Vipassana meditation is a type of observational meditation. Regarding this, I wrote about experiencing a slow-motion perception of the visual field the other day. When the visual field is perceived in slow motion, I have come to realize that even the smallest things are devoid of compassion. Even a slight breeze causes something to sway and creates movement.

However, the "devoid of compassion" that I am referring to here may be different from the Buddhist interpretation. It is a feeling of "devoid of compassion" in the literal sense.

Although it is expressed as "feeling" in words, I don't think I could reach the current Vipassana state no matter how much I tried to "feel" with my five senses before. Therefore, the word "feeling" may be the closest, but it can also be said that the word "feeling" is wrong. My vocabulary is poor, so it is difficult to express, but perhaps I can say that in the Vipassana state, "the eyes feel." Of course, the eyes are a sensory organ for "seeing," but even though I am just looking, the whole body feels something. It is a feeling that is different from the "feeling" of the skin. Therefore, it is possible to say that "the whole body, both inside and outside, feels thoroughly based on the information that has entered through the eyes," but that "feeling" is not the same as "feeling the sensation of the skin."

When this kind of Vipassana state is reached, the whole body, both inside and outside, feels thoroughly devoid of compassion. The human body is surrounded by an aura, and it is that aura that seems to be feeling something.

It can also be said that the aura is functioning as a sensory organ. Or, perhaps the eyes are only for focusing, and what is actually feeling is the whole body, that is, the so-called aura.

In this Vipassana state, the aura of the whole body sensitively perceives the outside world, and reacts to the slightest movements in the outside world, and the aura reads those changes and feels the lack of compassion.

This requires stopping "thoughts in the head" to some extent, which is the basic first step to reach the Vipassana state, so I don't think people whose heads are constantly filled with distractions and thoughts can achieve it. Therefore, initially, instead of Vipassana meditation, we use Samatha meditation (concentration meditation) to reduce distractions. I wrote a little about that before.

Living in society is a complicated matter, and many people only know how to keep their thoughts constantly running. If you interact with such people in work or private life, it is easy to lose the Vipassana state, and you fall back to the ability to perceive space like a flipbook animation, where you can't recognize even a few frames in a second, which is a problem.

In order to further deepen Vipassana meditation from here, it may be necessary to limit interactions with the outside world.

This is a continuation of my previous message. In daily life, I started practicing Vipassana meditation, and I felt that there are various types of Vipassana meditation, such as "walking meditation," but I recently felt that these might not be the true form of Vipassana meditation.

I have experienced Vipassana meditation methods from the Theravada tradition, the Goenka method, and the Phayup Pariyati method, and the introduction to these methods involved using the sensation of the skin. However, perhaps this is just an introduction, and the true Vipassana meditation involves feeling the movement of the aura... That is what I personally think, although I have not confirmed this with experts.

When distractions decrease and daily life seems to be in slow motion, it will be easier to practice meditation in daily life, as is often said in Vipassana meditation (observational meditation, Vipassana meditation). However, if not, for example, even if you do "walking meditation," it may not be much different from simply walking. Well, I'm not saying that meditation is useless, but it seems difficult to feel the difference.

What I understand now is that, above all else, reducing distractions, what is commonly called purification, is important.

And it is only when purification is achieved and distractions decrease that Vipassana meditation truly begins.

In classical yoga meditation, it is said to focus on the ajna chakra (third eye) between the eyebrows or the chest (heart chakra, anahata chakra), but for me, the meaning of this has changed over time.

A long time ago, concentration meant detaching from distractions, and it had the meaning of focusing on "one point." If it was the space between the eyebrows, you would focus only on that space, and if it was the heart, you would focus your awareness there. When you were caught up in distractions, your concentration would break.

Now, when I say "concentration," it is indeed concentration, but the scope has become wider.

As I have been able to observe various parts of my body at any time, and as I have been able to practice mindfulness meditation in daily life, I have noticed that my concentration during meditation has been changing from what it used to be.

It seems to have changed from the type of concentration that focuses on a single point, like a needle, to a type that suppresses the fluctuations of the aura that covers the entire body.

Therefore, while there is still a need to use the space between the eyebrows as a focal point, or a kind of fulcrum, as it were, not all awareness goes to that point. Instead, I observe the entire body in a state of mindfulness, while using the space between the eyebrows as a fulcrum, and suppress the subtle vibrations occurring in the aura of the entire body, making it quiet. In this way, I have been using the power of concentration during meditation.

This can still be called "concentration," and because it is difficult to explain, I often use the word "concentration" when I need to express it. If I don't have much time to explain, I use the word "concentration" for the time being, and it is not necessarily wrong, but recently, I have been using concentration in a way that is slightly different from the meaning of "concentration" that focuses on a single point.

In the initial stages of meditation, concentration (samatha) is important for suppressing distractions, and eventually, it shifts to a state of observation (vipassana). However, it is interesting that a slightly different element of samatha (concentration) has entered vipassana meditation again.

Today's meditation started with a focus on the back of the head, and there was a slight change in the aura.

This is a continuation of what happened recently. Until recently, I was focusing on keeping the aura, which was spreading outwards from the body, closer to the body. It's like a Vipassana meditation, where the focus is on keeping the aura, which is fluctuating on the surface of the body, close to the body. The focal point or anchor for this focus was around the area between the eyebrows or the back of the head.

In the diagram, it's the blue area. I felt that the aura was concentrated in the blue area. The colors are for explanation purposes and I am not actually feeling them as blue. The yellow and green colors are also for explanation purposes and are not what I am actually feeling.After that, as I continued meditating, there was a change in the blue area. I wasn't expecting any changes, nor did I intend to cause any, but suddenly the blue area expanded upwards and changed to a green-like, slightly wider range.When the green color spread, my consciousness also changed, and I felt a little less tense and more relaxed.

First, I stabilized the yellow aura and kept it close to my skin, and at the same time, when the aura condensed into a blue state, the feeling in my body became much more comfortable. Even that was a comfortable state, but when it further transitioned to the green state, I felt even more relaxed.

I continued meditating, and it filled up to the area above the back of my head, but by the end of the meditation, it returned to the blue concentrated state... or rather, I unconsciously returned to the blue state and ended the meditation.

I wasn't consciously aware of anything, and these changes occurred naturally. It's interesting.

In the past, concentrating on the area above the back of my head sometimes caused discomfort that lasted for a while, but recently, that has hardly happened, and it is stable.

I don't know what this means, but I am enjoying the changes.

Sex drive is quite controlled in Manipura, and it almost transcended when reaching Anahata. This is something I have written about before, but it doesn't mean that sexual desire completely disappears. If necessary, you can use sexual energy, but it becomes much less likely to run wild.

In my case, I was in a state where it was difficult to control my sex drive until Kundalini was activated and Manipura became dominant. As a man, I would sometimes ejaculate in my sleep, but after such acts, I felt discomfort and a decrease in energy.

Now, while nocturnal emissions are not completely zero, they have decreased dramatically, and the leakage of sexual energy has become much less.

Along with this, the concept of love has also changed.

Previously, love and romance were very strong, almost like passions, and were of the type known as "intense love," "blind love," or "love that attracts each other." Now, it has changed to something closer to "deep friendship."

Therefore, if I were to look for a partner now, it's unclear how many people would understand me (laughs bitterly).

With my attitude, the other person might doubt whether I truly love them.

Now that Anahata is dominant, I worry much less, and universal love is stronger than love as a desire. Therefore, people who want to be loved only by me might not be satisfied with me.

In this state, it would be difficult to start a relationship in the traditional Japanese way, by first saying "I love you" and then dating. It might be more like starting as friends and deepening the relationship from there... or perhaps it would be like an arranged marriage.

I'm sure this is partly due to getting older, but more than that, the timing coincided with the activation of Manipura and Anahata, so I think the influence of something like Kundalini is quite significant.

I wonder how others are doing.

Now that I think about it, I sometimes miss the passionate love of the past, but I mostly feel like, "Well, it's okay," and I watch it with a detached perspective.

I have not mentioned this before, but in my case, not only my inner guide, but also my own spirit (what is commonly called the soul) played an important role in the Kundalini awakening.

This is something that is difficult to explain, so I have not written about it very clearly, but the basic principle is that one's own spirit can transcend time and space. The first time this was explicitly shown to me was when I was a child and had an out-of-body experience, where I went to the "future" (from my perspective at that time) and saw myself doing yoga, which led me to Kundalini awakening.

However, even when I say "future," when one has an out-of-body experience and enters a state of consciousness where the spirit exists, one has already transcended time and space. Therefore, one can view the past and future panoramically and in their entirety, and the past and future are simply different perspectives.

