Mike,
I was very lucky; and lucky also to have the best teaching and the most
perspicacious and compassionate teacher, and the company of his sangha (the
other assembled students, monks, and nuns).
What was needed in my case first was a purification. The teacher sensed this
and sent me outside, where it could take place undisturbed. I think all my
years of Yoga practice, running, and good diet before this was the beginning of
the purification.
Then it took a few days for the rather raw body to settle, and for the energy
to cool down, and sink.
Samadhi came on, for days, and suddenly broke. There was nothing after this
for 8 weeks.
I supported this with practice, but eventually took on too many
responsibilities in my work at the time, and even took a second, very
challenging and fascinating job in a great research group. I suppose "erosion"
of the awakened state is the "norm", even if Samadhi is our regular practice.
I was doing the Golden Ocean Seal, just naturally.
Subsequent openings over the years seemed smaller and less dramatic: there was
less to be broken down. I did not any longer use koan methods, and did not
practice for "awakening". And the body could support the awake-state for
having become accustomed, via previous lengthy entries, to what is natural. I
hadn't strayed far each time from the Tao (but far enough!).
Who knows what condition I am in now. But I think my teacher would be ashamed
of me: not for himself, but for me, and all beings. And so he'd urge us to
keep up our practice. Which we do!
I'm pleased to have had long immersion times in our true nature, and pleased to
have become covered again by shrouds. I'm pleased thus to have been a
"beginner", again and again, and to see and feel and sense what is helpful as
one is climbing out of the well, again (or back in, as the analogy may go).
If I'm to be a lay, un-transmitted Dharma teacher, as my teacher's organization
has me being trained to be, this experience of being a beginner many times over
can be a good background to come from to be effective in helping other climbers
(or folks looking for the stairway to the Basement, rather).
--Joe
> uerusuboyo@... wrote:
>
> Joe, Wow, a couple of months in that state must have been mind-blowing(out)!
> I've had similar experiences, but of a much, much shorter duration. Of
> course, I don't think those experiences should be clung to. After all,
> they're just glimpses of the Absolute and their significance is that they
> introduce us to the 'path' and hopefully keep us on it. Lucky you to receive
> such grace!
------------------------------------
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