Crystals have effects similar to meditation.
There are various types of stones, and even if a stone has a beautiful shape, it may not be a power stone.
A long time ago, I bought a large quantity of cheap stones in India, but they felt like "stones from a tired India." Stones seem to retain the aura of the place they are from. In India, they feel like they have the feeling of Indian people, and the same goes for other places.
It seems that local people pick up stones and sell them to foreigners at a high price, and the Indian people were very happy about it.
A long time ago, I heard that quartz was good, so I bought some quartz, but it had no power at all. Therefore, even if it is called quartz, there are various types.
This time, I bought some from Mercari, just on a whim. Previously, I focused on the shape, but this time I bought inexpensive, quantity-focused tumbled stones.
And... this had a surprising effect.
Just having them in the room produces a meditative effect, especially in the head area. They are effective even just by placing them, but the effect is further enhanced by slightly moving them.
When I use my computer at work, I often feel a sense of cloudiness in my head, but even just having these quartz tumbled stones nearby completely eliminates that feeling.
This is amazing. The effect that normally takes several hours to achieve through meditation is being produced by something so incredibly inexpensive.
Just having the quartz nearby makes my head, especially the back of my head, tingle. It feels like the energy is spreading to my neck, back muscles, and both shoulders. It seems good for stiff shoulders. Just bringing the quartz closer and slightly moving it seems to improve blood circulation throughout the body.
The ones I bought this time are 500g of Brazilian-made tumbled stones, and they cost around 1000 yen including shipping. Although Brazil is a large country, these were a good find. I'm going to buy about 1kg more of the same.
A long time ago, I bought a large quantity of cheap stones in India, but they felt like "stones from a tired India." Stones seem to retain the aura of the place they are from. In India, they feel like they have the feeling of Indian people, and the same goes for other places.
It seems that local people pick up stones and sell them to foreigners at a high price, and the Indian people were very happy about it.
A long time ago, I heard that quartz was good, so I bought some quartz, but it had no power at all. Therefore, even if it is called quartz, there are various types.
This time, I bought some from Mercari, just on a whim. Previously, I focused on the shape, but this time I bought inexpensive, quantity-focused tumbled stones.And... this had a surprising effect.
Just having them in the room produces a meditative effect, especially in the head area. They are effective even just by placing them, but the effect is further enhanced by slightly moving them.
When I use my computer at work, I often feel a sense of cloudiness in my head, but even just having these quartz tumbled stones nearby completely eliminates that feeling.
This is amazing. The effect that normally takes several hours to achieve through meditation is being produced by something so incredibly inexpensive.
Just having the quartz nearby makes my head, especially the back of my head, tingle. It feels like the energy is spreading to my neck, back muscles, and both shoulders. It seems good for stiff shoulders. Just bringing the quartz closer and slightly moving it seems to improve blood circulation throughout the body.
The ones I bought this time are 500g of Brazilian-made tumbled stones, and they cost around 1000 yen including shipping. Although Brazil is a large country, these were a good find. I'm going to buy about 1kg more of the same.
"To activate one's non-self" is a good expression.
Recently, I obtained a book that surprisingly details meditation. It's a record of a former Catholic from a foreign country who learned Zen. In it, there was the expression "to activate the non-self."
I think this is a very good expression for indicating a Vipassana state (a state of observation). Is that so? Was there an expression like that?
By the way, Osho used the expression "mushin" (no-mind). Perhaps expressions that are accepted by Westerners, or even by Indians who are accepted by the West, tend to be in the negative form. Perhaps by expressing things in the negative form, they can be understood by Westerners as "like that."
For Japanese people, it's like "hmm hmm," and it feels like you understand what it means, but you don't quite understand it.
Whether it's "non-self" or "mushin," it seems like they are trying to express something that transcends the mind, or something that is not the mind.
However, if you simply say "non-self" or "mushin," it might be understood as a certain state of being, and it might be perceived as a trance state or something like that.
But, if you express it as "to activate the non-self," it implies action, so it becomes clear that it is a world where extrasensory and extrasensory thinking operates.
Since this is not an action in the conscious mind, it is a different kind of action than what is typically understood as action, and because the word "action" is often understood as physical and sensory activity, I tend to avoid using the word "action." However, in the context of the book, "to activate the non-self" is a very understandable expression.
Because it's "non-self," it's not the usual mind, and the fact that it is active means that the reader can judge for themselves whether or not they can do it.
In order for the reader to understand that this is something other than what they know, rather than thinking that they can do it, the expression "to activate the non-self" is sufficient.
This is because, in this kind of spirituality, there are many places where it is discussed, so people tend to mistakenly think that they have a higher level of consciousness. However, the expression "to activate the non-self" is a clear expression that does not cause such a misconception.
I learned that "the hidden power of action works without the interference of the ego." What I learned was not "not to activate the ego," but "to activate the non-self." Finally, it was beginning to manifest in my daily life that "it is no longer me who is living." "Zen Introduction" (by Irene Manekis).
I think this is a very good expression for indicating a Vipassana state (a state of observation). Is that so? Was there an expression like that?
By the way, Osho used the expression "mushin" (no-mind). Perhaps expressions that are accepted by Westerners, or even by Indians who are accepted by the West, tend to be in the negative form. Perhaps by expressing things in the negative form, they can be understood by Westerners as "like that."
For Japanese people, it's like "hmm hmm," and it feels like you understand what it means, but you don't quite understand it.
Whether it's "non-self" or "mushin," it seems like they are trying to express something that transcends the mind, or something that is not the mind.
However, if you simply say "non-self" or "mushin," it might be understood as a certain state of being, and it might be perceived as a trance state or something like that.
But, if you express it as "to activate the non-self," it implies action, so it becomes clear that it is a world where extrasensory and extrasensory thinking operates.
Since this is not an action in the conscious mind, it is a different kind of action than what is typically understood as action, and because the word "action" is often understood as physical and sensory activity, I tend to avoid using the word "action." However, in the context of the book, "to activate the non-self" is a very understandable expression.
Because it's "non-self," it's not the usual mind, and the fact that it is active means that the reader can judge for themselves whether or not they can do it.
In order for the reader to understand that this is something other than what they know, rather than thinking that they can do it, the expression "to activate the non-self" is sufficient.
This is because, in this kind of spirituality, there are many places where it is discussed, so people tend to mistakenly think that they have a higher level of consciousness. However, the expression "to activate the non-self" is a clear expression that does not cause such a misconception.
I learned that "the hidden power of action works without the interference of the ego." What I learned was not "not to activate the ego," but "to activate the non-self." Finally, it was beginning to manifest in my daily life that "it is no longer me who is living." "Zen Introduction" (by Irene Manekis).
Everyone thinks that humans are all gods, but in reality, there are also things like mineral spirits.
There are also spirits of minerals, but the proportion is small, and you can't easily call something a god unless you know the origin of a person's soul.
Some people say things like, "A person's soul is like a god, all-powerful, but people just forget it!" However, the fact that such people exist means that there are also people who don't think that way.
In reality, one's position doesn't change much, and while I wouldn't say they are spirits of minerals, some people may have origins as spirits, fairies, or even reptiles. As a proportion, there are many people with the same origin in each country, so it's not something to worry about too much, but the expression "a mixture of diverse souls" is closer to the reality.
Some people say, "God reaches out to everything without discrimination," and that is certainly true, but I also think it may not be something that is very relevant to individuals. Knowing it as knowledge is fine. "What you give to others will return to you" is true, and I think that knowledge is sufficient for now.
If people think that everyone is a god, they may become hesitant to give things away, but if you deal with strange people, there's no end to it, and since there are many people who take things in this world, if you deal with such people, you will lose everything.
I think it's best to live quietly with people who you can understand. While it is true that everyone is essentially a god, the origins of souls are different, so you will still not get along with people who are not compatible.
Some people say things like, "A person's soul is like a god, all-powerful, but people just forget it!" However, the fact that such people exist means that there are also people who don't think that way.
In reality, one's position doesn't change much, and while I wouldn't say they are spirits of minerals, some people may have origins as spirits, fairies, or even reptiles. As a proportion, there are many people with the same origin in each country, so it's not something to worry about too much, but the expression "a mixture of diverse souls" is closer to the reality.
Some people say, "God reaches out to everything without discrimination," and that is certainly true, but I also think it may not be something that is very relevant to individuals. Knowing it as knowledge is fine. "What you give to others will return to you" is true, and I think that knowledge is sufficient for now.
If people think that everyone is a god, they may become hesitant to give things away, but if you deal with strange people, there's no end to it, and since there are many people who take things in this world, if you deal with such people, you will lose everything.
I think it's best to live quietly with people who you can understand. While it is true that everyone is essentially a god, the origins of souls are different, so you will still not get along with people who are not compatible.
Even if you have abilities, do not tell others.
When you are involved in the spiritual industry or yoga, you occasionally encounter people with certain abilities.
Spiritual people tend to be quite open and talk about themselves to others, but yoga practitioners, even if they have abilities, tend not to talk about them, which seems to be historically, culturally, and traditionally the case.
According to yoga practitioners, abilities can hinder practice or are a waste of energy, but the reason is often simpler.
