Energy and insight practice

Stefan G, modified 9 Years ago at 10/25/14 7:19 AM
Created 9 Years ago at 10/25/14 7:19 AM

Energy and insight practice

Posts: 13 Join Date: 10/11/14 Recent Posts
Hi!

New here at the forum and to dharma practice, so I’ll apologize if my question is too obvious and/or already answered somewhere within the forum =)

Anyway, here it goes. From an age about 14-15 years old, I discovered that I could “feel” energy (or whatever it is) between the hands and in my body. (E.g. on top of my head) In conjunction with this I also started to experience what I assume are “initiating stages” to out of body experiences. These experiences has come and gone during the years but I have always resisted exploring that experience any further.

A couple of years ago, after turning 30 of age, I started to reflect on the fact that these experiences actually have had an impact on my life. So I turned my attention towards Buddhism, where I started to attend classes at a Tibetan Buddhist center in Stockholm. The classes were great as an introduction to meditation and after a while I continued to practice on my own with the help of books in the subject.

I recently found Daniel Ingrams book (thanks for a great Swedish translation, btw!) which made me interested in adding more insight meditation to my practice.

Enough background. Is there any way that I can use the “energy sensations” as a meditation object for realizing the three characteristics? I ask because these sensations sometimes tend to arise automatically when I meditate. Is it something to ignore or could I utilize these sensations for insight practice?

Many thanks and best regards
Stefan
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katy steger,thru11615 with thanks, modified 9 Years ago at 10/26/14 6:39 AM
Created 9 Years ago at 10/26/14 6:32 AM

RE: Energy and insight practice

Posts: 1740 Join Date: 10/1/11 Recent Posts
Hi and welcome, Stefan,

Anyway, here it goes. From an age about 14-15 years old, I discovered that I could “feel” energy (or whatever it is) between the hands and in my body. (E.g. on top of my head) In conjunction with this I also started to experience what I assume are “initiating stages” to out of body experiences. These experiences has come and gone during the years but I have always resisted exploring that experience any further.

(...)

Enough background. Is there any way that I can use the “energy sensations” as a meditation object for realizing the three characteristics? I ask because these sensations sometimes tend to arise automatically when I meditate. Is it something to ignore or could I utilize these sensations for insight practice?

So I relate to what you've written and had a similar thing happen at that age, also beginning in the hands; then I was able to intentionally expand it around the body. When I moved it to the head area an out-of-body experience happened out of the blue (and, consequently, I have the convinction that where there is sentience there is always God (aka: pure consciousness, aka: indivisible consciousness) inherent.)

Anyway, towards the three charateristics: you may note that these sensations while very pleasant, do not last, they fade (impermanence). Sometimes they come and go on their own (not-self). Sometimes we crave them and we do not get them or we do get them and they no longer satisfy (dukkha).

Your thoughts?

_____

This is my raccounting. Your reading this is of course not a direct mental insight; that comes from own life and somethings so simple mental can become a powerful behavior changes when really learned personally.

In a Coursera MOOC, the class facilitator points out at the outset that there are no teachers, just learners-- that a person wants to learn and learns, and something or someone faciliates the learning moment. I look forward to hearing more of your directly learned own knowledge and thank you for your thread :]
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Howard Maxwell Clegg, modified 9 Years ago at 10/26/14 2:11 PM
Created 9 Years ago at 10/26/14 2:11 PM

RE: Energy and insight practice

Posts: 50 Join Date: 10/14/14 Recent Posts
Hi Stefan, what Katy says. They come and go, not always pleasant, and you have no control. There you have it, impermanence, suffering and not-self in one convenient package.

Peace
Stefan G, modified 9 Years ago at 10/28/14 12:04 AM
Created 9 Years ago at 10/28/14 12:04 AM

RE: Energy and insight practice

Posts: 13 Join Date: 10/11/14 Recent Posts
Thank you Katy and Howard for your reply. 

I will try this out in meditation. 

regards 
Stefan
Pål, modified 9 Years ago at 10/28/14 9:53 AM
Created 9 Years ago at 10/28/14 9:53 AM

RE: Energy and insight practice

Posts: 778 Join Date: 9/30/14 Recent Posts
Hej, även jag är svensk nybörjare emoticon
Får man fråga vilket center? Är det givande att gå till center? Funderar på att söka upp något jag med.

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