--- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In [email protected], "jim_flanegin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > --- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Not quite that simple :-) In the final stages it is possible to > > > "transcend" for four hours at a time, effortlessly. One sits > down, > > > decides how long they will meditate and finishes when they intend > > > to. > > > > sounds very blissful, more so than I can possibly imagine. But why > > would you want to do that? What is the motivation, the benefit? > > That I don't get. > > It's a different paradigm, Jim. In other traditions, > there is NOT the TM idea that thoughts in meditation > are valuable and an indication that "something good > is happening," and that stress is being released. > > In fact, the paradigm is completely the opposite, that > thoughts in meditation are an indication that the > practitioner is simply being lazy, and has not learned > to focus his or her attention. In such a tradition, > the more time spent in samadhi, the better. > > Having practiced both styles of meditation, I can > attest to the fact that using certain styles of focused > or concentrative meditation, one can pretty much enter > samadhi at will and have it last for twenty minutes, > an hour, or several hours, with no thoughts present. > For the dyed-in-the-wool TMer, convinced that the > absence of thoughts indicates an absence of "progress," > this might not be an admirable thing. For me, it's more > than admirable, and preferable. If I'm gonna meditate, > I'd rather spend most if not all of my time in meditation > in the transcendent. > > Unc
ok, my question to Vaj had more to do with questioning the practical benefit of sitting as you say in samadhi for however long. I understand the differences and benefits of both types of meditation and practice them. I just wanted to see if Vaj derived any practical benefit from no thoughts meditation. (He does, and gave a great answer) I agree that the way thoughts are treated in either type of moditation is different, though to say the blank mind meditation is more admirable or preferable to mantra meditation is like saying I find apples more admirable than oranges, which doesn't make much sense to me. One thing I've always appreciated with TM is the transcendental surprises it offers from time to time. In other words my mind expands with it in unpredictable ways, and I like that. To each their own though. Its all one brand of toothpaste or the other to me. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
