Mind and body ? Some questions from a relative novice.

Matthew C, modified 4 Years ago at 4/12/20 9:35 PM
Created 4 Years ago at 4/12/20 9:26 PM

Mind and body ? Some questions from a relative novice.

Posts: 6 Join Date: 4/12/20 Recent Posts
First post here after lurking for a few days so hi.
I've been meditating for two years using the framework laid out in the mind illuminated and have found it pretty transformative and im thoroughly enjoying it.
For all those familiar with TMI I'm currently practising at stage 5 (overcoming subtle dullness / increasing power of mindfullness).
As it stands I've not done any formal insight meditiation (I believe TMIs insight practices don't really kick off until until stage 7/8? I've not read any further than stage 5 so I may be wrong) as of yet but I'm becoming Increasingly interested in it due to some very noticeable developments in my day to day life over the past month or so.

1- I'm able to see thoughts as thoughts and feelings as feelings. I'm able to very clearly notice and observe thought arising seemingly out of nowhere and then disappearing, I can also quite clearly observe the cause and effect nature of an external object / situation causing the thought (s). Feelings can be felt with a delay Ie an anxious thought will arise and then after a small delay a "wash" of anxiety will be felt thoughout the body with me being able to objectively observe. This is being done without effort from my part .. It just happens.

2-The fact that feelings are sensations in space is very obvious.

3-"no self" is starting to be understood more, obviously not to awakening level but yer .. I'm starting to "feel" it more. I have been conscious of that fact that for my entire life my thoughts have felt physically at my head / head region .. now not so much at all. This comes and go 

4-The majority of negative feelings are felt neutrally and sometimes even comically.

5-massive reduction in mental chatter throughout day, pretty strong (well what id consider strong) mindfullness throughout the day.

6 - ( This is an edit as I forgot to mention it ) intentions are noticed first with a delay before the action is undertaken. E.g. an itch arises, I feel the intention appearing to scratch and there's a delay and then I pretty much get to decide how to proceed, it sounds simple but there's a marked difference from pre meditation behaviour.

So what's the deal here? I'm an absolute novice to the maps and over the last few days I've consumed this site, the wiki etc just getting used to the terminology. Am I having some insights here / am I in an insight stage? Is that stage mind and body?
You may have read a thousand posts like this but .. this stuffs great, fascinating, and pretty transformative and to think I'm only at the start is keeping my motivation strong for what's to come. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance .

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