ego made the world as IT perceives it, but the Holy Spirit, the RE-INTERPRETER of what the ego made, sees it only as a teaching device for bringing you home. The Holy Spirit must perceive time and reinterpret it into the timeless. The mind must be led into eternity THROUGH time, because having made time it is capable of perceiving its opposite.

The Holy Spirit must work through opposites, because it must work with and for a mind that IS in opposition. Correct and learn, and be open to learning. You have NOT made truth, but truth can still set you free. Look as the Holy Spirit looks, and understand as He understands. His understanding looks back to God, in remembrance of Me. He is in Holy Communion always, and He is part of YOU. He is your guide to salvation, because he holds the remembrance of things past and to come. He holds this gladness gently in your minds, asking only that you INCREASE it in His name by sharing it to increase His joy in YOU.