Stillness

Brett Bangerter, modified 8 Years ago at 11/23/15 8:37 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/23/15 8:37 AM

Stillness

Posts: 5 Join Date: 3/23/15 Recent Posts
I am early on in my practice but meditate daily.  Not long ago when I was meditating I suddenly realized that I was in a place of what I have come to think of as - no resistance.  The mind wasn't fighting me anymore.  It was like being in a really big open space and my mind was basically in sync with me just observing everything and not trying to run around on its own.  It lasted about 20 minutes and then the mind started up again.  Going back to breath awareness for a bit brought it back into sync and then I would be back to the place of utter calm and stillness.

The first time was the best time as it seemed like my powers to perceive were much much more than usual.

Question one: what is this state? Access consciousness?

Question two: is it something to chase or just something to observe when it happens?  I have been looking for this state as a beginning place in my meditations ever since and I am not sure that's correct.
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tom moylan, modified 8 Years ago at 11/24/15 4:49 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/24/15 4:49 AM

RE: Stillness

Posts: 896 Join Date: 3/7/11 Recent Posts
howdy brett,
tough to say for sure but "mind and body" nana, or the first stage in the classic progress of insight can manifest that way.  this is the vipassana side of the shamata/viapassana doublehelix and could well ALSO be the same level of focus as access concentration.

usually access concentration is described from the point of view of concentration practice and sometimes quantified by things such as "how long one can keep ones tight focus on the object of concentration" as opposed to the phenomenology you mention.  but this is only more labels.

you are making progress.   to continue keep doing what you wer doing to get there and definitely do not chase the state.  that is how you can guarantee that it will not arise.  everyone wants the good feelings and special effects that come with meditation.  they will come and go according to lots of factors.  it is definitely a good thing to follow the peaceful second to second flow of the meditation.  this will help you stay interested and will pull you along.  it sounds perhaps contradictory but to wait for a static state means that you are looking somewhere else than where you are in the moment which means you are not concentrated.
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Richard Zen, modified 8 Years ago at 11/24/15 7:39 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 11/24/15 7:39 AM

RE: Stillness

Posts: 1665 Join Date: 5/18/10 Recent Posts
Brett Bangerter:


Question two: is it something to chase or just something to observe when it happens?  I have been looking for this state as a beginning place in my meditations ever since and I am not sure that's correct.


You should be taking this practice into daily life and add it to chores and easy-to-do activities. Try to add a little joy and love into the practice to make it less dry and notice how much easier it is to do things this way.

http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/y2015/151026_Defilements.mp3