That all makes perfect sense to me, it's also well put.
]]>No "load" drawing off current, or you could say "not swept up in the stream of thought", while even perhaps witnessing it.
It's not that thinking is stopped entirely, but we are not falling for it's tendency to place us (reactively) at the center of it, so it can happen without interfering with our in efficient "objective" functioning.
Awareness.
"meditation that focuses on active, conscious thinking and logic – perhaps concentration would be a better word for the process – in the "“clear light of day." Excellent Steiner quote, montalk!
Like right now there is hearing the cicadas buzzing outside... if i stop and listen it's foreground, loud and clear, when i am thinking how to express verbally it can either go fuzzy background, (subconscious) or...
dig this: can keep listening to them openly (and the tapping of the keys included) as i write...it is all processed so quickly and transparently... once there is that energetic ability to detach from the self centered "I" self consciousness, that most thought is concerned with and consumed by.
you are free to experiment with this kind of awareness
I often find i fall into it while reading Krishnamurti, i get stimulated into a "hyper conscious" state where i am hearing sounds around me, and seeing the paper quality of the book, and page while i am reading and actually feel refreshed and energized after reading some rather challenging stuff! it flows by the brain rather than "efforting" to interpret, yet is absorbed.
It's as if awareness itself leads to a "physical change" in the way the brain and consciousness works.
When there is "presence", awareness actually replaces consciousness!
If we did an MRI while this is taking place we would probably see the brain's energy is engaged is different way...?
Let me say it another way...awareness frees the brain-focussed energy and releases it back to the "light of day" cognitive processes all taking place simultaneously...
This example of listening to the cicadas and keys while simultaneously composing and typing...
is functioning something like Derek Jeter, or Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods (in play)...
The "concentration" is so second nature for them, so natural, there is no effort necessary, so that they make what might seem superhuman for us, look easy ..."nothing in the way".
By 'initiation' is meant the awakening of latent clairvoyance and clairaudience as a result of inner development. There are many different stages of these supernatural conditions. In order to perceive non-material phenomena in such an objective way that research by the scientific method is made possible, an extremely high level of initiation is required.
Rudolf Steiner frowned upon the methods employed by the Theosophical Society. They used trance, hypnosis, crystal balls, mediumship and other spiritualistic methods. Steiner said that these techniques helped to re-awaken so-called atavistic clairvoyant faculties, and he implied that this kind of practice was a hindrance to the progressive spiritual evolution of mankind because they depended on reduced or suppressed awareness of self. Trance mediums, the most gifted among whom was the Russian-born Helena Blavatsky who founded the Theosophical Society, would become unconscious and enter a dream-like state. The 'revelations' thus received would have to be recalled from memory. Blavatsky had an exceptionally accurate power of recollection.
A major drawback with this technique was that it was subject to errors which could not be checked as long as loss of consciousness excluded the application of the scientific method.
Steiner emphasized the importance of meditation as a key ingredient in achieving spiritual perception. His approach to meditation, however, is quite different from the approach taken by the ancient traditions. A salient characteristic of the ancient (Eastern, Hindu) approach to spiritualism is meditation in which it is attempted to “clear the mind" of all thoughts, perhaps by concentrating on a single physical object, such as a rose, or a candle flame. It is an attempt to lose consciousness, and enter a trance-like state of dreamy existence. It is even suggested that the highest level of development is oblivion, attained when the self is obliterated. A major problem with this approach is that the meditator receives all sorts of subjective information or “messages" (or ideas or images or inspiration) and there is no objective way of sorting out truth from falsehood or fact from fiction – or wise from unwise – by way of the informative process itself (since the information is subjectively received, rather than objectively obtained by physical observation and measurement). In addition to being noted for their truths and insights and help, “spirit guides" are notorious for their lies and deceptions and evil.
Steiner’s approach involves meditation that focuses on active, conscious thinking and logic – perhaps concentration would be a better word for the process – in the “clear light of day." While dreamy meditation may have been appropriate for mankind in an earlier age, before the tremendous increase in the content and methods of natural science, it was no longer an appropriate approach in the “age of reason." The subjective approach is extremely powerful, but its product must be subjected to objective review and analysis – some ideas, even those resulting from mystic visions, are simply wrong. [...] It is important to recognize that meditation produces most useful results when combined with serious contemplation, hard, focused concentration, and diligent follow-up.
Also, notice that shifting your brainwaves downward does not necessarily mean you have to lose awareness of yourself. Self-awareness seems independent of the state of consciousness. For instance, while in a theta state I could either be lost in oblivion and afterwards have trouble remembering what happened, or be fully aware of myself yet obviously in an altered state of mind. One commonly experienced example would be coming out of a sleep state when thoughts are extremely abstract and nonlinear - it is possible to "come to" while in this state and notice the consistency and logic in these thoughts, yet the more you wake up and get stuffed back into your physical body, the more these same thoughts become increasingly difficult to hang on to. It's like your mind was in an altered state where thinking simply occurred at a level different from the waking state. And yet, in this nonlinear state, I could either be tossed about without self-awareness, or fully noticing what's happening and perhaps using it constructively to explore abstract ideas.