It's mostly because showing off abilities attracts annoying onlookers. About 90% of the reason is that, and while there are reasons like "abilities hinder practice" or "abilities are a waste of energy" that yoga practitioners might argue with a serious expression, the main reason for not showing them is that onlookers are bothersome.
Sometimes, the abilities they show are only a small part of what they possess.
In either case, there aren't really any major reasons.
Probably, most people have similar reasons.
In the past, there were witch hunts, and people with abilities were kidnapped and forced to use them, so there were significant risks. Now, there are many influential people who are motivated by money, and information about where such people are is readily available, so the risk of being kidnapped is almost non-existent compared to the past. In the past, many people kept their abilities secret for such scary reasons.
For example, the Nazis kidnapped witches and forced them to use their clairvoyance. It was a scary time.
Now, the reason is often simply that it's troublesome. Or, some people might not talk about their abilities because they foresee a time when things might become scary again.
Spiritual people tend to be quite open and talk about themselves to others, but yoga practitioners, even if they have abilities, tend not to talk about them, which seems to be historically, culturally, and traditionally the case.
According to yoga practitioners, abilities can hinder practice or are a waste of energy, but the reason is often simpler.
It's mostly because showing off abilities attracts annoying onlookers. About 90% of the reason is that, and while there are reasons like "abilities hinder practice" or "abilities are a waste of energy" that yoga practitioners might argue with a serious expression, the main reason for not showing them is that onlookers are bothersome.
Sometimes, the abilities they show are only a small part of what they possess.
In either case, there aren't really any major reasons.
Probably, most people have similar reasons.
In the past, there were witch hunts, and people with abilities were kidnapped and forced to use them, so there were significant risks. Now, there are many influential people who are motivated by money, and information about where such people are is readily available, so the risk of being kidnapped is almost non-existent compared to the past. In the past, many people kept their abilities secret for such scary reasons.
For example, the Nazis kidnapped witches and forced them to use their clairvoyance. It was a scary time.
Now, the reason is often simply that it's troublesome. Or, some people might not talk about their abilities because they foresee a time when things might become scary again.
Chakra may rotate to the left.
In today's meditation, I suddenly realized I was falling from the sky. I was falling from the sky with my arms outstretched, lying flat, and falling from my head to the ground. When I was about a few hundred meters from the ground, I suddenly pointed my hands and a bowl (for some reason, I was holding it) forward, and wind entered them. Soon, the surroundings were enveloped in light, and the falling stopped, and I began to float in the air. Then, I rose again, soaring high above the ground.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
In today's meditation, I suddenly realized I was falling from the sky. I was falling from the sky with my arms outstretched, lying flat, and falling from my head to the ground. When I was about a few hundred meters from the ground, I suddenly pointed my hands and a bowl (for some reason, I was holding it) forward, and wind entered them. Soon, the surroundings were enveloped in light, and the falling stopped, and I began to float in the air. Then, I rose again, soaring high above the ground.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
In today's meditation, I suddenly realized I was falling from the sky. I was falling from the sky with my arms outstretched, lying flat, and falling from my head to the ground. When I was about a few hundred meters from the ground, I suddenly pointed my hands and a bowl (for some reason, I was holding it) forward, and wind entered them. Soon, the surroundings were enveloped in light, and the falling stopped, and I began to float in the air. Then, I rose again, soaring high above the ground.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
In today's meditation, I suddenly realized I was falling from the sky. I was falling from the sky with my arms outstretched, lying flat, and falling from my head to the ground. When I was about a few hundred meters from the ground, I suddenly pointed my hands and a bowl (for some reason, I was holding it) forward, and wind entered them. Soon, the surroundings were enveloped in light, and the falling stopped, and I began to float in the air. Then, I rose again, soaring high above the ground.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
In today's meditation, I suddenly realized I was falling from the sky. I was falling from the sky with my arms outstretched, lying flat, and falling from my head to the ground. When I was about a few hundred meters from the ground, I suddenly pointed my hands and a bowl (for some reason, I was holding it) forward, and wind entered them. Soon, the surroundings were enveloped in light, and the falling stopped, and I began to float in the air. Then, I rose again, soaring high above the ground.
At that time, I saw something like a vortex.
Is it bad to use opposite, positive thoughts to negate negative thoughts?
Recently, there seem to be many people who are overly logical, and there are a fair number of people in the world who deny this technique, which is written in classical texts.
The original story is described in the Yoga Sutras.
2.33 When disturbed by negative thoughts, thoughts of the opposite (positive thoughts) should be cultivated. "Integral Yoga (by Swami Satchidananda)"
This is a classical text, but I think a similar technique is also used in modern psychotherapy.
However, surprisingly, there are many people who deny this. I don't completely understand what they are trying to say, but it seems like they don't fully understand it.
First, the arguments of those who deny this are as follows:
- Thoughts should not be negated, but observed.
- Negating negative thoughts with positive thoughts is not true meditation. It is wrong.
These statements have a common point, and I get the impression that they have probably learned from Vipassana meditation or spiritual books, but they don't fully understand it.
First of all, it is important to clarify that what is correct varies depending on the level of consciousness.
Meditation has both "concentration" and "observation" elements, but suggesting only observation to someone who cannot concentrate will not lead to successful meditation.
The idea that negative thoughts will disappear if you simply let them be is for intermediate or advanced practitioners. The idea of generating the opposite thought (positive thought) to negate negative thoughts is for beginners.
There are always some people who immediately become hysterical and start denying this when they hear about the Yoga Sutra, and I completely don't understand why they become so hysterical, but there are actually people in this world who react in that way, so I feel that they are not yet at a level of understanding that allows them to properly understand meditation.
Indeed, when meditation progresses to the Vipassana state, there is no need to negate anything, and you can simply observe it. I can understand the opinion that negating negative thoughts with positive thoughts is not true meditation, but to me, both are meditation, and they are simply different in depth.
I don't think it's necessary to be so hysterical about denying it.
By the way, I recently came across a passage in a book I acquired:
True meditation is a natural and spontaneous process that does not require force. Whether it is a material or spiritual matter, trying to get something in return from meditation, or struggling to negate all conflicting thoughts by concentrating on certain thoughts at fixed times, is not meditation. "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (by Theodore Illion)"
This will give different impressions to different readers.
If someone who doesn't understand meditation reads this, they might think, "There are fake meditations! I know the true meditation," and become hysterical by denouncing the fake meditation. The author in this book exaggerates the terms "true meditation" and "fake meditation," so those who read this might take it seriously and try to denounce the fake meditation. This is not good. It shows a lack of understanding.
If someone who understands meditation reads this, they will probably just think, "That's right." There is nothing particularly amazing written in it, and it is a matter of course.
It is sad that some people are receiving unpleasant feelings due to such advertising that gives the impression of something amazing.
As I mentioned before, beginners should focus and concentrate to negate thoughts. That is what it is. Later, they will gradually enter the Vipassana state, but that is after meditation has progressed to some extent.
The original story is described in the Yoga Sutras.
2.33 When disturbed by negative thoughts, thoughts of the opposite (positive thoughts) should be cultivated. "Integral Yoga (by Swami Satchidananda)"
This is a classical text, but I think a similar technique is also used in modern psychotherapy.
However, surprisingly, there are many people who deny this. I don't completely understand what they are trying to say, but it seems like they don't fully understand it.
First, the arguments of those who deny this are as follows:
- Thoughts should not be negated, but observed.
- Negating negative thoughts with positive thoughts is not true meditation. It is wrong.
These statements have a common point, and I get the impression that they have probably learned from Vipassana meditation or spiritual books, but they don't fully understand it.
First of all, it is important to clarify that what is correct varies depending on the level of consciousness.
Meditation has both "concentration" and "observation" elements, but suggesting only observation to someone who cannot concentrate will not lead to successful meditation.
The idea that negative thoughts will disappear if you simply let them be is for intermediate or advanced practitioners. The idea of generating the opposite thought (positive thought) to negate negative thoughts is for beginners.
There are always some people who immediately become hysterical and start denying this when they hear about the Yoga Sutra, and I completely don't understand why they become so hysterical, but there are actually people in this world who react in that way, so I feel that they are not yet at a level of understanding that allows them to properly understand meditation.
Indeed, when meditation progresses to the Vipassana state, there is no need to negate anything, and you can simply observe it. I can understand the opinion that negating negative thoughts with positive thoughts is not true meditation, but to me, both are meditation, and they are simply different in depth.
I don't think it's necessary to be so hysterical about denying it.
By the way, I recently came across a passage in a book I acquired:
True meditation is a natural and spontaneous process that does not require force. Whether it is a material or spiritual matter, trying to get something in return from meditation, or struggling to negate all conflicting thoughts by concentrating on certain thoughts at fixed times, is not meditation. "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (by Theodore Illion)"
This will give different impressions to different readers.
If someone who doesn't understand meditation reads this, they might think, "There are fake meditations! I know the true meditation," and become hysterical by denouncing the fake meditation. The author in this book exaggerates the terms "true meditation" and "fake meditation," so those who read this might take it seriously and try to denounce the fake meditation. This is not good. It shows a lack of understanding.
