MEDITATIONBLOG.FULLCAPACITYLIVING.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on Appreciation and Why Meditate.

2010-06-27T07:20:21Z

Brilliant article. I meditate regularly, but had never thought about meditating about the parts of me that actually do work well, or feeling grateful for the things that the "broken" bits can still manage.

I'd also never really thought about the difference between "can't" and "won't." I frequently say I "can't" do something, when what I really mean is, "I won't do that because I'm not willing to pay the physical price." (I have fibromyalgia, and many activities cause it to flare up. I'd never realized that I use "can't" in that way until I read this post.)
Thank you for this!

Comment on Self-Healing: Relaxation: Calm-Relaxed

2010-05-18T20:43:35Z

I particularly love your simplicity.
The recording is effective - I am feeling calm and relaxed
Thank you
Julie

Comment on Appreciation and Why Meditate.

2010-03-02T16:07:34Z

I really enjoyed your "why meditate" comments, it has changed my view on one reason to do it, to change how I relate to others. I will meditating on this.

Thank you for your blog, it enables me to stay in touch with my mindfulness.

Comment on Brief Practice, Posture, and Conflict

2010-02-07T15:22:33Z

I would say that violence involves the use of physical, social, or verbal force against another person. Violence does often lead to more violence. That is why other approaches need to be given a chance, a real chance, first.

Violence is often hard to contain. A blow meant for the offender goes off target and hits someone innocent. Words meant for the offender are heard by others. So other approaches need to be explored.

There is never an absolute answer to a problem. Every situation is different and what is possible depends on the people involved and their skills, not just the situation. If one is struggling with a particular situation, then getting professional help in a one-on-one setting is strongly advised.

Comment on Brief Practice, Posture, and Conflict

2010-02-02T16:41:06Z

What kind of violence are you talking about examples.please. I find that using violence usually leads to more violence. Even though I am tempted to go that route, I find that I do not think it will solve the problem.
Also, I find that there can be no fruitful discussion if the party or parties you are disagreeing with already has/ have a fixed idea and is not open minded. Sometimes there is no absolute answer to a problem, but a compromise would serve to reconcile differences. Again , it depends upon the problem discussed & the seriuosness of the situation. What do you think?
Is it better to ignore the conflict or does a person try to resolve the differences or difficulties involved?

Comment on Brief Practice - What, Why and How

2010-01-24T10:05:52Z

Hello Joe,

A few years ago, after I first heard you mention using "between times", I started to notice that I could take advantage of moments during meetings that I was not engaged in, (nor cared to be), so I would briefly say a short prayer... "I am with Spirit, Spirit is with me, we are in Peace".

I also noted moments when it was safe during my commute to and from work, to say the same prayer, and take a few deep, slow breaths, with awareness of serenity and peace.

Now, this practice is a mainstay for me, especially when I realize my mind is racing through all the things I need to do "next".
I still use it during opportune moments while driving, and at work during meetings, as well as when I'm walking from one area of the building to another.

I'm not as skilled at "grounding" yet, but I have been practicing it at work.
The day after I read this blog entry, I received a call in the evening at work, that a friend was ill. I went to see her and had her transported to the hospital via ambulance.
After being told by the ED doctor that she would not recover, I decided to stay with her that night, until her family could arrive the next day. We were in the ED for a few hours before she got admitted to a room, and by 2 a.m., after she was settled, I was having difficulty with physical discomfort, as well as some anxiety about whether her family would arrive in Oregon before she died.

I sat in a chair next to her bed, and realized I needed physical and emotional support, so I tried grounding.
After closing my eyes, and imagining my weight being shifted beneath me, I felt my sore, tired muscles relaxing, and I decided to let all my concerns be transferred to this "support base".
This led into meditation until I needed to attend to her, but what an amazing experience it was, to be able to do this under these circumstances.

I haven't been able to attend meditation class this month, so your postings in this blog have been a lifeline for me.
I'm so very grateful for this.

With deep appreciation....
Sue

Comment on Brief Practice Sessions and Non-Visual Experience

2010-01-07T13:53:09Z

A comment for Bob.Hello Bob, I do not think it is not the religion or belief system that makes it possible to communicate with Spirit. I think because we want to commune with Spirit, the desire on our part makes it possible to be able to communicate with Spirit. Spirit is part of us & when we try to develop a relationship with Spirit, our willingness to listen & put ourselves in the mode of quiet, a particular religion or belief system is not necesary. I think Spirituality is possible if we keep an open mind and allow Spirit to enter our minds freely. I think Spirit helps us understand the universality of humankind without the prejuidices that restrict our spiritual growth.
Joe, I changed the end of the centering prayer of Divine Light. For me I say ¨ I am trying to become Divine Light¨ I have a long way to go before I can become Divine Light in this world. Hopefully I shall be there in the next world. Thanks for the insights. josie

