I love this segment. You know, years ago, I hated to clean my house (I am a single male), but after many years of meditation, it occurs to me that cleaning my house and attending to my 3 cats is actually a profound meditation - yes, I also to a 20-30 min TM meditation 2-3 times per day, but I attach much less importance now to my 'sitting meditation.' Btw, here's a tip - the influence of the planet Mars (Tuesdays) is a great energy for scrubbing floors and other 'menial' tasks. It's a great way to channel anger, strong energy, and warrior energy into a very productive and useful task.
I use to pay people to clean my home - now, I don't want to give up that opportunity to clean my own home and to - well, 'chew my food.'
Very useful. I struggle with meditation anyway. Not a lot comes to me. I get better messages when I’m out walking or in the greenhouse or knitting or similar. I have been doing zen type meditation and I can clear all thoughts now but don’t get anything else but rest and a clear, calm mind. However the detachment stuff really resonated. Going to try it. Thanks Cliff, very insightful and inspirational. 👍
I really, really, REALLY want to (LEARN to) meditate. But, easier SAID than DONE!!
I do NOT have self-esteem issues; I love me....I'm awesome; I would be my best friend, if someone came into my life that 'was me'. I do not have 'emotional' issues; I never get 'overly emotional'. Obviously, I DO HAVE emotions (& empathy), because I AM Human......I'm just more on the Analytical/Matter of Fact/Common Sense side of things (since I AM a Gemini).
My problem IS (the barrier to me meditating), since I AM Human (ie have a functioning brain), my MIND goes a million miles per hour. Between me having a 'million' things to do/get done, and the bullshit that goes on, every day, in this country (and around the world)......my mind is always racing.
I don't know HOW to 'turn my mind OFF', TO meditate. I know that I would sit there and my mind would race....."I've got to get the transplants in the garden!.....What will I have for dinner?......Need to go over an put drops in mom's eyes!........We're being invaded by illegals!.......fucking PEDOS everywhere!"......and 999,995 other thoughts......one after the other......like Rapid Fire! Which also includes me contemplating what I've heard/watched from really smart (smarter than myself) people, such as Clif, Dr. Joseph P. Farrell, Forum Borealis, ect. And THAT is my problem! Not self-esteem.......not emotions; it's MY THINKING BRAIN!! lol
So that's why the constant bombardment of material from the world. Access to the internet etc., so that we won't have the chance to stop and look at our thoughts before the next thought invades. And we're supposed to, that's how we learn about ourselves. It also explains why anxiety and depression are so prevalent, because we're not taking the time to examine our thoughts before accepting them. It's also likely why men are more enlightened through history because emotion is something we can more easily rationalise when those thoughts occur.
Meditation without disidentification accomplishes little. We are not the voice in the head that sounds like a "self" talking. This understanding comes as a flash of insight without which awakening is difficult.
Great concept, Clif. The more this becomes part of your thought process, the more it becomes an understanding why such silly thoughts bothered you in the first place, it becomes insignificant as you chew the thought, then letting it go as it is just that, insignificant to our reality.
Chop wood, carry water before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water during enlightenment; chop wood, carry water after enlightenment... thank you, Clif!
Thank you, Clif! Really helpful perspective and reminders. Grateful.
Circa 1984, my ex-husband and I were living on Walnut St. in Montclair, NJ. Up the hill from us, make a left, on another residential street, there was the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh house, where they had the best food, devotees decked-out in reds and oranges, and Rajneesh, larger than life on a 7-foot screen transmitting live from Pune, India, or wherever he was in the world at those given times. I thought of him as a merry prankster (lowercase "m" and "p"), a goodhearted huckster. Charming, anyway, with twinkly eyes.
So, the residential devotees always invited me in to their celebrations--as the amused, smiling, silent spectator, not dressed like them.
Oh shit--that's not what I mean to recount. Also on that block was a certified teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM/TM, if you catch my drift), the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi way. I'm a hard nut to crack, or was, anyway, but the teacher persevered (in a Pisces martyr kind of way) till she was sure I'd caught on.
The wild thing about it is she said, "I'm going to whisper your mantra in your ear. Do not ever repeat it to anyone or write it down."
Well that got my flighty self to hop to and pay strict attention. So she whispers my mantra to me, twice, I think.
"Got it?" she asks.
"Yep." I never did write it down or speak it. Forty years later, I still know what my mantra is!
Though I have a theory that there's only one TM mantra (no, not Aum/Om), and that's why the student is sworn to secrecy.
Please do more of meditation type topics, please. This episode really resonated with me. I need more of this in my life.