One thing I got from Steiner is that during this nonlinear state, one is thinking more with the etheric brain that is decoupled from the physical, whereby it is temporarily freed from the inertia and linearity of the biological neural circuits. That's pretty interesting! I mean, if unlocking from your body lets you float or fly, why not something similar happening to the thinking process?
]]>]]>It has its purpose and runs complementary to, but not as a substitute for, proper meditation, contemplation, and self-observation. If used solely as a recreational mind drug with no intention beyond entertainment, then it might have similar effects in the long run as the recreational use of chemical drugs.
I could say the same for transcendental meditation, however, particularly the kind that encourages total mind-blankness to the point of forgetting the self, which only atrophies the mind and makes it suitable for external manipulation. Real meditation stills the mind but shifts it into higher not lower gear, bringing the subconscious into the conscious instead of vice versa, thereby enhancing awareness instead of sedating it. The improper and recreational use of meditation at best does nothing, and at worst muddles the mind and creates fluffy zombies lacking in discernment.
]]>I might be naive to still be doing it the old, time honored way, but i had the distinct impression many years of meditation was clarifying out the auto-pilot, "self hypnosis" that comes with conditioned thought and reactivity:non-awareness.
You say... So what? if it works?
But does it really? Is it a replacement for just paying attention to the body/mind that can continue at any time the mind is not occupied?
Or is a replacement for facing the honest work of watching the mind at all?
Seamlessly integrating experience until awakening occurs spontaneously, because energy is aroused that penetrates and LOOKS thoroughly at any available moment.
How is this going to happen if your meditation is just a trance-state?
O.K. If awakening is not what's sought in meditation at first, then how do you you get off "the system", if you suddenly grow in understanding and awareness to the point that awakening is truly an interest?
Is this not a placebo for awareness, keeping one safely asleep forever? or perhaps a limiting half measure?
How sad.
No clarifying and confirming dialogue or understanding is necessary? Just plug in and tune out?
I wonder if it's not a sure bet to block the actual fulfillment that was intended for a human life.
Are you sure this isn't a reptoid conspiracy...lol.
I wonder which way is more effective? I would think Holosync would be easier as you don't have to concentrate or anything, but it's expensive. Vipassana, on the other hand is free.
]]>The I used Audacity to put one track on the left channel and one track on the right. Turn it into 1 .wav file and burnt it to a CD. The two different frequencys, whilst wearing headphones, cause a beat frequency of 5Hz. Reasonibly relaxing lol
]]>If you're still interested, let me know! =o)
]]>Thank you for letting me know. I will give them a try.
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]]>Dane Spotts - Ultra Meditation II - Theta - Delta (hemisync-.mp3
Hemi-Sync - The Zapper (Theta Waves~Delta Pulse For Deep Med.mp3
HemiSync - Third Eye Meditation.mp3
Thats not what you wanted? or is it?
]]>Neomatrix,
eMule doesn't seem to be working for me as I can't open the install .exe for some reason, and from a reviewer eDonkey seems to have a virus. Is it possible to upload those Monroe Gateway meditation CDs onto the server or are they too big?
I take it that these Theta CDs and MP3s have varying degrees? Like, can you start off with a mild session to see how it goes then progress your way up? that to me sounds safer than diving into the mind pool.
im mostly interested in the ones that help u get better sleep, or lucid dream, and those that help you achieve meditational calmness. im not really trying to crack my brain open to gain psychic powers from these things.
]]>"Q: What concerns do you have regarding the AVS industry?
A: "One thing that concerns me is the whole problem of hucksterism, wildly exaggerated claims, false advertising, snake oil salesmen, and so on. There is a lot of that going on, and it worries me. For example, one leading manufacturer of psychoacoustic tapes has admitted in court to using false advertising. Amazingly, this manufacturer claims to see nothing wrong with it, and said, "Everybody does it."
Another problem is the possibility of potential harmful effects on the brain. People need to be aware that these devices and these technologies can have powerful effects on the brain. The brain can be a very fragile instrument, and is susceptible to damage, if harmful techniques are used. For example, one neurotechnology product may cause neuronal death, brain damage, and seizures. Also, it's well known that attention deficit disorders, brain trauma, learning disabilities, and various cognitive dysfunctions are directly linked with too much slow brain wave activity, such as delta and slow theta. Yet, we have a lot of psychoacoustic tapes and CDs, electrostim devices, and light and sound machines whose manufacturers are encouraging people to use them to entrain theta and slow delta, when in fact this is the last thing many people need, for this is only going to make their cognitive problems worse. In fact, brain wave entrainment, if used improperly, can create a harmful state, known as hypersynchrony, and negatively affect performance for days."
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