In that state, when I went to... or rather, when I saw the perspective of the future, I saw my future self, who was doing yoga, and I also consulted with the opinion of my inner guide, or rather, a guardian spirit, or a higher guiding spirit. There was a blockage in the Sushumna, which is a major energy channel along the spine, in my body at that time. So, my spirit, as if cleaning the inside of my future self's body, removed the blockage.

In order to prevent a sudden and overwhelming Kundalini activation, the blockage was not completely removed, but rather partially left, so that the Kundalini awakening would be gradual. This was also the opinion of my inner guide, the higher guiding spirit, who said that if the Kundalini were to awaken suddenly, it could become uncontrollable and dangerous.

This higher guiding spirit, which I sometimes refer to as my inner guide, is a being that is several levels higher than the spirits of my friends, acquaintances, and former family members, and it transcends time and space. The spirits of my friends, former spouses, etc., who are watching over me, cannot transcend time and space as much, but my inner guide provides guidance from a perspective that transcends time and space. It exists at the same level as the so-called higher self, and it is a being that can operate from the same perspective as the higher self, although the amount, characteristics, and personality of the aura may differ.

That is how I reached Kundalini awakening. It seems that, simply by doing yoga on my own, it could have taken decades, and there was a possibility that nothing would happen until I died.

This type of ethereal or astral surgery is not very common in the world today, but I think that people who awaken through yoga and practice alone are amazing.

As for me, I did not undergo intense training, and even though it was my own spirit that did it, I don't think Kundalini would have been activated without astral intervention.

This type of surgery requires entering a person's aura, so there is a need for some mixing of auras during the surgery, and there is a disadvantage that karma may be shared when performing surgery on people with low-quality auras. However, in my case, I performed the surgery on myself, so I don't think this was a significant issue.

Perhaps, people who have awakened to some extent can explore the inside of other people's bodies and remove blockages in the nadis, but there may be people who are reluctant to have surgery because they do not want to come into contact with or merge with auras and take on karma.

Probably, the relationship between a yoga guru and a disciple may be related to this. The guru may perform astral surgery to purify the disciple, which promotes the disciple's growth, but the guru also takes on the disciple's karma. This creates a close relationship between the guru and the disciple, which may explain why the guru does not easily teach others.

However, even though the relationship between a guru and a disciple may have been like that in ancient times, there are probably not many gurus today who can perform such astral treatments. Therefore, in many cases, only the form remains.

The loop of thought in the mind never ends.
When contradictions are found and thought stops, there is a chance to break out of the loop of thought.
Therefore, those who give in to thought and fail to break out may be the true winners.

By continuing philosophical thinking, one may eventually reach a point of negation of thought. Any logic is fine for that purpose. People with strong logical abilities may take longer to awaken.

Philosophy is nothing more than a series of thoughts, and it does not lead to the next dimension.

The significance of philosophy, from a meditative perspective, lies in the fact that thought stops when it encounters contradictions, etc.

...The above was suggested to me by my inner guide some time ago.

When I heard this, I thought, "Ah, I see."

Philosophers may be trying to find something, but the true truth lies beyond words, and the mere sequence of words does not lead to that point. Conversely, if there is a certain state, and words are used to explain it, then words become meaningful. However, in philosophy where words come first, words themselves do not lead anywhere, and therefore, there is some truth to the idea that the significance of philosophy is to lead to a state of thought cessation. After all, a state of thought cessation is the first milestone in meditation. Even if we discuss things with words, the truth lies beyond words, so there is no need to be too concerned with words. However, even so, words can be useful as guidance, and in addition to the significance mentioned above, philosophy also has a certain significance in terms of grasping and expressing things properly.

When I was young, I was very interested in Izumo Taisha Shrine, and I visited Ise Grand Shrine several times, but there was a period when I visited Izumo more often because it was further away from Tokyo.

Izumo has refreshing air, but it felt like a "bright black."
It might be a mystery if you say "black that is bright???", but the high-energy black aura is shining, and that is what makes it feel bright, but I think it is a deep, shining black aura, like obsidian.

On the other hand, Ise Grand Shrine has a white aura, and it enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, who symbolizes "heaven."
This is my subjective impression.

The main deity of Izumo Taisha Shrine is Okuninushi-no-kami, but its origin is Susanoo, the god of the earth.

Well, actually, I don't really understand the truth of it.

The main topic is from here. A while ago, I was told that somehow, the black, deep black aura of Izumo needs to be dealt with.

...I don't know who will do it.

It seems that Ise Grand Shrine has connections with the Imperial family and is relatively active, but Izumo Taisha Shrine seems to be still dormant.

Whether it is dormant that causes the deep black aura, or whether it is because it has not yet been purified, there are still mysteries about that, but through inspiration, my inner guide... or rather, it felt like a presence that was a little different from my usual inner guide, but that being said that someone needs to do something. If someone doesn't do something, there will be problems, or something like that...

...Even if I am told that, I don't know what the problem is or what to do, so it is something I cannot do.

I wonder if someone will do something?

In Buddhism, meditation, or samadhi, is divided into the realm of form (material world) and the realm of formlessness (non-material world, simply put, the world of the mind). However, Nirvana is interpreted from the following scriptures as something that transcends both.

"The First Discourse on Nirvana" - Muen -
Monks, there is such a state (Nirvana). There is no earth, no water, no fire, no wind, no infinite space, no infinite consciousness, no no-self, no neither perception nor non-perception, no this world, no that world, and there are neither the sun nor the moon. Monks, I do not speak of coming, going, staying, ceasing, or being reborn. This is something without a basis, without arising, and without conditions. This is the end of suffering. (From "Learning Buddha's Meditation in the Sutra of Great Mindfulness" by Ichiro Katayama)

I have not studied Buddhism professionally, but I had a feeling that Nirvana was probably something like that. However, reading this scripture, it became clear.

First, earth, water, fire, and wind are the elements that constitute the material world, so in Buddhism, they are called the "realm of form." Simply put, it means "material things are not involved." Then, it says "infinite space, infinite consciousness, no-self, neither perception nor non-perception," which, in Buddhism, is the "realm of formlessness," and simply put, it is "the world of the mind."

In the Buddhist world, these are often discussed in conjunction with meditation, or samadhi.

First, the mind is stabilized through meditation and samadhi in the realm of form (material world), and then the mind is further stabilized through meditation and samadhi in the realm of formlessness (world of the mind).

There are various opinions, and some say that meditation and samadhi in the realm of form (material world) are sufficient for enlightenment, and that meditation and samadhi in the realm of formlessness (world of the mind) are optional. However, according to the book "The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Akira Fujimoto), it is often the case that enlightenment is achieved after mastering both meditation and samadhi.

Therefore, simply put, the scripture above says, "Nirvana is something that transcends both the material world and the world of the mind."

That is why it lists various things and says "it is not this" one by one.

This way of listing things in the negative form is similar to Vedanta.

When you transcend the world of the mind, there is no basis, and it becomes something that can only be expressed in the negative form. I understand that well.

This is a correct expression, but I still feel that the negative form of expression is a difficult concept to understand.

Personally, I think it would be better to express this using a Vipassana meditation-like expression.

Transcending the world of the mind means stopping the movement of the mind, and when you do that, a feeling beyond the mind emerges, and daily life transitions to a Vipassana state.

To express that, since the feeling beyond the mind is neither material nor mental, there is no choice but to express it in the negative form.

Expression is really difficult.

I feel that enlightenment is actually a very simple thing, and the expression should be the same, but expression is always difficult.

Recently, as I mentioned before, I am gathering energy in the area below the back of my head. The sensation used to be like a condensed, hazy aura. Today (January 8th), it is still condensed, but the sensation has changed from a hazy feeling to something like jelly, a soft float, or a soft balloon filled with loose water.

What is this?

I remembered something from the book "Secret Method! Introduction to Supernatural Taoism" by Sōichirō Kōtō, which mentioned creating a sticky "energy" in the area around the dantian.

According to the book, if you practice the Small Circulation for a long time, the energy will spread throughout the body, and the quality of the energy will gradually change. That is, it changes from a smooth, hot water-like feeling to a sticky, viscous feeling. "Secret Method! Introduction to Supernatural Taoism" (written by Sōichirō Kōtō).

According to the same book, after this, what is called "Xiao Yao" in Taoism is created, and the "Kyoshitsu Seihaku" state is reached, where the vision becomes brighter during meditation.

Whether my sensation corresponds to this is a subtle matter because it is related to Taoism, but it is a reference.

It may not have been mentioned before, so I will include it based on old notes. This is...以前It may not have been mentioned before, so I will include it based on old notes. This is...

It may not have been mentioned before, so I will add it based on a memo from January 17, 2018.

About 10 days after the first Kundalini experience, I was dozing off in a reclining chair, and whether it was a dream or something else, I was enveloped in a high-pitched sound, like the "om" of a singing bowl, from my waist to my head, and my consciousness became clear, and I woke up. There are various types of singing bowls, with larger ones producing lower sounds and smaller ones producing higher sounds, but this was a very high sound.