If someone who understands meditation reads this, they will probably just think, "That's right." There is nothing particularly amazing written in it, and it is a matter of course.
It is sad that some people are receiving unpleasant feelings due to such advertising that gives the impression of something amazing.
As I mentioned before, beginners should focus and concentrate to negate thoughts. That is what it is. Later, they will gradually enter the Vipassana state, but that is after meditation has progressed to some extent.
Intense joy within a zone, and then a quiet joy afterwards.
In fields such as athletics and computer engineering, a state of intense focus accompanied by joy, often referred to as "the zone," is well-known. For some people, this may only occur once in a lifetime, but through meditation, it is possible to enter this state relatively easily.
If one does not meditate, they can enter the zone by becoming deeply immersed in work or hobbies and becoming one with them.
In my case, I was originally spiritual and experienced out-of-body experiences as a child, but at that time, I was not meditating. Instead, I believe I entered the zone and experienced joy by focusing intensely on computer programming.
Even at work, I was in the zone, but as I mentioned before, Japanese companies often have environments that make it difficult to concentrate, and people often approach you, disrupting your concentration. When someone abruptly breaks the zone (whether intentionally or unintentionally), it can lead to mental instability.
This is likely a manifestation of the fact that the concept of "the zone" is not well understood in Japan, and that work in Japan often consists of simple, repetitive tasks.
When you enter the zone, things that go beyond your previous understanding naturally emerge, and you achieve results that exceed your previous plans. To those around you, it may seem as if you simply pulled something out of nowhere.
In reality, entering the zone expands your consciousness, and in a sense, you receive subtle images from the future, including a perspective that transcends time and space, and judgments and new perspectives are constantly generated. This is something that people who have never experienced the zone or who can rarely enter it cannot understand.
However, I feel that computers are relatively easy to enter the zone with.
The habits of Japanese companies disrupt the concentration of people who are in the zone, so entering the zone itself can be dangerous. When the zone is repeatedly interrupted, it can lead to the creation of unstable computer engineers, as sometimes happens. It often seems that the problem is not with the individual, but with the company's environment. This is likely a manifestation of how little understanding Japanese companies have of the zone. That is why the productivity of Japanese companies is low.
On the other hand, fortunately, when the zone is not disrupted and work can continue in a state of joy, it leads to efficient results.
This is similar to the state of "concentration" or "samatha" in meditation. In meditation, intense concentration leads to joy.
Therefore, even if one does not meditate, if they can achieve intense concentration and joy at work, it is the same as being in a state of samatha in meditation.
And, as I experienced, it takes years of continuous practice, but eventually, the joy subsides.
This is not just my experience, but seems to be a general phenomenon.
The subsidence of joy does not necessarily lead to unhappiness, and gradually, a quiet joy replaces it.
At that time, I was not meditating, so the transition from intense joy to quiet joy was a slow transition, gradually shifting with each experience of the zone. However, it was a clear change, and it was irreversible.
The original state of intense joy is probably what is commonly referred to as "the zone," and even the quiet joy could be called "the zone," but it seems that it no longer needs to be called "the zone."
These two types of zones actually exist, but I think that the former type of zone is not well known in Japanese companies.
If one does not meditate, they can enter the zone by becoming deeply immersed in work or hobbies and becoming one with them.
In my case, I was originally spiritual and experienced out-of-body experiences as a child, but at that time, I was not meditating. Instead, I believe I entered the zone and experienced joy by focusing intensely on computer programming.
Even at work, I was in the zone, but as I mentioned before, Japanese companies often have environments that make it difficult to concentrate, and people often approach you, disrupting your concentration. When someone abruptly breaks the zone (whether intentionally or unintentionally), it can lead to mental instability.
This is likely a manifestation of the fact that the concept of "the zone" is not well understood in Japan, and that work in Japan often consists of simple, repetitive tasks.
When you enter the zone, things that go beyond your previous understanding naturally emerge, and you achieve results that exceed your previous plans. To those around you, it may seem as if you simply pulled something out of nowhere.
In reality, entering the zone expands your consciousness, and in a sense, you receive subtle images from the future, including a perspective that transcends time and space, and judgments and new perspectives are constantly generated. This is something that people who have never experienced the zone or who can rarely enter it cannot understand.
However, I feel that computers are relatively easy to enter the zone with.
The habits of Japanese companies disrupt the concentration of people who are in the zone, so entering the zone itself can be dangerous. When the zone is repeatedly interrupted, it can lead to the creation of unstable computer engineers, as sometimes happens. It often seems that the problem is not with the individual, but with the company's environment. This is likely a manifestation of how little understanding Japanese companies have of the zone. That is why the productivity of Japanese companies is low.
On the other hand, fortunately, when the zone is not disrupted and work can continue in a state of joy, it leads to efficient results.
This is similar to the state of "concentration" or "samatha" in meditation. In meditation, intense concentration leads to joy.
Therefore, even if one does not meditate, if they can achieve intense concentration and joy at work, it is the same as being in a state of samatha in meditation.
And, as I experienced, it takes years of continuous practice, but eventually, the joy subsides.
This is not just my experience, but seems to be a general phenomenon.
The subsidence of joy does not necessarily lead to unhappiness, and gradually, a quiet joy replaces it.
At that time, I was not meditating, so the transition from intense joy to quiet joy was a slow transition, gradually shifting with each experience of the zone. However, it was a clear change, and it was irreversible.
The original state of intense joy is probably what is commonly referred to as "the zone," and even the quiet joy could be called "the zone," but it seems that it no longer needs to be called "the zone."
These two types of zones actually exist, but I think that the former type of zone is not well known in Japanese companies.
Even if I see the future, I won't point it out; that would be rude.
Ultimately, since it's just a game, whether you succeed or fail, it doesn't really make much of a difference. Even if you can see that you will fail tomorrow, there's no need to point it out.
It's bad to interfere with everyone playing the game of "becoming serious." When you're playing, you should play to the fullest.
Even among celebrities, there are probably people who seem to have a glimpse of the future.
Some people are aware of it and say they can see the future, while others are simply thinking they have a sharp intuition. Even if someone thinks they can see the future, they may be less capable than someone who simply thinks they have a sharp intuition.
Basically, everyone should think they have some kind of precognitive ability, and since they are choosing to do it, they should be left alone. That's also a kind of learning or play.
When I say "learning," it sounds like a lesson, but even if it is a lesson, from a broader perspective, it's just a simple game of life.
Therefore, even if something seems like a failure from the perspective of others, there's no need to point it out. It's either an act of ego to try to influence someone, or they simply don't understand what life is.
Just leave them alone. This world is free, so some people succeed and enjoy it, while others play by failing and becoming serious. Of course, it may be painful at that moment, but that's because they made a choice in life.
This world is cruel, so there's no end to success, and there's no end to failure.
In reality, there seems to be help from others, but it's also not there, and if you want to help yourself, you can do it in an instant, but the underlying motivation is to "know."
When you see someone who is troubled and you wonder, "Why are you troubled?" you will eventually reach a point in your life, or in the future, where you will be in the same trouble and be able to understand that trouble deeply.
On the other hand, if you see a rich person and think, "What's so fun about making money?" you will want to "know." If you understand that being rich isn't always fun, you may lose interest in rich people, and you may realize that you don't need that much money yourself.
In that sense, failing is basically done because you want to know about failure.
Therefore, there's no need to interfere with someone who is failing and wants to understand that failure deeply. It's bad to interfere with something that is supposed to be the goal of failing. You should leave them alone.
However, there are also accidents that are simply true accidents. In that case, it's okay to point it out. It's different from the purpose.
But do ordinary people understand the difference?
Therefore, basically, even if you know someone's future, you should leave them alone.
When expressing "not-self" in a negative form, one might mistakenly believe they have understood "self."
Although "non-self" and "self" are similar yet different, when expressed in a negative form, it often leads to the illusion of understanding "self," which can be satisfying, but in reality, "non-self" and "self" are incompatible, so "self" cannot understand "non-self." This is not to say it's a misunderstanding, but rather, after "non-self" begins to manifest, "non-self" and "self" can understand each other, but before "non-self" appears, "self" cannot understand "non-self." In that case, even if "non-self" is expressed in a negative form, it only leads to the illusion of understanding "self."
While understanding is an important step, it's a state that is different from actually understanding.
Therefore, while the illusion of understanding is important, it is a state that is different from when "non-self" begins to function.
Let's occasionally quote the words of Bodhidharma.
"This mind is Buddha. There is no Buddha beyond this mind. Enlightenment and Nirvana cannot be sought beyond this mind. 'Mind' refers to the true nature of being, the absence of cause and effect. Your own mind is Nirvana." - "Bodhidharma (Osho)"
The commentator replaces the word "mind" in the original text with "no-mind" to explain it.
If "mind" is "self," then the original text would mean that one's own "self" is directly equivalent to enlightenment and Nirvana.
...Indeed, that is correct in the ultimate understanding, but most people probably don't have that level of awareness, so by using negative expressions, it expresses something that exists beyond "self."
By doing so, "self" first becomes convinced, and then, in order to experience it, one meditates or otherwise verifies it.
