Spiritual Portal

/* Taken from another conversation */

I am pretty well convinced that we don't actually choose our path, rather things are unfolding according to a karmic destiny. As for abstaining from thought, the advice Sri Ramana Maharshi gave was that every time a thought arises we should not try to complete it. I find this works well, in my case. It is not possible right away to keep all thoughts at bay. They have a certain momentum which has been already set into motion. It really is like trying to throw a vehicle into park while going 80 mph down the highway. So, rather, we take our foot off the peddle. I think this analogy works because we aren't stopping the car as an act of will, we are simply no longer participating in making it go faster.

Of course, all meditation methods and spiritual practices have this end (purification of the mind) in mind. I think there are countless ways one might take, that might be more appropriate for certain individuals, based on what I said in the first sentence of this post.

Very interesting  b.... not completing  a thought... hmm.... must use that technique for a while.

b. When i practice mantras the intention is quite the same: Every time a thought arrises I bring the focus back to the mantra. The way u have explained it seems somewhat different though. Because u did not mention a mantra I am left with the idea that the technique u r practicing cuts thru to the chaff to the thought itself. Each time a thought arises making it known that this to is not the Self but an intruder on the consciousness. Do I have it rite?

I simply replace the thought with spiritual thoughts.

I tried to erase all thoughts, or truncate thoughts, and I came close a few times, but I ended up imagining (real or not), I was in an empty room and there was nothing, but still there was me and nothing else, so I left.

Yes, Steve. I agree with that. I'm glad you mentioned mantra. I would like to defer to a Sri Ramana Maharshi quote again on this topic:


Peace

So I see it appears as though u do use a mantra to practice japa. May I ask where did u get the mantra u use?

No, I don't actually practice mantra japa, although I have in the past. I have a high opinion of the practice. I (try to) practice Atma-Vichara - translated as Self-investigation and also known as Self-enquiry - which is what Sri Ramana Maharshi recommended most often (although he endorsed others too). But since you brought up mantra japa I wanted to point out how these practices should lead to the same state. The various techniques are not meditation on their own, but instead should lead to the state of meditation when they are followed as they are intended. So, in my opinion, there aren't two kinds of meditation. But there are countless methods to help establish one in meditation.

Sorry if I am being vague. My original intention was to point out that the Self is not an object of cognition and can't be known as it truly is by cognition (except indirectly).

 

i understand your point b. The use of the word 'techniques' is more appropriate. However it is more convenient   to say various forms of meditation practice.... since the various forms of practice also have different techniques as u also have mentioned.