First, my lower back was enveloped in an aura, and the sound gradually increased in intensity, second by second. As the aura spread upwards, it enveloped my head, and as it enveloped my head, the sound became louder, and I was enveloped in a large "om" sound like a singing bowl. As the sound became louder, my consciousness became clearer, and I woke up. This may be what the actual sound of "om" is like? It might just have been a dream.

At the level of my lower back, the sound was low. Then, the center of the aura moved upwards.
As it moved upwards, the sound gradually became higher.
When the center was around my chest, it was already a very high metallic sound.
When it moved towards my head, it either went beyond a metallic sound to a sound that was too high to hear, or the sound became smaller, but it is unclear which one it was. In any case, the sound gradually decreased.
And eventually, the aura disappeared, and the sound also stopped.

It is also possible that energy like a "flurry loop" pierced from bottom to top, but since I couldn't see it, I don't know if it was in the shape of a "flurry loop." It might have been enveloped in a three-dimensional sphere.

Currently, this does not occur, but in the past, I frequently experienced spontaneous breath cessation during daily life, so I will record it from my notes from that time.

[February 26, 2018]
Since last night, when I am in bed or dozing in a recliner, my breath sometimes stops naturally while I am "exhaling." Kevala Kumbhaka (breath retention) occurs automatically. It seems okay to continue the Kevala Kumbhaka, but if I continue for too long, I feel like my consciousness is fading, so I consciously force myself to breathe in after about 30 seconds. However, if I am careless, I will probably fall asleep as is. Is it okay to fall asleep? This happens not only when I am dozing, but also when I am reading a book in a recliner. This happens frequently.

I remember reading about Kevala Kumbhaka, which is when Kevala Kumbhaka occurs naturally. It is described in Chapter 2 and 3 of THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA. It is also mentioned in the Yoga Sutras, such as Meditation and Mantra. However, it is unclear whether this phenomenon is the same.

It could be sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), but I have not been diagnosed.

[March 6, 2018]
When I exhale and my breath stops on its own while in a recliner or in Savasana, the area around my Muladhara (perineum) feels "moa-moa" (tingling) and "sawasawa" (vibrating). Sometimes it is only the perineum that vibrates, and sometimes a circular "moa-moa" sensation occurs in the lower body, and that sensation moves to the upper thighs, etc., and then the "sawasawa" sensation moves to the perineum. In either case, in most cases, the perineum vibrates.

Even on days when the perineum is frequently vibrating, it is especially easy for the perineum to vibrate when I am doing Kevala Kumbhaka like this, and the frequency increases.

Also, recently, the skin on my forehead, in the Ajna chakra area, has been feeling constantly tight. It is unclear whether this is related to the perineum.

After that, it stopped occurring after the Kundalini was activated.

Related article: After the Kundalini experience, Kevala Kumbhaka became difficult.

I will describe what is written in my old notes.
I had a stuffy left nostril for many years since I was a child, but I resolved it with yoga techniques at that time.

[May 17, 2018]
For the past few weeks, I have been doing jal neti with a neti pot, but my left nostril is still not clear, and the chronic nasal congestion continues.

At that time, I suddenly thought of trying Sutra Neti again, using a thread or a special rubber thread.

Previously, it was painful just to insert it a little, and it was very difficult, but today, although it was somewhat painful, I was able to carefully insert the thread to the back of my throat over time. I failed to grasp the thread at the back of my throat with my hand, but even so, I was able to wiggle it and clean it.

The next day, my nasal passages improved dramatically! It's been over a decade since I felt so clear? I wish I had done it sooner.

After that, I repeated the same method for a while to clean my nose, and the condition almost did not recur.

I went from being a mouth breather to being able to breathe through my nose. Yoga pranayama has also become easier.

Now that I think about it, I am surprised that I was doing nasal breathing techniques in pranayama even though my nose was stuffy. I was always short of breath and it was very difficult.

I am not very good at it now, but I think it was extremely difficult back then.

I will describe what is written in an old memo.

[June 27, 2018]
For the past few months, I have been experiencing pain in the area around the heart chakra when I harm plants or insects. When I accidentally injure a plant with a shovel or slightly step on an insect near the door, I feel pain. It's quite a severe pain. When I was a child, I lived in the countryside and didn't think much about insects or plants. What has changed? It might be because my senses have become sharper through yoga.

...Later, when the heart chakra became dominant, this became even more definitive, manifesting as a desire to eradicate negativity. At that time, I still felt a strong pain, but it wasn't as definitive as it would later become.

Furthermore, after that, whether it was due to a strengthening of my aura or something else, I became more resistant to pain. There might be two aspects to this. One is becoming more sensitive, and the other is becoming stronger. Perhaps this was the time when I became more sensitive.

This led me to a certain recognition that even plants have consciousness. We sometimes hear about this, but there is a significant difference between hearing that plants have consciousness and actually experiencing it through our senses. I am not a complete vegetarian, but I eat a diet that includes a lot of plants. Even if I were a vegetarian, I am still consuming conscious plants, so in that sense, there is probably a similarity to eating animals. Plants seem to be more tolerant of being eaten, so if I were to eat something, plants might be better than animals.

Recently, I have been concentrating my aura and focusing it on the back of my head, but this morning, the range has expanded, and it feels like the aura is condensing to match the surface of my entire skin. While the density is lower than when it was concentrated on the back of my head, the range is wider, and it feels suitable for daily life.

When I wake up in the morning, my aura fluctuates, and I feel like the waves of my aura are turbulent. However, when I intend to stabilize my aura to match my skin, it feels like it stabilizes as intended, matching my skin.

Today, I don't feel the jelly-like sensation that I mentioned before.

I feel that even meditating to stabilize my aura for daily life can be helpful.

In meditation, it is important to practice "Shikan(Stop Viewing)" (shikan), which means "stopping" (concentration, samatha, shamatha) and "observing" (observation, vipassana). If samatha is insufficient, my aura may not stabilize like this.

Recently, I have once again felt the goodness of the traditional Japanese custom of eating with gratitude.

This has been taught as a habit and a moral principle, but I don't think I have often experienced the reason for it.

Now, when I express gratitude for the food, the sensation of eating is completely different. I didn't expect the effect of being grateful for food to be so significant.

I was originally an omnivore, but recently I have been trying to eat more plants. However, I am not completely avoiding meat or fish. Especially in Japan, they are often included in seasonings or marinades, and there are often few choices when eating out.

Vegetarianism is recently referred to as plant-based diet, but I don't consider myself a vegetarian. I eat everything, but I basically avoid meat, and sometimes I eat it if I feel like it. However, most of the time I regret eating meat. I understand that my body may be craving nutrients, even if I don't feel good about it.

The other day, I wrote about feeling pain in my heart when I harm plants or insects. From that perspective, whether it is an animal or a plant, the fact that it has had its life taken and is served on the table for humans to eat is the same. However, I feel that animals are more likely to have a strong sense of resentment, and that humans are more likely to be affected by the negative effects of eating animal meat, so I try to avoid it. In that regard, I have never felt that fish are resentful, so when I feel the need to take animal-based nutrients, I tend to choose fish over land animals.

Even with plants, those that are sold in supermarkets often feel like they have a "normal" aura. Meat feels like it has "a slight sense of resentment," but it's not something that bothers me too much.

However, when eating at restaurants or cafeterias, I feel that I am more influenced by the aura of the cooks than by the ingredients themselves.

Well, that's why I prefer cooking at home rather than eating out. However, there have been many times when I have taken in black auras while eating.

If I go to a good restaurant, there may be times when that doesn't happen, but that costs money. When cooking at home, it's better, but when eating out, I have been thinking for many years that it's okay, I can't help it. But then I remembered the experience from the other day, and I thought, even if it's a plant, I am taking its life, and when I occasionally eat meat, I am clearly taking a life, so I should be grateful. At first, I just had a vague feeling, and I tried it, and the effect was much greater than I expected. The discomfort I feel when eating has been significantly reduced. I think that until now, I may have been taking in unpurified auras along with the food.

Until now, when I ate, it was either up to the ingredients or up to the restaurant. But from now on, even if the food is good or bad, I want to be mindful of expressing gratitude to the ingredients and eating them with appreciation.

By doing so, I can practically reduce discomfort, and I think that originally delicious food will become even more delicious.

I think that until now, I have been feeling more of the physical and material deliciousness than the aura-related deliciousness, but now I am less interested in the physical and material deliciousness, and I am becoming more interested in the aura-related deliciousness, which is a feeling of comfort or refreshment.

I have always been curious about why some schools of yoga and meditation discourage the consumption of coffee (caffeine, tea), while others encourage it, or remain silent on the issue. Recently, I have been able to organize my thoughts on this matter.