While understanding is an important step, it's a state that is different from actually understanding.
Therefore, while the illusion of understanding is important, it is a state that is different from when "non-self" begins to function.
Let's occasionally quote the words of Bodhidharma.
"This mind is Buddha. There is no Buddha beyond this mind. Enlightenment and Nirvana cannot be sought beyond this mind. 'Mind' refers to the true nature of being, the absence of cause and effect. Your own mind is Nirvana." - "Bodhidharma (Osho)"
The commentator replaces the word "mind" in the original text with "no-mind" to explain it.
If "mind" is "self," then the original text would mean that one's own "self" is directly equivalent to enlightenment and Nirvana.
...Indeed, that is correct in the ultimate understanding, but most people probably don't have that level of awareness, so by using negative expressions, it expresses something that exists beyond "self."
By doing so, "self" first becomes convinced, and then, in order to experience it, one meditates or otherwise verifies it.
Vipassana meditation, beyond that, the self is bewildered.
In the stages of meditation, the first stage is Samatha (concentration), which is a state of stillness where the ego is suppressed and temporarily disappears.
There are two types of Samatha (concentration). Initially, it starts with intense joy in the zone, which then changes to a quiet joy. When you stay in a state of quiet joy for a certain period, it transitions to a state called Vipassana (observation) meditation in slow motion or Kanika Samadhi (momentary concentration). However, after that, as the force to hold back the ego becomes unnecessary, the ego starts to move and becomes confused.
While meditating in Samatha (concentration), the ego stops, so joy arises. It seems like joy arises because the ego stops, but as you become accustomed to it, the joy subsides, and eventually it becomes a state called Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi. However, even in that state, there is still some force, a force that controls the ego.
Perhaps, that is the stage where the relationship between the ego and something beyond it, so-called non-ego or emptiness, or the true self (Atman), is being reversed.
In the Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi stage, the ego is still dominant, and the true self (Atman) is not very active. At most, it is a feeling of something vaguely present in the depths of the senses, or a vague recognition that what is being observed through Vipassana is the Atman.
After the Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi stage, the true self (Atman) becomes dominant, and in that stage, the ego becomes subordinate.
Rather than a complete reversal, it seems that at that stage, the control of the ego becomes unnecessary, and you can loosen the reins that bind the ego.
Then, as the true self (Atman) controls the ego, the ego, which has never recognized anything before, feels a vague anxiety and confusion about being controlled by something.
That is what has been happening to me recently in my meditation.
At this stage, it is no longer like sinking or falling deeply into meditation, forgetting time and spending time immersed only in meditation. Instead, consciousness is always awake, so the confusion of the ego is constantly recognized.
It is not like falling into meditation as I used to, and there is no sign of it happening, but since consciousness continues to move, I sometimes think that there is no need to sit in meditation. However, even so, I continue to sit because there is a slight difference.
This confusion is completely different from the confusion of being distracted by extraneous thoughts when I started meditating.
The ego is no longer captured by extraneous thoughts, and the ego is instructed by the true self (Atman) that it does not need to do anything. Even so, sometimes I am captured by extraneous thoughts, but the time when the ego is confused because it does not need to do anything is becoming more frequent than the time when I am distracted by extraneous thoughts.
Some people might describe this as fear, but it is not scary enough to be called fear. It is simply a feeling of the ego not knowing what to do and being confused.
I think that probably, after a while, the ego will understand that it is safe even if it does not do anything and will calm down. I think it is probably just a matter of time. I would like to observe it for a while longer.
There are two types of Samatha (concentration). Initially, it starts with intense joy in the zone, which then changes to a quiet joy. When you stay in a state of quiet joy for a certain period, it transitions to a state called Vipassana (observation) meditation in slow motion or Kanika Samadhi (momentary concentration). However, after that, as the force to hold back the ego becomes unnecessary, the ego starts to move and becomes confused.
While meditating in Samatha (concentration), the ego stops, so joy arises. It seems like joy arises because the ego stops, but as you become accustomed to it, the joy subsides, and eventually it becomes a state called Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi. However, even in that state, there is still some force, a force that controls the ego.
Perhaps, that is the stage where the relationship between the ego and something beyond it, so-called non-ego or emptiness, or the true self (Atman), is being reversed.
In the Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi stage, the ego is still dominant, and the true self (Atman) is not very active. At most, it is a feeling of something vaguely present in the depths of the senses, or a vague recognition that what is being observed through Vipassana is the Atman.
After the Vipassana or Kanika Samadhi stage, the true self (Atman) becomes dominant, and in that stage, the ego becomes subordinate.
Rather than a complete reversal, it seems that at that stage, the control of the ego becomes unnecessary, and you can loosen the reins that bind the ego.
Then, as the true self (Atman) controls the ego, the ego, which has never recognized anything before, feels a vague anxiety and confusion about being controlled by something.
That is what has been happening to me recently in my meditation.
At this stage, it is no longer like sinking or falling deeply into meditation, forgetting time and spending time immersed only in meditation. Instead, consciousness is always awake, so the confusion of the ego is constantly recognized.
It is not like falling into meditation as I used to, and there is no sign of it happening, but since consciousness continues to move, I sometimes think that there is no need to sit in meditation. However, even so, I continue to sit because there is a slight difference.
This confusion is completely different from the confusion of being distracted by extraneous thoughts when I started meditating.
The ego is no longer captured by extraneous thoughts, and the ego is instructed by the true self (Atman) that it does not need to do anything. Even so, sometimes I am captured by extraneous thoughts, but the time when the ego is confused because it does not need to do anything is becoming more frequent than the time when I am distracted by extraneous thoughts.
Some people might describe this as fear, but it is not scary enough to be called fear. It is simply a feeling of the ego not knowing what to do and being confused.
I think that probably, after a while, the ego will understand that it is safe even if it does not do anything and will calm down. I think it is probably just a matter of time. I would like to observe it for a while longer.
After the self feels confused, if time passes, the self will become calm.
This is a continuation of the previous discussion. When the ego reaches a stage of confusion, there is nothing more to do after that. I simply continue to observe that confusion quietly through meditation. Then, at a certain moment, the confusion disappears and the ego calms down. At that time, no effort is required.
In the state of samatha (concentration), a certain degree of concentration "power" is necessary. Initially, a particularly strong power is required, but even in the same samatha, the amount of power required gradually decreases.
Even when reaching vipassana or kanika-samadhi, some power is still required, but it is only when reaching this point that the state of not requiring power is finally achieved.
Even though it is said that power is not required, a solid foundation like holding a tray with one hand, or like having something on top of your head, is necessary as the power of meditation. However, it is not about exerting force, but rather that the core of the mind becomes solid, and no special effort is required.
Therefore, although it is not called power, the solid core prevents the mind from wavering, and as a result, the mind remains stable without the need to consciously apply force.
When that state is reached, even if the ego is initially confused, the confusion eventually diminishes, and the ego calms down as if it realizes its own safety.
It is as if a round iron ball is being drawn in by a magnet, and the ego itself is being properly controlled by something.
It is difficult to say exactly what this state is called. It could be called vipassana, or it might be called a form of samadhi.
The ego, which previously reacted to various things, no longer reacts superficially, but rather only what should be called the true self or the subconscious responds.
At that time, the subconscious responds, and the ego shows confusion as if saying, "Am I not supposed to respond?" However, this is simply expressing confusion in words, so the ego does not consciously emit this awareness. It is simply that the confusion spreads. At this stage, the ego is in a state of "waiting." Even so, it is curious about what is happening around it, and shows confusion.
The relationship between the true self and the ego is similar to the relationship between a pet owner and a well-trained dog. If the true self commands the ego to "stay," it is as if the dog follows that command, even though it may not fully understand the owner's intention, and yet, it is a dog, so it is always curious about what is happening around it.
Although it is confused, the ego has been trained not to react to extraneous thoughts, so it only shows confusion and ends there. Sometimes the deeper subconscious shows a slight reaction, and sometimes it doesn't, and it varies depending on the time.
The analogy that is often heard, that "you must relax in order to know the truth," or "you lose the truth if you grasp it too tightly; you must loosen your grip," may be describing this stage.
In the state of samatha (concentration), a certain degree of concentration "power" is necessary. Initially, a particularly strong power is required, but even in the same samatha, the amount of power required gradually decreases.
Even when reaching vipassana or kanika-samadhi, some power is still required, but it is only when reaching this point that the state of not requiring power is finally achieved.
Even though it is said that power is not required, a solid foundation like holding a tray with one hand, or like having something on top of your head, is necessary as the power of meditation. However, it is not about exerting force, but rather that the core of the mind becomes solid, and no special effort is required.
Therefore, although it is not called power, the solid core prevents the mind from wavering, and as a result, the mind remains stable without the need to consciously apply force.
When that state is reached, even if the ego is initially confused, the confusion eventually diminishes, and the ego calms down as if it realizes its own safety.
It is as if a round iron ball is being drawn in by a magnet, and the ego itself is being properly controlled by something.
It is difficult to say exactly what this state is called. It could be called vipassana, or it might be called a form of samadhi.
