Thanks, Vaj. I've responded below. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj wrote: > > > On Mar 29, 2009, at 9:56 PM, Patrick Gillam wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj wrote: > >> > >> > >> The pundit kindly replied > >> 'oh, but don't you know you can never > >> have effortlessness except in > >> nondual meditation?' He briefly explained > >> the difference between meditation with an > >> object and the advaita View of nondual > >> contemplation. Quite embarrassing, but > >> unquestionably true when > >> understood. > > > > I don't get it. Have you elaborated on the > > above points elsewhere? If not, could you > > explain a little more here? > > > > Thanks. > > It is the inescapable nature of any meditation > form with supports/ props--any, not just TM--that > if there are supports, alambanas, i.e. > an object of meditation and a meditator who > meditates through some > method on an object (breath, visualization, > mantra), there will > always be some (subtle) effort involved.
In my experience, intention is different from effort, even subtle effort, just as desire is different from the work required to fulfill a desire. And all it takes for me to to be aware of a mantra or be present in the moment is the intention to do so. It would seem that consciousness, by its nature, does the actual "work" of redirecting itself to the mantra or to the moment. Perhaps this is where Maharishi's "natural tendency of the mind to seek greater charm" comes in. The mantra and the present moment both have their charm, and thus attract the attention.
