Zen Master Pacfan and Taoist Andre.

[pacfan]

Hello Andre, how you've been?

Thanks, Bookkeeper, of course you're on my top buddy list yourself, one of the few guys who keep this place sane. I think Andre has said it all about Zzzzzen quite well...

This is probably going to sound pretty damn airy fairy so bare with me, but it is a really profound thing to me to have this realization/feeling, and if even one person shares that I would be happy.

" The stillness and unfathomable depth of space as you gaze up to it, is an exact mirror of the stillness, and unfathomable depth that is within you. Is you. And so you feel a recognition and affinity with it, where the connection is seamless and boundryless between your inner depth, and the depth of outer space. For that moment, you are one with space and everything. And you can feel it as real as happiness or sadness "

I have a second one too which is more of an observation I have just made now of where i'm at in this type of education/development.

" I am getting to a point where "space" and "stillness" are as tangible to me as a door or a wall. Where as before I did not perceive either, or spare any time or thought for them.... And it seems the more tangible space and stillness become to me, the more peace I feel, and the more I feel i'm touching who I really am and getting to know who I am.. The more I can "see" space and perceive it on the outside, the more I can feel and percieve it on the inside.. The more it continues to open up in me.. Where as before, and only on occassions, it may have only been the size of a pea inside me.. That inner stillness and space and depth now feels as though it is reaching my skin and almost fully filling my physical form... I guess the next step is to perceive "my" depth, stillness and space as going beyond my physical bounds. And eventually having no boundry, and feeling that "my" space is "at one" and connected seamlessly with everything else, and they are not seperate... "


This was the first time i'd ever conciously felt space or stillness as a tangible thing that "exists". HUGE awakening for me..

I'm back. Wow, the writer described the 'state' we long-time meditators get into during meditation very, very well, and it's really hard to put it into words. Let me try to describe in my own words:

When I meditate, my body seems to disappear somewhat and merge with the space beyond. I don't feel my body as we usually do but I feel it more as an energy. And that energy seems to radiate deep into the space beyond and I can feel the space much wider, which make it seem to add an extra dimension. I feel myself and the space as one. Everything feels airy, smooth and seemless, and I feel the peace, the light and the subtle but deep joy within and without...

That's the best I could do...


Now back to the original question. Ya, Dizaster, I have to say that once some strong emotion take hold of you, there's nothing much you can do about it. Most of the time, you are under it's control. So I won't try to tell that it'll be easy to get rid of them. No, it'll most likely take years and years of practices to be able to do that - the actual time will depend on how emotional you are. So in the next break, I'll just talk about how I've gotten rid of my negative emotions. In the meantime, just try not to be bothered by your negative emotions. That is the very first step and that'll take a little sting out of it. Taking the sting out of those emotions is the first step towards letting them go.

Adios for now, my friend.