* Many schools of yoga discourage caffeine. For example, the Shiva Yoga school.
* Some schools and circles of meditation seem to encourage caffeine (I heard this a long time ago, so I have forgotten the specific names).
* When I attended a talk on Theravada Buddhism, the speaker said, "During the time of the Buddha, there was no discussion of whether caffeine was good or bad, so there are no specific guidelines on the matter."

Personally, I initially thought that it would be good to avoid caffeine. While I believe that people should be free to consume caffeine later if they choose, I think it is best to avoid it initially.

When I asked a yoga teacher about this, she said, "It is best to try it and see the difference for yourself." I understand that this is a fundamental stance in yoga: to verify things through actual experience, rather than simply following what someone else says.

I originally drank very little coffee, but I occasionally drank tea. Sometimes I would drink tea regularly, and sometimes I wouldn't. Sometimes I would brew it in a teapot, and sometimes I would buy it. When I went to coffee shops with friends, I would sometimes try coffee.

I was in a state of not really knowing much about caffeine, but recently I have been able to organize my thoughts.

First, the effects of caffeine are similar to the observational state in everyday life during Vipassana meditation. However, it relies on a substance, so there is a rebound effect. In my case, when I drank coffee, I felt good immediately afterward, but I often felt uncomfortable within a day. I realized this difference was significant compared to when I didn't drink coffee.

In the past, during the hippie era, some people used drugs (which are now illegal) for meditation. In the sense that forcing consciousness to awaken has a rebound effect, the effect may be much larger, but the direction may be the same for drugs and caffeine.

In yoga, the use of such drugs is not recommended, but whether or not to use them is a matter of individual free will, so it does not deny the actions of others. The stance seems to be that people are free to consume what they want, but it is not recommended.

I speculate that some schools of meditation may be encouraging caffeine in order to achieve that awakening effect, but I have not had many opportunities to hear about this directly recently.

When I asked a yoga teacher about the reasons for discouraging caffeine in yoga, she said that it was because the organization had a policy, or she gave me an explanation based on Ayurveda. Simply put, the reason is that coffee and other caffeinated beverages are stimulating and therefore not good for meditation.

In yoga, not only caffeine but also spicy foods are discouraged.

Compared to my personal experience, in meditation, it is necessary to calm the mind with Samatha (concentration) at the beginning, and then move on to the Vipassana (observation) stage. However, if you have already transitioned to the Vipassana state, I don't think it will have much of an impact whether or not you consume stimulants or coffee (caffeine, tea). However, for people who need to practice Samatha, consuming coffee (caffeine, tea) may hinder meditation, or they may end up focusing only on Vipassana without developing Samatha.

This is not limited to caffeine, but if you only develop Vipassana without Samatha, you may become overly sensitive, and while you may see many things, it may be difficult to control yourself. In other words, you may become "easily irritable," which is dangerous.

Therefore, I personally think that it is best to avoid caffeine initially.

If you start with Samatha meditation without caffeine to "calm" your mind, and then move on to Vipassana, you can consume caffeine if you want.

However, in most cases, people do not reach the Vipassana meditation stage... In other words, people who can reach the Vipassana meditation stage may have some innate aptitude for it, so those with aptitude may not be affected by caffeine, but I still think that it is generally better to avoid caffeine.

There are various types of headaches, but I think headaches are one of the things that are interpreted spiritually and in various ways.

First, there is tension caused by physical force. Especially when doing meditation techniques that focus on the forehead, if you put in too much force, you may get a headache. When meditating and focusing on the forehead, the intention is to focus only on awareness without using force, but it is often difficult to achieve that, and unconsciously, force is applied, leading to tension and headaches. In this case, it is important to become accustomed to meditation and relieve tension in the head.

Another interpretation is inspiration, such as a bad feeling. This can manifest as a headache or as a reaction throughout the body.

There is also an interpretation that it is a message from a higher being. I personally think that this can happen sometimes.

Generally, it is interpreted as a cold or, from a psychiatric perspective, as stress.

On the other hand, within the spiritual realm, especially among psychic individuals, there is a long-standing tradition of headaches as a sign of becoming psychic. This is a unique type of headache, and while it is simply called a headache, it is different from stress headaches and headaches caused by a cold.

This psychic headache is said to be particularly well-known in countries like the UK, but it is not often heard of in Japan. This may be due to cultural differences. In countries like the UK, people tend to express their symptoms openly, but in Japan, people may be reluctant to talk about their headaches to others.

For example, in spiritual books, it is sometimes written as follows:

"In the eighth level of the Light Body, the pineal gland and pituitary gland, which are normally the size of a green pea, begin to grow and change shape. As they grow, you may occasionally feel a sense of pressure in your head. During this process, headaches may occur intermittently, or they may not."

Personally, I am not sure if this applies to me, but I have a strange tension and pain in the middle of the back of my head, and I am observing what is happening. I hope it is just a normal illness and not something like a brain tumor.

About half of it is speculation, but I think that's what it means. I quoted the three stages of Zokuchen in the previous article, but here is what it says about Tekchu:

The state of Tekchu is when the true nature of the mind, free from thought, appears. (Omitted) The exposed workings of the mind are called "rikpa" or "recognition." (Omitted) When you remain in the state of Tekchu, and the recognition of rikpa is shining, the thought that mediated between the object and your mind disappears. In other words, the barrier that was set up between the object and your mind disappears. The distinction between the object and your mind becomes blurred, and a state of mind arises where the object is your mind, and your mind is the object. "Zokuchen Meditation Manual" (by Takahiko Hako).

In the first half, an important Zokuchen term, "rikpa," appears. I think that rikpa probably means the slow-motion observation state of Vipassana. This is because it says, "the thought that mediated disappears" in the following sentence.

Furthermore, the subsequent explanation says, "the distinction between the object and your mind disappears," which I think refers to the state of Samadhi in yoga. If that is the case, there are many types of Samadhi, but from a yoga perspective, this Vipassana state can also be considered a part of Samadhi. There are many definitions of the types and definitions of Samadhi in yoga, but I think the Yoga Sutra has a definition such as "when the distinction between the object and the mind disappears," it is Samadhi.

Samadhi is not enlightenment, but a transit point. If that is the state of Tekchu in Zokuchen, it would be a clear explanation.

However, if you read the same book, the expression is similar to the previous stage of Shinae, so some people might consider this slow-motion state of Vipassana to be the stage of Shinae. In this regard, if you look at it from a Zokuchen perspective, it would be best to have it judged by Zokuchen monks.

So far, this is just a speculation based on what I have read in the book. Nevertheless, the state of Tekchu is very interesting.

The way I walk in the city has changed significantly from before.

Now, when I walk in the city, the scenery becomes like a slow-motion video, and I enter a state of Vipassana meditation, so I purely enjoy the view within my field of vision. It's a walk where I enjoy the changing scenery as if I were playing back a camera recording in slow motion.

Sometimes, random thoughts arise, but I quickly notice when those thoughts arise and return to the slow-motion Vipassana state.

Previously, when I received an explanation of Vipassana meditation, I was told to "observe the thoughts," but whether the explanation was poor or whether I misunderstood, now I realize that observing those thoughts that arise is not the essence; rather, it is seeing the scenery as it is, without any thoughts, that is the essence.

It is refreshing to stay in that essential state for as long as possible, and to quickly notice when thoughts arise and return to the original slow-motion, Vipassana meditation state where the scenery appears as it is. Recently, my walks have become like that.

In the past, my walks were often done to dispel feelings of stress or unease. Now, it's completely different.

Recently, I have almost lost interest in traveling based on the motivations I used to have. In other words, I am no longer interested in traveling to relieve stress or to release those uneasy feelings. However, like walking, I now think that it might be worthwhile to see various scenery in this slow-motion Vipassana state.

There is a training method in classical psychic development that involves holding a stone and trying to guess where it was located by merging with it.

This method involves merging one's aura with the stone. Recently, I have realized something about "tech" and "vipassana" observation, and I have noticed an interesting connection between the state of "tech" and this training method of merging with a stone.

In the classical training method, "merging with the stone" is the same as what is said in "tech" and "samadhi," which is "eliminating distractions" and "unifying the mind with the object."

I was aware that the definition of "samadhi" was famous, and I had noticed that it was similar to this psychic story, but I didn't expect that "tech" would be connected to psychic stories.

Even when seeking practical abilities through psychic development methods, I am interested in the fact that the essence is similar.

I do not know if everyone is like that, but I think there are a certain number of children who are born with a state of Vipassana in their daily lives.

What I mean by the state of Vipassana here is:以前As people age, they tend to lose the ability to experience the world in slow motion, a state of observation known as "vipassana." There seems to be a significant difference in growth potential between children who are raised by adults who understand vipassana and those who are not.