Knitting is a great meditation opportunity
I love this segment. You know, years ago, I hated to clean my house (I am a single male), but after many years of meditation, it occurs to me that cleaning my house and attending to my 3 cats is actually a profound meditation - yes, I also to a 20-30 min TM meditation 2-3 times per day, but I attach much less importance now to my 'sitting meditation.' Btw, here's a tip - the influence of the planet Mars (Tuesdays) is a great energy for scrubbing floors and other 'menial' tasks. It's a great way to channel anger, strong energy, and warrior energy into a very productive and useful task.
I use to pay people to clean my home - now, I don't want to give up that opportunity to clean my own home and to - well, 'chew my food.'
Letting go of anything which is not for our greater good creates greater good around us. 💚
Very useful. I struggle with meditation anyway. Not a lot comes to me. I get better messages when I’m out walking or in the greenhouse or knitting or similar. I have been doing zen type meditation and I can clear all thoughts now but don’t get anything else but rest and a clear, calm mind. However the detachment stuff really resonated. Going to try it. Thanks Cliff, very insightful and inspirational. 👍
Just so Clif.
I really, really, REALLY want to (LEARN to) meditate. But, easier SAID than DONE!!
I do NOT have self-esteem issues; I love me....I'm awesome; I would be my best friend, if someone came into my life that 'was me'. I do not have 'emotional' issues; I never get 'overly emotional'. Obviously, I DO HAVE emotions (& empathy), because I AM Human......I'm just more on the Analytical/Matter of Fact/Common Sense side of things (since I AM a Gemini).
My problem IS (the barrier to me meditating), since I AM Human (ie have a functioning brain), my MIND goes a million miles per hour. Between me having a 'million' things to do/get done, and the bullshit that goes on, every day, in this country (and around the world)......my mind is always racing.
I don't know HOW to 'turn my mind OFF', TO meditate. I know that I would sit there and my mind would race....."I've got to get the transplants in the garden!.....What will I have for dinner?......Need to go over an put drops in mom's eyes!........We're being invaded by illegals!.......fucking PEDOS everywhere!"......and 999,995 other thoughts......one after the other......like Rapid Fire! Which also includes me contemplating what I've heard/watched from really smart (smarter than myself) people, such as Clif, Dr. Joseph P. Farrell, Forum Borealis, ect. And THAT is my problem! Not self-esteem.......not emotions; it's MY THINKING BRAIN!! lol
Brilliant timing Clif, a big thank you from me too.
Your definitely aligning us, to a world awakening.
Preparing us to help others..maybe x
Ahhh .. Clif is a hip guy!
So that's why the constant bombardment of material from the world. Access to the internet etc., so that we won't have the chance to stop and look at our thoughts before the next thought invades. And we're supposed to, that's how we learn about ourselves. It also explains why anxiety and depression are so prevalent, because we're not taking the time to examine our thoughts before accepting them. It's also likely why men are more enlightened through history because emotion is something we can more easily rationalise when those thoughts occur.
Thanks Clif.
Live long and prosper!
Suffering does take some chewing...
Pain creates focus.
Chew your food makes so much sense.
I am (very interested) in more Meditative Wisdom.
Please.
Meditation without disidentification accomplishes little. We are not the voice in the head that sounds like a "self" talking. This understanding comes as a flash of insight without which awakening is difficult.
Great concept, Clif. The more this becomes part of your thought process, the more it becomes an understanding why such silly thoughts bothered you in the first place, it becomes insignificant as you chew the thought, then letting it go as it is just that, insignificant to our reality.
Chop wood, carry water before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water during enlightenment; chop wood, carry water after enlightenment... thank you, Clif!
Thank you, Clif! Really helpful perspective and reminders. Grateful.
Circa 1984, my ex-husband and I were living on Walnut St. in Montclair, NJ. Up the hill from us, make a left, on another residential street, there was the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh house, where they had the best food, devotees decked-out in reds and oranges, and Rajneesh, larger than life on a 7-foot screen transmitting live from Pune, India, or wherever he was in the world at those given times. I thought of him as a merry prankster (lowercase "m" and "p"), a goodhearted huckster. Charming, anyway, with twinkly eyes.
So, the residential devotees always invited me in to their celebrations--as the amused, smiling, silent spectator, not dressed like them.
Oh shit--that's not what I mean to recount. Also on that block was a certified teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM/TM, if you catch my drift), the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi way. I'm a hard nut to crack, or was, anyway, but the teacher persevered (in a Pisces martyr kind of way) till she was sure I'd caught on.
The wild thing about it is she said, "I'm going to whisper your mantra in your ear. Do not ever repeat it to anyone or write it down."
Well that got my flighty self to hop to and pay strict attention. So she whispers my mantra to me, twice, I think.
"Got it?" she asks.
"Yep." I never did write it down or speak it. Forty years later, I still know what my mantra is!
Though I have a theory that there's only one TM mantra (no, not Aum/Om), and that's why the student is sworn to secrecy.
That's something to meditate on.