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Journalings

This is a place for sharing items that I think might be of interest to others. My e-mails often involve sending some newly discovered website or an updated project to many different folks, so I thought it might be more efficient to try this approach. Feedback encouraged, and I have turned on the comments permission now that there's a Spam control. Feel free!

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Name: Ramón Sender Barayón
Location: San Francisco, California, United States

More than you want to know right here! http://www.raysender.com

April 7, 2007

Blinking, and merging Concentration-Relaxation

Thanks for your detailed response, Sister K. Perhaps I should rephrase as
"Blinking removes one's awareness from the thought flow"? Awareness - pure
consciousness - of course continues. You said below what I was referencing
(ah, terminology!):
To see a moment of "no mind" , "still point", or what Bhante
terms "pure mind," one only has to learn to watch closely
while TOTALLY still with the body as one RELEASES> and
then RELAXES> RESMILES>
At that point, one will see a tiny CESSATION which is the
same as what you are talking about. This is the mundane
Nibbana. To identify this brings a zeal(meaning enthusiasm
and confidence) to the student because now you truly know
this state is a REAL STATE

Just yesterday I understood there's a stage where Concentration and
Relaxation become the same. This is something I had been wrestling with
for some months - i.e. how to remain on the meditation object (which
requires some application of focus/fixation) while at the same time going
ever deeper into relaxation. I think this is a merging of the Relax-Resmile
-Return sequence on your six R's list.
Yesterday I visualized 'concentration' as a golden ball gradually sinking
into a deep ocean of relaxation, and have found this quite helpful.
Thanks for your detailed response! And of course, while following the
Buddha's instructions, we should each remain true to our own view. Next
time you 'Recognize' how your attention is pulled away,' try
blinking. It immediately centers my awareness in the hara (solar plexus)
and out of my head.
Beams and Blessings,

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