Children with vipassana observe everything in slow motion and meticulously report their observations to adults, often sharing the excitement they feel. However, adults often lack the observational skills or the interest to engage with a child's intense focus. In such cases, a child's vipassana ability gradually diminishes.

The environment also plays a crucial role. A quiet and peaceful environment fosters vipassana, while a noisy environment can diminish a child's observational skills and vipassana ability.

When vipassana ability declines, the experience of slow motion is lost, and the child's perception becomes limited to a few frames per second.

This leads to a decline in concentration, which can affect academic performance and cognitive abilities.

When adults interact with children who possess vipassana, it is crucial to understand and nurture this ability, as it is a key factor in a child's development.

If adults show genuine interest in the details a child observes through vipassana, without dismissing their behavior, scolding, teasing, or ignoring them, and without belittling them, they can cultivate the child's vipassana ability, which will allow the child's potential to blossom rapidly. Such children are likely to grow into highly capable adults who can achieve goals that previous generations could not.

In the past, the environment in Japan made it difficult to cultivate vipassana ability.

However, as time passes, the environment has become more conducive to vipassana, creating fertile ground for its development.

At the same time, souls who were previously unable to live in the existing environment and were reluctant to reincarnate are gradually being reborn in Japan. These souls are on a higher level than previous ones, with greater awareness, which may make it difficult for adults to fully comprehend a child's abilities. In general, children possess vipassana ability and a higher level of awareness than current adults.

Of course, there are exceptions, and not everything is guaranteed.

Many of the trivial games and habits of children have changed significantly.

In society, children are often judged based on their performance on school tests, but this is not the only measure of intelligence. While children with vipassana ability may tend to perform well in school, there is likely no one who has statistically studied the correlation between vipassana ability and academic performance. Therefore, the relationship between vipassana ability and school test scores is not well understood. However, in families considered "intelligent," vipassana ability is often valued.

Therefore, while society tends to focus on test scores, vipassana ability is arguably more important.

For example, the extent to which a child observes the scenery while traveling by car, or how closely they examine a room upon entering, are indicators of vipassana ability. While a child may observe something but not remember it, vipassana ability and memory are not necessarily the same. However, scenes observed through vipassana are often more easily recalled than others. This subtle difference is what matters.

On the other hand, adults who do not understand vipassana often dismiss a child's observational skills, leading the child to lose their vipassana ability.

It is hoped that in the future, people will be judged not by their test scores, but by their composure and vipassana ability.

The word "samadhi" is often spoken of mystically, and its meaning seems to be ambiguous these days.

There is a common misconception in the spiritual world that achieving samadhi leads to enlightenment. At the same time, there seems to be a variety of interpretations of what samadhi actually is.

This discussion continues from my previous post on the state of "tekchu" in Dzogchen. Based on the explanation of the state of tekchu, samadhi can be said to be a state in which thinking stops and the object is recognized as it is (vipassana).

This is my own interpretation, so it may not be understood by others.

The Yoga Sutra states the following:
(1-41) "Just as a crystal takes on the color of the object placed next to it, so too, when the activities of the mind have completely subsided, the mind becomes clear and still, reaching a state where there is no distinction between the knower, the known, and the knowing. This is the ultimate state of meditation, samadhi." (from Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga")
(1-41) "When the activities of the mind have completely subsided, the mind, like a transparent gem, rests on one of the three: the knower (Self), the known (Prakriti), or the instrument of knowing. This is called samadhi." ("Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Sachidananda)
(1-41) "[Definition and types of samadhi] When all the activities of the mind have ceased, the mind, like a transparent gem, is colored by one of the three: the knower (true self), the instrument of knowing (psychological instrument), or the object of knowing. This is called samadhi." ("Yoga Fundamental Text" by Tsuruuji Sabota)

The Yoga Sutra states that the methods for calming the mind are described in verses 1-40, and that samadhi arises when the mind is calmed.

The explanation includes the three elements often seen in explanations of yoga: "the seer (Self, Purusha, or Atman)," "the seen (Prakriti)," and "the instrument of seeing."

This explanation is quite mysterious and difficult to understand. If read literally, it can lead to various interpretations, such as a mystical state of consciousness. However, by using the definition of tekchu in Dzogchen, this explanation becomes clear.

It means, "Observing the object as it is, in slow motion and clearly (vipassana), without thinking." If this state is equivalent to the state of tekchu in Dzogchen, then samadhi and vipassana can be interpreted as expressing almost the same state.

With this premise, the definition of samadhi in the Yoga Sutra can be better understood.

I have quoted some definitions of samadhi before. Here are a few of them:
(3-3) "When meditation becomes so focused that it seems to lose itself in the object of meditation, that is called samadhi." ("Yoga Fundamental Text" by Tsuruuji Sabota)
(3-3) "When meditation becomes so focused that it only reflects the meaning of the object, that is samadhi." (from Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga")

When only the definition of samadhi is considered, a mystical image is amplified, and a misconception may arise that samadhi is enlightenment itself. However, based on the state of tekchu in Dzogchen, this can be interpreted as a state of vipassana. As I mentioned before, this may be a state of observation not only by sight but also by aura.

Reading the Yoga Sutra with this premise in mind leads to different interpretations, which is quite interesting.

There seem to be various types of samadhi, but this is probably the basic one.

Another mystery has been solved.

However, this is a subjective and personal interpretation.

Previously, Samayama was a mystery, but recently, I have developed an interpretation of Samadhi based on Zokuchen's insights. Based on that interpretation, the mystery of Samayama seems to have become a little clearer.

In that interpretation, Samadhi is observing things as they are (Vipassana). From another perspective, Vipassana meditation seems to be about feeling the movement of the aura.

Therefore, Samadhi is Vipassana meditation, which is a meditation that allows you to feel the movement of the aura.

With that premise, let's talk about Samayama. Samayama is described in the Yoga Sutras, and it is defined as the simultaneous occurrence of Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption). (Related: サムヤマの謎（サンヤマ、綜制）Previously, Samayama was a mystery, but recently, I have developed an interpretation of Samadhi based on Zokuchen's insights. Based on that interpretation, the mystery of Samayama seems to have become a little clearer.

In that interpretation, Samadhi is observing things as they are (Vipassana). From another perspective, Vipassana meditation seems to be about feeling the movement of the aura.

Therefore, Samadhi is Vipassana meditation, which is a meditation that allows you to feel the movement of the aura.

With that premise, let's talk about Samayama. Samayama is described in the Yoga Sutras, and it is defined as the simultaneous occurrence of Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption). (Related:

In Zazen, it seems like one meditates with half-closed eyes, but I meditate with my eyes closed in the style of yoga. Recently, I've been feeling that perhaps half-closed eyes might also be okay.

When meditating with half-closed eyes or with your eyes open, of course, you can see physical images in your field of vision. However, I feel that if you open your eyes before being able to engage in everyday mindfulness meditation, you tend to have many distracting thoughts and it's difficult to meditate effectively.

On the other hand, if you meditate with your eyes open in a state where you can perceive things in slow motion, it seems possible to engage in mindfulness meditation where you observe the field of vision without being distracted by it.

However, personally, I feel that for mindfulness meditation, it might be more effective to practice mindfulness with a changing field of vision while walking, rather than with a stationary one. It might be different once you get used to it.

Even if you observe the field of vision in slow motion, not much changes when you are sitting still. So, if you try to discern the changes, you have to strain your eyes and look at the details, which can be tiring. On the other hand, when walking, the scenery changes a lot, so you can maintain a mindfulness state without straining your eyes.

There are such differences, and I also have a personal preference for focusing on internal bodily sensations rather than the field of vision when meditating while sitting.

In any case, I think that meditation with your eyes open is probably more suitable for intermediate or advanced practitioners.

As I mentioned above, there is a risk of being distracted by the field of vision and having more distracting thoughts. Also, if you are not at a stage where you can concentrate, opening your eyes can easily lead to confusion.

However, even when opening your eyes, if it's something like having a picture or text in front of you and visualizing it in your mind, such as the Zen practice of "Aji-kan," you are not actually fixated on the image, so it might be okay for beginners. However, I personally haven't tried that method, so this is just my imagination.

I remember someone saying something like that a long time ago.

People are either alive or not alive.
People are either seeing things or not seeing them.
People are either looking at people or not looking at them.
People are either walking or not walking.
People are either eating or not eating.

...I think it was something like that.

A long time ago, perhaps 20 or 30 years ago, I read it in a book or someone said it, and I suddenly remembered it.

Now I understand that this refers to the state of Vipassana (observation) or Samadhi.

In a Vipassana state or a Samadhi state, being alive becomes a moment-by-moment experience, but before that, life is nothing more than a dull experience.

In a Vipassana state, the experience is so fine that it can be recognized in slow motion, but before that, the experience is like a blocky anime or a four-panel manga from a long time ago.

I think that's how people in the past expressed it.

