RE: Meaning of an Experience - Discussion
Hey Michael, welcome to the DhO,
What you describe could be mapped to a lot of different stuff depending on the angle you're looking at it from. It sounds like what is usually, around here and a few other places, known as a PCE, but then again there are element of your description which sound like getting a "Path", in Buddhist terms, but there are also parts which could be related to what's known as the A&P around these parts. For these reasons, and knowing what it's like trying to retroactively map these sorts of experiences, I would avoid trying to line it up according to terms you'll come across on here and in MCTB as it's not of much practical value.
Whichever way you cut it though, you've directly experienced reality as it is i.e. impermanent and devoid of a self, and you now know that things aren't the way you may have thought they were before that point. That can only be a good thing.
The ball is already rolling. You just need to see it for yourself.
Clichèd, I know but it's hilariously true in practice.
It depends on what you're into really, finding a way to go about this which makes sense to you and allows you to make progress is useful rather than trying to figure out a whole world of terminology before you sit down. MCTB is an awesome book, it's been a massive help to many of us on here and a really useful how-to technical manual of insight meditation without a lot of the terminological stuff. The insight paths are quite intensive but are worthwhile, in my experience, although other, less intense methods are available.
If you're not hung up on any particular spiritual tradition and are just looking to make that experience, as in living without any sense of a "me" arising, a permanent thing, then I suggest checking out the Actual Freedom Trust site and the threads in the "Practices Inspired By Actualism" category on here.
For a really good, balanced and useful approach I recommend checking out The Hamilton Project blog, and the Yogi Toolbox section in particular as Nick and the guys have put a lot of seriously effective and useful techniques on there.
There are so many ways to progress from this point that it depends on what you're looking for, this site is a great place to start from anyway and reading MCTB will give you a good grounding in a lot of the fundamentals of meditation in general. Ask questions and see what's out there, if you've gotten this far and found this site then it's pretty much a given that you'll get to where you want to be with the thing.
Best of luck,
Tommy
Now for the question: What is going on?
What you describe could be mapped to a lot of different stuff depending on the angle you're looking at it from. It sounds like what is usually, around here and a few other places, known as a PCE, but then again there are element of your description which sound like getting a "Path", in Buddhist terms, but there are also parts which could be related to what's known as the A&P around these parts. For these reasons, and knowing what it's like trying to retroactively map these sorts of experiences, I would avoid trying to line it up according to terms you'll come across on here and in MCTB as it's not of much practical value.
Whichever way you cut it though, you've directly experienced reality as it is i.e. impermanent and devoid of a self, and you now know that things aren't the way you may have thought they were before that point. That can only be a good thing.
Second and Last Question: How do I keep the ball rolling?
The ball is already rolling. You just need to see it for yourself.
Clichèd, I know but it's hilariously true in practice.It depends on what you're into really, finding a way to go about this which makes sense to you and allows you to make progress is useful rather than trying to figure out a whole world of terminology before you sit down. MCTB is an awesome book, it's been a massive help to many of us on here and a really useful how-to technical manual of insight meditation without a lot of the terminological stuff. The insight paths are quite intensive but are worthwhile, in my experience, although other, less intense methods are available.
If you're not hung up on any particular spiritual tradition and are just looking to make that experience, as in living without any sense of a "me" arising, a permanent thing, then I suggest checking out the Actual Freedom Trust site and the threads in the "Practices Inspired By Actualism" category on here.
For a really good, balanced and useful approach I recommend checking out The Hamilton Project blog, and the Yogi Toolbox section in particular as Nick and the guys have put a lot of seriously effective and useful techniques on there.
There are so many ways to progress from this point that it depends on what you're looking for, this site is a great place to start from anyway and reading MCTB will give you a good grounding in a lot of the fundamentals of meditation in general. Ask questions and see what's out there, if you've gotten this far and found this site then it's pretty much a given that you'll get to where you want to be with the thing.
Best of luck,
Tommy