Comment on Christmas Season Reflections

2009-12-30T17:04:56Z

Interesting how St. John the Apostle also refers to Jesus as light. We can only hope we can co-operate with Spirit so that we can become what we are created to be. Interesting how you discuss the problem of judging. I, too. have read how Jesus was so non judgemental about others. I try to remind myself to take the beam out of my own eye before trying to take the speck from someone else´s eye. Madrid has so many beggars on almost every street corner and I have been trying not to be judgemental concerning why they are there. Best to say a prayer for them & when possibe leave a few cents to help them as best I can. It took me a while to learn this important lesson but we do get help from the Spirit if we ask.

Comment on Brief Practice Sessions and Non-Visual Experience

2009-12-15T05:59:48Z

i like your phrase "awareness of spirit"...i use the phrase "recognize the presence of spirit"...sort of the same thing! i recently was describing my "religeous" beliefs....in it i spoke of this "presence"...looking back on the conversation, i felt it sounded like i was preaching...like i have heard those who do prosletize in a more forceful manner...

i do not believe in the presence of spirit...i know the presence of spirit...to "access" my participation in any spirit activity, i do not have to take the step of practicing a belief...subject to whatever system is imposed on that practice (as in having a particular religeous "belief" and thus accessing spirit through that belief..)

my question is this: you have spoken about "asking" for things in the activty some call prayer...i dont call it anything because recognizing the presence is not an activity, unless it is not possible to do so and the person must use a procedure of some kind....perhaps in prayer, perhaps in sitting quietly and "meditating" and then recognizing someone else is in the room. and you said "that is not a part of the practice i would emphasize " (or words to that effect)...in the prayer "may bob be free of suffering and the root of suffering, may bob enjoy happiness and the root of happiness", isnt that asking for something? (i use this prayer and maybe it doesnt make any difference whether or not im asking for someing or however else it might be classified...)

also, at the end of each of our sessions,do we "pray" for those on the list which is passed around during the period...? if not, what are we doing?

peace
bob

Comment on Delays from Technical and Non-technical difficulties

2009-12-05T06:52:41Z

when we talked after class last tue (1st), i mentioned that i see a difference between "asking for the presence of spirit" and "recognizing the presence of spirit".....i feel spirit is always there, so i neednt call, i just have to acknowledge that spirit is there...maybe im "busy" and not making any conscious connectin to spirit, and then, a pause might occur, and i realize spirit is there, i just wasnt paying any attention to "it"....like now, i didnt "call" spirit to my consciousness as much as recognize it was there as i typed...thus came the comment i made earlier, i think spirit and self are intertwined....like fingers from each hand coming together and overlaping, sort of a holding of ones own hands.....thus if i were to "call" for spirit, i would be addressing the separateness of something which (to me) isnt separtate...in one of your prayers, "spirit prayer", the one which begins, "divine light (i say spirit) surrounds me, diving light sustains me...etc, you often end it with "i am one with diving light, divine light is one with me"....which to me indicates a non-separateness....coming then to the concept of "infinity", i think i refer to it more in the sense of unending in three dimensions....sort of like an ampty space ....of whatever size....i use the word infinity rather than empty because it gives me more insight into the vastness im trying to get to...so when i moved to another reference material by thinking of sound, i was trying to get to other manifestations of vastness or infinity from the standpont of the sound associated with the bowl, feeling that it is infinite becaue as the sound leaves my consciousness (i dont know whats going on beneath that but assume some kind of presence is there although i cant recognize it)and that doesnt end....sort of looking at the natural numbers on the number line with the number one, two being a bit smaller, 3 being smaller than two and so on with these numeerical images getting smaller and smaller as the sounds get fainter and fainter, but the recognition that they dont ever end, its just my abiltiy to "see" them that does!.....so if im allowed to use this vehicle to "set up" a residence of spirit then i have accomplished a form/formlessness in which spirit resides, and coupling that with my previous remarks, in which i reside....i discount my "experience" in these events, as you note ,as merely my own crude attempt to give
infinite form to something which i cannot directly perceive as infinite....i think its not so much that the sound "connects me with spirit" as the sound gives us a playground, since, as i indicated earlier, i feel spirit is always with me its my recognizing that and further, giving us someplace to 'play"....

thanks for your thoughtful responses
bob

oh, and your illustration of the "closed set", [0,1] is even more interesting if we make an open one! (o,1), that is not including the numbers o and 1 in it and thus letting us "guess" as to which number occurs after 0