The sentences above are poetry, so it's not clear what they are logically saying, but understanding them requires a Vipassana state.

I remember that when I heard this story, I also heard something like, "Don't think with your head. Feel it," which is something that someone who likes Star Wars, New Age, or Zen might say, but it's something that people who haven't experienced it won't understand. It's better to explain it in detail.

Now, I can experience Vipassana meditation in daily life, and that's how I understand this. However, even when I see sentences like the poem above, it is still quite difficult to understand the content by "feeling" it. Instead, I understand it by comparing it to my own experiences and logically assembling it. At that time, I felt mysterious, like "Oh, you can understand it by feeling???" But now I understand that "even if you try to feel it and can't understand it, that's perfectly okay," because "feeling" is a result, not a method for reaching Vipassana. It's a result of being able to feel it, not something you arrive at by feeling.

Now I understand that there are many people in the spiritual industry who say things that are hard to understand, so there's no need to get too involved with them. Poetic expressions are attractive, but the actual feeling is quite different... That's my impression. I think it's not good that poetic expressions can make people who don't understand feel like they do.

It's pointless to pursue words too much. It's better to have your own state change suddenly, and then express that experience or read what is written in books by comparing it to that experience.

Like consulting or counseling, books and articles are things that exist outside, so they should be used for "verification." True understanding can only be created by oneself. However, external information can be used to gain a wide range of perspectives or to confirm one's own state.

Probably, that is the case. Recently, I concluded that the state of Tekchu is likely a slow-motion Vipassana and Samadhi. If the state of Tekchu is like that, it doesn't seem to be simply a state of stopping thoughts.

In Zokuchen, as I quoted before, there are three states, and it says that the state of stopping thoughts is "the state of Shinee," which is a comfortable state. In fact, shortly after I started yoga, I experienced a state of calmness and concentration, a state of "emptiness" or concentration during meditation, and those were probably equivalent to the state of Shinee.

I don't know what the states of Manipura dominance or Anahata dominance that I experienced correspond to in Zokuchen, but I think that the state of Shinee in meditation refers to a state of concentration.

And the state of Tekchu is Vipassana and Samadhi, but in my case, the order was as follows:

1. Zokuchen's state of Shinee = A comfortable state of being able to concentrate well = The stage of "stopping the activity of the mind" in the beginning of Yoga Sutra's definition of Yoga. "Stopping" is "Shamatha" in India.
2. Kundalini activation, state of Manipura dominance. Increase in life force (power).
3. State of Anahata dominance. Becoming more positive.
4. Zokuchen's state of Tekchu = A state of slow-motion Vipassana (observation) meditation = Samadhi
5. Conscious use of aura = Samayama (I still have a long way to go)

Of course, there were many other things before and during these stages, but I have listed some key points.

At each stage, I have passed through several states of consciousness that can be called "enlightenment" to some extent.

In the state of Shinee, I didn't think it was "enlightenment" at that stage, but I sometimes felt that I had glimpsed a certain aspect of enlightenment. After that, when Kundalini was activated and Manipura dominance occurred, I felt that something was missing from this, which was the final form, and I felt that I had glimpsed a certain aspect of enlightenment. When I reached the state of Anahata dominance, I became even more positive, and I clearly knew that it was not the final stage, but even then, it was a state that could be called enlightenment in general terms. I think that in the past, even the state of Anahata dominance could be called enlightenment. Now, I think that the level of consciousness of people is rising, so there are many people in the state of Anahata dominance, and I think that there are many people who live their lives without even realizing it, at the level of Anahata dominance, even among those who are active in society.

And this time, I entered a state of slow-motion Vipassana about a month ago, but when I studied the stages of Zokuchen, it became clear that this was only the second stage, and I realized that what I had thought was a glimpse of enlightenment was actually just the beginning.

However, according to the books on Zokuchen, there is a large gap between the state of Shinee and the state of Tekchu, but after the state of Tekchu, it seems to be a continuous process, so once you understand the key to the state of Tekchu, which is slow-motion Vipassana, it is clear that you just need to move on to the next stage, so there is no need to hesitate.

I have read several books on Zokuchen, but there are many mysterious expressions, and it has been difficult to understand them. However, recently, an easy-to-understand book "Zokuchen Meditation Manual" (by Hiyoshi Hiyoko) has been published, and it has been helpful.

Ideally, it is best to have a teacher look at this, but since I often get annoyed when I ask a lot of questions to determine whether someone is worthy of being a teacher, I have never met someone I can think of as a teacher. I don't necessarily want to argue, but I often feel that I want someone who can answer those questions easily if they are worthy of being a teacher, but I often get answers that are off-topic or get annoyed, so I have never met someone I can think of as a teacher. In my case, I have an inner guide, so that is enough.

It might be a cultural thing in India. In Rishikesh, India, a yoga teacher told someone something similar.

During a yoga class, the topic of chakras came up, and one student said, "I can feel all the chakras." The teacher replied, "That's just your imagination. You're just feeling that way."

It seems that some yoga practitioners are trending or culturally inclined to say "that's imagination" to spiritual topics.
I've heard similar stories for decades, so it's probably not a recent phenomenon.
I've also heard about spiritual topics for decades, but I don't remember the specifics.

Well, this is the story, but sometimes, pointing out something like that is used to establish superiority over others, which is a form of "mounting."
If it's used for mounting, it's better to just listen and let it go, even if someone is talking about something they might be imagining.
Accumulating a lot of knowledge and then saying to someone who is talking about something, "That's just imagination," or having the feeling of wanting to "teach" someone, and not realizing that it's manifesting as mounting... I think it would be better if this habit disappeared.

It might be a cultural thing, and it might be appropriate in Indian culture.
That's because Indian people tend to be assertive, have strong convictions, and are confident, so if they think they can do something, they become stubborn. So, it might be necessary to point out things to bring them back to their true selves. However, if you say the same thing in a place like Japan, you often encounter situations where people say, "What are you talking about?"
In the first place, there are not many people who can assess the state of others and provide guidance, and unless you're at the level of a guru, you don't really know the state of others. So, even if you say something like "that's imagination," it might be true, or it might be imagination, and you wouldn't know for sure.

Well, people who have been saying things like "that's imagination" for a long time, which is a well-known and ordinary criticism, I tend to be a little suspicious of them.
If it's said by an Indian person, it might be culturally acceptable.

Recently, during meditation, when observing the body with Vipassana, I have become aware of tension in various areas such as the shoulders and hips, and I am consciously trying to release it.

When releasing this tension, various memories associated with it seem to surface.

The body seems to retain memories from a long time ago, and it seems that the body, or perhaps the aura, serves as a repository for memories. I had learned about this knowledge before, but I feel like I am starting to experience it now.

This tension is quite difficult to release. For example, even if I temporarily release the tension in my shoulders, it tends to return quite quickly.

Therefore, I need to release the tension repeatedly, but after doing so many times, it seems to gradually loosen.

When I repeat the process for the right shoulder and then the left shoulder, I feel that it has become looser than before, even in a neutral state. The same is true for the hips.

There is tension in areas that I was not even aware of, and that is why the muscles were tense.

Many of these types of tension are things that I was not aware of myself, and I am realizing that even if I think I am relaxed, there may actually be tension.

Based on the theory I learned before, it seems that tension has a cause, and that the tension will continue unless the cause is resolved. I am starting to feel that this is true. Therefore, I feel that the order should be to first release the tension in the body with Vipassana, then observe the past memories that emerge when releasing the tension, savor those memories, and erase them, and that when the memories are resolved, the tension will be fundamentally released.

Recently, I have become increasingly aware of the prolonged tension in my body.

Lately, during daily life, a semi-conscious awareness observes my body alongside my conscious awareness. When I notice tension in my body, I sometimes forcibly release it. I didn't notice this before. This started around the time when I began to perceive things in slow motion and experience a sense of detachment during everyday mindfulness meditation.
Recently, even at night, although not all the time, I sometimes experience a semi-conscious awareness that notices tension in my body, and I forcibly release that tension. It feels like I'm gradually transitioning from deep sleep where consciousness disappears to a state of semi-conscious sleep.
Even when I'm awake and doing something or walking, this same semi-conscious awareness continues to function. It's unclear whether it's separate from my conscious awareness or a continuous, different form of awareness, but it feels like this semi-conscious awareness is constantly aware of the state of my body, alongside clear, logical thoughts.
The same semi-conscious awareness seems to create a slow-motion mindfulness state, allowing me to perceive things in detail. I think this is probably a feeling of "aura" rather than simply visual perception.
However, when I close my eyes, of course, the visual information disappears, so even if I say it's a feeling of "aura," it's probably a secondary phenomenon.
It seems to be a combination of two things: an increased processing speed for visual information and an increased ability to perceive subtle sensations in my body.
The latter could also be interpreted as simply a heightened sensitivity in my skin and internal sensations, and there is indeed such a facet.
Therefore, to put it more precisely, it can be divided into three things: improved visual processing ability, improved ability to perceive sensations in the skin and internal organs, and improved ability to sense subtle surroundings (aura perception).
Of these three, my aura perception ability is still low. It's a sensation beyond the five senses that I've felt before, but it sometimes appears and sometimes doesn't, and even when it does, I only perceive it at about 5% intensity (figuratively speaking). This indicates that there is still room for improvement.
Recently, my perception has been increasing both during the day and at night, and I've become interested in consciously releasing tension in my body.
I still do stretches and exercises like yoga asanas, but I'm recently interested in how much change can be achieved by consciously releasing tension. I'm currently observing the results.

