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| Subject: balance | |
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Author: marvin |
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Date Posted: 10:15:55 02/24/05 Thu In reply to: Nicole 's message, "Let's add this piece in....." on 08:24:17 02/24/05 Thu So I took my meditation class on a silent retreat last weekend.Thirty some college students practicing concentration and mindful awareness. It is, in the beginning, a practice of restraint, seclusion, contraction, focus. As concentration deepens we access a lot of strength and clarity and beauty. It is real. And it opens up naturally into expansiveness and generosity, the surrender that is just awareness itself, possibly the same thing (i still don't know for sure) as the best part of the rise and fall around orgasm. So my job so far with the students in the course has been to help them get stability and clarity within their own experience without their constantly seeking external stimulation and guidance and reassurance. I love my role with them, guiding them there, and i teach out of my own practice. In my own practice that is my strength, my daily practice has been clear and strong for a long time. Yes, it involves suppression, and this can be a good thing when it is balanced. The conceptual puzzles about balance evaporate in the light of balanced clear body-based awareness. As I've probably said in virtually every post on this chatboard since last summer, you in this community have been so great in receiving my insecurities about letting go of the good states in order to be even more free. My insecurities get triggered easily, for example, reading Nicole's recent journal entries on this website -- how in the world can she be so free with sex? and intimacy? I really don't get it. I might as well be in the 3d grade. I want that sort of freedom too, in addition to the clarity and calm. Am I asking for too much? I read George's recent journal entry. I remember a late night conversation looking at the lights in the valley, he is encouraging me to lighten up, relax, enjoy. Yes. Ok. And I did. A little. I don't have to become a Nicole to do it, well that'd be weird (a bit too french classique:) .. I don't have to be George either. Yet how nice to feel your influence, and I can go down the list, remembering many of you on this lively chatline.. Now I'm somewhat isolated, bored, working, yet playing a role I love, it is rewarding because the students are serious and responsive. We sit, walk, sit a lot, then sit and talk. We do lightning rounds but I do not (not yet) ask what they sense in their genitals. But little things slip in, open doors. For example, traditional vipassana precept for retreats is to be celibate on the retreat, and so i mention this and ask them to observe it but am quick to add that I'm not saying sex is bad, on the contrary it is way too denigrated and we tend to far too frightened of it and rigid within it. Out of the calm clear lovely space that we have created together their eyes are curious, as challenging as any of you --so what else do you want to tell us Marv? [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| Subject | Author | Date |
| Hi. | Joshua | 17:52:26 02/24/05 Thu |
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| i saw a friend of yours tonight.... | Suz | 22:37:22 02/24/05 Thu |
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