Mindfulness Archive

Mudita Forum is now at Google Groups

March 18, 2009 · Category: Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle, FLOW, Individualism, Integral, Intellectual, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mudita Forum, Objectivism, Witness Consciousness

Check out the new Mudita Forum, if you think you might be interested. The purpose of Mudita Forum is to provide a stimulating, thoughtful environment for discussing Eastern consciousness-raising practices — such as meditation, mindfulness, and the cultivation of presence — while using Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism as a basic philosophical frame-of-reference. The old group got lost when I was changing servers a couple years ago, but recently I've been contacted by new people wishing to join. My hope for the new group is that it will be much like the old one: low-volume, high-quality, and stimulating on many levels. I sent invites ...

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You are not your emotions, except when “you” disappears

March 14, 2009 · Category: Meditation, Mindfulness, Personal, Witness Consciousness

A friend published a friends-only LiveJournal post titled "What makes you... you?" in which she says "I know (or think I know) intellectually that the feelings I have do not make me the person I am. But when I dig a little deeper I'm not totally sure" -- and elaborates, very articulately, about what this experience is like, the fears it evokes, and the personal-intellectual challenges it poses. Below is my response. The most valuable skill I've acquired through meditation is the ability to experience the sense in which I am not the same as my emotions. We have a ...

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When mindfulness hurts

May 27, 2008 · Category: Buddhism, Health, Meditation, Mindfulness

A friend pointed me to the very interesting article "Lotus Therapy" in today's NY Times, which discusses the current state of the research, pro and con, on mindfulness as a clinical intervention. Criticisms of mindfulness are particularly interesting to me, partly because I experience mindfulness, at root, to be a simple increase in awareness -- and not even at the "synthetic" level of thought, but rather at the even more basic level of perception. Since the practice of mindfulness is virtually synonymous with an increase in perception, or elementary awareness, I often find myself wondering, "How on earth can raising awareness be ...

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Jon Bernie: To awaken is to dissolve

May 24, 2008 · Category: Adyashanti, Buddhism, Meditation, Mindfulness, Witness Consciousness

As many of you know, over the past couple years I've become increasingly interested in the teachings of Adyashanti, Jed McKenna, and the like. Jon Bernie is one of Adya's friends and colleagues. I met him briefly and attended one of his satsangs (sitting & teaching events) last time I was in San Francisco. Below is a brief teaching he sent out to his an announcement list. (Thanks to Marsh for the forward.) I think it's a well-expressed encapsulation of this perspective. You might find it worth contemplating if you're open to this sort of thing. For ...

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In the Mail: Stephan Bodian’s “Wake Up Now”

March 21, 2008 · Category: Adyashanti, Buddhism, Intellectual, Mindfulness

I just received a review copy of Stephan Bodian's new book Wake Up Now: A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening. Bodian is a long-time student of Adyashanti's, but -- according to a friend of mine who spoke with him -- does not claim to be fully enlightened himself. However, the book is very well blurbed by Adyashanti... Both profound and practical, Wake Up Now guides the reader through the intricacies of awakening as only someone who has walked the walk themselves can do. The clarity and compassion it offers are both rare and welcome. ...and Adya is someone I've come to ...

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Does Suffering Build Character?

July 30, 2007 · Category: Buddhism, Health, Individualism, Intellectual, Mindfulness

This somewhat-throwaway comment, from a post by Virginia Postrel, caught my eye: Contrary to what you may have heard, the only sort of character suffering builds is the ability to suffer -- a useful ability in a world where suffering is the routine nature of life but not a virtue that makes the world a better place. I say "somewhat-throwaway" because I don't think her overall argument stands or falls on this point. But on this point itself... Do you agree with her? Or do you see ways in which suffering builds character? Do you feel that suffering has built your own character? ...

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Jed McKenna, the Howard Roark of Spiritual Enlightenment

April 30, 2007 · Category: Buddhism, Meditation, Mindfulness

At Damian's suggestion, I recently listened to the full audiobook for Jed McKenna's Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing. I enjoyed it tremendously. McKenna is a exceptionally good storyteller. Even better, he is without a doubt the Howard Roark of spiritual enlightenment -- beginning with his persistent (relentless, really) emphasis on honing your own vision and first-hand judgment, rather than relying on others' judgment, about what is true at the deepest level. After many years of shying away from truth-oriented teachings -- because of my acute awareness that identifying with abstractions can get in the way of real growth -- I find McKenna ...

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Concentration Through Letting Go

January 25, 2007 · Category: Adyashanti, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mudita Forum

I just had the following exchange with a Mudita Forum member who had this question about Adyashanti's True Meditation (previously discussed here). Like I mentioned, my main concern was that I was having a hard time understanding how his approach would help me with my goal. I did enjoy reading his work though. I've always wrestled with the concept of greater concentration through letting go. How do you let go and let things just be? Is concentration not a skill? I want to give his CD a go and see what happens. To which ...

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Applying Eckhart Tolle’s Teachings

September 19, 2006 · Category: Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle, Mindfulness

Reader William Vietinghoff asked me if he could pose some questions here for other students of Eckhart Tolle's work. I told him I'm happy to oblige. He writes: I am aware of Eckhart Tolle's work in audiobook form. I have heard The Power of Now, Practicing the Now, Gateways to the Now, and Stillness Speaks. Let me preface my questions by saying that as a result of his approach / suggestions I use the opportunities when I am driving or walking (and not distracted by people) to draw my attention to my inner self, to my surroundings, to awareness of my body, as ...

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What is Mind Identification?

July 15, 2006 · Category: Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle, Meditation, Mindfulness, Objectivism

I just posted the following on the Rebirth of Reason web site, in response to Luke Setzer's negative review of Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now. Luke writes: "[Eckhart Tolle's] thesis that 'mind identification' serves as the source for all strife in the world stands squarely at odds with reason as man's only means of knowing and his method of survival." Actually, this is not true. To explain why, we have to look at what mind identification consists of, and what the alternatives would be in everyday life. First, here's a working definition: 'Mind identification' is an unconscious process by ...

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