Recently, I have been practicing Vipassana meditation, which feels like slow motion in my daily life, but I don't experience that slow-motion feeling during seated meditation. When I do seated meditation, I close my eyes, so I wonder if the lack of visual information is why I don't feel the slow motion.

Seated meditation, at the very least, has a calming effect, and recently, I feel that it is effective as a way to stabilize my aura, which prepares me for Vipassana meditation in daily life.

It's not that because I can do Vipassana meditation in daily life, I no longer need seated meditation. Currently, it seems that both have their own roles.

Seated meditation helps stabilize my aura, which tends to become unstable in daily life, and at the same time, it helps calm my thoughts, making it easier to enter a Vipassana state. It also has the effect of simply relieving fatigue.

After seated meditation, it seems easier to enter a Vipassana state in daily life.

Seated meditation is useful in its own way, and there are various ways to do it, but recently, I haven't been focusing on my eyebrows or chanting Tibetan mantras (in the ancient way), but rather, I've simply been focusing on calming my aura and thoughts as preparation for Vipassana meditation.

I haven't read anything specific about this being good or bad, nor have I received any guidance, but I've naturally been doing it this way.

Recently, I've been experiencing Vipassana meditation that feels like slow motion, and I've also become interested in noticing tension in my body during daily life and intentionally releasing it.

According to W.E. Butler, there are three stages of relaxation.

The first is to find a place where you are tense. The second is to relax the tension. And finally, to establish a state of balanced muscles. (Omitted) If you practice this steadily, you will be able to achieve complete relaxation and the correct balance. (Omitted) This is an important point. "Magic Practice" (by W.E. Butler).

It says that you should find a place where you are tense, and intentionally tense yourself to understand that tension, and then intentionally relax your muscles, and finally, reach a state similar to what the book calls "balance." It is explained that relaxation is not a state of being limp, but a state of being relaxed with awareness and being able to move at any time. In addition to techniques such as "tension and relaxation," it seems to point out the important points of intentionally releasing tension and avoiding falling into a heavy feeling that is common when relaxed.

This book is not a book about yoga, but it is written with reference to the yoga system, and according to the author, this should be the first thing to do, even before yoga asanas (exercises) and pranayama (breathing techniques).

In my case, I was only able to use the technique of "intentionally releasing tension" (easily) after reaching the Vipassana state. However, I speculate that if I had tried to do it as the first thing, before doing yoga asanas or meditation, according to the order in the book, I would have probably struggled quite a bit.

Indeed, in terms of muscle tension, it seems to come first, but I also feel that awareness comes much later.

On the other hand, some people explain relaxation as follows:
Few people know that the reason why things don't happen (realize) even when you command the universe (visualize it) is due to a lack of relaxation. In order to achieve something and focus your mind on it, and to command its appearance in order to obtain a better result, if you are only giving commands, you must relax after the command (visualization). (Omitted) Relaxation requires not only muscle relaxation but also mental relaxation. "The Secret Doctrine" (by Dr. M. Dorril).

This is something that is often said in spiritual circles, but since this is an old book, it seems that such things have been passed down in some circles for a long time.

The other day, the preparation was for seated meditation, and it felt like practicing Vipassana meditation in daily life. However, in today's seated meditation, it felt more like Vipassana. Still, the bodily sensations are difficult to perceive, so it's not as clear as Vipassana meditation with vision. However, I feel that it is somewhat Vipassana meditation because I can perceive subtle sensations when sitting.

Compared to observing the visual field or listening to sounds in a Vipassana state, sensations are more subtle and difficult to understand. It's the same as the original sensations, but whether it's Vipassana or not is a subtle feeling.

However, I have confirmed that, at least, the same observation as the visual slow-motion Vipassana meditation can be done even while sitting, with regard to sensations.

In any case, it seems that Vipassana is better when centered around vision.

Vision is always there, so it felt strange like slow motion at first, but now it feels like this is normal, and I am aware of the vision.

The fact that vision is recognized in detail, not in a frame-by-frame manner, is the Vipassana state, but perhaps it is a natural thing for people who originally have that level of visual acuity. I feel that.

That is because it has been about 3 weeks since I became able to experience slow-motion Vipassana in daily life, and I have gradually become accustomed to this state.

In my case, I felt the difference because there was a change, but if there was no change, I would probably think that my perception is normal.

I thought that the difference between people who enjoy daily life and those who don't might be in something like this.

In a Vipassana state, even the changes in daily life can be enjoyed, while if not, there are no changes in daily life, and only thoughts repeat in the head, so it feels like an uninteresting life, and people may seek something far away.

In a Vipassana state, even the most ordinary path can be enjoyed by feeling the changes each time, and even subtle changes in the visual field can be enjoyed, but if not, it feels like the same path, and it becomes an uninteresting life.

This is not a matter of comparing it to the previous day or the previous time, but the ability to enjoy changes, whether it is the first time or the second time or the tenth time, is what is important in the Vipassana state.

I think that if people seal off the Vipassana state, they become like robots and get trapped in the "consumption" trap, which keeps the economy going, so the Vipassana state might be an obstacle for those who want to promote consumption.

Well, only those who notice will notice this and escape from the rat race.

Before transitioning to the Vipassana state, I didn't experience things this way. Previously, daily life was just daily life, and spiritual training (though I wouldn't call it that) was spiritual training. For example, yoga was yoga, work was work, hobbies were hobbies, play was play, and walking was walking.

However, when it became possible to experience a slow-motion Vipassana state in daily life, daily life started to feel like a practice without having to do anything special.

When I say "practice," it might evoke an image of something heavy, like retreating to the mountains and enduring harsh and painful practices to be more dedicated than anyone else. But that's not what I mean by "practice" here. It's simply experiencing a slow-motion Vipassana state while doing everyday activities, such as going for a walk. I feel that the act of living daily life in a Vipassana state itself has become like a practice.

So, it's just about living daily life while experiencing a slow-motion Vipassana state.

I don't do waterfall purification rituals, climb steep mountains, chant sutras or mantras, or even stretch... I mean, I can do those things, but they are not really related to what I'm talking about as "practice."

If I told someone that this is a practice, I would probably be lectured severely (laughs).
Especially yoga practitioners often say, "Don't mistake imagination for reality."

It's just that experiencing a slow-motion Vipassana state while walking feels like a practice.

To others, it just looks like I'm walking.

No one would think it's a practice, and there's no need to tell anyone that it is. Even if I did, I don't think they would understand.

Recently, I feel like I don't need to tell anyone about it. Well, I might mention it in casual conversation, but that's about it.

When daily life starts to feel like a practice, many things that were previously talked about in yoga and spirituality seem to "dissolve."

In the past, I understood and embraced spiritual concepts intellectually.

For example, when I wrote about meditation, I mentioned things like yoga meditation, samadhi, mindfulness, and Vipassana. But from my current perspective, all of that is seen through the lens of the slow-motion Vipassana state, and I'm starting to think less about the logic behind it.

Now, I feel that a phrase like "being in the present moment" or "being as you are," which is often used in Zen Buddhism, encompasses everything more than the traditional explanations of yoga and spirituality. If that's all there is, then there's really no need to explain anything.

Will my consciousness dissolve completely?

Well, there's not much I can do to worry about it, and I'm not actually that worried.

It's not like I'm "going with the flow," but rather, I feel like I'm being driven forward from the very root of my being because I have a sense of power, so I'm okay.

What I understand now is that I just need to continue experiencing the slow-motion Vipassana state in my daily life. The rest will unfold in due time.

Previously, it would switch either gradually or instantaneously, but today, I smoothly transitioned to a Vipassana state by stopping my thoughts. It's like observing the moment of transition in slow motion, but it probably only lasts a few seconds.

It's not so much that my thoughts stop, but rather that they dissolve into space.

As my thoughts dissolve into space, the scenery becomes clearer, and I transition to a slow-motion Vipassana state.

This week, I've had a lot of work to do, and I'm a bit tired, so perhaps that's why I haven't been able to smoothly transition to a Vipassana state. When I'm in good shape, my vision is recognized smoothly, like 30fps in a video, but today it was more like 15fps to 8fps. In that state, there's still some mixing of thoughts, but as mentioned above, when my thoughts disappear into space, my vision becomes a bit smoother, like 24fps.