The ego, which previously reacted to various things, no longer reacts superficially, but rather only what should be called the true self or the subconscious responds.
At that time, the subconscious responds, and the ego shows confusion as if saying, "Am I not supposed to respond?" However, this is simply expressing confusion in words, so the ego does not consciously emit this awareness. It is simply that the confusion spreads. At this stage, the ego is in a state of "waiting." Even so, it is curious about what is happening around it, and shows confusion.
The relationship between the true self and the ego is similar to the relationship between a pet owner and a well-trained dog. If the true self commands the ego to "stay," it is as if the dog follows that command, even though it may not fully understand the owner's intention, and yet, it is a dog, so it is always curious about what is happening around it.
Although it is confused, the ego has been trained not to react to extraneous thoughts, so it only shows confusion and ends there. Sometimes the deeper subconscious shows a slight reaction, and sometimes it doesn't, and it varies depending on the time.
The analogy that is often heard, that "you must relax in order to know the truth," or "you lose the truth if you grasp it too tightly; you must loosen your grip," may be describing this stage.
Goenka's Vipassana meditation is a Samatha meditation (concentration meditation) that sharpens the five senses.
A few years ago, I participated in a Goenka-style meditation, which is advertised as Vipassana meditation (observational meditation). However, it is actually a concentration meditation (Samatha meditation) that uses the five senses, especially the sense of touch.
Therefore, the more you practice Goenka-style meditation, the more sensitive your five senses become, and you become more sensitive to subtle sensations. If this goes beyond your control, it can lead to a state similar to "Zen sickness," where your anger threshold is lowered and you become easily irritable.
When I participated, I didn't understand why the ego of people who had taken Goenka-style meditation seemed to expand so much, and why they became a mass of self-esteem or self-deprecation, and why they often became angry or mentally confused towards others.
I saw participants who would get angry and self-loathing just by saying something trivial, and I wondered, "What is this?"
Now, a few years later, I think I almost understand the mystery.
Vipassana meditation goes beyond the five senses, but Goenka-style meditation mistakenly believes that it is practicing Vipassana meditation using the five senses, especially the sense of touch.
No matter how sensitive you make the sense of touch, it is still a matter of the five senses, and it should be classified as concentration meditation (Samatha meditation).
When I participated, I found the nuances of these explanations to be somewhat difficult to understand, but when I look at it that way, I can understand the explanation of Goenka-style meditation.
Goenka may have been meditating, but whether he reached the level of Vipassana or not, I don't know. It is possible that he had reached that level but was unable to convey it properly. However, at least what is being done there is simply Samatha meditation (concentration meditation), not Vipassana meditation.
I wouldn't say such things to them, as they would likely strongly deny it. Moreover, I don't even want to tell others that I took Goenka-style meditation, because people who have taken Goenka-style meditation tend to have inflated egos, and if you even say, "I took it too," they feel that their sense of superiority has been hurt, and they mentally attack you relentlessly. So, it's better to simply say, "Oh, that's interesting. How was it?" when talking to someone who has taken Goenka-style meditation, rather than mentioning that you took it yourself. There are too many unpleasant people who have taken Goenka-style meditation.
While Vipassana meditation goes beyond the five senses, the five senses are the entry point. Indeed, it is necessary to calm the mind with Samatha meditation (concentration meditation) at the beginning. However, that is just concentration meditation, not Vipassana meditation.
I think that there is no need to even say "Vipassana" because you won't reach it so easily. Most of what is being done there belongs to Samatha (concentration) meditation.
There are various schools of Vipassana meditation, but only the Goenka-style Vipassana meditation believes that the sense of touch is Vipassana.
Other Vipassana meditation schools generally think as follows:
Vipassana meditation is based on the theory that if you can stop thinking and observe reality as it is, you will be liberated from all suffering (dukkha). "The Buddha's Meditation Method" (by Yuji Ikehashi).
This is partly about Samatha (concentration) meditation. You practice Samatha (concentration) meditation before entering Vipassana meditation. The Vipassana of the Myanmar Mahasi tradition seems to be the same.
Indeed, Goenka-style meditation also goes through similar stages. They say that the first three days are Samatha meditation of observing the breath, and then it is Vipassana meditation, but in reality, both are Samatha meditation (concentration meditation). That is the big misunderstanding of Goenka-style meditation. What you are actually doing is Samatha (concentration) meditation, even though you think you are doing Vipassana meditation.
Some schools of Vipassana meditation have a meditation practice that involves observing bodily sensations. However, that itself is not Vipassana meditation, but a means (method) to enter Vipassana meditation.
Even if you are taught a meditation that involves observing the body as the first step in a school that practices Vipassana meditation, it does not necessarily mean that it is Vipassana meditation. Some schools teach what appears to be Vipassana meditation as Samatha meditation because they don't want you to understand Vipassana meditation right away, perhaps with the intention of making you aware of it. There are even places that deliberately say that the sense of touch is Vipassana meditation, even though they know the true meaning.
Among these, only the Goenka-style believes that the sense of touch is Vipassana.
This is the difference between Goenka-style and other schools.
Therefore, even if you practice Goenka meditation, it only sharpens the five senses, but it doesn't necessarily lead to enlightenment; instead, it can cause confusion and expand the ego, making you more prone to anger towards others.
Therefore, the more you practice Goenka-style meditation, the more sensitive your five senses become, and you become more sensitive to subtle sensations. If this goes beyond your control, it can lead to a state similar to "Zen sickness," where your anger threshold is lowered and you become easily irritable.
When I participated, I didn't understand why the ego of people who had taken Goenka-style meditation seemed to expand so much, and why they became a mass of self-esteem or self-deprecation, and why they often became angry or mentally confused towards others.
I saw participants who would get angry and self-loathing just by saying something trivial, and I wondered, "What is this?"
Now, a few years later, I think I almost understand the mystery.
Vipassana meditation goes beyond the five senses, but Goenka-style meditation mistakenly believes that it is practicing Vipassana meditation using the five senses, especially the sense of touch.
No matter how sensitive you make the sense of touch, it is still a matter of the five senses, and it should be classified as concentration meditation (Samatha meditation).
When I participated, I found the nuances of these explanations to be somewhat difficult to understand, but when I look at it that way, I can understand the explanation of Goenka-style meditation.
Goenka may have been meditating, but whether he reached the level of Vipassana or not, I don't know. It is possible that he had reached that level but was unable to convey it properly. However, at least what is being done there is simply Samatha meditation (concentration meditation), not Vipassana meditation.
I wouldn't say such things to them, as they would likely strongly deny it. Moreover, I don't even want to tell others that I took Goenka-style meditation, because people who have taken Goenka-style meditation tend to have inflated egos, and if you even say, "I took it too," they feel that their sense of superiority has been hurt, and they mentally attack you relentlessly. So, it's better to simply say, "Oh, that's interesting. How was it?" when talking to someone who has taken Goenka-style meditation, rather than mentioning that you took it yourself. There are too many unpleasant people who have taken Goenka-style meditation.
While Vipassana meditation goes beyond the five senses, the five senses are the entry point. Indeed, it is necessary to calm the mind with Samatha meditation (concentration meditation) at the beginning. However, that is just concentration meditation, not Vipassana meditation.
I think that there is no need to even say "Vipassana" because you won't reach it so easily. Most of what is being done there belongs to Samatha (concentration) meditation.
There are various schools of Vipassana meditation, but only the Goenka-style Vipassana meditation believes that the sense of touch is Vipassana.
Other Vipassana meditation schools generally think as follows:
Vipassana meditation is based on the theory that if you can stop thinking and observe reality as it is, you will be liberated from all suffering (dukkha). "The Buddha's Meditation Method" (by Yuji Ikehashi).
This is partly about Samatha (concentration) meditation. You practice Samatha (concentration) meditation before entering Vipassana meditation. The Vipassana of the Myanmar Mahasi tradition seems to be the same.
Indeed, Goenka-style meditation also goes through similar stages. They say that the first three days are Samatha meditation of observing the breath, and then it is Vipassana meditation, but in reality, both are Samatha meditation (concentration meditation). That is the big misunderstanding of Goenka-style meditation. What you are actually doing is Samatha (concentration) meditation, even though you think you are doing Vipassana meditation.
Some schools of Vipassana meditation have a meditation practice that involves observing bodily sensations. However, that itself is not Vipassana meditation, but a means (method) to enter Vipassana meditation.
Even if you are taught a meditation that involves observing the body as the first step in a school that practices Vipassana meditation, it does not necessarily mean that it is Vipassana meditation. Some schools teach what appears to be Vipassana meditation as Samatha meditation because they don't want you to understand Vipassana meditation right away, perhaps with the intention of making you aware of it. There are even places that deliberately say that the sense of touch is Vipassana meditation, even though they know the true meaning.
Among these, only the Goenka-style believes that the sense of touch is Vipassana.
This is the difference between Goenka-style and other schools.
Therefore, even if you practice Goenka meditation, it only sharpens the five senses, but it doesn't necessarily lead to enlightenment; instead, it can cause confusion and expand the ego, making you more prone to anger towards others.
During meditation, a sensation appears on the top of my head.
A little while ago, I only felt sensations in the lower half of my head, and I had almost no sensation in the top part.
Sometimes, energy would reach the top of my head, but it was like waves occasionally reaching the upper part of a beach, so it didn't happen often, and basically, I didn't feel anything in the upper part of my head.
However, recently, I've started to feel sensations in the upper part of my head.
I still don't feel anything on the very top, but I think about 90% of my head now has sensations.
There's a small area just above the hairline where I still don't feel anything, but when I try to sense it, I feel a slight bulge, as if the aura is being pushed upwards.
Until recently, even when the aura reached my head, it would flow down the front of my body, like a small energy circulation system, rotating from my back to my head and then down the front of my body.
However, recently, the aura has been stopping at my head and putting pressure on the upper part.
When I tried the small energy circulation system a long time ago, I only felt a tiny sensation moving around. After the Kundalini awakening, I stopped understanding the small energy circulation system, and it just felt like energy was moving up and down. Recently, it felt like it was becoming a real small energy circulation system again, but then it stopped moving again.
When I observed the aura on top of my head, which had stopped moving during meditation, I noticed that the pressure continued to be applied upwards, and eventually, it seemed to find a gap or something, and the energy gradually started to leak upwards.
It's not like a completely open path, but it's gradually leaking out over time.
This is similar to the transition when Kundalini shifted from being dominated by Manipura to Anahata. At that time, I was initially in a state where energy was difficult to move from Manipura to Anahata. Even during meditation, energy would accumulate in Manipura, and it would only gradually leak into Anahata. At that time, I didn't have any sensation in Anahata.
In this case, although I have sensations in 90% of my head, I don't have sensations above my head, in the Sahasrara. If I'm doing the same thing, maybe this is a precursor to when sensations will start to appear above Sahasrara.
When I shifted to Anahata dominance, the change came suddenly, so I'm wondering if I'm currently blocked at Sahasrara and can't go any further, and if, when the time comes, I'll be able to break through Sahasrara all at once.
A while ago, I received an inspiration during meditation that I would reach the next level in about 3 years, so I don't have to worry too much. 3 years is surprisingly short.
Speaking of which, I've read a similar story about two people who were told, "You will be enlightened after a certain number of reincarnations." One person lamented that they needed so many reincarnations, while the other was happy that it was only a certain number, and at that moment, they were enlightened. I'm more like the person who thought, "Only 3 years?" It wasn't said that I would be enlightened in 3 years, but just that I would reach the next level, which is enough.
Sometimes, energy would reach the top of my head, but it was like waves occasionally reaching the upper part of a beach, so it didn't happen often, and basically, I didn't feel anything in the upper part of my head.
However, recently, I've started to feel sensations in the upper part of my head.
I still don't feel anything on the very top, but I think about 90% of my head now has sensations.
There's a small area just above the hairline where I still don't feel anything, but when I try to sense it, I feel a slight bulge, as if the aura is being pushed upwards.
Until recently, even when the aura reached my head, it would flow down the front of my body, like a small energy circulation system, rotating from my back to my head and then down the front of my body.
However, recently, the aura has been stopping at my head and putting pressure on the upper part.
When I tried the small energy circulation system a long time ago, I only felt a tiny sensation moving around. After the Kundalini awakening, I stopped understanding the small energy circulation system, and it just felt like energy was moving up and down. Recently, it felt like it was becoming a real small energy circulation system again, but then it stopped moving again.
When I observed the aura on top of my head, which had stopped moving during meditation, I noticed that the pressure continued to be applied upwards, and eventually, it seemed to find a gap or something, and the energy gradually started to leak upwards.
It's not like a completely open path, but it's gradually leaking out over time.
This is similar to the transition when Kundalini shifted from being dominated by Manipura to Anahata. At that time, I was initially in a state where energy was difficult to move from Manipura to Anahata. Even during meditation, energy would accumulate in Manipura, and it would only gradually leak into Anahata. At that time, I didn't have any sensation in Anahata.
In this case, although I have sensations in 90% of my head, I don't have sensations above my head, in the Sahasrara. If I'm doing the same thing, maybe this is a precursor to when sensations will start to appear above Sahasrara.
When I shifted to Anahata dominance, the change came suddenly, so I'm wondering if I'm currently blocked at Sahasrara and can't go any further, and if, when the time comes, I'll be able to break through Sahasrara all at once.
A while ago, I received an inspiration during meditation that I would reach the next level in about 3 years, so I don't have to worry too much. 3 years is surprisingly short.
Speaking of which, I've read a similar story about two people who were told, "You will be enlightened after a certain number of reincarnations." One person lamented that they needed so many reincarnations, while the other was happy that it was only a certain number, and at that moment, they were enlightened. I'm more like the person who thought, "Only 3 years?" It wasn't said that I would be enlightened in 3 years, but just that I would reach the next level, which is enough.
In order to prepare for the spiritual world that will come in the future, cultivate logical thinking skills.
Eventually, in 50 or 100 years, it will become a spiritual world. Looking at history, the current era is just an anomaly, and from ancient times, there have always been a certain number of people who possessed supernatural abilities, whether you call it spirituality, yin and yang, magic, or the realm of witches.
During the previous century, the witch hunts reduced the number of witches, and the Japanese yin and yang system was suppressed by the Meiji government, resulting in the massacre of practitioners. Now, only people with limited abilities remain. Those with true abilities either remain hidden or are reincarnated without those abilities in this life. After all, it is safest to have no abilities. Abilities can be acquired and discarded at will, but once you are born with them, they are generally difficult to change.
This can be seen as a preparation for the upcoming spiritual world.
Around the next generation or the generation after that, spirituality will once again become commonplace.
At that time, the logical thinking skills and business execution abilities cultivated in the current era will combine with spirituality, resulting in a doubling of abilities.
The spiritual world of the past tended to be weak in logical thinking. It emphasized inspiration and gave the impression that everything was understood.
In the current era, spirituality is rejected in favor of logical thinking, but this can be seen as an opportunity for those who have lived spiritually to train their logical thinking skills.
In fact, it is visible that people who avoid logical thinking and continue to pursue spirituality in the current era will continue to do so in the next generation.
Conversely, it is visible that people who are deeply immersed in logical thinking and neglect spirituality in the current era will develop spiritual abilities in their next life and integrate logical thinking and spirituality to unleash limitless abilities.
Therefore, I believe that the current era is an important period for preparing for the next spiritual era.
Instead of shunning logical thinking, we should appreciate that the current era is a rare time when we can live solely through logical thinking, and we should continue to learn logical thinking.
For example, computers are excellent learning materials for logical thinking. By working in fields that require logical thinking, those who have lacked logical thinking in the past can develop it.
In my case, this is exactly what I did. As I mentioned before, my soul is made up of the integration of several karmas, and my main soul has been male in past lives, engaging in business and other activities, but tended to prioritize impressions over logical thinking. I realized that if I continued like this, I would lack logical thinking in the upcoming spiritual era, so I decided to work with computers. To be honest, it is the complete opposite of my previous path. I am not very good at it, but I developed my logical thinking skills by being exposed to computers since elementary school and doing programming as a hobby. While others may learn it more quickly, it took me longer. Even so, I am more knowledgeable about computers than my peers, simply because I have been doing it for a long time. That is how much I prioritized computers in this life.
In several past lives, I have managed companies and engaged in trade, but I think I tended to prioritize relationships with people. In this life, I chose to work with computers to cultivate logical thinking, which is particularly difficult for me. And that will prepare me for the next spiritual era.
There will be a significant difference between those who cultivated logical thinking in the current era and those who remained purely spiritual when spirituality becomes commonplace in the next generation, in terms of whether they have "logical thinking + spirituality" or just spirituality.
I believe that the current era is a time to prepare for the upcoming spiritual world.
When that time comes, spirituality will naturally come to many people, so there is no need to worry about it now. Spirituality will be openly discussed, making it easier to develop spiritual abilities.
During the previous century, the witch hunts reduced the number of witches, and the Japanese yin and yang system was suppressed by the Meiji government, resulting in the massacre of practitioners. Now, only people with limited abilities remain. Those with true abilities either remain hidden or are reincarnated without those abilities in this life. After all, it is safest to have no abilities. Abilities can be acquired and discarded at will, but once you are born with them, they are generally difficult to change.
This can be seen as a preparation for the upcoming spiritual world.
Around the next generation or the generation after that, spirituality will once again become commonplace.
At that time, the logical thinking skills and business execution abilities cultivated in the current era will combine with spirituality, resulting in a doubling of abilities.
The spiritual world of the past tended to be weak in logical thinking. It emphasized inspiration and gave the impression that everything was understood.
In the current era, spirituality is rejected in favor of logical thinking, but this can be seen as an opportunity for those who have lived spiritually to train their logical thinking skills.
In fact, it is visible that people who avoid logical thinking and continue to pursue spirituality in the current era will continue to do so in the next generation.
Conversely, it is visible that people who are deeply immersed in logical thinking and neglect spirituality in the current era will develop spiritual abilities in their next life and integrate logical thinking and spirituality to unleash limitless abilities.
Therefore, I believe that the current era is an important period for preparing for the next spiritual era.