I've also felt this when hiking, but the Vipassana state seems to be affected by fatigue.

Therefore, I think it would be good to go for a walk when I'm energetic and clearly enter a Vipassana state, as it would make me feel refreshed and happy.

When I am doing seated meditation, I feel a solid wall in front of me. It looks like a wall, or perhaps it is the "guardian of the boundary" that Steiner speaks of. The color is black, but it doesn't feel unpleasant. Visually, it resembles Flame from the Dragon Quest series, but it is black.

I somehow understand that it is a wide wall, but when I look directly in front of me, it looks like Flame, so it's not that there is a large Flame, but rather that there is a Flame that is about the same size as me, right in front of me. Behind it, or rather, immediately behind it, there seems to be a wide wall.

This is similar to recognizing the surface of the water from within the water. It's like diving into a calm lake or bay, lying on the shallow sandy bottom, and looking at the surface of the water and the sky through the clear water. And recently, I feel that the distance is getting closer, and I am gradually approaching the surface of the water. As I approach the surface of the water, I begin to feel the wall and the guardian of the boundary, as mentioned above.

This is something that I do not feel unless I am in a Vipassana state. In terms of yoga, it is a basic state of Samadhi. When thoughts stop and I sense the surroundings (it's a little different from the skin sensations of the five senses), I feel the above.

I have mentioned the guardian of the boundary before. By the way, Steiner is related to the Rosicrucian tradition. This is similar to the shadow of a minor demon that I saw briefly during meditation before, but this time, the eyes were not particularly shining.

My memory is a bit hazy, but I think there was a scene in the first "Ghost in the Shell" movie where the protagonist was floating on the water's surface... I looked it up, and sure enough, there it was. This is it. Now, you can find it easily. This image is a scene from that movie. I converted it to black and white because the color image was slightly different from what I expected.

It feels similar to that kind of image.

I remember when I was a child, I used to swim in the bay near my town. At that time, I dove into the sandy area with a depth of about 3 meters, lay on the sand underwater, and looked at the sea surface and the sky. Although it was a sandy area, the coastline was mostly rocky, so the water was generally clear and clean. I held my breath, but by moving only my lungs, I could breathe to some extent, so I stayed underwater, moving only my lungs, and started to doze off on the sand. It was comfortable, and I almost fell asleep. As my consciousness faded, I suddenly realized that if I lost consciousness and fell asleep, I might die. So, I gently pushed the sand with my hand and surfaced. I often remember the refreshing feeling of that time. This time, it's a little different from the refreshing feeling of the ocean experience, but there are similar aspects.

Now, I feel like I'm in a world beneath the surface, with the water's surface right in front of me, and beyond that is the "real" world... Or, how should I put it? It's the feeling of looking at the world on the other side of the water's surface from here.

The distance to that wall is getting closer, and what's on the other side is still unknown. I'm a little excited, but also a little hopeful, and I'm looking at that wall with a slight sense of tension. Could the world beyond that wall be connected to "infinity"? What is the reality?

I feel like I'm starting to connect with that wall, but it's only about 10% so far.

When I look at the definition of Samadhi, it seems strange, and if interpreted literally, it gives the impression of being completely different from the Vipassana state.

For a long time, I was puzzled by what state Samadhi actually is, and Vipassana was also a mystery. However, I first reached the Vipassana state, and then I read a Tibetan Dzogchen book that described that state, and I understood that it corresponds to one of the stages of Dzogchen. After that, when I applied the definition of Dzogchen, I learned that Samadhi corresponds to the same state.

Some people who practice yoga tend to deify Samadhi, and it is sometimes understood that achieving Samadhi leads to enlightenment. I personally feel that way.

I have solved this mystery before.

Therefore, I have settled on the understanding that Samadhi and Vipassana are the same. However, when I look at the outside world, I often hear that Samadhi is the goal, and Vipassana is an intermediate stage, or that Vipassana is the goal, and Samadhi does not lead to enlightenment. Do I hear this often?

People who deify Samadhi tend to strictly adhere to the cessation of thought based on the Yoga Sutra.
On the other hand, people who deify Vipassana deny the cessation of thought and argue that Vipassana, which observes even thought, is the path to enlightenment.

Based on my understanding, both of these are somewhat misunderstandings, but I have no intention of joining that debate.

I think that if you truly reach Samadhi, you will understand that it is the Vipassana state, and if you reach the Vipassana state, you will understand that it is Samadhi. That is all.

Samadhi and Vipassana are just two different ways of expressing the same state, and it is meaningless for people who have not reached that state to say that one is different from the other and that one is correct.

When you reach Samadhi, thought stops, and the aura becomes the subject, and it feels like you are seeing something with your aura. In the Vipassana state, even though thought stops, the aura is observing something in the same way. Therefore, I think they are essentially the same thing.

Once you reach that state, it is just a matter of how you express it, and I personally feel that the term Vipassana is more appropriate. Therefore, I am not a Vipassana advocate. I have been practicing yoga, but I have also referred to various Vipassana teachings.

Therefore, I can call my current state Samadhi, but I avoid using the word Samadhi because it has a strange connotation, and I don't like such obscure expressions. In terms of content, I believe that Samadhi and Vipassana are the same.

There is a common misconception about yoga that suggests that simply stopping thoughts can lead to samadhi (a state of meditative absorption) and enlightenment.

Normally, when one stops thinking, even if it is possible, it only results in a temporary state of suspended animation, essentially falling into a deep sleep. Some people mistakenly call this state samadhi. They misunderstand this and criticize yoga, saying that "stopping thoughts is useless."

However, simply stopping thoughts does not lead to samadhi, nor does it lead to enlightenment.

In my understanding, achieving samadhi requires not only stopping thoughts but also a sense of observation through the aura.

This is also stated in the Yoga Sutras.

(2) The cessation of the modifications of the mind is yoga.
(3) Then, the observer (self) abides in its own true nature.
(From "Integral Yoga" by Swami Satchidananda)

If we read this literally, the phrase "abides in its own true nature" feels like "Okay, it abides... so what?" It doesn't convey any meaning. It simply states that stopping the modifications of the mind allows the observer (self, Purusha) to remain in its true nature, and then it ends there.

This is originally a difficult concept in Sanskrit, so a significant amount of interpretation is necessary.

I believe that the meaning is something like, "the observer (self, Purusha) begins to perceive."

This is supported by the following statement in a Theosophical interpretation of the Yoga Sutras:

Chapter 1, 2: This union (yoga) is achieved by conquering the psychic nature and restraining the mind (chitta).
Chapter 1, 3: When this is accomplished, the yogi knows his own true self.
(From "The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey)

This translation seems more accurate. The "psychic nature" refers to the desires, emotions, and feelings in Theosophy. It explains that union (yoga) is achieved by controlling these qualities and by controlling the ever-changing thoughts.

Therefore, contrary to the common misconception, the result of controlling thoughts is not to become a robot, but rather to reveal a more vibrant and authentic self. Well, I have heard fewer of these misconceptions recently.

The state of samadhi is when thoughts are controlled, the observer (self, Purusha) emerges, and a kind of aura-like perception develops.

In Tibetan Dzogchen, a state of simply stopping thoughts is called the "shinay" state. It is said that simply stopping thoughts does not lead to the next "trekchö" state, and that after that, a sense of perception through the aura emerges, leading to a state of samadhi, which is the "trekchö" state, and I have personally come to the understanding that this is the same as the Vipassana state. However, simply stopping thoughts only leads to the "shinay" state.

This is a complex area, and interpretations may vary depending on the school of thought, but this is how I personally understand it.

As I wrote recently, I have been trying to reset my tension. However, for the past five days, I have been very busy and unable to do yoga asanas (exercises). Despite this, today's asanas allowed my body to bend much more flexibly.

When did I consciously start trying to reset my body's tension? I wrote the article about a week ago, but I think I started doing it a little before that. Has the effect of this become apparent?

About half a year ago, I fractured my right ankle, and since then, I haven't been moving my body much, so my body had become quite stiff. However, for the past month, I had resumed yoga asanas and had somewhat recovered. Then, since I started consciously trying to reset my tension, my physical condition seems to have improved rapidly.

Today's asanas showed that my physical condition is quite close to what it was before the fracture. I didn't expect such a rapid recovery.

Well, it might just be a coincidence of timing.

In addition to that, I was surprised that parts of my body that I thought couldn't bend are now starting to bend slightly. This is almost certainly due to the effect of this tension reset.

I have always had a very stiff upper back, but recently, I think I have been resetting the muscles in my chest, abdomen, and around my shoulders more frequently, so it seems that this is related to my back becoming more flexible.