Instead of shunning logical thinking, we should appreciate that the current era is a rare time when we can live solely through logical thinking, and we should continue to learn logical thinking.
For example, computers are excellent learning materials for logical thinking. By working in fields that require logical thinking, those who have lacked logical thinking in the past can develop it.
In my case, this is exactly what I did. As I mentioned before, my soul is made up of the integration of several karmas, and my main soul has been male in past lives, engaging in business and other activities, but tended to prioritize impressions over logical thinking. I realized that if I continued like this, I would lack logical thinking in the upcoming spiritual era, so I decided to work with computers. To be honest, it is the complete opposite of my previous path. I am not very good at it, but I developed my logical thinking skills by being exposed to computers since elementary school and doing programming as a hobby. While others may learn it more quickly, it took me longer. Even so, I am more knowledgeable about computers than my peers, simply because I have been doing it for a long time. That is how much I prioritized computers in this life.
In several past lives, I have managed companies and engaged in trade, but I think I tended to prioritize relationships with people. In this life, I chose to work with computers to cultivate logical thinking, which is particularly difficult for me. And that will prepare me for the next spiritual era.
There will be a significant difference between those who cultivated logical thinking in the current era and those who remained purely spiritual when spirituality becomes commonplace in the next generation, in terms of whether they have "logical thinking + spirituality" or just spirituality.
I believe that the current era is a time to prepare for the upcoming spiritual world.
When that time comes, spirituality will naturally come to many people, so there is no need to worry about it now. Spirituality will be openly discussed, making it easier to develop spiritual abilities.
People who are spiritual tend to quickly judge others based on their impressions.
There are many people who are not like that, but I feel that people who are into spirituality tend to judge others based on first impressions. Especially, people who are born with abilities seem to have this tendency.
When trying to understand others, first impressions can be helpful to some extent, but most of the time, they don't go deep enough. However, they often make the mistake of quickly judging people. And sometimes, they believe that their judgment is absolutely correct.
To truly understand others, you need to astral project and see a certain amount of the person's past and future. This is an activity that transcends time and space, so it is difficult to express it in terms of time. However, if you combine the energy consumption and the activity during astral projection with the normal passage of time, you can generally grasp the basics in about 3 hours.
What spiritual people perceive as understanding others is often just a first impression, a superficial and basic characteristic. They tend to make the mistake of interpreting the image they perceive in their own way.
In reality, humans are much more complex beings.
It takes about 3 hours to understand even the basics. Excellent counselors spend about 3 hours the night before to understand the client who will come the next day.
Then, they spend another hour or several hours confirming it during the actual counseling.
Only then can they truly delve into the other person's inner world and guide them towards a solution.
This is a completely different process from how spiritual people easily judge others based on intuition.
Although the dimensions are different, the activities are quite similar.
Even in astral projection, judging based on impressions is the same. You can only observe and judge from the outside, but you have to go back to the root event that created the conflict, travel to that time and space, and observe the person's feelings and expressions up close to find the root cause. This is completely different from receiving an impression face-to-face.
There is also a method of understanding others by entering their body and merging with their aura, but from the perspective of the laws of cosmic vibrations, this is an interference with others, so it is strictly prohibited in some worlds. It is relatively free on Earth, but since each person's growth and learning are different, it can cause trouble to others and hinder one's own growth. If you can avoid the method of understanding others by merging with their aura, the best method is to astral project and observe the root cause of the past beyond time and space.
Even then, to know the deeper aspects of others, you must go back to the root cause. This may take more than 3 hours, and there is a possibility of missing something. However, basically, 3 hours should be enough. Once you get used to it, you can understand the basics in 1-2 hours. Even if you understand others, it is ultimately their life and their experience, and knowing that may not change anything... There is also a realization that you don't need to worry about other people's affairs.
However, until you reach that understanding, spiritual people tend to quickly judge others based on impressions, and they mistakenly think that they have understood the other person. This is like a pathology of spirituality, and perhaps everyone goes through this path when they are beginners.
When trying to understand others, first impressions can be helpful to some extent, but most of the time, they don't go deep enough. However, they often make the mistake of quickly judging people. And sometimes, they believe that their judgment is absolutely correct.
To truly understand others, you need to astral project and see a certain amount of the person's past and future. This is an activity that transcends time and space, so it is difficult to express it in terms of time. However, if you combine the energy consumption and the activity during astral projection with the normal passage of time, you can generally grasp the basics in about 3 hours.
What spiritual people perceive as understanding others is often just a first impression, a superficial and basic characteristic. They tend to make the mistake of interpreting the image they perceive in their own way.
In reality, humans are much more complex beings.
It takes about 3 hours to understand even the basics. Excellent counselors spend about 3 hours the night before to understand the client who will come the next day.
Then, they spend another hour or several hours confirming it during the actual counseling.
Only then can they truly delve into the other person's inner world and guide them towards a solution.
This is a completely different process from how spiritual people easily judge others based on intuition.
Although the dimensions are different, the activities are quite similar.
Even in astral projection, judging based on impressions is the same. You can only observe and judge from the outside, but you have to go back to the root event that created the conflict, travel to that time and space, and observe the person's feelings and expressions up close to find the root cause. This is completely different from receiving an impression face-to-face.
There is also a method of understanding others by entering their body and merging with their aura, but from the perspective of the laws of cosmic vibrations, this is an interference with others, so it is strictly prohibited in some worlds. It is relatively free on Earth, but since each person's growth and learning are different, it can cause trouble to others and hinder one's own growth. If you can avoid the method of understanding others by merging with their aura, the best method is to astral project and observe the root cause of the past beyond time and space.
Even then, to know the deeper aspects of others, you must go back to the root cause. This may take more than 3 hours, and there is a possibility of missing something. However, basically, 3 hours should be enough. Once you get used to it, you can understand the basics in 1-2 hours. Even if you understand others, it is ultimately their life and their experience, and knowing that may not change anything... There is also a realization that you don't need to worry about other people's affairs.
However, until you reach that understanding, spiritual people tend to quickly judge others based on impressions, and they mistakenly think that they have understood the other person. This is like a pathology of spirituality, and perhaps everyone goes through this path when they are beginners.
I was taught that "I think, therefore I am," and I am foolishly trying to fully utilize my thinking ability.
When you were a child, you were probably taught by your teachers. "I think, therefore I am," they explained, and you were taught that "your mind is you," "your thoughts are you," and "your thinking is you." That is a lie.
You were probably taught that "intelligent" people are those who can fully utilize their thinking abilities.
There are people who can continue thinking endlessly, their logic running at full speed, and who can't stop talking once they start.
In school education, you are required to provide "answers," so students who can fully utilize their thinking abilities to generate "answers" are considered intelligent.
While this is not inherently a problem, the fundamental misunderstanding that you will lose "yourself" if you don't think is the problem.
Because, "I think, therefore I am."
If you don't think and your thinking stops, it means "I don't exist," so you desperately try to keep your thinking at full speed in order to continue existing.
If you stop thinking, "I" will disappear.
...This is what is taught in normal education.
You are taught, "Don't stop thinking." This may vary depending on the school, but at least in the context of exams and studying, this seems to be a fundamental ideology.
Does stopping thinking mean that "I" will disappear? When a child asks this question, the teacher may answer "yes" or give an ambiguous answer. Children are straightforward, so if thinking is "I," they will feel disgusted because they think that the violent or vulgar thoughts they had are also "themselves."
The teaching of "what is oneself" in this area is completely different between what is taught in yoga and the Vedas, and what is taught in school education, which is "I think, therefore I am."
In school education, if "I think, therefore I am," then if thinking disappears, "I" disappear and vanish. If you have violent thoughts, you are considered violent, and if you think of vulgar things, you are considered perverted. Moreover, because if you stop thinking, "I" will disappear, you are forced to continue thinking 24 hours a day. ...Well, it may depend on the teacher.
Nowadays, with the increasing amount of information on the internet, people may not take the words of school teachers seriously, but I think that some schools still have this kind of nonsensical education.
The root of this absurdity is the belief that thinking is oneself. So, if thinking disappears, does "I" also disappear? Some educators believe that if thinking disappears, "I" disappears. Some educators claim that this is the "ego."
In reality, there are not many things to think about, but in order to avoid losing "yourself," people fill their minds with thoughts and continue to think 24 hours a day in this society. This is not normal.
If the media inserts advertisements into these thoughts, consumers will buy them all, and companies will make a lot of money. It will also become easier for others to control the masses, such as through wars and hate speech.
The reason why mass control is easy is because the wrong idea that "I think, therefore I am" is deeply ingrained.
For any question or topic, if you prepare all the answers and make people believe that those answers are correct, they will only "react," and the reactions of the masses will become predictable, making it possible to manipulate them in business and politics.
The reason why people cannot control their own minds is because they believe that "I think, therefore I am." In yoga, thoughts are temporary and are not "oneself." Because people think that thoughts are "themselves," they mistakenly believe that they are "dirty" or "wrong."
Recently, there are many people who teach these things, so it seems that people are less likely to be corrupted by education than before. However, I still feel that the harmful effects of the old education remain, especially among older people.
You were probably taught that "intelligent" people are those who can fully utilize their thinking abilities.
There are people who can continue thinking endlessly, their logic running at full speed, and who can't stop talking once they start.
In school education, you are required to provide "answers," so students who can fully utilize their thinking abilities to generate "answers" are considered intelligent.
While this is not inherently a problem, the fundamental misunderstanding that you will lose "yourself" if you don't think is the problem.
Because, "I think, therefore I am."
If you don't think and your thinking stops, it means "I don't exist," so you desperately try to keep your thinking at full speed in order to continue existing.
If you stop thinking, "I" will disappear.
...This is what is taught in normal education.
You are taught, "Don't stop thinking." This may vary depending on the school, but at least in the context of exams and studying, this seems to be a fundamental ideology.
Does stopping thinking mean that "I" will disappear? When a child asks this question, the teacher may answer "yes" or give an ambiguous answer. Children are straightforward, so if thinking is "I," they will feel disgusted because they think that the violent or vulgar thoughts they had are also "themselves."
The teaching of "what is oneself" in this area is completely different between what is taught in yoga and the Vedas, and what is taught in school education, which is "I think, therefore I am."
In school education, if "I think, therefore I am," then if thinking disappears, "I" disappear and vanish. If you have violent thoughts, you are considered violent, and if you think of vulgar things, you are considered perverted. Moreover, because if you stop thinking, "I" will disappear, you are forced to continue thinking 24 hours a day. ...Well, it may depend on the teacher.
Nowadays, with the increasing amount of information on the internet, people may not take the words of school teachers seriously, but I think that some schools still have this kind of nonsensical education.
The root of this absurdity is the belief that thinking is oneself. So, if thinking disappears, does "I" also disappear? Some educators believe that if thinking disappears, "I" disappears. Some educators claim that this is the "ego."
In reality, there are not many things to think about, but in order to avoid losing "yourself," people fill their minds with thoughts and continue to think 24 hours a day in this society. This is not normal.
If the media inserts advertisements into these thoughts, consumers will buy them all, and companies will make a lot of money. It will also become easier for others to control the masses, such as through wars and hate speech.
The reason why mass control is easy is because the wrong idea that "I think, therefore I am" is deeply ingrained.
For any question or topic, if you prepare all the answers and make people believe that those answers are correct, they will only "react," and the reactions of the masses will become predictable, making it possible to manipulate them in business and politics.
The reason why people cannot control their own minds is because they believe that "I think, therefore I am." In yoga, thoughts are temporary and are not "oneself." Because people think that thoughts are "themselves," they mistakenly believe that they are "dirty" or "wrong."
Recently, there are many people who teach these things, so it seems that people are less likely to be corrupted by education than before. However, I still feel that the harmful effects of the old education remain, especially among older people.
I think, therefore I am.
It is often said, "I think, therefore I am," but in reality, you exist even if you don't think.
Because, if you stop thinking, does your body disappear? No, it doesn't.
It is perfectly safe to stop thinking.
The phrase "I think, therefore I am" leads to mental illness, and it produces people who can only react instinctively and cannot think deeply.
When you are not thinking, you are actually "observing carefully." You cannot "observe carefully" while you are thinking.
In yoga and Zen, this state is described as "the bare mind observing."
You cannot "observe carefully" when your mind is constantly churning. When your mind is constantly churning, the only thing you can do is retrieve past knowledge, but "observing carefully" is impossible.
This is the difference between a true wise person and someone who uses clever tricks.
If you live by constantly churning your mind and reacting, you will not see the true nature of things, and only clever knowledge will emerge. Moreover, this knowledge is not something you created yourself, but something you picked up from somewhere else, which is even worse. Because you did not create it yourself, you will have less sense of responsibility, less attachment, less ability to complete tasks, and a lack of a sense of being the one doing it.
Clever people use this knowledge to satisfy their ego, which makes them even more troublesome. These are the people who sell their country, their hometown, and the company they work for. You should not give authority to clever people, and you must also be careful of clever people who feel unhappy and try to sabotage things. You should not let clever people join your group from the beginning. Even so, it is troublesome that some clever people will inevitably join, but you need to build multiple barriers.
When someone responds immediately to something you say, you might say they are intelligent, but the key difference is whether they think "I think, therefore I am" or "I exist even if I don't think."
People who are simply quick-witted and think "I exist even if I don't think" are excellent, but people who are quick-witted but think "I think, therefore I am" are only clever.
This may seem like a small difference, but it is a significant and absolute difference, a huge difference that is difficult to overcome.
If you want to be safe, you should focus on what you think you are, rather than just focusing on your mental agility. However, society is not like that.
If you think meditatively, even if your mental agility is not very high, your mental agility will increase as you meditate. Therefore, if you have an environment where you can truly delve into meditation, the only thing that matters is your fundamental belief about "what you are." However, even with meditation, there is no guarantee that you will reach that level.
Even if you cannot reach that level with meditation, knowing that "you exist even if you don't think" is still beneficial.
Regarding the question of whether you will disappear if your thoughts disappear, philosophers have come up with various answers. However, ultimately, those are just answers that were thought up in the mind.
For example, let's consider consciousness. If you disappear when your thoughts stop, how is it possible to stop thinking for a while and then start thinking again? If thought is you, and you disappear when thought stops, then you should be zero, and you should never be able to think again. Or, does your being disappear when thought disappears, but a new you is created when you start thinking again? If so, what is the relationship between the previous you and the new you? Some philosophers believe there is a connection, while others believe there is no connection. Some philosophers believe that the previous and subsequent thoughts are connected, while others believe that the previous and subsequent thoughts are completely different selves.
...Will listening to this kind of talk be helpful to you? It's just making you think more in your head. Ordinary people don't need to deal with the constant churning of philosophers' thoughts.
Yoga offers a simpler answer.
The fact that you can think again even when your thoughts stop means that there is something more fundamental than thought. Yoga calls that fundamental thing "I," and yoga says that thought is "not I."
If that is the case, then it is natural that "I exist even if I do not think."
Because, if you stop thinking, does your body disappear? No, it doesn't.
It is perfectly safe to stop thinking.
The phrase "I think, therefore I am" leads to mental illness, and it produces people who can only react instinctively and cannot think deeply.
When you are not thinking, you are actually "observing carefully." You cannot "observe carefully" while you are thinking.
In yoga and Zen, this state is described as "the bare mind observing."
You cannot "observe carefully" when your mind is constantly churning. When your mind is constantly churning, the only thing you can do is retrieve past knowledge, but "observing carefully" is impossible.
This is the difference between a true wise person and someone who uses clever tricks.
If you live by constantly churning your mind and reacting, you will not see the true nature of things, and only clever knowledge will emerge. Moreover, this knowledge is not something you created yourself, but something you picked up from somewhere else, which is even worse. Because you did not create it yourself, you will have less sense of responsibility, less attachment, less ability to complete tasks, and a lack of a sense of being the one doing it.
Clever people use this knowledge to satisfy their ego, which makes them even more troublesome. These are the people who sell their country, their hometown, and the company they work for. You should not give authority to clever people, and you must also be careful of clever people who feel unhappy and try to sabotage things. You should not let clever people join your group from the beginning. Even so, it is troublesome that some clever people will inevitably join, but you need to build multiple barriers.
When someone responds immediately to something you say, you might say they are intelligent, but the key difference is whether they think "I think, therefore I am" or "I exist even if I don't think."
People who are simply quick-witted and think "I exist even if I don't think" are excellent, but people who are quick-witted but think "I think, therefore I am" are only clever.
This may seem like a small difference, but it is a significant and absolute difference, a huge difference that is difficult to overcome.
If you want to be safe, you should focus on what you think you are, rather than just focusing on your mental agility. However, society is not like that.
If you think meditatively, even if your mental agility is not very high, your mental agility will increase as you meditate. Therefore, if you have an environment where you can truly delve into meditation, the only thing that matters is your fundamental belief about "what you are." However, even with meditation, there is no guarantee that you will reach that level.
Even if you cannot reach that level with meditation, knowing that "you exist even if you don't think" is still beneficial.
Regarding the question of whether you will disappear if your thoughts disappear, philosophers have come up with various answers. However, ultimately, those are just answers that were thought up in the mind.
For example, let's consider consciousness. If you disappear when your thoughts stop, how is it possible to stop thinking for a while and then start thinking again? If thought is you, and you disappear when thought stops, then you should be zero, and you should never be able to think again. Or, does your being disappear when thought disappears, but a new you is created when you start thinking again? If so, what is the relationship between the previous you and the new you? Some philosophers believe there is a connection, while others believe there is no connection. Some philosophers believe that the previous and subsequent thoughts are connected, while others believe that the previous and subsequent thoughts are completely different selves.
...Will listening to this kind of talk be helpful to you? It's just making you think more in your head. Ordinary people don't need to deal with the constant churning of philosophers' thoughts.
Yoga offers a simpler answer.
The fact that you can think again even when your thoughts stop means that there is something more fundamental than thought. Yoga calls that fundamental thing "I," and yoga says that thought is "not I."
If that is the case, then it is natural that "I exist even if I do not think."